‘Voice in Progress’ launched new gifted stars under the sign of Hope and Solidarity

‘Nothing is impossible when you really believe in it’. This is the watchword that better represented the first edition of ‘Voice in Progress’ concert held at the Théâtre des Variétés on Friday the 16^th October 2020, the successful outcome of a unique music multi-annual project that started in November 2019, based on the idea and artistic direction of Michele Zuppardo, skilled musician and music producer with a long professional career.

A selected group of amateur singers from the Riviera acted professionally by interpreting, on stage, some emblematic pieces of music of past and present times, accompanied live by a trained live orchestra for the joy of the large audience. The event, bearer of a meaningful message of hope, was supported by two of the best-known associations in the field of culture and solidarity.

Since 2012, Child CARE (Charity Association for the Right to Education) Monaco has been promoting worldwide major initiatives to defend the fundamental right to education in disadvantaged Countries by the will of its founder, Martine Ackermann, who is strongly convinced that going to school represents an essential element to overcome poverty and all discriminations. The Monegasque Association for Latin America (A.M.L.A.) is a non-profit body aimed at boosting a relevant socio-cultural exchange between the Principality of Monaco and Latin America Countries through a series of charitable actions on the territory. Pedagogical issues are their main mission.

“The idea of this concert began about one year ago when we organized a series of music auditions with the idea to offer to all selected participants a targeted six-month training under the guidance of Maestro Zuppardo”, highlighted the founder of Child Care Monaco, Martine Ackermann (M.A.) to HelloMonaco, Media partner of the event. “All steps were designed to allow them to attend this concert with a strong solidarity value in support of the cause of my association”, she added.

HelloMonaco: What is the primary goal of ‘Voice in progress’?

M.A.: It is definitely singing. This is what really united us from the very beginning. All participants are bound by the same passion and tonight they can finally express themselves in public, as I will do myself. Charity is a consequence of it: all the proceeds of the evening, in fact, will be distributed between the two sponsoring associations. Child CARE Monaco will use them to reinforce its humanitarian action in building new educational institution for children in difficulty close to Calcutta, in India.

“Every time we organize an event, being it a fashion show or a relief gala or a children workshop, we do believe that music is a way to communicate with one voice”, pointed out Daniela Spanier (D.S.), President and founder of A.M.L.A.

HelloMonaco: What pushed you to perform in the selected group?

D.S.: I have been singing for a while so I really have a personal attachment to this project. I think that this concert has something that is worth sharing with the World. Everybody should try at least to sing like we do tonight. We don’t want to be stars but I wish everyone to make this unique experience.

What is the true essence of ‘Voice in Progress’? HelloMonaco asked exclusively to Michele Zuppardo (M.Z.), the creator of this music challenge.

HelloMonaco: Mr. Zuppardo you have been playing for a long time as professional saxophonist and pianist as well as music teacher, can you tell us about ‘Voice in Progress’ backstage?

M.Z.: I have been working in the music sector for thirty years having reached a high level of knowledge. I realized that most of the students who are studying a musical instrument or how to sing do not achieve a significant result at the end of their traineeship. Thus, I decided to help them through an ambitious project I succeeded in, acting as a musician, a teacher and a record producer simultaneously. Starting from a simple challenge: turning an amateur singer into a professional in only six months thanks to a comprehensive training that includes: techniques, interpretation, improvisation, voice harmony and an effective way to convey emotions. After this concert, any singer will have the opportunity to have an album produced and internationally distributed, made of two songs registered in my recording room for the achievement of something substantial apart from participation certificates. Tonight’s concert is then studied in details to emphasize all talented participants accompanied by high-qualified musicians only, without any recorded basis, so that each singer can freely interpret a piece of music.

A fresh win-win approach that is fully liked by those who took part to this first edition. “I have been singing for five years and I do love it; so, attending the auditions was truly an opportunity not to be missed and now I am really excited to perform a masterpiece of Alicia Keys I really appreciated as an artist”, stressed Leonor Cassini – “I found myself really very well in the group sharing something in common and this helped me a lot to find more confidence in myself”.