A Champion for the Contralto: Piper Pack-Smith Explores The Lowest Female Singing Voice

Fine_Arts34.jpg

by Piper Pack-Smith

I started teaching at PVCC in 2014 when I moved back to my home city of Phoenix after 20 years of being away. PVCC enriches my understanding of the voice because of the incredible diversity of students I've encountered. Often the students come in without their own voice classification which prompts me to wonder about how teachers assign voice types.

I have also had the pleasure of teaching theater classes (Voice & Diction and Music Theatre Workshop) both of which have inspired me to think about how we think about character in relationship to voice — a critical part of my exploration of Rossini recently published in the Opera Journal of the National Opera Association.

Women with lower voices were able to play characters that had more gravitas, heroism and intelligence, as if they were "part male.”

He wrote in an age where women had very few options. Women with lower voices were able to play characters that had more gravitas, heroism and intelligence, as if they were "part male.” The hardest part of exploring the topic was finding and reading through texts from the 1800s. There is some modern writing on the subject but most of my research involved reading through old comments and letters, sometimes in Italian.

The most surprising part of this research was learning how different opera careers could be, and how short! It emphasized the importance of teaching technique for longevity, knowing that these pieces were written for singers who often had careers that lasted fewer than 10 years.

Rossini, who wrote more operas for lower-voiced women than any other composer, saw a difference between the mezzo-soprano and contralto.

I explored the composition process, reading the entertaining stories of the singers and composers of that era. It brought me joy to explore a different but exciting culture of singers and musicians. The thesis of my paper is that Rossini, who wrote more operas for lower-voiced women than any other composer, saw a difference between the mezzo-soprano and contralto, despite modern casting that interchanges those two voices.

I am interested in our hesitation in modern voice teaching and singing to call people contraltos, usually opting for mezzo-soprano because the term is "safer." And yet at one time the professional singing world was flooded with contraltos. Was that because of taste, terminology or marketing?

Rossini had a love for the contralto and spoke about the voice type quite a bit. He is also a primary part of the opera "canon," whose operas were popular in 1813 and still are in 2019. Thus, he remains a champion for the contralto to this day!

Rediscovering the Unique Role of the Contralto in the Operas of Gioachino Rossini by Piper Pack-Smith


1.jpeg

Dr. Piper Pack-Smith joined the PVCC faculty in 2014. She currently teaches Voice & Diction, Music Theatre Workshop and Individual Voice Lessons, as well as masterclasses and workshops in auditioning and accents & dialects. As a performer, she has consistently impressed audiences with her rich mezzo voice and natural stage presence.  She has appeared with a number of arts organizations across the country, including the Los Angeles Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, the Phoenix Symphony, Opera Memphis, Opera Pacific and the Bronx Opera. Piper has performed in national sold-out tours as Ruth in Pirates of Penzance and Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore. Following her move to New York in 2003, she created the role of Mama in the new Off-Broadway production Valentino. In 2018, Piper completed her DMA at the University of Arizona. She also holds degrees from UCIrvine and Pepperdine. She has received awards including a PVCC Arty, and an MONCA award.  In 2018 she was invited to present her research on Rossini and the contralto at the Hawaii International Conference on the Humanities and is slated to be published in the June issue of the Opera Journal, a publication of the National Opera Association. 

Last Week of "Expectations" Photography Exhibit In the CPA Gallery

Photography faculty Kip Sudduth along with students from classes ART 131, 142, 143, 234, and 290 have put together a show emphasizing creative vision in photography. Hanging in the CPA gallery till March 18th, 2019, the theme is organized around this quote:

Photography’s supposed objectivity has dominated the evaluation of its role in the arts for almost a century and a half […] The most important control is, of course, the creative photographer’s vision.

-from History of Photography

3-2.jpeg

Artist Statement

“The artistic quality of photography has been the discussion of countless critics and artists since its discovery in the early part of the 19th century. Visualization is the most important aspect of art-making: past, present and future.

