PHILADELPHIA ‘POPERA’ SINGER’S RECIPE
FOR ITALIAN PIZELLES INCLUDED IN
‘FOR THOSE ABOUT TO COOK,’ A COLLECTION
OF RECIPES, ANECDOTES AND PICS FROM
MUSICIANS AND INDUSTRY PERSONNEL
Though she is renowned for her powerful voice and charming, charismatic live performances Philly-based ‘popera’ singer Tonia Tecce—whose most recent independently released recording is 2010’s Smile—is also a talented chef.
Tecce’s Italian Pizelle recipe was published in the new book For Those About To Cook, a collection of recipes, anecdotes and pictures from musicians and industry personnel. With contributions from numerous musical genres and countries, the book presents recipes ranging from appetizers to full course meals and desserts.
Pizelles are Tecce’s favorite holiday cookie recipe passed down from her Italian ancestors.
The book was written by Bruce Moore, a regular weekly contributor to PureGrainAudio whose work has been published in various national and international music magazines, including HM Magazine, Thrash Magazine, Crave, Sick Drummer and The Gauntlet.
Perfect for multi-genre music fans and collectors of multi-ethnic cookbooks, For Those About To Cook is more than a cookbook; it is also a fan collectible that includes short informative biographies, high quality pictures of the artists (mostly in the kitchen setting), pictures of the food and, quotes about the dishes from the contributor.
The publisher of For Those About To Cook, Safkhet Publishing, is a Cambridge, England- based independent book and app publisher founded in 2010 by Kim Maya Sutton and William Banks Sutton.
The hard-cover book can be purchased at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Amazon.com, on the publisher’s website, www.safkhetpublishing.com, and other book retail outlets.
Earlier this year, the singer appeared in her hometown’s acclaimed Perelman Theatre at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts for a benefit performance, “An Evening of Song with Tonia Tecce,” which honored her beloved late Master Voice Teacher, Florence Berggren. Tecce’s efforts helped to raise money for the Florence Berggren Voice Scholarship Fund at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance.
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Honoring Her Late Voice Teacher Florence Berggren,
Tecce Will Be Joined By Metropolitan Opera Star
Diana Soviero Who Will Deliver A Heartfelt Address
Along With A Performance By Temple University’s
Boyer College Jazz Trio And A Special Guest
Philadelphia’s own ‘Popera’ singer Tonia Tecce will delight audiences with her outstanding vocal talents in a special benefit performance, “An Evening of Song with Tonia Tecce.” The highly-anticipated event is set for Friday, April 1 at 8 p.m. at her hometown’s acclaimed Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Spearheaded by Tecce, the event is a special cause for her and pays homage to her beloved late Master Voice instructor, Florence Berggren. All proceeds from ticket sales will directly benefit the Florence Berggren Voice Scholarship Fund at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance.
Proudly supported by Jacobs Music Company, Tecce will perform the music of Broadway and the Hollywood Screen, as well as light classical and operatic favorites—From Puccini to Gershwin. Highlights include Tecce singing songs from her sophomore solo album Smile, accompanied by the Byron Olson Chamber Ensemble led by renowned conductor, Byron Olson.
Theater-goers are in for another treat when internationally-acclaimed Metropolitan Opera star Diana Soviero, delivers a personal, heartfelt address, ‘A Special Tribute To Florence Berggren,’ who like Tecce, feels greatly contributed to her singing career.
This one-night-only engagement will also feature a performance of jazz standards by Temple University’s Boyer College Jazz Trio including faculty, students and a special guest.
The versatile Soprano’s title track from Smile earned her a 2010 Hollywood Music In Media Award (HMMA) nomination the Classical/Orchestral category. HMMA recognizes and honors the music of visual mediums, the talented individuals responsible for it, and the music of both mainstream and independent artists from around the globe.
Tickets can be purchased at the Kimmel Center Lobby Box Office, online at kimmelcenter.org or through TicketPhiladelphia at (215) 893-1999.
