About 20 people gathered at Third Avenue United Church Sunday for a master singing class.
Baritone Mel Braun and pianist Dr. Laura Loewen of the University of Manitoba, though tired after a drive from Flin Flon, Man. where they were taking part in Culture Days events, also performed a brief concert, including music from Italian, German and English composers.
A number of singers had a chance to perform for the group and have Braun and Loewen work with them on technique and interpretation. The master class aspect meant their learning experience was a learning experience for all as each critique was done before the whole group.
Not everyone sang, but there were representatives there from a number of singing groups, including the Gallery Singers, Meota Men's Choir and Battlefords Blend Sweet Adelines.
The event was organized by instructor Lisa Hornung, who believes, "There is much to learn from listening to others andwatching master teachers at work."
Braun and Loewen first conducted master classes in North Battleford in 2012 and have since established a musical connection with this community. Young singers Jean van der Merwe and Michelle Hanna of North Battleford have become their students and Loewen has been on the faculty of the Hornung's Summer School for the Solo Voice for the last two years.
Braun is a well-known Canadian singer, equally at home on the concert or opera stage. He performs solo and as a member of a chamber group, directs and coaches. He holds a Master and Bachelor of Music for Vocal Performance from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Church Music from Canadian Mennonite Bible College. Braun heads up the Vocal Program at the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music, University of Manitoba, a program renowned for its collaborative and holistic approach to training singers.
Loewen is a collaborative pianist who has appeared in concerts throughout North America and in Europe and Asia. She is a professor of Collaborative Piano and the vocal coach at the University of Manitoba's Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music. She is on the faculties of the NUOVA opera training program in Edmonton, Alta., the Contemporary Opera Lab in Winnipeg, Vancouver International Song Institute and the Rio International Cello Encounter. Loewen holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying/Coaching from the University of Minnesota.
