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Opera Student Stories: Tess
Opera Student Stories: Brandon
Hi I’m Brandon Dallmann, I’m 16 years old and am a junior at Amherst regional High School. When I began taking voice lessons at Act Too Studio in 8th grade I never thought I would sing classical music, I simply wanted to work strictly on musical theater singing. I sang a few classical pieces but never really perused it until the opera workshop began in the spring of 2014 preparing for the Marriage of Figaro scenes. I decided to be a part of these scenes and very suddenly got incredibly excited about the music. It was something so different from what I had done before, yet so interesting and incredibly rewarding. Not only did my voice improve but also my ability to understand music and connect with the emotion behind it. I really enjoyed learning my part for Figaro and the next year I continued learning classical music in addition to musical theater.
The past summer, just a year after Figaro, I was part of the Act Too Studio opera The Medium, as well as went to a two-week program to specifically study classical voice. Both of these would have never happened in my wildest dreams just a year and a half before.
Opera is something that is rarely taught to teens. We do musicals and plays at our school and many of us learn how to sing with a choir but very few are given the chance to study opera and solo classical singing. This is an interest I now have that would not have even really known about and less so had skill in without the Act Too Studio Opera Workshop. It is incredibly rare to have this opportunity especially in a suburban area such as the Pioneer Valley so I really want to encourage all of you to donate and keep this alive.
While I don’t know exactly what I plan on doing for my career I know that regardless I will always love singing classical music and carry it with me, an interest I wouldn’t have even known possible without this wonderful program.
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Teen Opera on GivingTuesday!
#GivingTuesday is HERE, and I’d like to ask that you consider including Act Too Studio Opera Workshop in your year-end giving! Now in its third year, the workshop has grown from a week-long intensive into a year-long, student-driven entity, and we couldn’t be prouder of our opera-obsessed teens!
We’ve got an exciting day planned at our virtual Facebook Event, with more personal stories on the way from our teens as the day goes on. Even Joyce DiDonato stopped by to wish our students luck and let them know how awesome they are!
Read all about our teen Opera Workshop here, including an in-depth video about the workshop. Or check out our 3-minute “flash trailer” below!
While the arts have become increasingly a luxury item available only to the wealthy, we at Act Too Studio are intensely dedicated to making our Opera Workshop programming accessible to all our teens. To that end, we are tasked with seeking funding through local businesses and individual donors. In the early half of 2015, we raised nearly $8000 to fund our spring and summer programming. For 2016, we must raise even more. Please consider us TODAY, #GivingTuesday!
 You can donate by credit card online here:Act Too Studio Opera Workshop If you prefer, you can also donate by check. Checks should be made payable to Fractured Atlas, with “Act Too Studio Opera Workshop” in the memo line. Please contact us for our mailing address. |
Follow our progress this #GivingTuesday on Facebook and Twitter and help us spread the word! While you’re at it, check out these other great causes!
Act Too Studio Opera Workshop is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non‐profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Act Too Studio Opera Workshop must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” and are tax‐deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Read more #GivingTuesday stories ~ Join our Facebook Event ~ Donate to Act Too Studio Opera Workshop
Our GivingTuesday Pep Talk from Joyce DiDonato!
My teens and I had a pretty incredible experience yesterday, as their idol (and mine, if we’re being honest), opera singer and teacher extraordinaire Joyce DiDonato, stopped by the ATS Opera Workshop Facebook page to leave us this video, offering the kids praise and encouragement going into their #GivingTuesday fundraiser today. Here’s the video that had them screaming and crying in their private Facebook group for at least a couple of hours:
Good luck tomorrow!!!
Posted by Joyce DiDonato on Monday, November 30, 2015
What a generous and inspiring lady! We were all so moved that she would take the time for us in this way. If you have opera teens of your own, make sure they know about Joyce’s new newsletter for teens, Opera Rocks.
Now, #GivingTuesday is upon us! Please helps us raise the “obscene amount of money” Joyce has encouraged us towards!
| You can donate by credit card online here: Act Too Studio Opera Workshop If you prefer, you can also donate by check. Checks should be made payable to Fractured Atlas, with “Act Too Studio Opera Workshop” in the memo line. Please contact us for our mailing address. |
Follow our progress this #GivingTuesday on Facebook and Twitter and help us spread the word! While you’re at it, check out these other great causes!
Matching? Did you know that many companies match donations from employees to nonprofit causes? That means your donation can go twice as far! From now until December 15th, 2015 you can go to doublethedonation.com to find out if your company will match your donation. Just type in your employer’s name and access the appropriate matching gift forms, guidelines, and submission instructions.
Act Too Studio Opera Workshop is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non‐profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Act Too Studio Opera Workshop must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” and are tax‐deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Read more #GivingTuesday stories ~ Join our Facebook Event ~ Donate to Act Too Studio Opera Workshop