Singing the same song every morning for two weeks straight is key to the success of young singers in this summer's Singwell Academy.
The final of three two-week sessions ended last Friday and the 16 students honed their solos one at a time with the help of instructor Nicole Philibosian, a teacher at Interlochen Arts Academy and professional opera singer. The singers were preparing for their session-ending concert Friday evening at Northwestern Michigan College where they would showcase what they learned for family and friends.
Covering classics ranging from "Over the Rainbow” and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands” to "Let's Go Fly a Kite” and "Shenandoah,” students absorbed Philibosian's coaching on everything from mouth position and posture to breathing, hydrating and singing with emotion.
"Even if you don't go into singing, you'll have the skills for public performance,” Philibosian told them.
Essentially a solo session for a bunch of soloists together, Singwell has been a great learning venue for Aubrey Blanche. Just graduated from St. Francis High School and heading to Northwestern University in Chicago this fall, Blanche has been a private student of Philibosian for two years. She also just completed her third Singwell session and praised the training it gave her.
"She just has this way of bringing out the best voice in everyone,” said Blanche, who will study music and journalism at college.
In addition to Blanche, students this last Singwell session ranged from 8-18 years old, a typical spread for Singwell but unusual in most singing classes. Since she and her husband, Ron Gentry, also a voice teacher at Interlochen Arts Academy and a professional singer, founded the Singwell Academy in 2000 they have embraced younger singers. In fact, that was the reason they started it in the first place: years of requests from parents that they work with talented elementary age singers.
This most recent session was a little unusual in the wide age spread, but Philibosian ultimately enjoyed the creative energy of the varied ages. She initially split the group into two by age but soon brought them back together and the students gave one concert.
"It's just amazing how well they work together, the little ones look up to the big ones,” said Philibosian. "I learn every time I do this class, every time they help me more.”
Used to coaching elite high school voices one-on-one, both at Interlochen and privately, Philibosian and Gentry conceived of a format that met daily for two weeks. Each session, students worked to master one song.
Philibosian added another ingredient: a magic circle. In the magic circle there are no mistakes.
"The magic circle is extremely helpful because before I was nervous whenever I made a mistake and now I just go on,” said Zeky Nadji, 13, who has taken 15 Singwell Academy sessions, including the school year format ones that meet weekly over ten weeks.
Nadji went from not knowing any notes and few songs to have mastered most of the Singwell Academy's repertoire.
"Normally, I wouldn't sing for people, now I walk around in school and sing and I'll just be happy,” added the ninth grade student at West Junior High School and a member of the school's choir.
Blanche agreed that learning improved when she was not concerned about or stopped by every vocal misstep.
"She's such a fantastic teacher because she encourages you to make mistakes,” she said. "She really emphasizes your face because if your face stays engaged then the audience doesn't have a clue [about mistakes.]”
The next session of the Singwell Academy will begin on Monday, September 10 with classes once a week for ten weeks. For more information on the academy, contact Philibosian at 932-0681.