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Pia Broden Williams is a faculty member of the Flint School of Performing Arts. She taught general music to grade levels K-12 in Flint and Mt. Morris and has served as musician and choir director for various churches. She is a seasoned vocalist and has acquired extensive recording and performance experience with several organizations, including various jazz groups and currently with the Michigan Opera Theatre (chorus member) and Flint Jubilee Chorale. She has appeared at the Detroit Jazz Festival and other venues across the Midwest. She has a rare voice that can execute proficiently classical, jazz, gospel and pop styles. She received her Bachelor of Arts in vocal performance and philosophy from the University of Michigan and her Masters of Music in performance from Michigan State University. Currently, she holds the position of Director of Music at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Flint. This is the second entry where she writes today about the process of preparing for her upcoming Faculty Concert.
The first bel canto aria I ever heard and really my first “introduction” to the coloratura soprano voice type, was a recording of Beverly Sills singing “O quante volte.” I have been in love with the style ever since. I realize that I don’t sing it enough and also that there are some roles I should be doing as a coloratura soprano. This concert will be a wonderful opportunity for me to bring three arias from three of these roles before an audience.
Today, I had my final rehearsal with everyone before the concert, Saturday. And the hard part begins now. I’ll be taking it easy tomorrow, but I’ll also be trying to pull myself into the mindset of each character more fully. They are all very different women. Perhaps the most challenging aspect about it is that I am a very withdrawn, introspective, and ultimately shy person. So, it’s difficult for me to be “out there” sometimes – and I have to be for Giulietta, Adina, and especially for Lucia! I know, I know. Who ever heard of a shy soprano? Well, we exist!
With this entry, I’ll open things up a bit, and, instead of trying to anticipate what questions anyone might have, I’d just love it if some were posted that I could answer! So feel free to leave comments, questions, and such, about the process, the music, etc. and I’ll be happy to respond!
-Pia Broden Williams
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