Ryan Bunch

Have you thought about taking voice lessons this fall?

2011-08-22T17:08:00.003-04:00

The fall semester is about to begin, and I still have space for both new and returning students! However, the most popular scheduled times go quickly, so get in touch with me to reserve your spot! Call me at 267-973-9756, email me at ryan@ryanbunch.com, or find me on Facebook to get started.

Have you "liked" the Facebook page yet?

Please consider going on Facebook and “liking” my new page, Ryan Bunch Vocal Studio. I’m starting to post updates and random fun things there, and it’s a convenient way for you to know what’s going on. You can search for it by name or click here.

Stuff That’s Coming Up
Whether you’re currently taking lessons or not, stay alert for upcoming events. There will be another Holiday Party (date and time TBD around early December) which will once again feature vocal performances and conversation with a working musical theater professional. I’m also thinking about organizing a field trip or two to see some shows!

That all for now. Stay tuned!

Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews Do the History of Musical Theater

2011-08-15T08:41:00.001-04:00

This whole thing is wonderful, but things really get cooking around 5:25 when they go into Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady (Carol does a good impression of Julie as Eliza Doolittle!), and West Side Story. Too bad this survey of the musical only goes down through the 50s. I want to hear these two do Elphaba and Glinda!

Advice for Singers: Slow and Steady

2010-08-16T15:21:00.000-04:00

Slow and steady wins the race.

You know what that’s from, don’t you? Here’s a clue.

Now you remember.

Here’s some advice for singers: what works for the tortoise also works for you.

Singing is a lifelong process. Be patient with yourself and your progress. Experimentation is slow and discovery even slower. Don’t be in a hurry.

We all want to be the best singers we can be, as quickly as possible. Forget about it! Some aspects of your vocal technique will take years to develop. Accept this and learn to enjoy the journey. Savor the sounds you produce when they are sweet, and also learn to love the sour ones as they are. They are just more of the sounds your voice can make. They will sweeten as you nurture them over time.

Hurrying will lead to tension, frustration, sloppiness, and even damage to your voice. So relax. Stay focused, but relax. Slow and steady wins the race. Your progress will be incremental as you explore your own vocal instrument under the guidance of your teacher. You have your whole life to sing. This is especially true for those who have the most difficulty accepting it—the young! So approach your singing as though you have a lifetime, and you’ll have a healthy, beautiful voice your whole life long!

Theater Report: West Side Story at Upper Darby Summer Stage

2010-08-12T15:06:00.001-04:00

Upper Darby Summer Stage has chosen West Side Story as its Mainstage production for this year, its 35th season. It is a fittingly monumental project for the occasion.

With music by Leonard Bernstein and choreography by Jerome Robbins, who directed the original production, West Side Story is one of those works that stands astride other examples of its genre. Many consider it to be the best musical ever created (though other candidates for that distinction certainly have their advocates) because of its treatment of serious themes and successful integration of song and dance in it storytelling. Its venerated status makes it a good choice for this celebratory season for Upper Darby Summer Stage.

It’s also not the easiest show to put on, but it’s in good hands at Upper Darby. All of the qualities you’ve come to expect from the region’s most famous summer theater program are there—beautiful set and costume designs, high production values, and solid performances by some the region’s most capable young theater artists.

The songs, which are handled beautifully by soloists and chorus alike, are the emotional core of the show, revealing the character’s feelings and commenting on the themes of the story, but it’s really the dancing that propels the plot. Many of the critical turning points—like Tony and Maria’s meeting and the rumble—are told through dance and movement. On this count, too, the performers are more than up to the task, finding individual expression in their own characters while also maintaining cohesion as a unified ensemble.

This production of one of the great musicals is a fine tribute to Upper Darby Summer Stage’s long history of producing good theater while training up-and-coming talents. Congratulations to all on a terrific show!

There are still two performances of this show on Friday, August 13, and Saturday, August 14, at 7:30. It's a great show for the low price of $12 for adults. Go to Upper Darby Summer Stage for tickets and more information.

Theater Report: Les Miserables at YPTC

2010-08-10T16:24:00.001-04:00

Last weekend two of my voice students were in the Young Performers Theater Camp (YPTC) production of Les Miserables. YPTC is a program of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation in which campers rehearse and perform a full-length musical in three weeks every summer. Both of my students had principle roles with big singing parts, but they appeared on separate nights because the show was double-cast. So I went twice.

Attending back-to-back performances of one of the longest, most ambitious shows in all of musical theater (even in the high school edition presented here) performed by a group of youngsters with only three weeks’ preparation might sound like a test of endurance, but with this talented group of kids under the leadership of the creative staff at YPTC it was a pleasure!

The emphasis at YPTC is on performance. The set elements—which themselves are admirably created by campers, as I understand—are minimal. This attention to performance is what makes YPTC such a good program, and it shows in the results. My own students did terrific work in their roles as Fantine and Young Cosette, and they were in good company with the rest of the cast. In conversation with the parents of one of my students afterwards, we agreed that the kids’ performances were universally impressive beyond many of our expectations. We couldn’t stop talking about how good they were, and it might be added that we are all professional musicians and music teachers.

I must also say that, having seen both casts perform on separate nights, I could really see the fruits of the individualized attention campers get from the instructors. It was clear that they were encouraged to create their own interpretations of their characters—something that showed in the differences from one cast to the next. As the parent of my other student noted, our Fantine emoted a great deal of pathos while the next night Fantine possessed more of a steely inner strength. Two wonderful but very different interpretations.

After the shows, each of my students was swarmed by adoring friends and family members who showered them with flowers, hugs, kisses, and tears of joy. The show of support was of a piece with YPTC’s philosophy of nurturing the young performer.

You can go here to watch a video of campers and staff talking about YPTC in their own words.

Elephants Teach You Painting, Numbers and French

2010-08-03T11:26:00.004-04:00

Recently, under the delusion that I was finally going to get busy and “finish” learning French after all these years, I spent a couple of nights listening to French children’s songs on YouTube. This one really stuck with me. I’ve been singing it spontaneously for weeks now.

Translated, the nonsensical words mean something like this:

One elephant
Is deceptive, is deceptive
One elephant
Is enormously deceptive.
Oil painting is rather hard,
But it’s more beautiful than watercolors.

Two elephants . . .

Then you repeat it obsessively, going to however many elephants you like.

There’s a pun in here, because the word for deceive, trompe, is also the word for an elephant’s trunk.

The part about painting is my favorite because it’s so random. It also reminds me of this video of an elephant painting.

I was a little astounded when I first saw this, but after all, elephants are among the most intelligent of animals. This one has been taught to paint a picture by tracing an existing image. Apparently when left to their own devices elephants will create colorful abstract paintings. Now if an elephant can make art, surely I can learn a second language!

The Music Man: The Perfect Musical?

2010-08-02T17:20:00.003-04:00

Friday I attended Mainstage Center for the Arts’ production of The Music Man. These young people gave some really terrific performances in a production that was musically polished to an impressive degree, from the soloists and chorus to the very fine orchestra in the pit. Kudos goes especially to the young men of the school board who negotiated their difficult barbershop harmonies not only accurately, but also with a great deal of style, individuality, and sense of comic vocal acting.

