A New Path to the Stage
Coral Drouyn examines the new AMEB initiative for Music Theatre which is available now.
What does it take to understand whether you are ready for a graduate performing arts course, and whether you are actually qualified? Clearly if you fail to get accepted that’s a good indication, but most young performers will welcome an initiative which prepares them more thoroughly for that final step. Young performers, especially, will welcome a new graded examination system from the Australian Music Examination Board, that has been designed to cater for the exponentially growing interest in Music Theatre in Australia.
Many of our brightest stars on the musical stage graduate from WAAPA or VCA or Federation, and there’s no doubt that MOST of those are the cream of young performers. But what about what happens before that; in secondary school or even primary school in some cases? If you ask 99% of our gifted performers they will tell you they performed in school musicals (as did special guest at the AMEB launch Lisa McCune) or went to local dance/singing classes. But, until now, there has been no standardised signpost that any young performer is on the right road, yellow brick or otherwise.
Our ensembles are (arguably) the best triple threats in the world, but it’s often a very steep learning curve for performers. As Lisa McCune told me, “There are so many paths you can take, and you have to choose the one that’s right for you. But at least now people will see a step-by-step path they can follow if they choose. They won’t just be playing show tunes in their bedroom and singing along as I did, which can be fun, but sometimes harmful without you realising it. And they’ll be well prepared for places like WAAPA.” Lisa was one of WAAPA’s youngest Musical Theatre graduates some 25 years ago, and has had a stunning career ever since. It’s interesting that classical musicians and singers have long been able to use their qualifications earned through an exam system, but, although you have to be super talented, there is no formal qualification along the way for Music Theatre.
It’s taken more than a year for leading musical educator and performer George Torbay to fine tune the syllabus for this new set of examinations, and he’s had help from many of the best known faces in the theatre…Kellie Dickerson and Martin Croft as well as performer/teachers like David Rogers-Smith and Ana Mitsikis, Eisteddfod adjudicators and those with a passion for Musical Theatre.
Torbay himself is a giant in the world of Australian music as a conductor, singing teacher, performer and director, and he was an adjudicator on television’s “Battle of The Choirs”. Having worked extensively in education, he knows better than most what is required to move on an upward trajectory in classical music, and wondered why those signposts were denied to Music Theatre students.
It has cost him many sleepless nights. Torbay told an amusing story at the programme’s launch of looking for another version (other than Judy Garland’s) of “Zing! Went the strings of my heart” (a James Hanley song from the 1938 Garland film “Listen Darling – and one I used as a cabaret piece some 55 years ago), and catching sight of himself looking frazzled in PJs after hours of searching… ‘A scary and pathetic sight.’ But the hard work has clearly paid off.
The syllabus covers preliminary up to Grade 4, and it’s fascinating to look at the set pieces for each of the grades. There is very little Sondheim until Grade 4, and rightly so. It takes years of work to come close to perfecting Sondheim, and yet we have all sat through some well-meaning yet excruciating audition renditions of the Master’s greatest works.
Instead, the syllabus is more age appropriate, and includes songs that young students will never have heard before. They will have to work on their own interpretations; no more Idina Menzel or Kristen Chenoweth impersonations.
At Preliminary and Grade 1 levels, the songs are geared for children and young teens and include songs from Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Singin' In The Rain, Oliver! and even Sesame Street….so no more 10 year old girls no matter how good) singing “I Dreamed a Dream” or “Big Spender”. It makes one breathe a sigh of relief just thinking about it. There’s an emphasis on Rogers and Hart (and Hammerstein), Irving Berlin, and even early Jerome Kern & Buddy DeSylva. An exciting by-product of that is that it may well lead to a whole new generation that appreciates composers who are now all but forgotten.
There’s also a requirement to sight-read (an absolute must in these days of shorter rehearsal periods for complex major shows) and the entire syllabus, at each level, is supported by books, videos and CDs for teachers and students alike. The ability to sight-read songs will make a world of difference to a young performer auditioning for a major musical, and possibly give them the edge in getting a role.
As Kellie Dickerson explained, ”The exams are a checklist, they’re not an end unto themselves. They are designed to recognise singing and performing strengths and weaknesses early and to work on those while performers are at that ‘absorbing every new thing like a sponge’ stage. It’s to make them better prepared for anything and everything musical in the future.”
It’s small wonder then, that the launch was full of excited people who relished the entertainment – two wonderful children who are pupils of Ana Mitsikis, a song from the incomparable Silvie Paladino, once again proving that believing the lyrics is a co-requisite with a great voice, and a song from a new Australian Musical – The Silver Donkey -from Bryant and Franks, well performed by Drew Weston…yes, the syllabus even includes local musicals.
It’s not surprising that the launch was a great success. This is a first class initiative that promises great things for teachers, students, and audiences alike…it will be fascinating to hear stories from the first graduates, and hopefully we can follow this up. Meanwhile, if you’re a hopeful, give some thought to getting those qualifying letters after your name.
Images: Silvie Paladino, Drew Weston and Lisa McCune, Youth Performers from Stage Left, Silvie Paladino and Lisa McCune.