Newly Crowned Miss America 2016 Vasiliki “Betty” Cantrell Also Chants

greek487

Tasos N.
from http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/82186.htm

MISS AMERICA 2016 IS FAITHFUL ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN​

On Sunday, September 13, the twenty-one year old Miss Georgia, Vasiliki “Betty” Cantrell took up the crown and title of Miss America 2016 in the competition’s 95th anniversary held at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. Cantrell, who impressed the judges with her vocal performance, is involved in numerous artistic and charitable activities, several among them involving her Greek Orthodox faith.

Cantrell’s name “Vasiliki” fittingly means “royalty” and was given to her in honor of her Greek grandmother. Also of German descent, she celebrates her Greek heritage as part of a Greek dance troupe.

More importantly, she is an avid music student and performer and among her many activities is Byzantine chanting in both Greek and English at her Holy Cross Greek Orthodox parish in Macon, GA. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Mercer University where she received both academic and music scholarships, and her musical prowess was on display at the Miss America competition when she offered the judges and audience a stunning performance of “Tu Tu Piccolo Iddio!” from the opera Madame Butterfly which can be viewed below.

She was also named the Overall Talent winner in the Miss Georgia Competitions of 2014 and 2015, won the 2014 and 2015 National Association of Teachers of Singing competition involving forty-five colleges and universities, has been honored to sing the National Anthem at several public events, and has participated and been featured in numerous musical and theatrical groups and productions throughout her high school and college careers.

The new Miss America also puts her faith into action, having held several leadership positions, including her work as facilitator and distributor of canned goods to local food banks on behalf of her Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church where she also teaches Sunday School. Additionally, she has developed and taken part in numerous charity events including benefits for the YMCA, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and Miss America’s Day of Service.

Over the next year as Miss America Cantrell will travel extensively on behalf of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for which she will serve as the National Goodwill Ambassador. She will also have many speaking engagements to promote her platform of “Healthy Children, Strong America.”

In addition to the coveted crown and busy schedule Cantrell won a $50,000 scholarship provided by Joseph Ribkoff Inc. and the Miss America Organization in order to further her education. She hopes to graduate with Honors in Musical Theatre and Voice, and one day perform on Broadway.

September 16, 2015

 

Nikolaos Giannoukakis

Παλαιό Μέλος
Λίγω παρακυνδινευμένες οι δηλώσεις. Η καλλονή έχει πτυχίο στην Κλασσική Μουσική, και η ίδια δηλώνει συμμετοχή στην πολυφωνική χορωδία της ενορίας της όταν ήταν μικρότερη, με ταυτόχρονη περιέργεια γύρο του θέματος της ΒΜ, αλλα να δηλώσουν ***άλλοι*** αντ αυτήν πως ΨΑΛΛΕΙ, είναι λίγω παρακυνδινευμένο. Εαν την ρωτήσετε νομίζω πως άλλα θα απαντήσει....

Στις ΗΠΑ, δυστυχώς, τα τελευταία χρόνια, πολλοί αυτοδίδακτοι ημιμαθείς, αυτοπαρουσιάζονται ως ειδήμονες.

Πάντως, δεν άκουσα απο την ίδια να λέει πως ΨΑΛΛΕΙ, ή ΞΕΡΕΙ να ψάλλει.

Άλλο η συμμετοχή σε πολυφωνική παιδική χορωδία της ενορίας και άλλο ΨΑΛΤΗΣ(ΣΣΑ).

Συμφωνώ πως κατέχει πολύ ωραία οπερατική φωνή (υψιλού σοπράνο).

Και ο Άγιος Εφραίμ ο Σύρος είχε τας ωραιοτάτας παρθένας ως διακόνησσες και ψάλτισσες τω πάλαι.....άρα και η Μις Αμέρικα κάποτε θα μας απαγγείλει το Περίζωσαι την Ρωμφαία Σου....

ΝΓ

IN ENGLISH:

It's slightly careless to conclude that the new Miss America is a chantor. The bio was provided by third parties in a circular by AHEPA, but, even though she has a beautiful upper range soprano voice, and formal training in voice (with a degree), her participation in ecclesiastic music (if you ask her) is within a parish choir. She may have an interest in BM, but to go beyond facts and confer to her the expertise of "chanting/chantor" is careless.

I wish her the best in her tenure of the title, and I hope that she becomes first a steward and servant for good causes of HUMANITY and then a chantor.

NG
 
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apostolos

Απόστολος Κομπίτσης
CLEARLY, the "among her many activities is Byzantine chanting in both Greek and English" blurb is nothing more than a "filler" to her biography, something to "enhance" her persona by taking advantage of her Greek Orthodox faith. To say that she "chants" in the Byzantine musical system (and in both Greek AND English, mind you!) sounds quite impressive to the average (non-Greek/non-Orthodox) ear, and elicits a wow-factor to those who don't know. I am not, in any way, downplaying what she knows or does not know... it is quite evident from the video that she is an accomplished musician and vocalist. But "chanting"? Well, let's hear that first, and let's let those who are competent enough in the art judge her competency.

Apostolos
 
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