I am becoming more and more convinced that The Music Man is the perfect musical. And I don’t even believe in perfection, but every time I see the show I’m a little bit more impressed by its brilliance. The whole thing—book, music and lyrics all by Meredith Willson—is exceptionally well written.

It ought to be. It was in development for the better part of a decade, with several people helping Willson to doctor the script and get it just right. Willson wrote over forty songs, the majority of which were discarded at one point or another in the process to be replaced by something that worked better.

After the performance Micah, who also loves the show, went a little Music-Man-crazy, and I was happy enough to go along for the ride. First it was YouTube clips of the 2003 made-for-TV version with Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Broderick. Then we watched the classic film adaptation of 1962 with Robert Preston, who of course originated the role of Harold Hill on Broadway as well.

I was struck by the realization that the Chenoweth-Broderick version is more exactly faithful to the stage show, though I don’t care much for the style of direction, the re-orchestrations, or the way Marian’s songs are transposed down so that Chenoweth can American-Idolize them instead of singing them properly as the prim Miss Marian Paroo undoubtedly would in real life (if people in real life sang their words as they do in musicals—would that they did!).

The aforementioned classic film with Robert Preston and Shirley Jones was directed by Morton DaCosta, who also directed the original Broadway production. It was and is unusual for a theater director to have the opportunity to direct in Holly wood the same show he made successful on the stage (just one of the many reasons film versions of great Broadway show are almost always terrible, in my opinion). The result with The Music Man is that the film is considered to be unusually faithful to the stage production. And of course in style and spirit it is, and the judicious minor changes and additional dialogue actually make the story stronger. We are thus fortunate to have Robert Preston’s historic performance luminously preserved on Hollywood-quality Technicolor film.

Many of Professor Harold Hill’s lyrics are actually written in Willson’s score as rhythmic speech rather than singing. There’s a whole technique the composer uses in this show in which a continuum of utterances from speech to song dramatizes the character arcs of Harold and Marian as they fall in love, with implications for gender, sexuality and our very notions of music. Someday I’m going to write a whole essay on that, but for now just enjoy the clip. It’s a little bit of genius.

Summer is a great time to start voice lessons in Philadelphia!

2010-06-14T16:08:00.002-04:00

School’s out! What are you gonna do now?

Now is an excellent time to brush up your vocal technique and get ready for your upcoming auditions, whether you’re involved in a summer theater program now or you’re already starting to look ahead to shows you’ll be doing next fall or spring.

I can help you prepare songs that are appropriate for your voice type and in a variety of styles so that you’re ready for any audition. Or if you want to improve your singing in general I can help you with that too!

I still have just a few spots available in my summer schedule, so call me now at 267-973-9756 or email me at ryan@ryanbunch.com to talk about setting your lessons up.

Oh, Lydia!

2010-04-05T12:19:00.005-04:00

Over the weekend I met with a friend and creative collaborator who needed to put together some music for a show. We pulled out some old songs we'd written written together for a project a couple of years ago, and we also brushed up a parody we did on the song "Lydia the Tattooed Lady" from the Groucho Marx film A Day at the Circus.

Now, I love this song, and all I keep asking is why haven't I made any of my voice students sing it? So some unsespecting person is probably going to get the assignment this week!

"Lydia" was one of the first songs Yip Harburg (lyricist) and Harold Arlen (composer) wrote for Hollywood after finishing their work on The Wizard of Oz in 1939. It almost got dropped from A Day at the Circus because the studio was concerned about it being too suggestive--the Hays Code was in full effect and censorship was the order of the day. Harburg added a new ending to the song about an admirable who was so smitten with Lydia and her tattoos that he married her. This adjustment apparently made her respectable enough to stay in the film.

The Human Voice: My Favourite Wind Instrument

2010-02-08T00:35:00.003-05:00

Now for a guest article from my friend and fellow voice teacher, Cheryl Hodge. Cheryl is both a fantastic singer and a terrific teacher. I recently discovered her book A Singer's Guide to the Well-Trained and Powerful Voice, which is full of valuable instruction on solid, healthy vocal technique and breathing exercises treating the voice as a wind instrument, as she explains below. Visit her website, www.jazzboulevard.com. She even has some free video lessons there that I think are really wonderful.

The Human Voice: My Favourite Wind Instrument
(by Cheryl Hodge, copyright, 2008)

I can still clearly remember the days when, as a college freshman at Berklee in Boston, great young players would come up to me and keenly ask, "Hey, what instrument do you play?" Whenever I answered that I was a singer or a vocalist, I would see their faces fall.

Finally, I started to answer, "I play the VOICE."

Often they would quip back to me, "What d'ya mean you play the Voice?" (That became the name of my first recital, by the way!)

Of course, the answer was always obvious: "It's a wind instrument, rigggghhhht?"

It can give you pause, when you actually stop to think about it. Most people labour under the false belief that a good singer is BORN a good singer. They'll often say, "Hey, you can't really be taught stuff like that."

Little do those people know that most of the vocalists they like did, at least at some point, break down and take lessons. Everybody wants to hear a great tone; but great tone can only be acheived through great breath reception and control. In order to do that correctly, you've got to look at your posture first, and figure out a way to stand in order to increase your oxygen intake to the maximum level.

As a fledgling pro, I was challenged by the whole breath thing. I had been an asthmatic since birth! My mentor/teacher, Brian O'Connell (then the head of the Berklee Voice Dept.) was astoundingly prodigious at teaching breathing. He got me through a lot, and was able to help me open my lungs more.

Still... my physical limitations were so annoying that at one point, I even resorted to getting a lesson from the great saxophonist Joe Allard, at New England Conservatory. It was Joe who taught me to look beyond the obvious physical stuff and into some of the more subtle things... like whether or not I needed to resort to relaxing exercise work (like yoga); or even do some "inner child work" (although they didn't call it that, back then). He somehow got through to me. I conquered my problems; my breath never became a limiter to my tone, again.

So... now I had the wind in my sails, so to speak. My teacher, Brian O'Connell was instrumental in helping me relax my throat more, while helping me develop my diaphragm muscles, through a rather strict daily regimen. For those of you unfamiliar with this stuff; it can be fairly difficult to separate various parts of your body (strong, controlled diaphragm with an extremely relaxed larynx (throat) area.

Fortunately, for me, I didn't give up. I loved music THAT much! In time, my tone continued to open and widen. I learned to control my breaks so that there would be no audible difference between my belted high notes going into a blended belt/head tone. That allowed me to do the Aretha/Chaka stuff, and occasionally pull out the head voice coluratura area, for kicks. More studio work and commercial work (extremely desirable) then opened up for me.

I started to listen more to my wind instrument cousins, like saxophonists. In a bit, it became clear to me that the saxophonists I loved like Brecker and Sandborn, had paved a similar path to the one I had trod myself! They had a wide, beautiful sound, and an extremely developed diaphragm. The saxophonists I didn't care for had a pinched sound and often pitchy; just like the vocalists I didn't care for!

