Farris works with students to improve vocal performance
Sarah J. Semmler
Issue date: 3/4/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Southeast Artist in Residence Judith Farris, who has spent the better part of her career performing operas around the world and coaching such Broadway luminaries as Matthew Broderick and Tyne Daly, was the force behind those performances. For the past four years, Farris has helped spur the rapid growth of Southeast's musical theatre program by shaping her students into performers capable of rivaling Broadway's best.
"This department only had 40 people when I came four years ago, and now we've tripled that, and it's (because of) the work we're doing," Farris said.
One of the key components of the department's high caliber work is Farris's simplistic yet highly effective training technique that builds upon a singer's everyday speech to develop a natural singing voice.
"I was fortunate enough to find this teacher in New York that always (taught) that it's about how you talk. Instead of thinking of your head voice and your chest voice, you have one voice…and the breath serves it," Farris said.
Farris cites Southeast senior and star of "Carousel" Cody Heuer as a prime example of the growth her students are capable of under her tutelage.
"Cody Heuer's voice just (got) better every night, that big booming voice. He never sang in high school, he never did any music at all, and then he took my class…and he kept forging ahead, and there he is, as an example to the younger ones that 'you can do it too,'" Farris said.
Heuer credits Farris for helping him to develop into a singer capable of tackling "Carousel's" challenging lead role.
"Working with (Farris) is definitely a blessing, because without her I wouldn't be where I am right now. I would still be that kid who's afraid to sing, but sings in the car, and so I definitely give a lot of my courage to perform on stage to her technique and just working with her," Heuer said.
In addition to her time at Southeast, Farris flies to New York each month in order to continue her work training professional singers who tour nationally and perform on Broadway.
"Three days in a row, I teach ten hours a day in a little studio and then at 6 a.m. Monday morning I'm on the plane to get to Cape by my afternoon class," Farris said.
Admittedly, Farris keeps a grueling work schedule that can be difficult to maintain at times, but seeing the effect her students have on audience members makes everything worthwhile.
"You know I love watching the audience (during student productions). At this point I watch the audience because I want to see them be moved," Farris said. "There's a part of me that misses performance because I love to be able to give to the audience, but now I do it vicariously through my students."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Jeanne (Cloud) Tjaden
posted 3/07/10 @ 10:50 AM CST
My husband and I taught in the Music Department at SEMO for 9 years, and knowing Judith Farris, the student, was definitely one of the "highlights" of our time there. (Continued…)
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