Advanced Diploma in Musical Theatre Performance (St. Clair College)
Aurora McClennan (She/Her) likes to wear many hats: actress, singer, writer, producer, teacher, tea connoisseur, etc. She’s pure dynamite in a small body. Aurora is a 2020 St. Clair College Music Theatre Performance graduate and a 2017 Cawthra Park Regional Arts Program – Vocal graduate. She holds grade 11 voice and Intermediate Harmony certificates from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has trained with opera singers, classic voice and jazz artists, as well as some of Broadways best, like Joanna Gleason!
As an actor, Aurora has been seen as Dr. McClane in the premiere production of The Good Guys, Lily in Kathleen Mills’ The Storyteller, Donner in A St. Clair Christmas 2019 and Viola in Twelfth Night, directed by Olivier winner Heather Davies, with original music by Michael Karloff. She will be reprising her role in The Storyteller this summer in Hamilton as part of Hamilton Fringe, directed by Olivia Daniels.
Aurora is the Artistic Director and Production Manager of The Flare Productions, where she gets to put her passions into practice, creating a space and open space community for all artists to share their voices and tell their stories. Since opening in September 2020, Aurora has produced multiple virtual cabarets, a full length virtual production of Ordinary Days, a virtual interactive comedy special; and a 12 part YouTube series about collaborating and the importance of telling stories with her in-development series, The Love You Make. This project was a quarantine highlight, as she got to work with artists from Canada, the United States and The UK!
As a writer, she is hard at work on multiple musicals, including The Good Guys with music by Fynn Cuthbert, and The Baroness, which received its first reading last spring with Missus Productions’ Re:Vision.
Aurora is very excited to continue to teach voice and music theory. With over 15 years of music training and experience, she is very happy to share her knowledge and help spread the love of music. She is a three time Gold RCM Festival winner, Gold Hamilton Music Festival and Gold and Silver Peel Music Festival winner, as well as the recipient of the Heidi Cyfko award for musical theatre performance and multiple other performance awards. Aurora specializes in classical voice, musical theatre, pop, jazz and folk. And, of course, music theory – her guilty pleasure.
Get to know Aurora…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: Reading, painting and writing
Musical influences: Stephen Sondheim and Shania Taub for writing; Louise Pitre, Liza Minnelli and Elton John for performance.
Favourite food: French Fries! Always and forever.
Least favourite food: Soup
Favourite music: Classic rock and folk, musical theatre, jazz, funk and Motown
Favourite song: Right now it’d have to be either Shambala by Three Dog Night or Jackie Onassis by Sammie Rae & The Friends
Favourite movie: That Thing You Do!!
Favouirite movie music: The Lord of the Rings series, of course
Favourite musical theatre/opera: Anything Sondheim, but especially Merrily We Roll Along. Diana: The Musical is the next best, though.
Best quote from your teacher: “Be Fearless and Never Apologize”
Favourite quote: “And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make” :)
Favourite book: It changes constantly, but most consistently probably Any Man by Amber Tamblyn or either of Stephen Sondheim’s books.
Latest Homework from Aurora
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Aurora’s homework – Nov 17, 2022
Lizzie
What we worked on: We reviewed our fingers and our dynamics. We learned that f means loud and p means quiet. We also learned about the quarter note today!
Recommended minutes to practice: 10 minutes a day
What to practice: Look at the new songs about the quarter note. We started working on one using the groups of two black notes, so keep having fun with that one, and if you want, try the song on the next two pages!
How to practice it most effectively: Have a parent sit with you and read over the instructions, then go through the two pieces, experimenting with sound!
How parents can support practice: Sit with her and help her read through the instructions for each piece.
Emmanuel
What we worked on: We discussed his audition, and began working on a song for the holidays – O Come O Come Emmanuel. Please print off the sheet music for our next lesson.
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes a day
What to practice: Learn and become familiar with all the verses of the songs. Also, go through the piece and mark where you want to breathe – it will be different for each verse!
How to practice it most effectively: You know this song pretty well already, so it’ll be easy to get a little lazy with it. Keep a pencil on hand and make a mark whenever you feel like you’re struggling or losing some of your technique. Remember to always stand up straight, and plant your feet when you sing.
How parents can support practice: Make sure he has a printed copy of his sheet music!
Effie
What we worked on: So great to meet you today, Effie! We discussed what she wanted out of these lessons and decided what song to work on first. We’ll be digging into some Billie Eilish with her song, TV. The sheet music is available at that link. If you aren’t able to purchase it, let us know!
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes a day or more!
What to practice: Because you already know this song, once you have the sheet music, go through and see if you notice any difference between what Billie sings and what’s on the page. Circle or mark any parts of the music that are confusing or don’t make sense and we’ll discuss next week.
How to practice it most effectively: Always keep a pencil handy. We’ll go through standing and breathing in the next few lessons. For now, just make sure you stand when you’re practicing and give yourself a chance to warm up before singing.
How parents can support practice: Make sure she has a printed copy of his sheet music!
Preferred Books for Aurora’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
Anatomy of the Voice
This book is the first to explain, in clear and concise language, the anatomy and mechanics of the mysterious and complex bodily system we call the voice. Beautifully illustrated with more than 100 detailed images, Anatomy of the Voice guides voice teachers and students, vocal coaches, professional singers and actors, and anyone interested in the voice through the complex landscape of breathing, larynx, throat, face, and jaw. Theodore Dimon, an internationally recognized authority on the subject, as well as an expert in the Alexander Technique, makes unfamiliar terrain accessible and digestible by describing each vocal system in short, manageable sections and explaining complex terminology.
Broadway Presents!
A delightful collection of musical theatre songs that kids love to perform, from a variety of shows. Using original scores, the songs have been selected and adapted with the ranges and skills of young singers in mind. Included in this collection are short summaries for each of the musicals, a dramatic and character set-up for each song, audition tips, 16-bar cut suggestions, and audio tracks of piano accompaniments.
Full Voice Workbook Series