Every once in a while, I remind my friends (vocalists or not) that we all have a great deal in common. A wind instrument is a wind instrument.

Cheryl Hodge taught for eight years on the Voice faculty at Berklee College of Music, in Boston. Since then she has headed the Voice Dept. at Selkirk College in an artists' community known as Nelson, B.C. (Canada). She has recorded 5 CDs and writes and gigs regularly with jazz guitar great, John Stowell. Her recently released CD, "Indigo" ('09) has been generating a lot of buzz since it's release, in March, this year. Her website is: http://www.jazzboulevard.com (where she may be contacted). She is also the author of "A Singer's Guide to the Well-Trained and Powerful Voice" (now with companion mp3s).

Jason Alexander in Bye Bye Birdie

2010-02-07T23:16:00.003-05:00

While I was snowed in on Saturday I watched a whole bunch of movies Tivo had been saving up for me (all musicals, what else?). I learned that I still love The Happiest Millionaire after all these years (actually it's even better now that I'm older and now that I know the Philadelphia references, though its gender politics are a little smelly), and I still don't love Carousel no matter how many times I've tried to.

I also learned that the 1995 made-for-TV production of Bye Bye Birdie is pretty faithful to the original, with the addition of songs from the touring production. It's also pretty good, though it has some interesting casting choices. George Wendt is not my favorite Mr. McAfee, but Jason Alexander is a perfectly fine Albert.

Carol Channing in "Thoroughly Modern Millie"

2010-01-31T17:10:00.005-05:00

Today is Carol Channing's 89th birthday. Here she is singing "Jazz Baby" in Thoroughly Modern Millie. My favorite part is at 3 minutes.

Carol Channing fun fact: She was one of a number of celebrities on the long version of Richard Nixon's infamous Enemies List. She considered it her greatest achievement.

Overture to Golden Boy

2010-01-30T13:41:00.005-05:00

Golden Boy was adapted for the Broadway stage from Clifford Odets' 1937 play. It was above all a showcase for Sammy Davis, Jr., with songs by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams who first teamed up on Bye Bye Birdie. Here, Davis and Strouse talk about the unusual construction of the Overture in a television interview. Then you can listen to the Overture itself.

Makin' Whoopee and Eatin' Cookie

2009-10-20T12:36:00.004-04:00

First, Eddie Cantor sings "Makin' Whoopee" from the 1930 film version of Whoopee (from the 1928 Broadway musical of the same name). Words and music are by Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson. Don't miss the suggestive eye-rolling on the title phrase.

Then, Cookie Monster makes the song his own.

Eddie Cantor in "Palmy Days"

2009-10-12T09:49:00.002-04:00

Here's Eddie Cantor at his Eddie-Cantorest, signature "banjo eyes" and all. From 1931 with choreography by Busby Berkeley. Watch it all the way to the end--it's worth it!

You'd Be Surprised

2009-10-09T11:54:00.003-04:00

Wonderful song by Irving Berlin from 1919. Three different performances, each equally delightful in its own way!

Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life

2009-09-29T10:29:00.003-04:00

An instantly recognizable expression of hyperbolic love, this song by Victor Herbert first appeared in the operetta Naughty Marietta in 1910. It was the story of a Countess in disguise who's waiting for her true love to finish the song she has started. Now it's used in parody and pastiche as the following examples demonstrate:

1. The song more or less in its original context in the movie version of Naughty Marietta (1935).
2. Madeleine Kahn spontaneously quotes in Young Frankenstein
3. The musical Thoroughly Modern Millie uses it as shortcut to show two characters falling in love at first sight. This number also uses "I'm Falling in Love With Someone," another song from Naughty Marietta.

Sammy Cahn Talks About "Three Coins in the Fountain"

2009-09-28T12:05:00.003-04:00

Sammy Cahn wrote lyrics for a dazzling number of songs on stage and screen. Here he is talking about how he had to write the title song for the 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain, without benefit of even seeing a screenplay. Of course, the song went on to become a hit standard.

Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly

2009-09-14T08:26:00.003-04:00

Pearl Bailey was one of a string of stars who followed Carol Channing in the role of Dolly Levi on Broadway. It was all part of producer David Merrick's strategy to keep audiences coming till 1970 when Hello Dolly became the longest running show to that time. Other Dollies were Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable, Martha Raye, and good ol' Ethel Merman.

Giants in the Sky

2009-08-20T12:16:00.002-04:00

This is possibly my favorite song from Into the Woods. The Sondheim-Lapine musical is based on controversial child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim's Freudian analysis of fairy tales, The Uses of Enchantment. Jack has just come down the beanstalk from the kingdom in the sky. Like Little Red Riding Hood's previous song about her encounter with the wolf, this song is about a moment of self discovery that is not without some suggestion of sexual awakening as well. All of this, of course, is metaphor for growing up.

From Adelina Patti to Patti Lupone

2009-08-19T13:08:00.006-04:00

This is the Tony performance from the 1987 revival of Anything Goes.

Patti Lupone's great-grand-aunt was Adelina Patti, one of the most famous opera singers of the nineteenth century. According to this, Verdi considered her to be the greatest singer he'd ever heard. I wonder what he'd think about Lupone's performance. Times have changed!

Here's Adelina Patti singing "Casta diva" from Bellini's Norma in 1906.

Cabaret

2009-08-18T13:25:00.001-04:00

Cast of "A Chorus Line" on Donahue

2009-08-17T10:28:00.001-04:00

Go to YouTube for the whole program. Lots of interesting stuff about the creative process and director-choreographer Michael Bennett's style.

Is There Life After High School?

2009-08-15T10:27:00.003-04:00

I went to see Is There Life After High School? at the Cheltenham Arts Center last night.

First of all, the theater was packed, so if you want to go to one of the two remaining performances today (Saturday) buy your tickets now!

Is There Life After High School?, as I’ve mentioned in a previous posting, had a brief run on Broadway 27 years ago, and seeing the show now, I think I can tell why it wasn’t quite splashy enough to compete with A Chorus Line. But for the same reason, it’s a perfect show for amateur or community theater in an intimate space such as the one at Cheltenham Arts Center. The series of songs and monologues allow each member of the ensemble plenty of face time with the audience, and although the show is from the early 1980s, both the themes and the songs are remarkably undated. Best of all, the tunes are positively hummable.

This is a show that works on its own terms, and director Michael Bee allows it to do just that, on a bare stage with a minimum of effectively employed props that allow the attention to remain on the cast members, who both individually and in group scenes turn out some fine performances.

Remaining performances of Is There Life After High School are today at 2pm and 8pm. More information here.

Is There Life After High School?

2009-08-13T13:47:00.005-04:00

I'm looking forward to seeing Is There Life After High School? at the Cheltenham Arts Center this weekend. ITLAHS? is a show that ran very briefly on Broadway in 1982, and I'm very interested in this new staging by friends of mine at Seventh Inning Stretch Productions, since this will be my first time seeing the show. You can read my full article, with interesting and insightful thoughts from director Michael Bee, here. Ticketing information is available on their website.

