Heilweil Studio Recital Showcases Regional Talent

NEWTOWN — Maggie Heilweil presented some of her top students from the region during a two-act vocal recital June 24 in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall. The dozen students representing the Heilweil Vocal Arts Studio performed a broad variety of material from classical to Broadway.

During her introductions, Ms Heilweil noted that many of the young artists who performed that day are engaged in numerous related activities, including school and community theater productions. Several of the students are aspiring to pursue singing professionally, or at the collegiate level.

She also presented Andrew Gordon, who accompanied the singers.

Zoe Apolian opened the show with a challenging “Letter” aria by Offenbach, and concluded with the early crowd pleaser, “He Touched Me,” most frequently associated with Barbra Streisand. Recent Newtown Middle School graduate Erin Glaberson followed up with the challenging Purcell piece, “Strike the Viol,” and the first of several Stephen Sondheim numbers, “Take Me To The World.”

Newtown High School Junior Jake Wolf warmed quickly to the audience and delivered an expressive folk song, “Blow the Wind Southerly,” followed by Sondheim’s “Giants in the Sky,” from Into the Woods. Hannah Moss navigated the complicated “Lasciatemi Morire,” with ease, immediately switching gears to playacting the emotional “Nothing,” from Chorus Line, which also elicited enthusiastic response from the audience.

Andrew Martinik tackled Ciampi’s “Nina,” and pined his way plaintively through a touching version of “The Joker,” by Bricusse. The first triple of the show included “Vacalise,” a sultry rendition of Jones and Schmidt’s “Raunchy,” and the sweet “Dulcinea” from Man of LaMancha.

Continuing on in the popular Broadway vein, Britt Hennumuth’s “Something’s Coming,” from West Side Story was spot-on, as was his rendition of “My Defenses Are Down,” from Annie Get Your Gun. Karen McCormick, by day a teacher from Westport’s Bedford Middle School, proved she might well give up her day job based on her expertly delivered “Love’s Philosophy” and Faure’s “Apres un Reve,” with operatic flourish, closing the first set with Puccini’s moving “Un Bel di.”

Newtown High School incoming junior Quinlan Mitchell showcased a formidable range and depth in his triple bill of “Che Fiero Costume,” “Come di Raggio di Sol,” and another crowd favorite, Grossman’s “Mama a Rainbow,” from Minnie’s Boys, which brought more than a few tears to the eyes of appreciative audience members.

Amelia Kreski displayed her diverse range as well first with Sondheim’s “Green Finch and Linnet Bird,” and then unleashing her fire siren power with the well-received “Johnny One Note,” from Rogers & Hart’s Babes in Arms. Julie Taylor then made the first of three appearances first soloing on “Sure on this Shining Night” and “Much More.”

She served as a capable partner first to Andrew Martinek performing the duet, “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” from Ms Heilweil’s favorite Broadway show, The Fantasticks, and later closed the second set with Britt Hennumuth performing “Metaphor” from the same show. Hunter Voket made his Heilweil Studio debut with a three popular standards, “Moon River,” “I’ve Grown Accustomed to her Face,” and the appropriate, “Nothing Can Stop Me Now,” from The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd.

An encore and finale of Gershwin’s “Summertime” brought the house to its feet in appreciation of the 12 performers who were surprised to find this new number added to the repertoire at the last minute, and who tackled the challenge with style.

Following the show, Ms Heilweil commented that it was unfortunate that several other students were unable to attend the recital, and that she was hopeful about bringing her entire cast of students to another public stage soon.

“I have plans to continue working and developing all these students,” she said. “But as far as tonight is concerned, everyone left with a smile on their face and a little more comfortable about working in front of an audience — that’s my goal.”