Christie Finn
Christie FinnMusic
2004 – 2005
“A New Approach to Opera”
Faculty Mentor: Professor David Smith, Music Department
With the Undergraduate Research Award, I plan on conducting my personal investigation in the field of vocal studies, with a focus on classical opera. While participating in a highly-acclaimed program at either the International Institute of Vocal Arts (IIVA) in Chiari, Italy or the Heifetz International Music Institute in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, I will receive top-notch instruction from the best vocal instructors and performers in the world, stretch and discover my own vocal abilities, study languages, and research opera, bringing new interpretations to an archaic genre of musical theatre. With the skills that I learn, I plan on helping restart the opera workshop program at UMBC and bring back the aesthetic and musical joy of opera to this academic community.
2005 – 2006
“The Art of Auditioning”
Faculty Mentor: Professor David Smith, Music Department
With the Undergraduate Research Award, I plan to continue conducting my personal investigation in the field of classical (operatic) vocal studies. This time, my project will not only involve the continual learning of my art form, but also geared towards the business side of the career of the opera singer, as I research auditioning: methods, expectations, how to prepare for auditions for an opera company, and other aspects of the art of auditioning. While participating in a different highly-acclaimed program this coming summer, at the International Lyric Academy in Rome, I will receive top-notch instruction from the best vocal instructors and performers in the world, continue to study and grow vocally and in my knowledge of opera (with private lessons and coachings and by participating In full opera performances and solo concerts), and garner as much information as possible about the opera business from that faculty of the school. With the skills and knowledge that I learn, I prepare for and actually audition for apprentice programs at three major American opera companies in the fall (St, Louis, Des Moines, and Opera North), share my knowledge (as well as a song or two) with the UMBC community at URCAD, and use my research to help my career (as well as share my research with other aspiring to the same profession).
2006 – 2007
“Movement and the Singer”
Faculty Mentor: Professor David Smith, Music Department
With the Undergraduate Research Award, I plan to continue conducting my personal investigation in the field of classical (operatic) vocal studies. This time, my research will be centered in the area of movement—the physical relationship and presence of the body of the singer and how this relates to the music and drama produced. I plan to use the Undergraduate Research Award to attend the highly acclaimed summer vocal/movement program at the Wesley Balk Institute in order to study with well-known experts on this topic. Through this research, I will become more educated on the human body and the methods with which to engage oneself entirely in singing and acting, and this concentrated work will ultimately help me become a better singer. Side products of my research will include my senior recital (and perhaps a second recital during my senior year), graduate school auditions, and a performance of Luciano Berio’s “Sequenza III” at URCAD 2007 (a piece which combines movement, acting, and singing and is exceedingly difficult). I also plan to teach other singers at UMBC what I have learned as I work in and with the UMBC Vocal Arts Ensemble.