"Thoroughly Modern Millie" at Upper Darby Summer Stage

2009-08-07T18:18:00.004-04:00

I’ve seen a lot of shows in the last couple of weeks, many starring students I work with at Mainstage Center for the Arts in Blackwood, NJ, or in my private studio here in Philadelphia. All these shows have been terrific, but I’ve been so busy going to see them all, I didn’t get a chance to cover them here on the blog like I wish I could!

There’s one show that is still going on, however, and I’d like to draw your attention to it. Thoroughly Modern Millie is still running through matinee and evening performances this Saturday. The young 16-25-year-old actors at Upper Darby Summer Stage are so proficient at their craft that their performance of this Broadway standard is as good as you’d see on many a professional stage—but at the low price of $12 a ticket! So I recommend it, either as introduction to the show or for those who already love it.

(By the way, if you're local, check your newsstand for the current issue of the News of Delaware County to read my full review of the show.)

Here’s more information on the Upper Darby Summer Stage web site, where you can also buy tickets.

Guys and Dolls

2009-08-03T15:11:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to everybody involved in Mainstage Center for The Arts’s production of Guys and Dolls. The entire cast was great, and I know that a lot of other people but in a great deal of work to pull it together. The Gold Cast gets extra credit for soldiering through two Saturday performances after a power outage prevented the Friday night show from going on. Here they are appeasing the disappointed audience with a parking-lot performance of “Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat.”

One more summer stage production left for these guys— Disney Spectacular this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday!

Into the Crosswords

2009-07-20T16:01:00.003-04:00

I'm afraid I may be becoming addicted to cryptic crossword puzzles (as opposed to the regular ones I've always been addicted to), and it's sort of Stephen Sondheim's fault. It all started when I was reading about how he wrote cryptic crosswords for New York magazine in the late 1960s.

If you've never done a cryptic crossword, this explains them, and you can try some out here. I can't say I'm very good at them, yet--which makes them all the more consuming.

Sondheim seems to have a lifelong love of puzzles of this type. Not too surprising from the guy who inspired this song parody.

West Side Story II

2009-07-19T12:38:00.004-04:00

It took fifty years, but the sequel's finally here! And just in time, because this is the week I discuss West Side Story in my musical theater history class. Drop on in if you like. Identity politics will indeed be on the menu!

They Didn't Believe Me

2009-07-07T04:09:00.007-04:00

As a composer, Jerome Kern gets a lot of credit for devoloping the style of popular song that became standard in Broadway shows (and in popular music generally) in the 1920s and 1930s. By synthesizing the sophistication of operetta songs with the more earthy and conversational style of earlier popular songs, he is seen by many as paving the way for the mature works of Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers and Hart, and of course for his own later work.

"They Didn't Believe Me" is a song he wrote with lyricist Herbert Reynolds in 1914. It was one of a handful of songs they composed to be inserted in the Broadway production of the British show The Girl from Utah, to spice up its first act according to American tastes. The song was Kern's first big hit, and is often cited as one of the earliest examples of the emerging new style of songwriting.

Here its is sung by Mario Lanza and Kathryn Grayson in the 1949 film, That Midnight Kiss.

Things to keep in mind about singing

2009-06-29T14:31:00.003-04:00

Especially for the beginning singer, but good reminders for old hands, too.

Singing is a learned skill. Anyone can learn to use their voice better through guided practice. It's not magic; you can learn it.Even people who have instincively picked up good singing can benefit from understanding how they do it and can improve.
Singing involves active engagement. It requires commitment of time, energy, mental focus, self-discipline and patience. It's fun and it's exhilariting, but it's also work.
Singing involves balancing extreme focus and the ability to relax and free your voice.
Diligent experimentation on your own is the secret to steady progress.
It's okay to sound bad. Singing is the most personally exposed form of music-making. It's hard not to feel self-conscious or embarassed about the sound of your voice, but try to let your inhibitions go. Sometimes you will make sounds you think are horrible, but it's part of the process.
Be patient with yourself. Progress takes time.

The last one is the one I say to people most often, so I'll say it again. Be patient with yourself! You will be discouraged at times, but you'll be rewarded if you stick to it and give yourself time to discover new things about your vocal instrument.

More information about voice lessons

Voice Lessons by Cheryl Hodge

2009-06-15T20:03:00.004-04:00

From time to time I go looking on YouTube to see what other voice teachers are posting in the way of sample lessons and video instruction. Cheryl Hodge's are probably the best I've found yet. She has five free lessons on her YouTube channel.

Here's her lesson on breathing.

Just remember, as Cheryl says, that although videos like this can give you helpful suggestions, there's no substitute for a real live voice teacher, who can help you make sure you're doing the exercises correctly and safely!

Go here for more information on voice lessons, if you live in the Philadelphia area.

No Time at All

2009-06-09T19:52:00.002-04:00

One of my students sang this for Mainstage Center for the Arts' studio recital, and I can't get it out of my head.

Don't forget to sing along!

Richard Nixon's Piano Concerto(!)

2009-05-21T02:39:00.000-04:00

Here it is. Don't know what else to say!

Audition Agony

2009-05-18T16:56:00.000-04:00

A Class for People Who Love Musicals!

2009-05-16T13:36:00.001-04:00

What: A Friendly Seminar Surveying the History and Significance of Musicals

When: Wednesdays 7-9pm, June 10-August 12

Where: Center City Philadelphia (Exact location TBD)

Do you want to know more about musicals?
Would you like to have a broader understanding of those shows you’re always seeing (or performing in!)? Would you like to impress people with your sophisticated analysis of Broadway shows past and present? What is it that makes Oklahoma! and West Side Story so darn special, anyway?

Think you already know musicals?

Do you have a lot of opinions about shows? Do you have ideas about what makes a show good? Or important? Or not?

Share your thoughts. Expand your knowledge. Join the discussion.
We’re going to look at some great musicals, figure out why they’re great, and discuss how they fit into the big picture—how they relate to their times and the history of musical theater. Every week we’ll look at one big show, but we’ll also consider examples from the same time period or artistic trend.

Here are some of the shows I have in mind to look at, but remember that if you join the class you’ll have some input into what shows we talk about!

Anything Goes
Oklahoma
West Side Story
Hair
A Chorus Line
Les Miserables
Into the Woods
Avenue Q
Spring Awakening

There's a limit to the class size, so hurry and reserve your spot!

Call or email me for more information:

Ryan Bunch
267-973-9756
ryan@ryanbunch.com

Hope to see you there!

How Not to be a Good Voice Teacher

2009-05-15T19:00:00.001-04:00

I hope my teaching is better than this!

Good Songs for Tough Times

2009-05-14T17:02:00.003-04:00

Here it comes--the latest installment of the Melissa, Keith and Tom show! (That's Melissa Kolczynski, Keith Kaczorowski and Tom Wilson Weinberg.)

If you haven't seen these folks perform yet, you should, and this Saturday is your big chance!

Good Songs for Tough Times is their newest cabaret show, which takes place at the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia this Saturday at 6 and 9pm. They've put together songs from the 1930s and other hard times--songs that suddenly seem newly resonant these days.

I talked to Tom today, and it sounds like it's shaping up to be a great show, but if you know these guys you already knew that!