EVENT RECAP :
Friday, April 1, 2011
“An Evening of Song with Tonia Tecce”
Featuring ‘A Special Tribute To Florence Berggren’
By Metropolitan Opera Star Diana Soviero
& Temple University’s Boyer College Jazz Trio and Special Guest
Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Showtime 8 p.m.
260 South Broad St. (at Spruce Street)
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Box Office: (215) 893-1999
www.kimmelcenter.org
Tickets: $40 Plaza Level and First Balcony; Second Balcony $35
**All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Florence Berggren Voice Scholarship Fund at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance
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Steinway Artist William Carr Joins Tecce
On Stage As Her Special Guest To Support The Cause
Philadelphia’s own ‘popera’ singer Tonia Tecce will lend her outstanding vocal talents with a one-night only benefit performance, “An Evening of Song with Tonia Tecce,” on April 1 at Philadelphia’s acclaimed Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Spearheaded by Tecce, the event is a special cause for her as she studied under the late Master Voice instructor, Florence Berggren. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Florence Berggren Voice Scholarship Fund at Temple University College of Music and Dance.
Proudly supported by Jacobs Music Company, Tecce will perform the music of Broadway and the Hollywood Screen, as well as light classical favorites - from Puccini to Gershwin. Highlights include Tecce singing songs from her sophomore solo CD Smile, accompanied by a host of stellar musicians and renowned conductor, Byron Olson.
Joining Tecce will be special guest Steinway Artist William Carr who will perform works from the Romantic Piano Repertoire.
Tecce’s title track from Smile earned a 2010 Hollywood Music In Media Award (HMMA) nomination the Classical/Orchestral category. The HMMAs recognize and honor the music of visual mediums, the talented individuals responsible for it, and the music of both mainstream and independent artists from around the globe.
Tickets can be purchased at the Kimmel Center Lobby Box Office, online at kimmelcenter.org or through TicketPhiladelphia at (215) 893-1999.
EVENT RECAP :
Friday, April 1, 2011
An Evening of Song with Tonia Tecce
with Steinway & Sons Spotlight Performance featuring Steinway Artist, William Carr
Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Showtime 8 p.m.
260 South Broad St. (at Spruce Street)
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Box Office: (215) 893-1999
www.kimmelcenter.org
Tickets: $40 Plaza Level and First Balcony; Second Balcony $35
**All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Florence Berggren Voice Scholarship Fund at Temple University College of Music and Dance
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Philadelphia’s own ‘popera’ singer Tonia Tecce has accomplished quite a bit in her career—performing before packed crowds at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall, Academy of Music as well as the French Embassy in Washington D.C. Tonia is adding another distinction to her list of accolades—a first-time Hollywood Music In Media Award (HMMA) nomination in the Classical/Orchestral category for her lead track, “Smile.”
On November 18, Tonia, along with other nominated musicians will contend for top honors at the HMMAs, taking place at the world famous Hollywood & Highland Kodak Theater Complex in Los Angeles, Calif. In its third year, the HMMAs recognize music utilized within film, television and other visual mediums including mainstream and independent artists from around the world.
The songstress will return to the Kimmel Center on April 1, 2011 for an “Evening of Song with Tonia Tecce” in the Perelman Theater with Steinway artist William Carr as her special guest. The event, spearheaded by Tonia herself, will honor Master Voice Teacher Florence Berggren as well as benefit the Voice Scholarship named for her at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music. This cause is a special one for Tonia, having studied under Berggren.
For more news or to hear the music, log on to www.toniatecce.com
]]>Smile. The title of her glorious new, ten-track collection of uniquely selected secular and spiritual songs says it all about what Tonia Tecce is doing this spring as she gears up for a handful of diverse live performances.
On Wednesday, June 16, Tonia performs a “Brown Bag Concert” at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia. This is a prestigious weekly noontime performance in which various members of Philadelphia’s music community participate.
