Mariann Cook's Songbook Is Geared for Young Singers

For years teens training for a career in musical theatre and their teachers have been faced with a challenge: where to find Broadway songs that are appropriate for young singers.  Assistant Professor of Voice Mariann Cook is offering them a new option with her new vocal, piano and guitar songbook, Teen Pop Broadway Collection.  This teen songbook is a compilation of 28 Broadway pop songs written for young voices, emphasizing the importance of age-appropriate ranges and subject matters.

As a vocal instructor, professional vocalist and actress, Ms. Cook’s professional achievements include performances on Broadway and in the national tour of The King and I.  She has performed in such roles such as Maria in Sound of Music, Hilda in Plain and Fancy, Nancy in Oliver, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Guinevere in Camelot.  In addition to her musical theatre accomplishments, Cook has achieved success in opera and as a concert soloist, including performances with the Tulsa Opera as Berta in the The Barber of Seville and the Second Lady in The Magic Flute; as Natalie in The Merry Widow; as Buttercup in H.M.S.Pinafore; as Lady Bracknell in Earnest in Love; and as a soloist in dozens of Broadway symphonic evenings nationally.

Ms. Cook explains her book’s inspiration: “When giving musical theatre master classes, I often heard the complaint that there were not enough good songs out there for youth in this genre.”  The carefully selected songs respond to the necessity of supplying still-developing voices with a challenging and interesting repertoire that can be used for studio work, recitals and auditions.

Extracted from 20 contemporary Broadway shows including Captain Louie, How to Eat Like a Child, Reefer Madness, Runaways, Starmites, Zombie Prom and more, the song selection includes All Grown Up, Beauty Within, Electricity, I Want to Fly, Mama Who Bore Me, Out Here on My Own, Sayonara, Six Hours As a Princess, What It Means to Be a Friend and more.

With more than 750 copies sold within the first two months of release, Ms. Cook’s book has made quite a positive impact on the music-loving teen community.  Online store reviewers express their approval, writing “So very good!” “Great collection!” and “Love it!”