Beach Summer Voice Program 2007

Marjorie Sparks is the artistic director of the Beach Summer Voice Program. She has created an informative and inspiring program for adult singers of various levels. The inaugural two week sessions proved to be a great success in spite of the fact that the singers came from widely different musical backgrounds.

The days were jam-packed with exciting moments for all the singers and staff. For example: an ensemble of five aspiring young sopranos performed opera and choral ensemble selections as if they had been singing together for weeks and a beginner choral singer sang a beautiful solo in public for the first time. The value of intensive music- making and instruction was made obvious from their success.

There were also many informal concerts. Guest teachers Mary Lou Fallis and Don Tarnawski presented excellent master classes. Each week ended with a concert for family and friends. This all took place in a beautiful church in the Toronto Beaches. The realization of this new program was aided greatly by Marjorie's business manager, Karen Watson, a fine singer herself. She ran an extremely well organized program that even included 10 daily nutritious snacks and aroma therapy sessions for the singers.

Marjorie was assisted by the following staff: Mervin Fick, Barry Peters, Lorelyn Morgan, Howard Bochner, Elaine Kopman. They all were wonderfully giving of their talents and personalities.