Stuff That I Have Noticed #64: Singing in Front of an Orchestra

Those of you who know me as a film guy or an essayist may not be aware that from my college days (late 1950s) until the early ‘70s I was a professional singer.

I worked as a choir director in three different churches between 1955 and 1961 and was a charter member of and soloist with the William Hall Chorale. In 1963 I toured the USA as tenor soloist with the Norman Luboff Choir. I sang with a jazz quartet while in college and ten years later I gigged with the Metropolitan Opera Studio in New York. One of the things of which I was most proud was the ability to “change gears” vocally across these several styles. And I made most of my bread and butter in Musical Theatre from the leading role of “Billy” in Carousel

With Joy Franz as Julie

(Soliloquy from Carousel)

to the comedy lead of “Luther Billis” in South Pacific.

I thoroughly enjoyed these theatre roles and the “pure” singing I did with the choral groups. But especially thrilling was standing in front of a full orchestra and feeling that overwhelming wave of music surrounding me as I sang. I got to do that numerous times with the William Hall Chorale and every time I felt as though I was “surfing” as that the surge of music propelled me forward.

Then when I was doing musicals there were several venues, Kansas City, Saint Louis and Pittsburg where we had a full orchestra in the pit. After rehearsing in a dance studio with a pianist (and sometimes a drummer) for several weeks the thrill of all those musicians playing Richard Rodgers’ South Pacific or Bernstein’s West Side Story scores was both overwhelming and exhilarating.

We leapt higher in our choreography, sang with more energy and gusto riding the dynamism of the massive sound.

Then there were the overtures! West Side Story, Guys & Dolls and Gypsy are among the best to my ear. They effectively preview (pre-audio maybe better) a musical synopsis of the songs to come and I never knew a musical theatre performer who was not invigorated by the show’s overture.

Standing onstage awaiting the curtain opening or the lights coming up is a singularly thrilling experience observed only by those of us who have been lucky enough to have performed on stage in opera or musical theatre.

Although it has been over fifty years since my last stage appearance whenever I hear an overture the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and tingle.

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