ClassiGals
Jeanne Masterman, soprano
Rachel
Muller, pianist
Beth Fowler, soprano
Classical
Songs
For the Young and the Young at Heart
Singers
Beth Fowler and Jeanne Masterman, and pianist Rachel Muller have
developed a concert of whimsical classical art songs whose subjects
appeal to both children and adults, such as a green dog, a white cat,
and various farm animals and insects. Most of the songs were not
written solely for kids. Several programs are available,
including one that consists almost entirely of works of American
composers, such as Copland, Barber and Duke. Also in
ClassiGals’ repertoire are works by Mozart, Humperdinck and Chausson.
Some are settings of texts of well-known poets such as Robert Frost and
Emily Dickinson. A few are arrangements of American folk
songs.
To make the songs more interesting to children, the concert includes projected pictures, puppets and props.
Pianist Rachel Muller demonstrates the passages in the accompaniments that represent the movements of animals, the flights of insects, etc. Information about the composers is also presented in a child-friendly format. The presentation includes audience participation, such as learning to dance the Cake Walk or dancing around a Maypole. The concert can be tailored to the audience, and can range from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. When presented at libraries, Beth and Jeanne can collect, display and briefly discuss books that pertain to the poets, composers or songs. Rachel will bring her own keyboard if a piano is not available.
Here is a ClassiGals Demo which describes a typical performance and shows the artwork used.
Here are some video clips from a ClassiGals performance at the Westford Museum:
Back to Jeanne Masterman, Soprano
About the Performers
“ClassiGals” is a
collaboration of two singers and a pianist with an interest in educating while
entertaining children.
BETH
FOWLER, soprano, has been singing since the age of 6, when she joined
her church choir. She has sung in
numerous vocal groups with a wide range of musical styles from classical to
rock. Beth brings a theatrical touch to the trio, having studied voice and
theater for many years. She
frequently performs in community theatre productions such as the Nashua
Actorsingers production of Brigadoon and Oklahoma. Currently,
Beth is a lead vocalist for the alternative rock band, The Church
Ladies, sings with the NH a cappella chorus "Journey Song," and is a
member of the United Congregational Church choir in Exeter, NH. JEANNE
MASTERMAN, soprano, holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from
University of Massachusetts at Lowell. She has graduate credits in music
education from University of St.
Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, and University of Massachusetts at Lowell. A
member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Jeanne
teaches private voice lessons to students of all ages in her home
studio, and teaches singing classes at the Roudenbush Community Center
in Westford.
She
is the co-founder and co-organizer of the Community Christmas Chorus in
Westford, and directs The Golden Notes, a chorus made up of residents
of a local assisted living facility. Jeanne has appeared as
soloist for many churches and choruses, plus the Chelmsford Community
Band. She is a member of the adult choir at St. Irene's Church in
Carlisle, MA.
RACHEL
MULLER,
pianist, began playing piano at age 9, studying for many years with
Alice Wilkinson at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge.
Although a Software Architect by trade, Rachel devotes much of her free
time to musical pursuits. She loves sharing music in myriad ways,
accompanying recitalists and school choirs and providing music for
weekly masses at St. Catherine and St. Anne parishes. Rachel is a
member of the Seele Musicale Chamber Ensemble group, as well as the
alternative rock group, the Church Ladies.