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Patrick Newell spent his younger years on his family's farm in Fombell, PA. His first public appearance was singing a duet at the age of six with his father. Soon after, he began to beg his mother for a piano and lessons. Instead, he began taking voice lessons at the age of 14 and became active in his high school choir, musicals, and as a music director in his senior year. He studied vocal performance at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne where he was a student of Dr. Joseph Meyers. He received his Bachelors of Music with distinction and immediately began his Masters of Music at Indiana University, studying with Dale Moore. He continued at Indiana to receive his Doctorate in Vocal Performance under the direction of Dr. James McDonald.
While at Indiana University, Dr. Newell had the opportunity to perform many opera roles with the IU Opera Theatre. Highlights include "Figaro" in The Ghosts of Versailles, "Schaunard" in La Boheme, and "Angelotti" in Tosca. He has performed in many Oratorios around the Midwest, including "Jesus" in the St.Matthew Passion at Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis and "Elijah" under the direction of Louis Lane with the Wooster Choral Union. In the summer of 1996, he was an apprentice artist with the Santa Fe Opera. He has appeared with the Cedar Rapids Orchestra as "Balthazar" in Amahl and the Night Visitors and as "Sciarrone" in Tosca, with Asheville Lyric Opera as "Benoit" in La Boheme, and with the Dorian Opera Theatre as "Melchior" in Amahl and the Night Visitors. The summer of 1999, he was an Intern with the National Association of Teachers of Singing Master Teachers Internship. He went on to present a paper titled "The Vocal Pedagogy of Herald Stark" at the NATS national convention in Philadelphia in July of 2000 just three days after returning from a three week choral tour of Europe in which he was a soloist.
Dr. Newell's first experience as a stage director was in 2000 when he produced an evening of 20th Century opera scenes at Brevard College. He went on to direct the opera scenes program at Eastern Kentucky University, producing numerous scenes and many one act operas. In 2005, he became the resident stage director of Helios Opera Ensemble in Dallas, Texas, where all operas were produced in local homes. He presented a poster paper at the 2006 NATS national convention in Minneapolis titled "Opera in Small Venues" based on his experience with Helios. This led to him being a member of the presenting faculty at the 2008 NATS winter workshop in Los Angeles. During this time, he moved to Laramie, Wyoming to direct the regional touring troupe, Centennial Singers, at the University of Wyoming. He recognized the opportunity to found a BFA concentration in Musical Theatre in the Department of Theatre and Dance. His students have performed nationally and internationally, off-Broadway and in national tours, on cruise ships and in numerous summer theaters. He now teaches at Western Nebraska Community College, where he has been creating a new AFA in Musical Theatre Performance, and teaches private voice to students from all over the world.
In 2003, Dr. Newell performed his first professional Musical Theatre, playing "Sweeney Todd" and "Miles Gloriosus" at CalRep Theatre in Pennsylvania. That same year, he music directed and conducted his first musical. In 2004, he served Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival as their music director, and continued conducting the musicals at Eastern Kentucky University. When he moved to Wyoming, he began music directing all the musicals at the University of Wyoming, and conducted with the Snowy Range Summer Theatre Festival. He has also conducted with Theatre West in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and Off Square Theatre in Jackson Hole.
Still performing, Patrick appeared with Emerald City Opera in Steamboat Springs as a baritone in the touring scenes in 2011. In 2013, Patrick performed as David in Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY at Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham, Washington, and most recently understudied Sky Masterson in GUYS AND DOLLS for Great Lakes Theatre in Cleveland (directed by Dan Knechtges).
Dr. Newell's recent activity is focused on writing the first scholarly researched vocal pedagogy textbook on Belting, titled "The Art of Transformational Singing." Based on the teachings of Lee Sweetland, the book redefines how we think of Belting and its applications in all genres of singing, from Opera to Musical Theatre to Pop/Rock and Jazz.
While at Indiana University, Dr. Newell had the opportunity to perform many opera roles with the IU Opera Theatre. Highlights include "Figaro" in The Ghosts of Versailles, "Schaunard" in La Boheme, and "Angelotti" in Tosca. He has performed in many Oratorios around the Midwest, including "Jesus" in the St.Matthew Passion at Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis and "Elijah" under the direction of Louis Lane with the Wooster Choral Union. In the summer of 1996, he was an apprentice artist with the Santa Fe Opera. He has appeared with the Cedar Rapids Orchestra as "Balthazar" in Amahl and the Night Visitors and as "Sciarrone" in Tosca, with Asheville Lyric Opera as "Benoit" in La Boheme, and with the Dorian Opera Theatre as "Melchior" in Amahl and the Night Visitors. The summer of 1999, he was an Intern with the National Association of Teachers of Singing Master Teachers Internship. He went on to present a paper titled "The Vocal Pedagogy of Herald Stark" at the NATS national convention in Philadelphia in July of 2000 just three days after returning from a three week choral tour of Europe in which he was a soloist.
Dr. Newell's first experience as a stage director was in 2000 when he produced an evening of 20th Century opera scenes at Brevard College. He went on to direct the opera scenes program at Eastern Kentucky University, producing numerous scenes and many one act operas. In 2005, he became the resident stage director of Helios Opera Ensemble in Dallas, Texas, where all operas were produced in local homes. He presented a poster paper at the 2006 NATS national convention in Minneapolis titled "Opera in Small Venues" based on his experience with Helios. This led to him being a member of the presenting faculty at the 2008 NATS winter workshop in Los Angeles. During this time, he moved to Laramie, Wyoming to direct the regional touring troupe, Centennial Singers, at the University of Wyoming. He recognized the opportunity to found a BFA concentration in Musical Theatre in the Department of Theatre and Dance. His students have performed nationally and internationally, off-Broadway and in national tours, on cruise ships and in numerous summer theaters. He now teaches at Western Nebraska Community College, where he has been creating a new AFA in Musical Theatre Performance, and teaches private voice to students from all over the world.
In 2003, Dr. Newell performed his first professional Musical Theatre, playing "Sweeney Todd" and "Miles Gloriosus" at CalRep Theatre in Pennsylvania. That same year, he music directed and conducted his first musical. In 2004, he served Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival as their music director, and continued conducting the musicals at Eastern Kentucky University. When he moved to Wyoming, he began music directing all the musicals at the University of Wyoming, and conducted with the Snowy Range Summer Theatre Festival. He has also conducted with Theatre West in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and Off Square Theatre in Jackson Hole.
Still performing, Patrick appeared with Emerald City Opera in Steamboat Springs as a baritone in the touring scenes in 2011. In 2013, Patrick performed as David in Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY at Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham, Washington, and most recently understudied Sky Masterson in GUYS AND DOLLS for Great Lakes Theatre in Cleveland (directed by Dan Knechtges).
Dr. Newell's recent activity is focused on writing the first scholarly researched vocal pedagogy textbook on Belting, titled "The Art of Transformational Singing." Based on the teachings of Lee Sweetland, the book redefines how we think of Belting and its applications in all genres of singing, from Opera to Musical Theatre to Pop/Rock and Jazz.