The William Way Center is at 1315 Spruce Street in Philadelphia. For tickets, call the center at 215-732-2220 or order through http://www.tomwilsonweinberg.com/.

Full information is available on Tom's website and the show's Facebook page.

My New Philosophy

2009-05-11T14:45:00.002-04:00

This is a song I do with a lot of my voice students. Loads of fun to sing. Here's a good performance of it just for kicks.

I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad

2009-05-10T14:21:00.003-04:00

Just for Mother's Day. Good ol' Harry von Tilzer wrote this song with William Dillon in 1911. Here it is as it was used in the Eddie Cantor film of 1944, Show Business. I love this Vaudevilley kinda junk!

Munchkin Mickey Carroll Dies

2009-05-08T02:01:00.004-04:00

Mickey Carroll, one of the last surviving Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz died today. Here's the article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He's one of the Munchkins interviewed in the following clip, which also includes a number of the other popular "last of the Munchkins" who are often to be found hanging around Oz festivals other events.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Bossa Nova Style

2009-05-04T12:14:00.003-04:00

How do you say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in Portugese? Like this:

John Cage on Sound and Silence

2009-04-22T00:14:00.002-04:00

I love John Cage. Whenever he trails off into laughter, as he often does, and does in this clip, I just can't help but laugh right along. My favorite part of this starts about two minutes from the beginning and runs to the end.

Little Shop of Horrors at Chestnut Ridge Middle School

2009-04-20T01:57:00.004-04:00

Over the weekend I went to an exuberant performance of Little Shop of Horrors at Chestnut Ridge Middle School in Sewell, New Jersey. One of my voice students at Mainstage Center for the Arts played Mushnik (and was fantastic!).

A number of things impressed me about the production. First of all, it’s an ambitious project for middle school, but these young artists carried it off capably. The entire cast projected a high level of energy, and I’m compelled to conclude that the school must have strong performing arts programs generally, because the principles used their singing voices well, and the largely student-composed orchestra was terrific!

Here’s the song "Dentist!" from the movie. Menken and Ashman at their best.

Saint-Saens, Africa

2009-04-18T01:53:00.002-04:00

I’ve just been to a terrific concert at the Community College of Philadelphia featuring the CCP Vocal Ensemble, the Choir of Rutgers University/Camden Campus, and the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia.

One of the pieces on the program was Camille Saint-Saens’ “Africa” fantasy for piano and orchestra of 1891. Saint-Saens spent the later years of his life traveling around the world, after a falling out with the musical establishment in France and the death of his mother. He eventually settled in Algiers, and “Africa” is one of a number of pieces from late in his career that evoke his impression of North Africa.

He really pulls out all the exoticism stops starting around 6:08 in this clip:

Oz: A Patchwork World

2009-04-11T19:16:00.003-04:00

Earlier this week I had my first production meeting and story development session with Liz Evans at Renaissance Artist Puppet Company for a new show we have in the works based on some of the Oz books of L. Frank Baum, primarily The Patchwork Girl of Oz. Liz has a very interesting stage design in mind for the production, which will use our usual diversity of puppetry styles, including a combination of tabletop manipulation and shadow puppets.

I’ll be writing both the script and the music score for the show, as I have done for many Renaissance Artist shows in the past, and am really excited about developing the theme of “a patchwork world.” This is also my first theatrical writing project in some time that has a specific end date and guarantee of a production, so I’m eager to try out some of the approaches to the writing process I have picked up recently. Time to put pencil to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard)!

Surrey with the Fringe on Top

2009-02-17T14:40:00.002-05:00

Oldie but goody.

Bert and Ernie Feed the Fish

2009-02-04T22:48:00.004-05:00

This cracks me up. I love it because it's basically Jim Henson (Ernie) and Frank Oz (Bert) improvising, and Jim Henson is totally trying to back Frank Oz into a corner by asking questions about the fish he might not be able to answer. And Frank Oz just keeps makin' stuff up.

Oh My Darling, Clementine

2009-02-03T22:32:00.005-05:00

“Clementine” is an old western folk song with probable origins in the mid-nineteenth century and familiar to many people today through its use in movies, television and frequent referencing in popular culture generally. Though attributed to Percy Montrose, its precise author or authors are uncertain.

It tells of the singer’s love for Clementine, the daughter of a miner forty-niner in the California Gold Rush. The song is in strophic form, which means each verse is set to the same repeating melody, as is the well-known chorus:

Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine,
You are lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

This simple, repetitive musical form, common to most folk and traditional songs with which we are familiar, allows a story to be told simply, with each verse relating the next part of the narrative while the repeating melody maintains a sense of unity.

Throughout the verses of “Clementine,” colorful details about the object of the singer’s affections add a touch of quaint humor to what would otherwise be a tragic song. After an expository first verse, the second describes the “herring boxes without topses” that serve as number-nine shoes for Clementine. The action rises in verse three when Clementine, driving ducklings to the water, “hit her foot upon a splinter, fell into the foaming brine.” The fourth verse is both the climax and comedic center of the tale: “Ruby lips above the water, blowing bubbles soft and fine / But alas, I was no swimmer, so I lost my Clementine.”

Many contemporary performances of the song, including the one by Pete Seeger I’ve recommended below, end with a sentimental image of the interred remains of Clementine nurturing the flowers that grow on her grave. Sadly, we don’t always hear the final verse of the song, which is far more satisfying and in keeping with the overall spirit:

How I missed her, how I missed her,
How I missed my Clemintine;
Then I kissed her little sister—
I forgot my Clementine!

The popularity of “Clementine” as a children’s song over the years has surely contributed to scarcity of this verse in public performances and recordings. The tune itself, of course, has been adapted to many different lyrics, creating whole new songs, popular with young and old (“Found a peanut, found a peanut . . .). And why not? This valuable little nugget from our Gold Rush days still has currency.

Off Rittenhouse Square

2009-02-02T23:39:00.004-05:00

Following up on yesterday's post, this is the song that was originally written as the opening number and replaced by "Fortuosity" in The Happiest Millionaire, everybody's favorite Disney movie about the elites of old Philadelphia.

I love this song!

2009-02-02T01:19:00.002-05:00

Words and music by Richard and Robert Sherman from The Happiest Millionaire. What a crazy film!

Voice Lessons in Philadelphia

2009-01-04T14:25:00.000-05:00

Do you want to be prepared for your next audition?

Do you want to get better roles in your school musicals?

Do you just want to sing better?

Voice lessons can help you do that and a whole lot more!

And you're in luck, because I still have a few slots available in my schedule for the new year! One of them could be yours if you call 267-973-9756 or email me at ryanbunchfod@aol.com.

Your first meeting is free. We'll talk about your objectives, and I can give you a short sample lesson if you like.

I'll be sure to help you with whatever you want to work on. Give me call. I can't wait to hear from you!

Mainstage Center for the Arts

2008-08-05T19:50:00.006-04:00

Great things are happening at Mainstage Center for the Arts!

Every year Mainstage's Summer Stage program at Camden County College in Blackwood, NJ, gives young people and adults opportunities to perform in theatrical productions. Over the weekend I went to see Ragtime, and it was fantastic! Congratulations to everyone involved (including all of my Mainstage voice students).

