Michael J. O'Donnell (Mike) The Fun Guy Résumé of Singing Experience

Objective

Studies

• 2003-2011, Susan Charles, Music Institute of Chicago.
  
  
• 1979-1981, Diane Fuchs. West Lafayette, Indiana.
  
  

Ensembles

• 2018, moving to Colorado Springs, CO, and looking for ensemble.
  
  
• 2016-2018, The Chicago Retro Quartet, barbershop and other a cappella styles. (Hire us through GigSalad.)
  
  
• 2016-2018, Chicago Metro Chorus, a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
  
  
• 2012-2014, Note Avenue, vocal jazz octet. Jerry Johnson director, Laura Hoffman piano. Chicago, IL. Demonstration recording available.
  
  
• 2006-2009, Victorian Christmas Carol Quartet. Gregg Rodriguez director 2006-2008, Juliet Petrus 2008-2009. Performed in Drake Brothers Restaurant, Palm Court, Wilde Bar & Restaurant, Chicago IL.
  
  
• 2007-2010, Figgy Pudding, renaissance trio with good cholesterol. Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
  
  
• 2007, Chancel Choir, First United Methodist Church, Evanston. Jerry Jelsema director. Evanston, Illinois.
  
  
• 2006-2018, Too Hot Choir (tenor section leader 2010-2015). Bill Fraher, director. Chicago, Illinois.
  
  
• 2006, Music Institute Chorale, Daniel Wallenberg, director. Evanston, Illinois.
  
  
• 2004-2006, North Park University Chamber Singers. Wayland Rogers, director. Chicago, Illinois.
  
  
• 2003, Da Guys, barbershop quartet. Greater Chicago, Illinois.
  
  
• 1986-1990, Nite-Lites Singers. Carol Foley, director. Pop sextet performing at charity fundraisers. Glencoe, Illinois.
  
  
• 1977-1980, Bach Chorale Singers. Paul Krasnovsky, director. West Lafayette, Indiana.
  
  
• 1974-1976, Itha-Kords, (now The Ithachords). Ron Clayton, director. A chapter of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. (now Barbershop Harmony Society). Ithaca, New York.
  
  

Selected Past and Future Gigs

• 2018 February 3, promotional short for Pray the Gay Away by the Zakar Twins, The Chicago Retro Quartet
  
  
• 2018 January 12, 13, 14, Too Hot to Handel (chorus). Suzanne Mallare Acton, director. Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, Illinois.
  
  
• 2017 November--December, strolling carollers at Santa's Village Azoosment Park, East Dundee, IL, The Chicago Retro Quartet.
  
  
• 2017 August 27, Everyman's Chorus. Promotional short for A+E History, produced by Sedna Films, aired 2017 September 4.
  
  
• 2016 February 13, singing wedding proposal at Chicago Union Station, The Chicago Retro Quartet.
  
  
• 2013 December 8, Note Avenue in jazz service at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago.
  
  
• 2013 November 24, jazz spirituals sung by Note Avenue in Cool Heat Concert of original songs from Bloom School of Jazz. Mayne Stage, Chicago IL.
  
  
• 2010 Spring. Singing gondolier with Old World Gondoliers.
  
  
• 2009 December 13, Victorian Christmas carol quartet. Juliet Petrus, director. Wilde Bar & Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois.
  
  

Recordings

I started recording the Irish Melodies by Thomas Moore.

I recorded my Personal Folk Legacy.

I wondered how Oscar Wilde's "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" would sound as an actual ballad. Here are Parts I and II.

Two ancient (c. 2004) audition recordings:

1. "Nina" by Legrenzio Vincenzo Ciampi (but often attributed to Pergolesi) from his comic opera "Gli tre cicisbei ridicoli," which premiered at the King's Theatre, London, 1748 (AIFF format, 16,861,042 bytes).
   
   
2. "Countin' Flowers on the Wall" by Lewis DeWitt, Statler Brothers, 1966 (AIFF format, 12,949,222 bytes).

I intend to work up a number of licensed and expired-copyright compositions, solo and multitrack, to post on the Internet Archive. Here's a quick prototype (c. 2005), but not sufficiently musical: looping of a catch.

Languages

Speak fluently and sing in

American

Speak and sing in

English, French

Sing in

Italian, Spanish, German, Latin, Hebrew, Middle French, Scots, Gibberish

Range