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Club Ed: Lisa in "USF Voices"

It is no big secret that I love singing.  Unfortunately, I am one of those people who loves singing that other people don’t love listening to.  Not a good combination, I know. But what is a good combination?  Junior Communication Studies major Lisa Colasanti and USF Voices!  I asked Lisa to fill us in on her involvement with this club on campus.

“USF Voices is one of the choir groups on campus.  We do more contemporary and popular songs and medleys. For example I’ve done ‘Santa Baby,’ ‘Scarborough Fair,’ a Disney medley, ‘Cowboy Take Me Away,’ and a lot more.  There are five different groups: Voices, Women’s, Men’s, Jazz, and Six (an acapella group).  Any full time student at USF can join Voices; the other groups are by audition.”  I have to stop here.  You are all safe.  Per Lisa’s information, you have to be a student to join Voices, so my dreams of singing popular songs and pretending that I am actually a character on Glee are dashed.  Back to Lisa:

“I joined Voices my freshman year.  My parents told me to join clubs because it would help me make friends and feel less homesick.  This was the first club I joined.  I did choir in my high school and figured it would be a good idea to do something I was comfortable with and had a very good background in (my high school even recorded a CD for a Canadian composer).  I felt like I was really in my element with Voices.  I also joined Women’s as well because for two years in high school I sang in an all girls choir and I really like singing with just women, it has a different feel to it and I personally find it easier.  It’s easier to get lost and lose your part in a traditional mixed voices choir.  In a women’s choir I can always hear the other altos so I can always tune my voice back up if I ever get lost and lose my part.

Lisa posing by crashing waves... I wonder what song she is singing?

One of my favorite moments with Voices was our 2008 Fall Concert.  It was my first concert with USF Voices.  In Women’s we were doing ‘Santa Baby’ and in a moment of complete insanity I decided to audition for a solo during one of our rehearsals.  I ended up getting the solo.  It was one of the most terrifying and proud moments I’ve had.  I always like being on stage but I never thought my voice was very good and NEVER auditioned or attempted any solos, unless it was a lead role in a play.  I was really proud of myself that I went through with auditioning and actually being able to sing the notes when it came time.  It really helped build my confidence in myself.

Just the simple act of joining Voices was really very beneficial to me.  I’m a very shy person.  I was actually in my freshman seminar on opera when my professor, one of the heads of the music department, told us about a “voice profile” that was going on that night.  She encouraged me to go to help me meet new people.  It was very scary to me because it was almost like an audition.  All of the choir directors were there.  They were all very nice and told me it was just to see what your range was and to decide if they thought you would be a good fit for their choir, but you could join any of them regardless.  After going through with it and actually going to rehearsals I started to get over a little bit of my shyness.  My first rehearsal I actually made friends and everyone was really nice.  I actually met one of my best friends through Voices.

Voices has definitely been a great part of my USF experience, and I plan to continue it until I graduate next year.  It always helps me relax and its always a fun and inviting atmosphere.

Also our Spring Concert is on May 12th, at 7 in Presentation Theatre. It’s free!!!”

Congratulations, Lisa, on your involvement in this great club!  Lisa’s advice is absolutely correct: One of the best way to feel connected to USF is to join clubs and meet other students who share your same interests.  There are almost 100 student clubs on campus, so, as I’ve mentioned before, there is bound to be one in your interest area.

As Lisa mentioned, the USF Voices Spring Concert is this Thursday, May 12th at 7:00 pm in Presentation Theater. Admission is free and there is a reception to follow.  If you need a break from studying, go and support USF Voices!

campus

One Comment

  1. Thanks for the great plug for the concert. It was a great success (and you can get the recordings on the “Music Program Performances” blackboard site.

    One detail that Lisa got wrong: Voices, like all other music ensembles on campus, is actually is open to ANYONE at USF…students, alums, faculty, or staff! So, if you don’t mind being on campus until 8:30 pm and you want to sing with us, feel free to join!

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