I believe this visualization process encourages the active participation of the viewer as well as the artist. Dynamic photographic design acts as a visual catalyst for overall participatory art satisfaction.

This exhibit reprints my students’s and my overall expectation with the art-making process and that satisfaction.”

Kip Sudduth, PVCC Photography Faculty

Rock N Roll Symphony Fine Arts Scholarship Fundraiser

Join us at Paradise Valley Community College as we celebrate A Rock 'N' Roll Symphony!

These events support the Fine & Performing Arts Scholarship fund that benefits students in our award-winning Dance, Music, Performance, Creative Writing, Art, and Theatre Arts programs.

This year’s goal is to raise $12,000, which will provide five students with Fine Arts Fellowship Awards to cover their tuition for the 2019 - 2020 academic year. 
The Union32 All Stars Rock Band and very special guest vocalists will perform.

The show features classic rock hits with a full rock band and 30-piece string orchestra.

ROCK N ROLL SYMPHONY AT PVCC
March 1st and 2nd @ 7:30pm

$25 adults; $20 seniors
$15 Staff/Alumni/Mim/Military
$10 students
$8 children. 
*$4 additional ticket fee at the door 1-hour prior to performance

Center for Performing Arts
Paradise Valley Community College
18401 N. 32nd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85032

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

No Experience Necessary: Free Music Workshops at PVCC

The music department at Paradise Valley Community College is pleased to present an exciting series of hands-on musical opportunities for students, staff and members of the community. All events in this series are FREE and only require an interest to learn something new and have fun.

_MG_8727.JPG

MONDAY EVENINGS: COMMUNITY SING!

6:30 - 8:30 pm | CPA 115 Music Room | June 4, 11, 18, 25

June 4th: The Beatles

June 11th : Selections from Broadway

June 18th: Selections from Disney

June 25th: Selections from Popular Music


finearts026.JPG

MONDAY EVENINGS: THE ART OF AUDIO MIXING AND REMIXING

6:30 - 8:30 pm | CPA 120 Music Lab | June 4, 11, 18, 25

June 4th: How to do a remix featuring remixed by Beyonce, Katy Perry & U2 - John Keenan

June 11th : Mixing acoustic instruments - Brett Reed

June 18th: Production elements and beat-making for radio-friendly songs - John Keenan

June 25th: Modern drum sounds: mixing with samples - Brett Reed


finearts154.JPG

TUESDAY EVENINGS: BRAZILIAN DRUM AND DANCE

6:30 - 8:30 pm | KSC 1000 | June 5, 12, 19, 26

Learn to play, sing and dance to the exciting rhythms of Brazil. All drums provided.


_MG_8659.JPG

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

6:30 - 8:30 pm | CPA 120 Music Lab | June 6, 13, 20, 27

June 6th: Analog and Modular Synthesis I

June 13th: Analog and Modular Synthesis II

June 20th: Interactive Multimedia Art and Handmade Electronic Music 

June 27th: Introduction to Sound Design for Film and Video Games


finearts045.JPG

THURSDAY EVENINGS: FILM SCORING ANALYSIS

6:30 - 8:30 pm | CPA 120 Music Lab | June 7, 14, 21, 28

June 7th: The origin of film music. Why music?

June 14th: Diagetic vs. non-diagetic sound

June 21st: Hollywood sound: John Williams (film scoring analysis)

June 28th: The use of leitmotifs as both narrative and structural device (music-dramatic)


For additional information about the NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY events and workshops, please call (602) 787-6596 for information, or e-mail music@paradisevalley.edu.

Guinness World Record Set at PVCC

On Wednesday, March 21st PVCC Ceramics held a Guinness World Record attempt for number of pots thrown in one hour by an individual. Ceramic artist Jim Calhoun and PVCC Faculty David Bradley attempted to break the 159 pots record. David Bradley threw 146, and Jim Calhoun set a new record at 193 pots. The 350 pots thrown that day are being glazed, fired and sold to benefit the Natalia Lantseva Ceramic Scholarship fund at PVCC. Congratulations to Jim Calhoun of Calhoun Stoneware Hand Thrown on a new Guinness World Record!

