Florence Birdwell
Encyclopedia
Florence Gillam Birdwell is an American
educator, musician
, and singer, who has taught musical theater and opera
singing
to thousands of voice students over a six-decade career, continuing today as professor of voice at the Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University
.
Born in Arizona
, Birdwell was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico
and studied voice under Inez Silberg at OCU, where she earned undergraduate and graduate degrees. After additional instruction, Birdwell returned to OCU where she joined the voice faculty.
Among other honors, Birdwell received the Governor's Arts Award in 1985 from Oklahoma governor George Nigh
, and has watched students like Kristin Chenoweth
, Kelli O'Hara
, Lara Teeter
and 1981 Miss America
Susan Powell on the American musical stage. In 1990, OCU established the Florence Birdwell Vocal Scholarship Fund to honor the educator.
In March 2007, many of her students and fans honored Birdwell with "Starry Night," a musical tribute to her lengthy teaching career and a fundraising event to fund an endowed chair in Birdwell's name at the university.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and singer, who has taught musical theater and opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
to thousands of voice students over a six-decade career, continuing today as professor of voice at the Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
.
Born in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Birdwell was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
and studied voice under Inez Silberg at OCU, where she earned undergraduate and graduate degrees. After additional instruction, Birdwell returned to OCU where she joined the voice faculty.
Among other honors, Birdwell received the Governor's Arts Award in 1985 from Oklahoma governor George Nigh
George Nigh
George Patterson Nigh , is a popular civic leader in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd Governor of Oklahoma. He was the first Oklahoma Governor to be re-elected and the first to win all 77 counties in the state...
, and has watched students like Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
, Kelli O'Hara
Kelli O'Hara
Kelli O'Hara is an American actress, singer, and songwriter.O'Hara has been nominated for three Tony Awards: for her performance as Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza; for her performance as Babe Williams in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of The Pajama Game, where she starred...
, Lara Teeter
Lara Teeter
Lara Teeter is an American dancer, actor, singer, theatre director and college professor.Born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Teeter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma City University. He made his Broadway debut in the short-lived 1980 musical Happy New Year, followed by another flop, the...
and 1981 Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Susan Powell on the American musical stage. In 1990, OCU established the Florence Birdwell Vocal Scholarship Fund to honor the educator.
In March 2007, many of her students and fans honored Birdwell with "Starry Night," a musical tribute to her lengthy teaching career and a fundraising event to fund an endowed chair in Birdwell's name at the university.
External links
- Official biography at Oklahoma City UniversityOklahoma City UniversityOklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
website - Video of interview with Birdwell