After an intensive audition process, five Marlborough students in grades 7 through 12 were chosen to have one-on-one lessons with Stephanie Reese, the Vocalist in Residence for the 2015-2016 school year. The students selected were Audrey Slatkin ’18, Maya Klapper ’16, Tess Inderbitzen ’21, Amanda Yuen ’18 and Randall Lindsey ’19. With the help of Reese, each student will develop a solo to sing in the Spring Choral Concert on April 29. Adri Butler ’52 has sponsored the vocalist in residence program at Marlborough for the past twelve years.
Reese said that she has been teaching vocal lessons for ten years and has taught both children and adults. She expressed her opinions on the Marlborough students she taught and the Marlborough community as a whole in comparison to other students she has taught.
“I have often said that teaching can be exhausting, but It is not exhausting when the students are so talented and so intelligent both emotionally and with their musicality… the support for the arts and the poise of the students has just been amazing to to me,” Reese said.
Because of the unique experience working with a vocalist from outside of Marlborough can offer, many of the students were excited to receive the private lessons from her. Amanda Yuen ’18 shared about how her experience working with Reese was special to her.
“What’s really cool is that the song that I am doing she actually performed in Germany professionally, so she can give a lot of specific feedback because she knows the song and the role really well,” Yuen said.
Reese has held a variety of roles in the performing arts overseas and in America, including writing and starring in her own one-woman play. She reflected on how she has enjoyed playing a variety of different roles throughout her years as an actress.
“I loved being Esmeralda in the Hunchback of of Notre Dame just because she was very free, but the current character I’m playing, Princess Kogajin, has been very fun to play as well,” Reese said.
Reese continued that she looks forward to working with more students and doing more acting and singing herself.
“From the youngest student I have at age twelve to a senior, each Marlborough student clearly has a way of learning and a poise about learning that is great and a joy to teach” Reese said.