 

 

 

2018 Phoenix Synth Meet

26730805_10156640702520606_922761776966637165_n.jpg

Are you a fan of Synthesizers or Electronic Music? If so, join us in the Center for the Performing Arts at Paradise Valley Community College to meet fellow synth enthusiasts at the PHOENIX SYNTH MEET on Friday, February 16th.

EVENT DETAILS
3:00pm-6:00pm
Showcase/Open House for people to share, play, and explore synthesizers of all shapes and sizes.
(Load-in times from 12:00p-2:00p)

7:00pm-10:00pm: Performance by local Synth Artists and Groups

The event is free to participate and to attend. Synth enthusiasts are invited to bring their own rig and share or to come and support the Synth scene in Phoenix!

A Food Truck will be on-site for concessions and snacks, so plan to spend the entire day with us for this exciting event.

If you are not already a part of it, join the group: Phoenix Synthesizers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/921085941343137/

The PHOENIX SYNTH MEET is presented in collaboration between PVCC's Commercial Music Program and the Phoenix Synthesizer Group.

Free World Music Workshops: Brazilian Drum & Latin Jazz

The Music Department at PVCC is pleased to offer two FREE World Music Workshops to students and the public this spring. On Tuesday, January 23rd and Thursday, January 25th join PVCC Instructors Samuel Peña, Joseph Goglia and Josiel Perez for a no-experience-necessary World Music experience. With all equipment provided, the workshops offer a hands-on introduction to the ensemble experience at PVCC. 


BRAZILIAN DRUM WORKSHOP

Tuesday, January 23rd @ 7:00pm-8:30pm. Center for the Performing Arts Music Room (CPA115)

Talented musicians Samuel Peña and Joseph Goglia will lead a drum and percussion workshop focusing on the music of Brazil. No Experience Necessary. Drums will be provided.

unnamed.jpg

unnamed-1.jpg

LATIN JAZZ WORKSHOP

Thursday, January 25th @ 7:00pm-8:30pm. Center for the Performing Arts Music Room (CPA115)

PVCC Latin Jazz instructor Josiel Perez will lead a workshop focusing on various styles in Latin Jazz! No Experience Necessary. Drumset, Congas, Amps, and Piano will be provided.


Search ensemble classes and learn more about the world music experience at PVCC at www.classes.sis.maricopa.edu

CLASS SPOTLIGHT: LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE WITH JOSIEL PEREZ

8624712_orig.jpg

 "I believe that each note I write or play is a story." Josiel Perez

The Music Department at PVCC is pleased to welcome Josiel Perez to the #pvccensembles family, teaching Latin Jazz Ensemble on Thursday nights. Beginning February 1st, the ensemble is for musicians eager to play Latin Jazz music as a life-long experience. The course will explore a variety of styles such as Afro-Cuban Latin, Brazilian, Caribbean Jazz and Jazz Standards with Latin arrangements. This course allows musicians to comprehend the connection between all musical styles. Students will have the opportunity to arrange and/or compose tunes for the ensemble.


LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE

MUP 181 #24948 | 2/1/18 - 5/11/18

THURSDAYS | 730-930PM

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER


3895256.jpg

Meet Professor Perez

Born in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba on October 9, 1986, Josiel Perez comes from an extensive musical family, beginning with his grandfather who is a refined flautist to his uncle, Andres Perez, who is considered one of Cuba’s best baritone saxophonists. 

Currently residing in Phoenix, Arizona, Josiel has performed alongside top-level musicians, Luis Conte, Haakon Graf, Rayford Griffin, Hans Zermuelen, Dan Lutz, Stan Sergeant, Walfredo Reyes Jr., Luis Eric Gonzalez, Kamasi Washington, Jimmy Branly, Raul Pineda, Sawa Perez, Joey De Leon. He also led, composed for, and arranging music for the AC Jazz Project aka Afro Cuban Jazz Project, a nationally known group produced by PJ Oliva, and formerly led by world renowned Cuban percussionist Long John Oliva who passed away in 2004. 

