Vocal Sessions: live public performance examination

Graduate music students from Southern Cross University will step up to the microphone next week to showcase their talents in a live public performance examination.

The 12 vocal graduates from the Bachelor of Contemporary Music degree will perform over three nights in the recently upgraded state-of-the-art concert space, ‘Studio 129’ located in the University’s music department, ‘D Block’ at the Lismore campus on October 6, 7 and 8.

Southern Cross University music lecturer and vocal coach Leigh Carriage said there was a lot of excitement and anticipation around the performances.

“They are a talented group of performers and this is definitely a great opportunity to experience emerging Australian talent live. Last year’s graduates performed to a packed house so my advice is to get there early,” Ms Carriage said.

Sarah Grant is one of the vocalists who will be performing. She is also backing vocalist with the band Downstairs Mix-Up which won the National Campus Band Competition in 2009. She said audiences could expect a real smorgasbord of music over the three nights.

“Most of the vocalists are performing original material so this is a real showcase of us as artists and the work that we have produced over the last few years,” Sarah said.

“Everyone is incredibly talented and we will be performing with some of the Northern Rivers most gifted up-and-coming musicians so the bar is set high for these soon-to-be qualified musicians.

“For sure, everyone is a little bit stressed as it is an exam, but we are doing what we love so it is all very exciting,” Sarah said.

Entry to Vocal Sessions is free however there will be a gold coin donation collection for the nominated charity, the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The performers selected the charity in response to one of their fellow music students being diagnosed with and surviving breast cancer last year.

“Out of the 12 performers, 10 of them are women, and breast cancer is something that has affected us all as a group so it is important for us all to support such a great cause,” Sarah said.

Vocal Sessions is a free public event to be held over three nights at the SCU concert space, Studio 129 on Wednesday, October 6, Thursday, October 7 and Friday, October 8 starting at 6pm. Each vocalist will perform a 45 minute set.

The performers will be Joel Cook, Tace McNamara, Grey Milton, Emma Davison, Andrea Roper, Sarah Grant, Jaeva Shelley, Melanie Sheehy, Emily Rose Sorensen, Siobhan Corcoran, Imogen Pemberton and Ella Mingaye.

More information is available on facebook and for further details email m.sheehy.10@scu.edu.au.

Photo: The vocal graduates who will perform the Vocal Sessions public performance examination at SCU Lismore campus next week.