Orff Class, Circa 1981

After landing my first gig as tenor soloist in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, my mind was flooded with memories of growing up in Rochester.  While my father was technically my first music teacher and taught me to read music and play the recorder, my first music class was at Hochstein School of Music. 

My parents tell me that I started Orff lessons at the age of four.  Margaret Fittipaldi was my first teacher and I remember learning basic solfege and the hand signals that go along with it.  I also remember a lot of time spent with other very young musicians playing on xylophones and metallaphones.  (Playing?  Banging madly, is a better description.)

After I grew out of those classes for small children, I joined the Hochstein Children's Choir.  It was through that group that I sang my first solo on the radio and also landed my first paid recording gigs.  I did a couple of radio jingles and I sometimes wonder if there is an mp3 of Milton Fargo's "Sandy the Christmas Cat" out there.  Internet, don't fail us now!

Interview with Tom Cipullo, Pt. 3

As Mr. Cipullo is asked about his influences, I think back to a conversation that I had with a castmate that once we sorted out the challenges of counting measures and beats, the music of this opera becomes immensely singable.  There are all sorts of cues in the orchestra part that can help inform your entrances and cutoffs.  The learning curve was steep at first, but after awhile, I started to stitch large pieces of the show in mind.

I've only done a few modern operas.  As a younger singer, I sang the role of Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors.  (Chelsea Opera took their Amahl to Los Angeles for my first touring show).  My first experience with a 20th century opera, though was Robert Ward's Roman Fever as an undergraduate music student.  It is a fascinating show and I played the smallest part, a waiter.  I also was not a terribly good musician at that point in my life and the counting and tonality were a constant challenge.  I wish I could say that I was amazing in the part.  I was simply o.k. because I was legitimately held back by my lack of musical discipline.

I'll continue to watch and post these video series.  They are a great resource for my blog and for my "book."

Oh, because you are wondering, the greatest "modern opera" experience so far?  Hanging 30 feet above the stage on a rope net as I was a sailor in the chorus of Billy Budd at Seattle Opera.  I could have seriously fallen on my head.  It was awesome.

But why?

Why are you an opera singer?

I had sung with a children's choir at a young age and, as a boy, sang on some professional recordings and jingles. When I found out at that young age that someone could actually get paid to sing, the idea stuck in my head.

That isn't the reason, though. My quick answer? Because I'm a terrible rock-and-roll singer.

Seriously? That's the reason. I didn't grow up wanting to be an opera singer.

My role models were (in this order): Robert Plant and Axl Rose. To this very day, hearing "D'yer Mak'er" makes me want to give up opera. After my voice settled down, my sophomore year in high school exposed to a wide variety of music. I learned my first art songs, sang a bunch of musical theater, became involved in jazz choir and show choir. During my junior year, I was Seymour Krelbourn in a really awesome high school production of "Little Shop of Horrors." I know, I know... everyone's high school production was amazing. We won some awards and one of my co-stars went on to sing on Broadway. There was not a weak link in the entire cast. It was my first taste of being a star. I wouldn't say I handled it very well, but I was sixteen and you live and you learn.

That whole time, all I wanted to do was be the lead singer in a hard rock band. Unfortunately, my few times trying were abject failures. I may be able to carry a tune, but there is a certain style and confidence that you need. I simply didn't have it. I once was a guest singer for a band. I definitely brought them down. They were way better than me. I apologize to all those who were subjected to my terrible rendition of "More than Words" and that great band that had to back me up and one of my best friends (to this day) who sang the harmony.