Monte was my vocal coach, and so much of the musical ability that I currently have is due to his deft honing. He could be brutally honest, but he always knew when to push and when to give praise. He molded my understanding of my voice, my presence, and my confidence, and I am forever indebted to him.
There are many, many stories to share about Monte, but three stand out the sharpest in my memory to the point that I can hear his voice and see the room as though I was there right now:
The first time I spoke with him was at my audition for The Sound of Music. At the start of my audition, he said that he had seen me around the school and wondered why I had not joined choir. My infamous reply was, "Because I sing like roadkill." To which he simply said while laughing, "Fair enough."
During a vocal lesson, as I belted out the piece I was practicing for solo and ensemble, he stopped me with a "No! No! No! 'Gia Il Sole Dal Gange' is a love song! You are to sing it with emotion and delicacy, not like the lyrics are 'Let's go to the bar and get drunk!"
Lastly, early in our rehearsal schedule, I asked him why he chose me to play Tevye in our school's production of Fiddler on the Roof when there were so many amazing voices in our choir. He told me that they all did a great job in their auditions of playing the role of Tevye, but that when I started my audition, it was clear from my eyes and expression that I WAS Tevye in that moment.
When Katrina entered choir at Northwest, I made certain that she would have the privilege of working with such a master instructor. She only had him as a vocal coach for a year or two before he moved out east, but he had an impact on her life as well. Thus, his work inspired not just me and my sisters, but multiple generations of my family.
Monte left behind an amazing legacy. I am glad that social media has allowed me to stay in contact with him throughout the years. I already miss his audaciousness.