Her performance begins at 12:30 p.m. at Church of the Holy Trinity, located at 19th and Walnut Streets, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.
On Tuesday, June 22, she will be singing the National Anthem for the Harrisburg, PA Senators (minor league baseball team) at their home stadium of Metro Bank Park.
The Philadelphia-based “crossover soprano” also recently returned to her hometown of Paulsboro, NJ to sing and speak to the Boys and Girls Club. The showcase of local artists, musicians, poets and dancers included speeches by the Mayor and Superintendent of Schools and a performance by the Paulsboro High School Jazz Band.
Long before Susan Boyle took the stage on “Britain’s Got Talent,” shocked Simon Cowell and became a global phenomenon, Tonia Tecce was living her own dream, embodying the exciting truth that it’s never too late. The classical artist was captivating thousands of fans everywhere from the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philly to Carnegie Hall with her powerful, soaring vocals and the tale behind the amazing journey which led her to center stage.
While Tecce may be a new name to those outside her regular performing base on the East Coast, her collaborators on both projects are world-renowned, including John Vanore (producer of both What A Wonderful World and Smile), who was a featured trumpet soloist with the Woody Herman Orchestra and has accompanied everyone from Tony Bennett and Sammy Davis, Jr. to Nancy Wilson. GRAMMY nominated arranger/accompanist/conductor Byron Olson has worked with Placido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Johnny Mathis, Carmen McRae and The London Symphony. Repertoire consultant Ettore Stratta has conducted The London Symphony, The English Chamber Orchestra and The Royal Philharmonic.
EVENTS RECAP:
June 16
Brown Bag Concert
Church of the Holy Trinity
19th and Walnut Streets, Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia, PA 19103
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public
Info: (215) 567-1267, www.htrit.org
June 22
National Anthem Performance
Harrisburg Senators Minor League Game
7 p.m.
Metro Bank Park
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Ticket information: www.harrisburg.senators.milb.com
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Smile. The title of her glorious new, ten-track collection of uniquely selected secular and spiritual songs says it all about what Tonia Tecce is doing this spring as she gears up for a handful of diverse live performances.
On Friday, May 14, the Philadelphia-based “crossover soprano” returns to her hometown of Paulsboro, NJ to sing and speak to the Boys and Girls Club. The showcase of local artists, musicians, poets and dancers will include speeches by the Mayor and Superintendent of Schools and a performance by the Paulsboro High School Jazz Band.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Paulsboro Boys & Girls Club, 916 Penn Line Road, Paulsboro, NJ.
On Wednesday, June 16, Tonia performs a “Brown Bag Concert” at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia. This is a prestigious weekly noontime performance in which various members of Philadelphia’s music community participate.
Her performance begins at 12:30 p.m. at Church of the Holy Trinity, located at 19th and Walnut Streets, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.
On Tuesday, June 22, she will be singing the National Anthem for the Harrisburg, PA Senators (minor league baseball team) at their home stadium of Metro Bank Park.
Long before Susan Boyle took the stage on “Britain’s Got Talent,” shocked Simon Cowell and became a global phenomenon, Tonia Tecce was living her own dream, embodying the exciting truth that it’s never too late. The classical artist was captivating thousands of fans everywhere from the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philly to Carnegie Hall with her powerful, soaring vocals and the tale behind the amazing journey which led her to center stage.
While Tecce may be a new name to those outside her regular performing base on the East Coast, her collaborators on both projects are world-renowned, including John Vanore (producer of both What A Wonderful World and Smile), who was a featured trumpet soloist with the Woody Herman Orchestra and has accompanied everyone from Tony Bennett and Sammy Davis, Jr. to Nancy Wilson. GRAMMY nominated arranger/accompanist/conductor Byron Olson has worked with Placido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Johnny Mathis, Carmen McRae and The London Symphony. Repertoire consultant Ettore Stratta has conducted The London Symphony, The English Chamber Orchestra and The Royal Philharmonic.
