For more information contact:
Madison Area YMCA
Marketing & Communications Department
973.822-9622 ext. 2241
Email: smcevoy@madisonymca.org  
For Immediate Release through November 30, 2015.

Singing Classes Offered at the Madison Area YMCA by
Professional Actor and Singer Thomas Sellwood

(Madison, NJ) – October 9, 2015 – The Madison Area YMCA’s Performing Arts department is excited to announce that Thomas Sellwood, a professional singer and actor, has joined its staff to teach singing classes on Thursdays beginning with the Y’s Late Fall Session that starts on Monday, November 23. Mr. Sellwood, who has worked in musical theater in several U.S. regional theaters and London’s West End as well as television and films, will offer five different singing classes from parent/child through adult. Private lessons are also available.

Mr. Sellwood has performed opera, sung rock with bands including Queen!, won awards for narrating audiobooks and is never happier than in a studio or on stage. His favorite roles include Raoul in Phantom of the Opera, Joseph in Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Charles in Napoleon, Cliff in Cabaret and Frank Sinatra in Sentimental Journey. Mr. Sellwood joked that he prefers playing villains rather than nice guys!

Class signups for Late Fall session begin on Tuesday, November 10, for Y members and Tuesday, November 17, for non-members. The new singing classes are:

Parent/child class, Singalong with Me, is designed for 2 and 3 year olds and their parents.

Children love learning through song and learn most songs from their parents. Mr. Sellwood works on the foundations of singing with parent and child, teaching songs that are sung together throughout childhood. He uses nursery songs, silly songs, Disney classics and familiar TV theme tunes to help children sing loudly, clearly, in tune and in time. Movement and clapping help develop senses of rhythm and timing. This class is about enjoying the songs and singing them.

Little Singers, a preschool class for 4 and 5 year olds, works on the foundations of singing while focusing on fun and building confidence. Mr. Sellwood uses classic kid-favorite songs, silly songs, Disney classics and familiar TV theme tunes to help children sing loudly, clearly, in tune and in time. Movement, simple choreography and clapping help develop senses of rhythm and timing too. Students also learn the rudiments of breathing for singing, tone, tuning and most importantly, how to really enjoy singing out.

Kids Choir, for 6 to 8 year olds, is designed to work on the foundations of singing while focusing on fun and building confidence. Using classic kid-favorite songs, silly songs, Disney classics, Broadway theatre and familiar TV theme tunes, Mr. Sellwood helps children sing loudly, clearly, in tune and in time. Students learn the rudiments of breathing for singing, tone, tuning and most importantly, how to really enjoy singing out. Students will start to explore harmonies and sing solo lines!

Junior Broadway Choir Singing for 9 to12 year olds works on the foundations of group singing. Focusing on fun and building confidence, Mr. Sellwood uses Broadway theatre songs, movie hits and contemporary pop such as Glee, to help children sing loudly, clearly, in tune and in time. Students learn the rudiments of breathing for singing, tone, tuning and most importantly, how to really enjoy singing out. Students also will start to explore harmonies and sing solo lines.

The Broadway Song Choir for teens through adults brings big Broadway chorus numbers both old and new to life (Les Miserables, Little Shop of Horrors, Oklahoma, etc.) in this group singing session. Mr. Sellwood works with students on vocal technique and the rudiments of breathing for singing, tone, tuning and most importantly, how to really enjoy singing out. Students learn to harmonize and sing solos. The ability to read music is a plus; but, not essential.

The Madison Area YMCA is located at 111 Kings Road in Madison. For more information about the Performing Arts department and classes, visit www.madisonareaymca.org or call Performing Arts Director Kim Buccheri at 973.822.9622 x2268.

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