Zallas Music Creations, Inc.

Zallas Music Creations is a small but growing independent music company founded in 1997 to create, produce, promote, market & perform beautiful music and lyrics of all kinds. It is associated with Musical Treasures Plus (its parent company) and The Hellenic Music Foundation and is owned by its creator Katia Zallas an opera singer/songwriter. Ms. Zallas is also the President and Founder of the Hellenic Music Foundation a non-profit organization, promoting, advancing and preserving the full spectrum of the Greek Musical Heritage, worldwide.

Please note that CDs that are produced by Zallas Music Creations and The Hellenic Music Foundation are sold exclusively from our website or from the Hellenic Music Foundation's website.

Proceeds from the sale of these CDs will go towards benefiting the HMF Scholarship Fund to help young talented musicians with their musical careers. If you wish to contribute to our worthy cause please click the following link: http://www.hellenicmusic.org/donate.html

Two of the most popular CDs produced by Ms. Zallas are: Espoirs et Souvenirs (Hopes and Memories) and the CD Single "Oh! Mother Mine! I Love You so!" both of which are still in great demand after many years.

We have recently discovered, however, that unauthorized copies have been sold and described as "discontinued" by the manufacturer therefore causing a price mark-up. We carry a full line of Ms. Zallas' repertoire which we are happy to sell to the public through our website at excellent prices.

Please, do not lend discs to others to copy, give away illegal copies of discs, or use internet services that promote the illegal distribution of copyright recordings. By doing so you threaten the livelihood of musicians and everyone else involved in producing music.

ABOUT KATIA ZALLAS

BIOGRAPHY

Katia Zallas (lyric-coloratura soprano / songwriter) was born in Thessaloniki, Greece and received her musical education at the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec, the McGill Faculty of Music in Montreal, and at Hunter College in New York City. She is the recipient of a diploma "Laureate" with Distinction in Vocal Art from L'Academie de Musique de Québec, and has won several first prizes in Canadian National music festivals and competitions. She is also the recipient of a Bachelor of Music Degree (cum laude) in Vocal Performance from Hunter College in New York City and has studied voice with Shirlee Emmons.

Her career spans countless appearances on TV and Radio, in recitals, oratorios and opera under the auspices of CBC Radio Canada, L'Opéra de Québec, and the ERT National Radio Network in Greece. She has appeared with the McGill Orchestra in Montreal, and the Pan American Orchestra in New York City, in recitals at Lincoln Center, and has performed almost all the major roles of the standard operatic repertoire.

A warm lyric-coloratura soprano with a deep musicality, a devotion to text and languages and an inner sensitivity and intensity which she communicates to her audience, Ms. Zallas commands a repertoire in several languages varied to include operettas, ballads, folk and popular songs and Broadway musicals. As a songwriter, she has composed a group of ballads which are featured in her debut CD album, titled "Espoirs et Souvenirs" (Hopes and Memories) including the song Oh! Mother Mine! I Love You So! (Mana mou posso s'agap—) among others. She is also featured as soloist in the Hellenic Music Foundation's CD album productions: "Romantic Greek Nights", "Great Musical Hits of Greece", "Immortal Greek Melodies" and "Ode to Greece and to the Olympics of Athens 2004" (Ellada Mou Iperifani), an original hymn which Ms. Zallas composed in honor of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and which had its premiere performance at the Hellenic Music Foundation's 5th Annual Gala Benefit Concert. Her latest release "The Art of Katia Zallas" is Ms. Zallas' first ever classical recording which demonstrates her art as an accomplished opera singer.

A resident of New York, Ms. Zallas offers private lessons in Voice and Sight Singing and is the co-author of the article "The Truth of Bel Canto". She is on the Board of Directors of the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center of America, member of the SS Catherine and George Greek Orthodox Church choir of Astoria, New York and president and founder of the Hellenic Music Foundation.

Katia has witnessed such an enthusiastic response from people who listen to her singing, that she feels blessed having this God-given-talent which touches the lives of so many. From the bottom of her heart, she gives thanks to all those who shared the path to her life's fulfillment especially to her beloved mother, her son and her voice teacher. She is also grateful for the love and encouragement she receives from all the wonderful people she meets, as well as those who support the Hellenic Music Foundation.

Katia is happy to answer your questions about her wonderful world of music. E-mail her at Kzallas@aol.com

THE TRUTH OF
BEL CANTO

By Frank A. Rosati, Sr.
and
Katia Zallas

Bel Canto means "Beautiful Singing" which is achieved by a high placed speaking voice (placement should not be confused with pitch), where the singing is an extension of the speaking voice. This produces seemingly effortless natural singing, wide range, flexibility, musicality, ability to modulate the voice (mezza-voce to full-voice), expressiveness, clarity of diction and sound, brightness, smoothness and consistency of tone. Consequently, one attains full control of the voice, thereby extending the longevity of the singer's career. The fact that the Italian language has helped form the basis for the Bel Canto style, also described as the "Italianate Sound" is further proof of the relationship of the speaking voice.

The study of voice is the seeking of overtones by freeing the emission. The sound of the violin seems small in a room but it resonates in a theatre. The same holds true for the human voice when the sound is projected freely into the theatre with a high, forward, focused emission (as in a sigh), using flexible diaphragmatic support that causes a column of air to pass through the vocal chords without impediment. The three resonating bodies are the head, chest and theatre. But the theatre has to receive the sound; therefore, constrictions of the tongue, jaw and neck have to be eliminated. A perfect example of the head voice is a baby crying free of constriction. As a result, three things are evident: diaphragmatic breathing; resonance and carrying ability of the voice; and the lack of hoarseness.

In growing-up, one develops bad habits caused by language, yelling, "Macho" complexes and incorrect muscle development as a result of sports activity, thus losing the head voice. Most singers, especially men, tend to press down the larynx which constricts the tongue, producing a bigger, darker and more masculine sound to their own ears. The so-called chest tone is one of the most misused terms in vocal technique. It is produced, again, by pressing down the larynx or actually going in the throat, changing the quality of the sound. No matter how low the pitch, the placement must always be high. This will retain overtones, facilitate the attainment of the upper register, and produce a spinning effect of the sound resonating freely in the head cavities, known as "the mask".

In conclusion, with consistency there is profundity. Bel Canto singing is very simple, but we humans make it complicated.