Gospel For Teens In concert MAY 10 @ the Shomburg

About Me

Any questions or concerns please call 212-280-1045Gospel for Teens arts-education program started as a workshop that, as a result of growing popularity, is becoming an institutionalized program of MFAs School of Gospel, Jazz, and R&B Arts. It was created to provide aspiring teenager artists, ages 13-19, with fundamental vocal techniques such as placement, breathing, harmony, pitch, and sustained control, theatrical staging and projection essentials, as well as the historical significance gospel music has played in other musical art forms such as jazz, blues, and contemporary R&B. Through the Gospel for Teens program, seasoned music masters will nurture musical talent, yet groomed, in a program that includes individual musical assessments, the learning of new and established music in MFAs Traveling Theatres repertoire, and discussions about the role gospel music played in history and in their current lives. Stressing artistic discipline and commitment, music instructors will help students define their personal artistic expressions and build self-confidence both onstage and off. Gospel for Teens will be offered every Saturday for two semesters: Spring and fall. Classes will be held onsite, in MFAs renovated brownstone. Having already trained over 300 students from various segments of the Harlem community, MFA expects to serve between 85-100 students in 2006 through this program. Interested students are required to audition for enrollment. All students are given a vocal category assessment, range and delivery evaluation, and individual objectives for personal vocal improvement. As the year progresses, students learn core gospel fundamentals, increase their vocal power, and improve stage presence. Students study and perform excerpts from MFAs repertory of nine Off-Broadway productions that are regularly performed by its professional companies, Mamas Traveling Theater and The New Harlem Singers. The classes are offered at no cost to the selected students; however, prior to enrollment of each term, both students and parents must sign a commitment agreement to attend all classes. Each semester of workshops culminates with a performance that demonstrates the range and versatility of the students in mastering jazz, gospel and R&B music.Keep posted for new audition dates, and for all auditions arrive early to sign up and recieve your slot and number. Best regards, Vy
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The Gospel For Teens program had a few celebrity guests to come and talk to the teens, which served as motivation and inspiration to them! Here are a couple of pictures! More will be posted soon! Vy H., Cissy Houston, Knoelle H., Desiree Colman-Jackson, Joyce H.TEDDY from MTV'S "The Shop"

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Member Since: 5/30/2006
Band Website: Mamafoundation.org
Band Members:Gospel For Teens Holiday Celebration 2006 at the world famous Apollo TheaterGospel For Teens on the news? New York 1 Take a look at this clip!Gospel For Teens on Fox 5 NYC? Take a look at this clip!....VY HIGGINSEN(Creator/Director of "Gospel For Teens") Vy Higginsen is the co-creator and producer/director of "Mama I Want to Sing," and other gospel musical productions which have toured across the USA, Europe and Japan for many years. Vy has been an on-air personality for WBLS, WRKS, WWRL, KISS FM and other major New York stations. She is the co-foundar of the "Mama foundation for the arts" who's mission is to identify, train and employ young talent in the African American traditions. She is is imagining great success and a wonderful future for the Gospel For Teens Program...............DR. EMILY CISSY HOUSTON(Artistic Consultant) In the capacity of Artistic Consultant, Dr. Houston is excited to join MFA in serving youth all across New York City, with a concentration in Harlem, through the teachings of gospel music history, fundamentals, and performance. Specifically, Dr. Houston will attend scheduled auditions, play an active role in confirming the Musical Director, consult on the gospel repertoire to be included in the curriculum, extend the semesters welcome to new enrollees, and attend a minimum of five classes, as well as the culminating recital. She will instill her high standard of musical excellence in these emerging youth......ULYSSES SLAUGHTER (Musical Drector) Mr. Slaughter lives and performs music as the universal language. He expresses his musical talents for churches, jazz clubs, the theater and the concert hall with equal dignity and ease. His performance credits include the Carnegie Recital Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Billy Holiday Theater, Green Street CafÃ© and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. In Europe, he has performed in Paris at the Plaza Athenne Hotel, Requin Chargin, and Au Duc Du Lombard.......MARKANTHONY HENRY (Musical director) Markanthony Henry entered the entertainment arena at a very early age. He began music studies while in elementary school under the tutelage of Jazz Legend Tony Williams, began professional performances at the age of 12. Mark studied Piano, Trumpet, Voice, Composition and Musical Direction at the Overbrook High School Musical Arts Program in Philadelphia. Mark currently serves as a musician for Grammy Award winner Pastor Hezekiah Walker and has been on several of the recordings. He has also been the voice of the Tony Williams Jazz Festivals co-hosted with Bill Cosby in Philadelphia serving as Master of Ceremony (M.C.) for the past 8 years. He is also working with the Mama Foundation of the Arts with Vy Higginsen, maker of the hit stage play "Mama I Want To Sing," and he is proud to be working with her on her current project "Gospel For Teens."......GREGORY KELLY (Musical Director/instrumentalist) Mr. Kelly wrote and composed his first song at eight years old. That was the point at which he realized that the call of God for his life was the ministry of music. Kelly served as the musical director for several off Broadway gospel musicals including In Search of Identity and The Blacker The Berry The Sweeter The Juice. He regularly performs with the renowned Hezekiah Walker. A gospel review that he create and produced, toured Europe for the last five years..........KNOELLE HIGGINSON-WYDRO(Musical Director/ Assistant Teacher) Knoelle is proud to be the the daughter of Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro, the creators of "Mama, I Want to Sing" and the "Gospel For Teens" program She has toured all over the world with "Mama" and recently landed the leading role in "Mama" where she toured in Bermuda and Japan. She has worked consistantly in the New York theater scene, and is a recent graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). She is currently attending the New School University for her BFA.
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