Novi High Soprano Gets Invite to Art Festival

From Novi Community School District: Novi senior soprano Maddy Armstrong has been selected to participate in the 55th annual Michigan Youth Arts Festival this spring. The annual festival has a long-standing tradition of honoring Michigan’s finest high school talent in several different art forms.

This year's festival will take place at Western Michigan University, May 18-20. Armstrong, who will attend Kalamazoo College in the fall, will perform in one of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association’s Vocal Solo & Ensemble Recitals on May 19 in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. She will also take part in the Vocal Solo Finals Recital in Okemos on April 25.“Music has been in my family for a very long time,” said Armstrong, one of a dozen soloists invited to the prestigious festival.

“My mom’s entire side of the family all plays brass instruments, and my dad plays bassoon.“I think it was fifth grade when I started band with the French horn. Then I thought, ‘OK, this is cool, but it isn’t really what I liked to do.’ I remember in fourth grade, too, I was in the choir and I started singing, and I thought, ‘Oh, I really like this.’”Armstrong continued singing with the choir. But it wasn’t until her early high school days that she discovered her unique singing voice. “I’ve always been a soprano, but I thought my voice would change eventually,” she said. “It can do that but I just stayed a soprano.”Armstrong said she’s grateful to mentors like music teacher Claire Schurig, who have always been very encouraging. “The thing that’s really awesome about being here is that there are a lot of people who foster that environment where you can be creative,” Armstrong said. “You can be musical and you’re not judged for it.

It’s a common-place kind of thing. They really encourage it here and they encourage your growth.”Armstrong was select for the festival based on the merit of her performance at a state solo and ensemble competition. At Tuesday’s event, Armstrong will sing the two numbers that she performed in district and state competitions – “Oh! Had I Jubal’s Lyre” by George Frideric Handel and “Tu che di gel sei cinta” by Giacomo Puccini.Tuesday’s performance in Okemos will also be a quick two-day turnaround for Armstrong, who received word of the invite on Sunday. “I work with a voice teacher in Ann Arbor,” she said, “and we found an accompanist last minute, but we’re combining the practices.

So I will be with her and the accompanist in one session (Monday night) just to get prepared. I already know my songs inside and out, like the back of my hand.”Armstrong would like to continue singing at some level, though she plans to study neo-science and business in college. “That’s the thing I’ve been debating because there aren’t a ton of music jobs out there,” she said. “If there is a music job it’s not very well paying. I love to sing and it would be cool if I could have a singing career, but how am I going to pay the bills?“It is definitely a hobby that I would like to continue to do. I still want to be in a choir. I still want to rehearse in the community and still be a well-known part of that community. But at the same time I really have to look to pursue other interests as well.”

Image Courtesy of Novi Community School District