I love it when my expectations of how something will go gets absolutely dumped on its ear. I attended (late, but with permission) David Sabella’s second Voice Master Class at Act2, last Saturday.
I expected this 10-year Broadway veteran and new General Manager at Act2, to listen politely to the singers run through their chosen song, then, proceed to give sage advice on how to “fix” their voice problems, song choices, etc., etc. And one or two of them should have been gently reminded not to quit their day jobs and retire from trying to sing.
Sabella swooped in, correcting posture, aligning ribcages, and explaining in technical terms the physiology of muscles, the physics of oxygen intake, breathing technique, and the differences in the latter when speaking, shouting, whispering, and singing. At one point, he literally had Jacob by the throat (“let me know if you have trouble swallowing, and I’ll stop squeezing”) so that Jacob would learn about a piece of anatomy he was born with and how to use it to improve the deep resonance of his voice.
I was surprised not just at the number of people there but also the caliber of the talent that included Kathy Overly, Marsha Ward Ross, and Sarah Joy – all classically trained sopranos, and the three of them would tally a combined 125 years of singing experience. All three were enthralled with every word. As was I.
David Maiocco, here for the summer and doing yeoman’s work, accompanied each singer on piano and went over specific keys and tempos quietly before they began to sing. Sabella would call out, “F-sharp, please, David,” and as Maiocco struck the key, Sabella was already singing the note. Perfect Pitch is something to marvel at.
Humor was used often and wisely and translated beautifully to the primarily Latino group in the Ovations Bar. They must have struggled with some of the scientific terminology; I know I did, mainly because it was said so fast. Sabella did not want anyone to be bogged down with terminology but the explanations were necessary.
The critical point here is that Sabella understands the why and how of singing and is such a good teacher he can explain the techie parts and does a great show-and-tell!
Any singer in Vallarta, no matter what level of expertise, would find something helpful in attending all or some of these classes. They are held in Mary Ann’s Ovations Bar on Saturdays, 11 am to 2 pm. Reservations are required, and only ten singers maximum can be heard in the three-hour class. It costs 400 pesos to audit the class, and again, please make reservations with Cate Valcic.
If your song is in Spanish, please provide a printed English translation and you may also send sheet music to Cate. The cost to the singers? Nothing. A private three-hour class with David Sabella would cost hundreds of dollars. After the class, I asked him why he was giving away a lifetime of experience, and he replied that he wanted to give back to the artistic community of Vallarta, particularly those talented Mexicans who may just become the next Act2PV Superstars.
Tips are, of course, welcome, and all contributions support Act2PV.
Some theater etiquette that is in force during classes: be on time, which means 15 minutes early at least, so that everyone will be settled down with notebooks and coffee and be ready to start at 11 am sharp.
David hopes to continue these classes indefinitely, with his students eventually being able to take part in Act2’s Greatest Show, held every Wednesday evening in the Casa Karma Red Room.
Anyone involved with theater – actors, singers, dancers, coaches, and teachers – should attend these Saturday morning classes. They are fun, intriguing, fascinating, and, in short, invaluable.
Reserve space with Cate Valcic for the Vocal Performance Workshop to audit (400 pesos) or sing at cate@act2pv.com
