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New Album: Sophie Morris – Songs from the Stage

Sophie Morris Announces the New Album “Sophie Morris – Songs from the Stage”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sophie Morris is announcing the release of her debut album “Sophie Morris - Songs from the Stage”

(Dunedin, New Zealand) 5th September 2016Sophie Morris is thrilled to announce the release of her debut album “Sophie Morris – Songs from the Stage”, available on October 28th 2016.

Songs from the Stage is a 10 track album of musical theatre and show favourites. It is the culmination of the last year and a half during which Sophie undertook a Master of Music in contemporary voice performance at Otago University and returned to her roots as a musical theatre performer.

The album covers a wide scope, with tracks from the classic “It Might As Well Be Spring” (State Fair), through to the dramatic “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” (Evita). Additional tracks such as “Nella Fantasia” (Morricone) and “O Holy Night” (Adam) showcase her extensive classical training.

The album features Morris’ vocals combined with a number of skilled Dunedin instrumentalists (James Davy, Nancy Chen, Meg Davidson, Alan Starrat, John Dodd, Georgie Watts) and Alexandra Wiltshire, an established pianist and musical director.

According to Otago University Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music and Head of Programme of the Bachelor of Performing Arts, Dr Ian Chapman, Morris is “a groundbreaker” and a “rare singer who can achieve such a high standard in both singing styles”. In 2015, Morris took a leap of faith to diversify her singing into classical-crossover and musical theatre, after years of intensive operatic training. Although some may question this step as she achieved very high recognition with her classical performances, she is absolutely loving the change and is taking on any challenge that is presented to her. This open attitude and versatility of styles is considered to be part of what makes her performances so special.

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‘Sophie Morris’ performances just keep¬ on getting better. She now has an impressive voice range and stylistic range, going effortlessly from the belle canto required in Dvorak’s Rusalka’s Song to the Moon and Puccini’s O mio babbino caro to Bernstein’s soaring Somewhere, Webber’s guttural Memory and Kander and Ebb’s raunchy All That Jazz. Morris is definitely the ascendant star.’ - Marian Poole, Otago Daily Times, 2016 – from “Brass shines and voices sparkle in firmament”

Morris’ goal for this debut album was to encompass the magic that happens on the hard wood floors of the stage, including the thrill that the performer feels when they “tread the boards” and the joy that they are able to share with the audience.

This process has taken her full-circle from her days as a young performer - she began singing aged 10 when she was chosen to play Gretl in The Sound of Music, which sparked a love for being on the stage. This album acts as an homage to musical theatre and the moment that she realised her dream.

The process of recording and producing this album has been the perfect way to end her studies. Morris has just completed a Master of Music (awarded with Distinction) and a Bachelor of Commerce and the finished album is a mechanism for her to share her music and advance her career. The album release is timed particularly well as she has just finished performing Sandy in Grease: The Arena Spectacular LIVE. With the album being available in stores and online late October, it will be readily available for those who wish to purchase it for a Christmas gift.

Two singles will be released in the lead-up to the full album release – “Another Life” from Jason Robert Brown’s The Bridges of Madison County and “Love Never Dies” from Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Love Never Dies, both of which will be available for purchase on iTunes preceding the full release.

Sophie Morris’ EP album is currently available for listening and purchase on Bandcamp at www.sophiemorrissoprano.bandcamp.com

Sophie is available for interviews regarding this release in person or over the phone. Please call 0275777876.

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Biography:

Sophie Morris is a Dunedin based singer and performer who has trained in operatic, classical-crossover, musical theatre and contemporary singing. She began singing aged 10 as Gretl in The Sound of Music, which sparked a love for being on the stage.

She holds a Bachelor of Music (First-Class Honours) in Classical Voice Performance as well as a Master of Music awarded with Distinction in Contemporary Voice Performance and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Marketing Management – all from Otago University.

Previous roles include Gertrude McFuzz (Seussical), Sharpay cover (High School Musical), Cinderella (Into the Woods), Queen (Honk!) and Barbarina cover (Le Nozze Di Figaro).

Career highlights include being the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Aria Competition Most Promising Singer, performing Cruise for a Cause in Milford Sound, performing a sold-out recital entitled Sophie’s Choice at Olveston Historic Home as part of Arts Festival Dunedin and singing the English national anthem at the Four Nations League Kiwis v. England Test Match to over 15,000 people at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Most recently, Sophie has performed sell-out nights of her own shows (Sophie Goes to Broadway at Allen Hall Theatre and Sophie Morris On Stage at the Glenroy Auditorium), and she also recently played the leading role of Sandy in DKCM and Taieri Musical's production of Grease: The Arena Spectacular LIVE!


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