EVENTS RECAP:
“Party with the Arts” – Paulsboro Boys & Girls Club
916 Penn Line Road
Paulsboro, NJ 08066
Doors open at 6 p.m.
Free and open to the public
Info: (856) 906-5413, www.bgca.org
June 16
Brown Bag Concert
Church of the Holy Trinity
19th and Walnut Streets, Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia, PA 19103
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public
Info: (215) 567-1267, www.htrit.org
June 22
National Anthem Performance
Harrisburg Senators Minor League Game
7 p.m.
Metro Bank Park
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Ticket information: www.harrisburg.senators.milb.com
THE PHILLY BASED “CROSSOVER SOPRANO,” WHO
LAUNCHED HER PERFORMING CAREER AFTER RAISING
SIX CHILDREN, HAS PLENTY TO ‘SMILE’ ABOUT
ON HER LATEST TIMELESS COLLECTION OF STANDARDS
‘Smile’ And Tecce’s 2006 Debut ‘What A Wonderful World’ Are
Arranged and Conducted By Byron Olson (Placido Domingo,
Gloria Estefan, Carmen McRae) and Produced By John Vanore
(Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Michael Crawford)
In 2009, the global phenomenon of Susan Boyle—who rose to fame after her stunning audition appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent”—tapped deeply into the world’s fascination for wonderfully inspiring human interest stories.
But it wasn’t simply the 40-something Scottish singer’s voice and charm that drove hundreds of millions to tears watching clips on YouTube and made her debut recording the year’s biggest selling album in the world. To borrow from the song that made her famous, it was all about her daring to dream a dream before our eyes. And reminding us that the only expiration dates those dreams have are the ones we put on them.
Long before Boyle took the stage and shocked Simon Cowell, Tonia Tecce was living her own dream, embodying the exciting truth that it’s never too late. The Philadelphia based crossover soprano was captivating thousands of fans everywhere from the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philly to Carnegie Hall with her powerful, soaring vocals and the tale behind the amazing journey which led her to center stage.
Anyone who thought Tecce was crazy to start pursuing her singing career in the early 1980s after deferring her lifelong dream to raise six kids might think she’s madder yet to launch a recording career at an age when most people are settling into retirement. The singer, who also has 12 grandchildren, has two responses for them: What A Wonderful World, her 2006 independent debut and Smile, her glorious new, ten-track collection of uniquely selected secular and spiritual songs that, like Tecce herself, can’t help but lift us during these uncertain, troubling times.
While Tecce may be a new name to those outside her regular performing base on the East Coast, her collaborators on both projects are world renowned. Grammy nominated arranger/accompanist/conductor Byron Olson has worked with legends of opera (Placido Domingo), pop (Gloria Estefan, Johnny Mathis), jazz (Carmen McRae) and folk rock (Richie Havens) and The London Symphony. Repertoire consultant Ettore Stratta has conducted The London Symphony, The English Chamber Orchestra and The Royal Philharmonic.
John Vanore, producer of both What A Wonderful World and Smile, was a featured trumpet soloist with the Woody Herman Orchestra and has accompanied everyone from Tony Bennett and Sammy Davis, Jr. to Nancy Wilson. He also earned a gold record for producing Michael Crawford’s 1998 inspirational album On Eagle’s Wings.
With a set list that includes Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile,” the Disney classic “When You Wish Upon A Star,” “His Eye Is On The Sparrow,” “Amazing Grace,” “On Eagle’s Wings” and “Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child,” Vanore is helping Tecce tap into the same emotional longings and spiritual aspirations as the Crawford project. A reviewer from Midnight Jazz once compared Tecce’s voice to that of Julie Andrews, which makes the artful medley of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Climb Every Mountain” all the more appropriate and poignant.