During the academic year, Mainstage also offers classes and private instruction in vocal performance, music, dance and theater, and this year there are a whole host of new instructors, classes and opportunities. Go to the Mainstage website right now and check out what's going on with the rest of Summer Stage and exciting events coming up in the fall.

Upper Darby Summer Stage

2008-07-23T16:12:00.005-04:00

Upper Darby Summer Stage's 2008 season is in full swing, but there's still time to catch some shows there.

Last week I saw Elliot and the Magic Bed, an imaginative and heartfelt musical by local writers Brian Lowdermilk and Marcus Stevens. One of my voice students was in it, and the whole cast did a terrific job.

That show is over, but there's more to come, including Alice in Wonderland, Pinicchio and Schoolhouse Rock! Visit their website to see more upcoming shows and get scheduling and ticket information.

I'm Still Here!

2008-07-08T01:57:00.004-04:00

Thought this would be appropriate, since I haven't blogged in forever.

Um. Yeah.

Needless to say, much has happened since the last post. Goodness, I've musically directed two whole shows, done some songwriting, done some scriptwriting, seen shows and written about 'em, and even went to Bermuda! I did not get caught in the triangle.

Anyway, I feel it's time I get back on the wagon with this thing, so here I am. I'm also thinking of broadening the topic of this blog to include my writing activities and general interests beyond musical theater. We'll see what happens.

Tomorrow is the first day of summer theater camp for high school students at Center Stage Productions. We're doing Charlotte's Web by Charles Strouse (you know, as in Annie and Bye Bye Birdie). I get to direct the music and work with some of my favorite theater kids, so it should be fun.

Chichester High School's High Scool Musical

2008-03-16T23:00:00.010-04:00

I'm pleased to report that the young thespians at Chichester High School have turned in a performance of High School Musical that is positively exuberant! Audiences packed into the auditorium to see it this weekend.

As a music director, I've worked with most of these young people in the past--two years ago when we did Bye Bye Birdie at the high school, at Chichester Middle School where they cut their theatrical teeth, and at Center Stage Productions where many of them are active during the summers. So I'm especially proud to see their hard work pay off in this show.

A number of adults guided the production--director Diana Hanobeck and choreagrapher Gina Veith (my frequent collaborater on Chi area productions) among them.

But in the end its the kids who pull off a great performance and they continue to impress me with their talent and independence as young theater artists. I see a lot of high school shows these days, but few match the level of energy and enthusiasm that Chi kids always bring to their shows.

Great job everybody!

Lindenwold High School's Alice in Wonderland

2008-03-16T22:19:00.010-04:00

Kudos to my student Vix, who was fantastic as the comedic Cook in Lindenwold High School's Alice in Wonderland this weekend! Hers was one of the most entertaining performances in this colorful and fanciful production. Pepper! Pepper! More pepper!

It was also a pleasure to see so many of her friends (and my students!) from Mainstage Center for the Arts in attendance. It's great when people come out to support each others' theatrical endeavors. Congratulations, Vix!

The Scarlet Pimpernel at Barley Sheaf Players

2008-03-16T21:38:00.002-04:00

I see a lot of community theater, and one of the best shows I've seen lately is Barley Sheaf Players' production of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Congratulations to my student Don and the entire cast for a great performance!

I'm not the only one who was impressed either. Read Tom Lamphere's review on Stage Magazine Online.

All the original dates for the show are sold out, but they've added an extra date on March 20. Get your tickets before this one's gone too!

West Side Story at New Candlelight Theatre

2008-03-13T01:11:00.002-04:00

I've just posted my review of New Candlelight Theatre's West Side Story at Stage Magazine Online. As I say in the review, it's not perfect, but it's pretty darn good, and you can hardly go wrong with such a brilliant show, anyway.

Here are Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno, who each played Anita, talking about West Side Story, and why Jerome Robbins' choreography was such an important part of the show.

Storybook Musical Theatre presents Puss 'n Boots

2008-03-11T02:01:00.003-04:00

There are just a few days left to see Storybook Musical Theatre's Puss 'n Boots in Bryn Athyn, PA. It's delightful, and you can read my review on Stage Magazine Online.

"Puss in Boots" is one of the fairy tales made famous by the French author Charles Perrault. You can read the story here.

Marple Newtown Players presents Enchanted Sleeping Beauty

2008-03-08T03:19:00.005-05:00

I’ve just been to see Enchanted Sleeping Beauty by Marple Newtown Players and guess what—it’s enchanting!

It's another fairy tale musical from the good folks at Pioneer Drama Service, whose shows I've music directed for many a middle school and summer theater camp production. With songs by the illustrious Bill Francouer.

You can read my full review of the show at Stage Magazine Online.

Garnet Valley High Students Shine in South Pacific

2008-03-07T13:04:00.006-05:00

I just love to brag about projects my students are in. Congratulations to Simone and the entire cast of Garnet Valley High School's production of South Pacific!

I saw the opening night show yesterday and it was great. It features some spirited performances by those in the priniciple roles (there are 2 casts for different nights) as well as some fine singing and polished dancing by both the men and women of the chorus. The pruduction values are impressive, too, with a large pit orchestra and a beautiful set design. I know that a lot of dedicated and capable parent volunteers worked on the show.

And what a score! I'd almost forgotten how many of the best songs in all of musical theater are in South Pacific. Almost every one's a blockbuster by itself.

You can learn more about the show at http://www.garnetvalleyspringmusical.com/, where you can also reserve your tickets. Remaining performances are tonight, tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow evening.

Spring Musicals at Area High Schools

2008-03-04T01:51:00.004-05:00

Well the high school musical season is underway! Several schools had their shows this past week, and there are more coming. Many of my voice students are participating in these shows, so I'm very excited to see as many of them as I can.

Over the weekend I went to see Footloose at Springfield High School. They did a terrific job! Congratulations to them and to Leah, who's one of my newest students.

Unfortunately I missed Once Upon a Mattress at Gloucester County Institute of Technology because I caught the flu that's been going around. Sorry, John! I'll have to console myself with this:

If you want to read more detailed reviews of some high school shows, written by high school students no less, there are some reviews on Stage Magazine Online:

Into the Woods at Merion Mercy Academy
Oklahoma! at East High School
Beauty and the Beast at Marple Newtown High School

I'll be reporting on more shows next weekend! Coming up:

High School Musical at Chichester High School
South Pacific at Garnett Valley High School

Now that I'm feeling better, I will try to give more detailed accounts of these shows and get them posted before their runs are over!

Voice Lessons in Philadelphia and Delaware County

2008-02-29T01:16:00.007-05:00

Good news! Starting in March, I have openings for a couple of new voice students at each of my studio locations in Pennsylvania.

If you're interested in singing musical theater, preparing for auditions, or just improving your vocal technique, you need a voice teacher! If you like to have fun and work hard at the same time, then we just might work well together.

I teach students of all ages in Center City near 12th and Vine Streets and in Linwood, PA at Chichester Studio of the Arts. Go here for more information, email me, or call 267-973-9756 to get things started.

