Jazz vocalists and piano accompaniment echo through the Howard Music Building as artist in residence Sunny Wilkinson instructs students in the master class.
Wilkinson, who started her relationship with Hillsdale College three years ago, gives voice lessons for vocalists involved in jazz combos, and also instructs monthly master classes. The master class provides a setting for musical formation in which several singers present prepared pieces in front of Wilkinson, who instructs them in front of a small audience.
Wilkinson’s relationship with music dates back to her childhood. As a young girl, she was influenced by the other musicians in her family.
“My family was very musical,” Wilkinson said. “My daddy was a Methodist minister and my mom was the choir director. We always sang, in home and at church together, so there was a lot of music going on when I grew up.”
Her love of music led her to train under various vocal teachers and pursue a degree in choral education at Arizona State University, shortly before she began her career as a performing artist and vocal teacher.
“I was driven by passion and talent, and I did have some talent, but I was mostly driven by just the love of it and the passion of it. There was nothing else for me to do, really.” Wilkinson said.
As a Grammy-nominated artist, Wilkinson has released four solo records, as well as performed in many guest-artist appearances. She also sings at various events, most recently with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra and at a concert at Texas Tech University.
For Wilkinson, managing a busy schedule as both a performer and a teacher is well worth it.
“I love the process of developing the vocal instrument itself,” she said. “The most beautiful thing about the process is the discovery that the students themselves go through, that they can have a journey of self-discovery through the pursuit of voice study.”
Sophomore Amelia Stieren, who sang in the last master class, described the process as helpful for both the vocalists and the audience.
“The singer sings, and then Sunny goes through and breaks down the song and gives tips. Everybody watches, so even if you’re not singing, you still learn a lot because you learn from the other person,” Stieren said.
Her students, such as freshman Giannina Imperial, describe Wilkinson’s teaching style as slightly unusual, but very effective.
“It’s very hands-on. First she’ll listen to you sing, then she’ll ask you to do sort of unorthodox things. She’ll maybe ask you to gussy up against a door to feel free, or put your hands on her stomach to feel how she breathes,” Imperial said. “She makes it so that even if you are not totally into the singing lingo, she explains it so that you can feel what’s going on in your head and in your throat. It’s really helpful.”
In addition to her work at Hillsdale College, Wilkinson also serves as an artist in residence at University of Michigan, and taught voice lessons when she lived in Los Angeles.
Wilkinson tries to improve her students vocal abilities to allow them to truly engage in the music.
“I go in and roll up my sleeves. Initially, I am a diagnostician. In other words, I want to hear the person sing for me, and find what is going on with that instrument,” Wilkinson said. “Then, my journey is to balance the voice, but my true philosophy and goal is the pursuit of freedom in the voice. We want to be free to sing the ideas that we have for the rest of our life.”
Wilkinson thoroughly enjoys her work with the students and faculty.
“I think the music faculty at Hillsdale College is superb in their skills and their collegiality,” Wilkinson said. “It is an absolute joy to be involved with them, really, and I enjoy every aspect of it.”
