Hard Work Makes Melissa Casper's Dream Come True
Albion News 2-12-04
by Twylla Crosby
Melissa Casper just turned 19 but she has already accomplished one of her life's goals by recording a vocal CD that is on sale this month.
"I thought it would be something fun to do, just to hear what my voice sounded like compared to other people," Melissa, a 2003 graduate of Boone Central High School, said.
She first planned on recording some classical or perhaps Broadway songs, however, Paul Hosford changed her mind. Hosford, her former guitar teacher, suggested she feature jazz on her recording.
After listening to a lot of jazz she found she really liked it "and it fit my voice pretty well," Melissa, who has a clear soprano voice, said. "There are parts about jazz that are very expressive and can be very beautiful."
Already her music is receiving favorable responses from respected musicians here in this country and abroad, Hosford, who recorded Melissa's music in his Lizard's Lair studio, said.
A European radio program from Germany has requested a copy to play on the air. "Melissa will be heard over a large part of Europe alongside such jazz greats as Sarah Vaughn" was Hosfordís impression of the request.
Melissa, a slender green-eyed blonde, plays flute, guitar and bass guitar and was active in swing choir, band and jazz band during her high school days. Now a freshman at Wesleyan University in Lincoln majoring in vocal music and English, her learning experience with jazz brought her the opportunity to play flute and sing with the Wesleyan Jazz band.
Her mother, Sharon Casper, said Melissa began singing to commercials when she was very small. As she grew up she sang with her cousin, Carol Casper, and they also sang for local clubs. She especially enjoyed singing duets with her grandfather, Adolf Liss, at St. Michaelís Catholic Church in Albion.
"He always comes and sings at the high school when we do the Hallelujah Chorus at Christmas time. It meant a whole lot to me," she said.
Recording the music was an intergenerational experience for Melissa with Hosford's father, Frank Hosford, who honed his jazz piano style during WWII, on the piano; Rich Hughes, an elementary band instructor in Grand Island schools, played flugelhorn, wrote some of the arrangements and offered encouragement, while Paul Hosford filled in with guitar, string bass, flute, cello, drums and percussion.
Working with Frank was a lot of fun, she said. "I have such respect for him because he is such an amazing musician. Frank just made up his own stuff for the background of the songs."
The three musicians are mentors for Melissa, Paul said. "We want to pass on some musical knowledge to a young person like Melissa who has a great aptitude for music."
They got together about once a week to run through songs for the CD. The men had favorites they would play and embellish. "I wasnít very good at that," Melissa said. "It was a definite change for me, sitting there and doing improv stuff and just making up your own (music). That was just completely different from how you are taught in high school. I'm glad I learned how to do some of that because I can apply it to college."
Melissa doesnít see herself teaching music after college. She believes there are too many students in music classes simply for the grade who donít respect the music.
"I think if I taught it would just lose some of the things it has for me," she said. "I don't know if I'll ever sing professionally; I'd like to keep singing. I love to do it. I'd rather keep music as my love, she said."
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