"Music changed my life. I like teaching music because it allows me to share my experience and joy with my students. Also, I have the opportunity to teach valuable life-skills such as self-expression, communication and global perspective through music." 


Curious about the ensemble experience at PVCC? Click here. 

This Week at PVCC: December 4th, 2017

THE CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS GALLERY — THE MONTH OF DECEMBER

unnamed.jpg

The Center for the Performing Arts Gallery at Paradise Valley Community College is pleased to 

announce Tracing Absence: Work by Jessica Palomo. The artwork will be on view from November 2 - December 18, 2017. The reception is December 6, at 6:30pm. The reception is open to the public; light refreshments will be served. The CPA Gallery is open and free to the public, Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm. Parking is available on the NE side of the CPA.

Jessica Palomo’s work is a response to the grief of losing a loved one, a trauma that can overload and fracture the conscious mind, causing a shattered emotional state. Through abstraction and mark-making, she explores the dynamics of this ruptured reality that place identity and emotion in a liminal, ambiguous space.


FALL CONCERT WEEK AT PVCC — FREE ADMISSION

unnamed-1.jpg

PVCC Women's Chorus, Monday Jazz Combo and Composers/Improvisors Big Band

Monday, December 4th at 7:30pm. CPA Mainstage Theater. Free Admission.


PVCC Community Concert Band and Wednesday "Little" Big Band (Jazz)
Wednesday, December 6th at 7:30pm. CPA Mainstage Theater. Free Admission.

PVCC Brazilian Percussion Ensemble, Cello Ensemble, String Ensemble, Flute Ensemble
Thursday December 7th at 7:30pm. CPA Mainstage Theater. Free Admission.


STUDENT DIRECTED ONE ACT PLAYS (ONE WEEKEND ONLY)

unnamed-2.jpg

December 7th, 8th and 9th at 7:30pm; December 10th at 2:00pm.
Studio Theater/M‐East Building. $5 Admission.

Advanced Directing Student Shows: "More To Love"  
• "Quite A Stunner" written and directed by Joey Whelan.
• "The Open Door" written by Alfred Sutro and directed by Taylor McMurray.
• "Forsaken" written by Kitt Lavoie and directed by Jordyn Drake.

Click HERE to purchase tickets online


PVCC FACULTY JAZZ ENSEMBLE — LIVE IN CONCERT

unnamed-3.jpg

Sunday, December 10th, 12:00pm-2:00pm. Desert Ridge Marketplace. Free Admission.

Desert Ridge Marketplace is pleased to present a Sunday Jazz Series with Paradise Valley Community College. Proudly sponsored by the Musical Instrument Museum, the series explores the rich musical traditions of various jazz composers and genres. Held on September 10th, October 8th and December 10th from 12-2pm on the MainStage at the Mall, the Jazz Series is led by PVCC music faculty Dr. Brett Reed and features PVCC instructors in the ensemble.


Balkan Art Documentary by Professor David Bradley

This summer Professor David Bradley spent a month touring Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of a Fulbright Hays faculty development program. One of 16 high school and community college educators from Arizona, the program was designed to increase awareness of European Muslim culture and art in order to incorporate that understanding in PVCC course curricula.

During his stay Professor Bradley visited galleries, met artists and saw street art in Sarajevo that commented on the war and widespread corruption in the Bosnian government. Intrigued by this theme, he returned to the region in October for another month to interview artists and gather examples of art around social justice themes to present to PVCC students. The footage from this multimedia sabbatical project has now developed into a documentary film. 

When Professor Bradley met artist Edo Vejselovic, they collaborated to transform the footage into a narrative on how artists in the Balkan region are reflecting on their history and the current factors in their daily lives. The goal of the crowdfunding campaign is to distribute the film to festivals in the US and the Balkans and show the world a positive message about what's happening artistically in this rich, historical region. 

 

Learn more and support the project at:
www.gofundme.com/Balkanartfilm