University of Louisiana at Lafayette vocal performance major Madison Russell will be doing the singing for her birthday this year.
It won't be around a cake with candles, though.
Russell, a junior from Zachary, La., will be among 11 students from colleges and universities vying to win the “NextGen National: Finding The Voices of Tomorrow” virtual competition. The American Pops Orchestra event will be livestreamed at 7 p.m. CDT on Saturday, April 10, her 21st birthday.
The competition will be decided by a panel of Broadway singers, casting agents, recording artists and viewers who register to watch. Viewers will receive a link that enables them to access the livestream and cast votes.
Russell earned a spot in the competition finals based on her virtual performance during the semifinal round in November. Thirty semifinalists made the cut based on recordings that were submitted to the American Pops Orchestra by college singers from around the country.
For the finals, Russell will sing “Sunday, Monday or Always,” a 1940s song first made popular by Bing Crosby, and “The Label on the Bottle,” from the musical “The Gay Life.” Her renditions could bring a paid performance with the American Pops Orchestra and $1,000.
Russell knows how she’ll spend the prize money should she become the “NextGen National: Finding The Voices of Tomorrow” champion. She envisions participating in paid summer programs that enable talented burgeoning singers to tour with professional operas.
“There are national and international programs I’m interested in, including in Spain and Italy, that would be a great way to invest in my future,” she said.
Competition outcome aside, Russell’s already a winner. In advancing to finals, she earned a spot on a list of singers the American Pops Orchestra contacts for paid performances.
She’s been called upon twice to lend her high soprano voice to orchestra projects. Russell recorded vocals for an American Pops Orchestra performance that will be broadcast on PBS at an as yet unscheduled date. She also sang as part of a Christmas arrangement that the orchestra livestreamed.
“There haven’t been many in-person opportunities yet because of COVID, but I’m hoping this becomes a regular thing because I’ve already gotten two chances to sing,” Russell said.
The performances are the byproduct of years of preparation.
Russell began singing in school choirs and performing in musical theater as a child, when she decided she wanted to become a professional singer.
At UL Lafayette, she’s a member of the School of Music and Performing Arts’ Chamber Singers and Chorale ensembles, and president of the Ragin’ Cajun Women’s Choir.
The affiliations have led to opportunities to work with – and learn from – guest musicians who have visited the University’s School of Music and Performing Arts [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net]. She has also performed with conductors from other countries.
Russell, who anticipates graduating next spring, envisions a career singing, then teaching at a college or university.
She is applying to graduate programs at some of the best schools in the country. Her focus in the classroom will be pedagogy, which is the method and practice of teaching.
“My plan at this point is to keep performing on my own and study voice anatomy and how the voice works so that I can teach with science as well as experience,” she said.
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