Master Classes Show Results

By NATHALIE PLOTKIN
Monterey Herald Correspondent

Concert Photo          Read About the Participants

The Virginia Best Adams Vocal Master Classes are a unique and highly commendable ingredient of the Carmel Bach Festival. Ever since the event was established in 1984, it has enriched the festival's musical content and provided a noteworthy and distinctive educational dimension to its offerings.

The Saturday afternoon Showcase Concert and the six open workshop sessions which precede it are now among the festivals' major attractions. Many music lovers took advantage of the opportunity to attend these teaching sessions led by Master Class director David Gordon and noted baritone Sanford Sylvan.

Even though the four participants are carefully chosen and have extensive educational credentials and professional performance experience, they emerge after the three weeks of open coaching sessions demonstrating the refinements of technique and musical understanding offered by master teachers Gordon and Sylvan.

Soprano Emily Sinclair, countertenor Daniel Bubeck, tenor Nathal Davis and baritone Tim Krol made up one of the most mature and experienced student bodies who have participated, and it was apparent from the high level of preparation of the material they brought to the classes.

Soprano Emily Sinclair has a lovely voice -- true, pure and a pleasure to hear. Class work emphasized her need to focus her vocal energy and avoid overdramatization. Several Handel arias were offered in class and with guidance in understanding the character and situation of the singer, these became performance gems.

The concert selections from lesser known Bach cantatas didn't offer the same opportunities for interpretative detail, but they showed her grasp of the Baroque era and her pure eontrolled tone and vocal sweetness as she projeced the quiet happiness of the text of the selection from Cantata BWV 204.

Countertenor Daniel Bubeck brought two of his concert selections to the classes and it was interesting to hear how he had responded to the suggestions he had received.

In "Vergnugte Ruh" from Cantata BWV 170, he sang with a new sweetness of tone and while still physically marking the rhythm, it was much more controlled. In class, Bubeck offered selections from Handel operas and they were bright and excitingly sung. In each case, just a little fine tuning of his physical stance and explanation of the meaning of the text made him much more the master of his performance.

Tenor Nathan Davis was always in control of his music and his vocalism, but he needed to be more forthcoming and learn to show an understanding musical statement.

An aria from Cantata 172, first offered in class, was transformed in concert. It became smoothly lyrical with an almost romantic yet heartfelt interpretation. This demonstrated some depth of change from the initially heard approach.

Tim Krol needed to adjust to the idea of being a soloist after nine years of choral experience with the world renowned Chanticleer. He did so with very notable results, lightening up on physical movement and heavily pronounced diction. The aria from Cantata BWV 117 featured Krol's fine warm tone. His vocal interpretation captured the mood of comfort and nobility. This music was in the proper range and showed him at his best.

The only non-Bach music of the afternoon was the lovely duet "Pur ti miro" by Monteverdi. Not only was it a refreshing contrast to the almost somber procession of Bach's lesser known cantata arias, it was a love song performed with relishable sweetness by soprano Sinclair and countertenor Bubeck.

The outstanding and often concerto-like virtuosic instrumental solos in support of the dozen vocal selections were provided by violinists Cynthia Roberts and Emlyn Ngai, flutist Kimberly Reighley and oboist Neil Tatman.