Dr. Dorothy Crum

For more information, contact Glenna Gaunt, 620-792-9289

March 26, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story by: Linda Jerke

Students to Work With Clinician on Voice Techniques in Vocal Masterclass at Barton

Dr. Dorothy Crum, voice professor at Wichita State University, will be the guest clinician for Barton County Community College’s annual Vocal Masterclass set for Saturday, March 29, in the Dorothy Moses Morrison Chapel, located in Room F-157 of Barton’s Fine Arts Building.

A native of Rhode Island, Crum served as director of music theater at Baltimore Community College before accepting an appointment at Colby Sawyer College as voice instructor and music director of opera productions. She left that position in 1973 to become an assistant professor of voice at Wichita State University where she currently is professor of voice and chair of the voice/choral areas.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barrington College, Master of Music degree from Ohio State University in Bowling Green and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Colorado.
Barton students and high school students from the area will perform for the clinician throughout the day. The morning session is set from 9 a.m. to noon and the afternoon session is from 1 to 4 p.m.

Crum will spend time with each singer working to improve vocal technique, posture, breath intake and management, interpretation and overall performance. The general public and people interested in singing in any venue will enjoy observing her as she works with the vocal performers of varying talents and abilities, said Barton voice instructor Glenna Gaunt. The event is free to the public.

Barton students performing in the Masterclass will be Sara Hayden and Margo Moyd, both of Great Bend; Malia Jamison, Joseph Doze and Steven Zecha, all of Hoisington; Rachel Harder of Claflin; and Tanner Ledford of Ellinwood.

Area high school students performing in the Masterclass will be Christen Markovich, Jericah Ravenstein, Brenna Stueder, Paige Blevins and Kenzie Kaiser, all of Great Bend; Rose Radenberg of Claflin; and Brenna Martin and Sarah Johnson, both of St. John. 
A sought-after performer, Crum has been a featured soloist with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, the Baltimore Comic Opera, the Baltimore Bach Society, Handel and Hayden Society and the Bowling Green State University Opera Theater. She is in frequent demand for opera, cantata and oratorio appearances in the Midwest. Her opera and music theater roles include Despina, Donna Elvira, Frasquita, Lucy, Mary (Little Mary Sunshine), and numerous Gilbert and Sullivan roles.

She has done post doctoral work at the University of Florida where she pursued her interest in vocal science with Harry Holien, renowned researcher in dolphin communication. Through the years she has taken scientific vocal workshops with Dr. Robert Bastien and Oren Brown. Her voice teachers include William Vennard and Berton Coffin. She has coached with Pierre Bernac, James Levine, John Wustman and Martin Katz.

In 1988, Crum formed the Sotto Voce Trio, an avant garde ensemble that tours throughout the United States. The trio’s premier of Kuzmych’s Shapes and Sounds IV won first place in the International Women’s Composition Contest. Since its inception, the Trio has toured nationally doing concerts, workshops and master classes in the avant garde repertoire.