Hearing New Voices: Vocal Studies, Opera, and Musical Theatre at UGA

From Left: Taya Tenacity Taylor (BMUS ‘26), Garrett McCord (AB ‘25), Kennedi Nichols (AB  ‘25), and Bella Smith (AB /BS ‘25)perform in “Little Shop of Horrors” directed by Daniel Ellis April 12, 2024. Photo by Clay Chastain.

A number of changes are in store for the vocal studies area for Fall, 2024. “The vocal performance area is going through an exciting transitional period,” said Elizabeth Johnson Knight, associate professor of voice and vocal area chair, “which gives us a great opportunity to set the area up to address the pedagogical and experiential needs of our students in the changing landscape of performance careers.”

Study Abroad Cultural Immersion in History and Performance

The UGA Maymester often provides several opportunities for students to experience concentrated learning experiences during intense off-campus travel. One such annual program takes HHSOM students to study in one of the hearts of music history, Italy.

Advanced Music Performance in Italy is an immersive performance opportunity, so all of the participants take applied lessons with either participating UGA faculty or professors from the conservatories visited by the students. Knight joined the group in Turin this year, giving private lessons as well as teaching two masterclasses for singers attending Conservatorio Statale di Musica Giuseppe Verdi. UGA students and faculty performed in concerts at several venues as well.

“Working with the conservatory teachers and interacting with their students there gave our students insight on a tradition very different than what they know,” said Knight. “Some of them also collaborated with pianists from the conservatory, so they had to work to express themselves across language barriers.”

Maymester Provided Concentrated Learning Opportunities

Also during the 2024 Maymester, Michael Hadary, lecturer in voice (musical theatre), and David D’Angelo, senior lecturer in jazz, took students on a whirlwind tour of the musical theatre and jazz scene in New York City. “The objective was to prepare them for musical theatre auditions,” said Hadary, “and to get a taste of life in the most competitive U.S. market, New York City. We saw shows, took workshops, met industry professionals and took in the sights.”

Hadary worked with the musical theatre students in the weeks before the trip exploring the differences in vocal technique between the different eras and styles of musical theatre.

Looking Ahead in Opera and Musical Theatre

Daniel Ellis, academic professional in opera and musical theatre, joined the UGA faculty in 2021 as an academic professional in opera and theatre for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ theatre and film department. Since that time, he has directed eight university productions between both departments, in addition to his professional work.

Spring semester of 2024 was busy for Ellis,  starting with him directing the professional production “Elixir of Love” at the Minnesota Opera in St. Paul, Minnesota in January. Ellis and a team of professional designers received the 2021 OPERA America Robert L. B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize for their concept of this opera before Ellis began at UGA, which Minnesota Opera commissioned for their season. Ellis then returned to UGA to direct “The Tragedy of Carmen” for the School of Music, and “Little Shop of Horrors” for the Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Students from both schools were involved in each production.

“I have the joy of working with singers and actors in both departments, from undergrad to doctoral students at so many different stages of their development,” said Ellis. “My favorite part is watching them all learn with and from each other. It’s about meeting the students where they are at that moment in time.”

Director of Opera Theatre Frederick Burchinal and Voice Coach Kathryn Wright both retired at the end of the 2023-24 academic year (more on page 37). Ellis will be at the helm for UGA Opera Theatre this fall, and a process has begun to hire a new voice teacher for the voice department

Awards and Accomplishments

For Gregory Broughton,  associate professor of voice, 2023-24 marked his 35th year at UGA conducting the African American Choral Ensemble. “Oh, it’s not really about me,” Broughton said, “this is all about the students and their work. I’m just here to support them.”

One of Broughton’s former students, Clay Hilley, tenor, received the prestigious Richard Tucker Award this May, an honor shared by the likes of Lawrence Brownlee and Renée Fleming. (Read more on page 40).

For their work on “Little Shop of Horrors,” Ellis has received a Kennedy Center American College of Theatre Festival Citation for Directing alongside collaborative pianist Rachel Townes, who received a citation for musical direction. Ellis was also named a 2024 finalist for The American Prize for direction of the UGA Opera Theatre performance of “The Bear” from 2021. This fall, Ellis will also be receiving the 2024 Odyssey Award from his undergraduate alma mater, Hendrix College.

Two of assistant professor of voice Amy Petrongelli’s students also had notable achievements this semester. Theodora Schramm (BMus ’24) was selected as a semifinalist for the National Association of Teachers of Singing National Auditions, taking place in Nashville, TN at the end of June due to winning 2nd place in the Southeastern Regional NATS competition in March.

Zaria Doss (BME ’26) won 2nd place at the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), Inc. Regional Competition which took place in Atlanta, GA this past February. Schramm also won 3rd place in the NANM regional competition.

Hadary’s student Garrett McCord (AB ‘25) won the John Alexander Vocal Competition at Opera Mississippi in the Musical Theatre category and is for the second time a semi-finalist in the NATS National MT competition, awaiting results for a potential next-step due in June.

“Having the privilege to perform at UGA in Little Shop, NATS, and other settings showed me a life in the arts is attainable,” said McCord, “UGA taught me that life isn’t a solo act - far from it. At its best, it’s a collective effort that strives for improvement, people lifting those next to them up to reach higher together.”

Knight. “Our students need to understand their voices with an increase in pedagogical knowledge and a variety of performance opportunities. There is no one way to be a professional singer these days.”