Students to honor professor

Students to honor professor

By Rick Rogers
Fine Arts Editor
oklahoman.com

Oklahoma City University's School of Music has earned a reputation for turning out a remarkable number of talented performers. The evidence of that is on the walls of Mark Parker's office. Dean of the Wanda L. Bass School of Music since 1995, Parker regularly adds new photos of OCU graduates who are earning their living in the music industry.

Consider the following:

•Susan Powell, Miss America 1981 and former host of The Discovery Channel's "Home Matters.”

•Lara Teeter, a Tony Award nominee for the 1983 Broadway revival of "On Your Toes” and now teaching at Virginia's Shenandoah University.

•Kristin Chenoweth, a 1999 Tony winner for the Broadway revival of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and star of the 2003 musical "Wicked.”

•Kelli O'Hara, a two-time Tony nominee who recently wowed Broadway audiences in "The Light in the Piazza” and "The Pajama Game.”

Some might think the fact that all four attended OCU a coincidence. But the performers share the same alma mater and studied with the same voice teacher: Florence Birdwell. For more than 35 years, Birdwell has enjoyed an amazing reputation as one of the southwest's most influential music professors.

Many of her former students will return to Oklahoma City this week to perform a benefit concert to help create an endowed chair at OCU in Birdwell's honor. Titled "Starry Night,” the program will feature the Oklahoma City Philharmonic conducted by Joel Levine. Major sponsors are the Kerr Foundation and Dick and Jeanette Sias.

Past the age when many retire, Birdwell remains a force of nature. She's dramatic, effusive, passionate and gregarious, but also, pensive, nurturing, inspiring and giving. Here's what some former students and colleagues say:

Kristin Chenoweth: "There has never been, nor will there ever be, another HER. She is singular. She is unique. She teaches a young voice not only how to sing, but how to find their special, unique voice. She is my ‘person.' She knows what I mean by that.”

Kelli O'Hara: "I often say that Florence Birdwell didn't just give me singing lessons. She gave me life lessons. Therefore, everything changed when I met her. Not a day goes by in my professional (and often personal) life when I don't pull from those lessons. In other words, not only would I have not realized my dreams without her, I would never be able to sustain them. A good teacher's voice stays in your head, and believe me, even if I wanted to, I couldn't shake that voice.”

Lara Teeter: "I have two quotes that I use in my classes to this day: ‘You must sing the words!' delivered with the passion and magic of ‘Auntie Mame!' And, ‘You must be selfish in order to become selfless.' When she first said this to me, I remember smiling and nodding my head, not knowing what in the world she was talking about! Well, after almost 30 years as a professional artist, 15 years as a college professor, eight years as a devoted husband and five years as a father, I'm beginning to figure it out!”

Barbara Fox DeMaio Caprilli: "I started my studies with Inez Silberg, but the studio was not a good fit for me, and after my father died in my sophomore year, I transferred to Florence's studio. I had a hard time adjusting to life after my father's death, and Florence helped me through that terrible period in ways too numerous to mention. I often say that she literally saved my life. Others in the school were also wonderful during that time, but Florence, being my voice teacher, was absolutely my rock.”

John Sawyer: "Florence is not just a voice teacher; she is a life teacher. The passion she has for teaching and for life intertwine and inspire her students to reach deeper, ask questions and fly higher than they would otherwise.”

Mark Parker: "Florence Birdwell is one of the finest voice teachers in the nation, and Oklahoma City University has been fortunate to have her on our faculty for these past decades. She continues to inspire and teach our students who go on to the top of the music profession. She teaches her students to reach a point where they are independent artists, yet they look to her for guidance throughout their careers. What an honor it is to know her and work with her.”

Stephen Coker: "Florence is one very dear friend. She's a constant inspiration to me for many reasons, one of them being that she never seems to reach a plateau of knowledge or expertise that she remains at for very long — that is, she constantly surpasses that last plateau, reaching a new one just days (or sometimes hours) later! It is wondrous to behold how private teachers come to mean so much to their students, and Florence is certainly no exception. Her students are so incredibly enamored of her. Many may go through their various ups and downs of being continually challenged by her, yet they immediately realize the great worth of having someone in their lives that cares as much as she does for them and their growth. They love her, and they'd walk through burning buildings for her.” (Coker was an OCU music faculty member for 25 years. He is now head of the choral department at Oregon's Portland State University.)

When contacted about appearing as part of the "Starry Night” gala, every participant agreed without hesitation. Each has put together a group of songs that will showcase their specific talents. More importantly, their musical selections were all selected with a desire to please and honor their former mentor. Among the offerings are "Once in Love With Amy” from "Where's Charley” (sung by Teeter), "Some People” from "Gypsy” (Caprilli), "Singin' in the Rain” from the movie of the same name (Sawyer), "Somebody, Somewhere” from "The Most Happy Fella” (O'Hara), and "Glitter and Be Gay” from "Candide” (Chenoweth).

"How remarkable it is what Florence and OCU have done,” said "Starry Night” organizer Jane Jayroe, a former OCU student and Miss America 1967. "For a little school to have produced such remarkable artists is amazing. This endowed chair will allow us to continue that legacy of outstanding teaching.”