Cabaret Night for Chichester Studio of the Arts

2008-02-29T00:20:00.003-05:00

It's going to be a busy weekend for people in my universe! No fewer than three of my voice students are in shows that are opening this week--more on those as I get out to see them.

And then there's Cabaret Night--a fundraiser for Chichester Studio of the Arts, where I teach voice lessons twice a week. Who'll be in the show? Well, there will be performances by the dance studio classes as well as by various friends of the organization. You'll just have to come and see!

The event takes place this Saturday, March 1, at the Gold Ballroom, 8th and Market Streets in Marcus Hook, PA. Tickets are $10 per person and will be available at the door. I hear there will be refreshments, too.

Little Mermaid Cast Recording

2008-02-27T23:20:00.004-05:00

Well, The Little Mermaid cast recording is out. From listening to some preview clips, I have to say it's fun hearing new performances of the old Ashman/Menken songs from the movie. What I've heard so far of the new stuff with lyrics by Glenn Slater is less enchanting. Of course, Howard Ashman is a tough act to follow as a lyricist. The orchestration is beautiful.

Clicking on the link below will take you on Amazon.com, where you can also see a video about the making of the recording.

The Fantasticks at the Kimmel Center

2008-02-23T23:57:00.005-05:00

I've just gotten home from seeing The Fantasticks at the Kimmel Center's Innovation Studio. It's a fun show and a fine production, and I just wish I'd seen it sooner so I could have had more time to recommend it to people. There's just one more performance tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.

The standard fact-to-know about The Fantasticks is that it was the longest running show in musical theater history, having played Off-Broadway from 1960 to 2002. And it's already had a revival. And it's been playing on community theater and regional stages constantly.

All that's pretty impressive for a modest, sentimental little show with a cast of eight, minimal staging and only one hit song.

Here's the inimitable Jerry Orbach, who was in the original production, singing "Try to Remember" at a White House event years later.

Better yet, here's Sandy Duncan singing it to Kermit the Frog!

If there's a single song you've heard from the show, that's the one. However, after tonight, I'm adding this one to my list of favored songs:

It's from the first act of the show, which is positively charming (in contrast to the second act, which like many musicals' second acts is less so).

Finally, you know I have two loves--musical theater and Wikipedia. So here's the Wikipedia article on The Fantastics.

Philadelphia Musical Theater Performances This Weekend

2008-02-22T20:21:00.008-05:00

Here are highlights of this weekend's musical theater performances in and around Philadelphia.

The Kimmel Center presents the world's longest running musical The Fantasticks.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love is still running at Plays and Players Theatre. Read Arnie Finkel's review for Stage Magazine Online here.

You can also still see The Yeomen of the Guard at Thespis, Etc., which I reported on last week.

This is the last weekend to see Oklahoma at King of Prussia Players.

And don't forget about Ethel Waters, His Eye Is on the Sparrow, an emotionally powerful show still playing at Hedgerow Theatre. Here's my review.

Laryngoscopy! Hey, Kids, Have You Ever Seen the Inside of a Larynx?

2008-02-21T22:51:00.005-05:00

This is perhaps not for the faint of heart. I know looking at video footage of the insides of the human body can give people the willies!

But here's a video that gives you a good idea of what the vocal cords look like and how they work. It's a procedure called laryngoscopy, in which they insert a little camera into someone's throat to look at the voicebox.

About 45 seconds into the video, you'll be looking at the larynx from above. The front of the throat is at the bottom of the screen. Notice that when the vocal cords are relaxed and apart they form a V shape, with the point at the front of the throat. If I've got my anatomy correct, this is what forms your Adam's apple.

When we speak or sing, the V closes, bringing the cords into contact so that they can vibrate as we exhale a stream of air through them.

That's the basics. There's a whole lot more to how the voice works and how we use it for good singing. I'll explain more when you come to your voice lessons!

By the way, if you find this video helpful, I've made a whole playlist on YouTube of Laryngoscopy videos. You can see them here.

Thespis, Etc. presents The Yeomen of the Guard

2008-02-18T00:34:00.005-05:00

Well, I seem to be reporting on a lot of oper(ett)a lately! I just went to see Yeomen of the Guard, the Gilbert and Sullivan operatta, put on by the members of Thespis, Etc. in Media, PA, and it's very enjoyable. Read my review on Stage Magazine Online, and then go see the show! There are some really nice performances by the cast.

The best part of all this is, after writing it so many times, I think I've fianlly learned to spell Yeomen!

And just because I love both this show and Wikipedia, here's the article.

Opera Company of Philadelphia presents Cyrano

2008-02-14T02:03:00.005-05:00

There are just two chances left to see the Opera Company of Philadelphia's production of the new opera Cyrano by David DiChiera, based on Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac. I won't get a chance to see it myself till this weekend, but there are at least two reviews out--one enthusiastic and the other not so much.

If you go, I highly recommend you take a look at the Opera Company's Family Guide to the Opera, which you can download here. In it you'll find lots of background information about the opera, the composer, the historical time of the story's setting and lots more.

The OCP website also has some video clips.

The last two performances are this Friday at 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm. Maybe I'll see you there!

Here's some of the other media coverage:

'Cyrano' makes East Coast premiere here
It's all right under his nose

From NE Philly, he's sung on world stages

Star Baritone Discusses Singing As 'Cyrano' For Upcoming Opera Company Production

Ethel Waters, His Eye Is on the Sparrow at Hedgerow Theatre

2008-02-11T02:13:00.000-05:00

Currently appearing at Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley is Demetria Joyce Bailey in the one woman show, Ethel Waters, His Eye is on the Sparrow, about the African-American singer-actress-legend of stage and screen. Although it is not a full blown musical, it would be a descredit to call it merely a musical revue. It's an intensely dramatic piece with often poignant musical numbers from Waters' repertoire thrown in for added effect.

The reviews have been more or less uniformly raving, including my own for Stage Magazine Online, which you can read here.

Here are some of the others:

Philadelphia Inquirer
City Paper
Reviews from last year's performance at BRT

Here too is a video about the original production of this show in Florida.

Finally, may I recommend taking a look at videos of Ethel Waters on YouTube, here. The characterizations of African-Americans in some of the old movie clips are unfortunate, but she is still wonderful.

Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Ritz Theatre Company

2008-01-26T21:32:00.000-05:00

Check out this rousing number from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

If you like a good old fashioned light-hearted musical, go immediately to the Ritz Theatre in Haddon Township, New Jersey and see this show! It is a fantastic performance.

You can read my full review on Stage Magazine Online.

Legally Blonde Auditions on MTV

2008-01-15T03:13:00.000-05:00

When Laura Bell Bundy finishes her stint as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical, her replacement may be the winner of an MTV reality show, seemingly in the vein of American Idol.

Just for kicks, here's a documentary clip with director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell and the cast of Legally Blonde in rehearsal.

The Little Mermaid on Broadway

2008-01-13T20:52:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting audio slide show about the new Broadway production of The Little Mermaid.

The show opened last week. The reviews have been--eh, not so great. Some samples:

Philly.com

Theater Mania
Washington Post
New York Times

Still the production design looks beautiful, and it sounds like they've done some interesting things, including putting the actors on shoes similar to Heelys to make them look like they're gliding through water.