Tecce says, “For me, this is about uplifting people and I truly believe in the sentiment that we can always find a way to ‘Smile’ through the hard times. My hope is that listeners who hear my interpretation will experience a positive moment that makes them feel better. The album can work on that level or simply be a nice afternoon of easy music to listen to. I wanted to keep it secular but spiritual, simply reflecting how we feel in times of trouble. I closed What A Wonderful World with just Byron on piano and we took the same route this time, wrapping Smile with Irving Berlin’s “Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep” from ‘White Christmas.’”
Speaking of Christmas, when Tecce was originally tossing around ideas for the follow-up to What A Wonderful World, her older daughter urged her to do a holiday album. “Needless to say,” Tecce says, “I would have loved to make a Christmas album and hope to do so someday. But I wanted to do more than that. I wanted to touch the hearts of my listeners in a very special way – to give them something that went beyond the music. Because so many wonderful people have drawn me into their lives and shared with me their personal stories, both happy and sad, I began to think of making a recording dealing with a wide range of emotions and feelings. I think Smile conveys the fact that I’m a very optimistic person at heart. I firmly believe if you want something badly enough you can get it. You may not always get the gold at the end of the rainbow, but it’s important to reach for your dream and passion.”
Tecce has told her story on local media and before live audiences throughout the Delaware Valley. Accompanied by her heart-filled renditions of favorites from Broadway and the Hollywood screen, as well as classical songs and arias, her story has captivated listeners and enhanced her reputation as one of the most popular –and beloved– performers in the region.
Lest anyone think her emergence as a popular song stylist was anything but a too-long-delayed destiny, it’s important to note that she began singing onstage when she was eight years old and planned to head to New York to pursue her career. But her family, including her father– a small town New Jersey doctor who came from an era when they still made house calls–placed greater value on education. So she went off to Rosemont College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Tecce employs the romantic imagery of Cupid’s arrow to explain how her dream got sidetracked for very worthwhile reasons—seven of them, in fact: her husband (whom she married six days after graduation) and the six wonderful children they raised.
More than 20 years after putting her dreams on hold, and as her family responsibilities lessened, Tecce auditioned for master voice teacher Florence Berggren (Julliard), who accepted her as a student and referred her to voice coach Martin Rich, conductor of the Metropolitan Opera. Maestro Rich was so impressed with her voice that he began working with her immediately. One of her fondest onstage moments was performing at Carnegie Hall with Rich in 1991; a few years ago, after he passed away, she sang there for the third time in tribute and was the only singer onstage who was not from the roster of the Met Opera.
To draw from an old showbiz cliché, the “practice” that got her to Carnegie Hall also earned her performances at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where she made her debut as a headliner in “Tonia Tecce Sings!” She’s done eighteen seasons with the Ocean City Pops and has performed at the French Embassy in Washington D.C. and for the President of the United States (at a Presidential Salute and Inaugural Ball) and two inaugural ceremonies for the Governor of Pennsylvania. In addition to appearing onstage with leading operatic voices, Tecce also finds time to perform at benefit concerts and fundraisers for colleges, churches and hospitals. The Scleroderma Federation of the Delaware Valley awarded her its Humanitarian Award in recognition of her artistry and her dedication to this worthy cause.
The key philosophy she uses in all of her motivational talks is: “Living your dream takes determination and hard work, but if you want it badly enough, nothing can stop you. Life is not a dress rehearsal, so if you have a dream, follow it…”
“If the fact that I’m fulfilling my dream of being a recording artist at this age can inspire someone in their 60s, 70s or even 80s to live their life fully and passionately, that would make me very happy,” Tecce says. “One woman who read my story in the Philadelphia Inquirer went back to get her master’s in English, which she had begun pursuing long ago. So take that cover off your piano, pull that violin out of your closet, begin writing that book. When I auditioned for the Met, I didn’t let anything hold me back. If you’ve always thought you can do it, you can. If someone walks away from one of my performances or talks and thinks, ‘Well she did it, why can’t I?’ that’s the kind of thing that makes me truly Smile.”
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