I was noticing something about "My Favorite Things"

2008-01-13T01:12:00.000-05:00

I was working on "My Favorite Things" with one of my voice students today, and we were struck by the form of the song.

A typical (but by no means universal) way to write a musical theater song is to do it in four sections. Often there's a main section (labelled A) that repeats, and then there's a contrasting section (called the bridge and labelled B) that may only happen once. The usual arrangement of these sections is in the pattern AABA so the original tune comes back at the end of the song.

Notice in this clip from The Sound of Music how "My Favorite Things" changes the formula to AAAB. (The song runs from 1:18 to 2:20. Then she just repeats the whole thing till the Captian comes in.)

Here's the first phrase of each section to help you follow it (the words to the A sections change, but the music is the same; B is contrasting):

(A) Raindrops on roses . . .
(A) Cream colored ponies . . .
(A) Girls in white dresses. . .
(B) When the dog bites. . .

You can see how the song wouldn't work as well if the B section were put in the usual position, because it really brings the song to its logical and dramatic conclusion. Incidentally, the three A sections in a row might get boring, but it changes from the minor key to the major on the third one, which both adds variety and builds intensity as the song progresses.

Talks and Lectures

2007-04-13T17:03:00.002-04:00

Would you like to add value to your theatrical production or other event? I am available to speak on musical theater and other topics on music. A typical talk would last twenty minutes to a half hour, with additional time for questions and discussion, but as always, flexibility to meet your needs is the rule. Contact me at ryan@ryanbunch.com or 267-973-9756 for details.

Classes

2007-04-13T16:30:00.003-04:00

I offer classes in topics related to music based on my experience teaching in a variety of situations, including college-level music appreciation courses and work with community arts organizations. Classes are available to be taught at schools, community centers, theaters, and other venues. Each course is broadly structured to meet for two-hour sessions once per week for 10 to 15 weeks, but scheduling is adaptable to your needs, and longer and shorter classes are possible. For pricing and details, contact me at ryan@ryanbunch.com or 267-973-9756.

Following is a list of courses I currently offer, but other topics and variations on these may be possible as well—just ask me!

History of Musical Theater. Surveys the history of the American musical from its roots in operetta and nineteenth century theatrical traditions to the present day. Each class session emphasizes a period, decade or trend in musical theater, with a major listening or viewing assignment of an exemplary musical. Class discussion centers around the particular artistic qualities of specific shows and places musicals in their historical and social contexts within American culture.

Listening to Music. Emphasis on listening skills and enjoyment of music in various styles, which may include popular, classical and world music in any combination. Exploration of the basic elements of music—melody, rhythm, harmony, instrumentation—enhances the listening experience. Musical examples may also be discussed in terms of their uses and contexts, including social functions, histoirical significance, the expression of identity through music, and how the funding and ownership of music are contested and negotiated.

Introduction to Classical Music. This class resembles a traditional college-level music appreciation course, with emphasis on the works of composers of the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modernist and Contemporary periods. Knowledge of melody, harmony, rhythm, form and instrumentation, along with details of the composers’ lives and historical context, will facilitate greater understanding of the standard works of the repertoire.

Contact Ryan

2007-04-13T15:59:00.002-04:00

Email: ryan@ryanbunch.com
Phone: 267-973-9756

Voice Lessons in Philadelphia

2007-04-13T01:18:00.003-04:00

As a private teacher, I specialize in voice lessons and vocal coaching for young singers, teens, and adults interested in musical theater.

I will work with you on basic vocal technique, song interpretation, and audition and performance preparation. I am flexible and will work with you to achieve your chosen goals.

Benefits of Vocal Instruction for the Musical Theater Artist
-Be prepared for auditions
-Get roles in school musicals and community theater
-Use healthy, proper techniqe to develop greater range, flexibility and expression
-Learn music faster by developing your ear and note reading abilities

Lessons are taught in my home studio in Center City Philadelphia. (If you live in South Jersey, please contact Mainstage Center for the Arts to ask about lessons with me or one of their other qualified vocal instructors.)

How do we get started?
Call (267) 973-9756 or email me at ryan@ryanbunch.com to set up a free assessment and sample lesson at my home studio. At this meeting, I will share information about my teaching method and offer opportunities for you to express your specific objectives.

2007-04-13T01:09:00.005-04:00

Ryan is a singing teacher, music historian, lecturer, writer, composer and theatrical artist. He teaches voice lessons with an emphasis on musical theater repertoire in Philadelphia and at Mainstage Center for the Arts in Blackwood, New Jersey. He is adjunct professor of music at Holy Family University and the Community College of Philadelphia. Ryan also lectures and writes about music independently, provides musical direction for school and community theater musicals, and composes scripts and music for theatrical productions intended for young audiences.

Ryan has taught private music lessons for nearly a decade, starting as a piano instructor in the Washington, D.C., area and moving on in recent years to teach voice lessons with an emphasis on musical theater. His students have successfully auditioned and performed lead roles in school musicals, community theaters, theatrical training schools and semi-professional theaters around the greater Philadelphia area, including the MacGuffin Theatre and Film Company, the High School for the Creative and Performing arts, the Ritz Theater Company, the Gloucester County Institute of Technology, the University of the Arts, Temple University, and Upper Darby Summer Stage.

As a music director, Ryan has collaborated on shows with Springside School and Chestnut Hill Academy, Chichester (PA) School District, Center Stage Productions and the Arts Guild of Neumann College, West Chester Summer Stage, the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, Renaissance Artist Puppet Company, and Beale Street Puppets of Baltimore, Maryland.

As a writer and educator, Ryan has worked closely with the community outreach program of the Opera Company of Philadelphia, contributing study guide materials for the award-winning Sounds of Learning curriculum. Ryan has also occasionally contributed articles on musical performances and events in local publications and was a theater reviewer for Stage Magazine Online during the 2007-08 theatrical season.

Ryan has presented academic papers at conferences of the American Musicological Society and the Society for Ethnomusicology on topics such as MGM's The Wizard of Oz, the song “Over the Rainbow” as a signifier of gay male identity, and Aaron Copland’s opera The Tender Land in the era of the Cold War and anticommunist hysteria. Other areas of interest include American music, musical theater, gender and sexuality, music and media for children and youth, and music in education.

Much of Ryan's creative output has centered around the puppet theater. He has been a writer, composer and performer for Beale Street Puppets and especially Renaissance Artist Puppet Company, where he continues to be involved in the development of new projects and serves on the board of directors.

Ryan has training in the integration of music with other academic subjects in grade school curricula, and worked with Education Through Music as a teaching artist, providing instruction designed to raise schools' academic performance through students' engagement with music.

Ryan’s own musical education began during his childhood in rural North Louisiana, near the village of Jones, where he sang and played the piano in church. After studying piano and violin during high school, he received a B.A. in music from Hendrix College in 1997, with applied study in piano, voice and violin, and an M.A. in musicology from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2001.

Ryan lives in Philadelphia with his partner Micah Mahjoubian and their dog Mouse.