About Beau and the Studio

About the Studio:

BeauD Studio began inauspiciously in the Fall of 2011 after Beau had moved home to Gastonia, NC from Atlanta, GA during a period of economic downturn in the country. Initially, the plan was to be home for six months and determine the next career and life move forward. During that time Beau became Tenor soloist at Myer's Park United Methodist Church. Near the end of that period, Beau's father was injured in a freak accident during a snow and ice storm which resulted in his remaining for another six months while his father recovered. Beau was offered the opportunity to become head of an arts school, an interim choir director for a large metropolitan church, or become a teacher in another multi-arts training program. Instead, he decided to take a small country church position as part time choir director and begin teaching a few private students to supplement his income while determining future direction. Beau's first student was Katie Seay, the granddaughter of his mom's best friend. Katie is always proud to remind Beau that she was the studio’s first official student. Katie recently graduated from Full Sail University where she studied music production, having written and recorded a number of original songs currently available on a variety of streaming platforms.

Since those early beginnings, Beau has had the privilege of working with and shaping over 225 young artists. Some of those students have gone on to perform on Broadway, in National tours and become Broadway producers. Some are beauty pageant winners and rising pop stars, while others have worked as actors in commercials, television, and film. Others have been recognized for their talent and hard work in the Blumenthal Awards regionally, as well as performed locally in high schools and local theaters all over the region, with BeauD Studio being represented every year by one or more students in the final top 6. While still performing on occasion, Beau has come to the conclusion that his greatest satisfaction is being a part of the creative journey of these young powerhouses that will no doubt change the world for the better. And, after all, what could make a teacher/mentor/Papa B more proud than to see his young padawans take flight.

About Beau:

I have been involved in music and performance for as long as I can remember. I started out taking piano lessons at six and by my teens I was singing in choir, playing handbells, playing trumpet and singing in a young mens ensemble called "The Trouveres" while playing piano at my church, and singing solos. In 1976, I was selected as the Tenor representative for North Carolina in a quartet of singers chosen to participate in the Bicentennial Chorus at Interlochen Music Camp along with representative quartets from each state in the US. I also performed solos in local county wide musical productions and theater. My first theater experience was around seven years old as a flying monkey in the Gastonia Little Theater's production of "The Wizard of Oz.”

After being offerred opportunities to study voice privately in Seattle, WA and at NC School of the Arts in High School, I pursued and finished my undergraduate degree at UNCC as a vocal performance major, winning local NATS competitions, and ultimately being offered scholarship opportunities to Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard after winning the Charlotte Opera Guild scholarship. I chose to go to Manhattan School of Music and was recognized as having the potential to be the new Placido Domingo in the Opera world. I was sent to speech therapists to learn to speak correctly and to Dr. Wilbur Gould, throat doctor to Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, and the Kennedy's among others to examine and care for my vocal cords. A turning point came when I was preparing for a music festival in London started by Peter Peers, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Galina Vishnevskaya. Having just married another opera singer, I realized that I didn't want to spend the early years of my marriage hopping on a plane to another country. And so, I turned my music passion toward the church, becoming the music director for a small church in the East Village of NYC. I ultimatley moved my new family to Nashville, TN where I was offered the inaugural position of Pastor of Worship and Arts at Belmont Church on Music Row. 

Belmont Church was famous for being one of the birth places of contemporary christian music and in fact was the launching pad for a number of well known artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Kim Hill.  Having grown from a congregation of two dozen to over 5000, I was offered the opportunity to be the first Staff director or worship and arts and becoming one of the 6 administrative leaders of the church. During my years at Belmont, I pastored and mentored artists in every field of the entertainment business, from television personalities to well known country and christian artists, musicians and back up singers, models, etc. I led a band of 1st call session players and singers as well as a choir each Sunday. I wrote songs that were recorded by Maranatha Music and Time Life amond others and sang recording sessions with a variety of artists, receiving a Platinum Recording plaque for my contribution to Amy Grant's "House of Love" CD as a session singer. I did some voice over commercial work and served as vocal contractor for various recording sessions as well. I also developed a School of Music and Arts, engaging over 350 children at Belmont Church in a collegiate modeled arts training program. I travelled outside the United States teaching on the arts and performing to places like the Philippines, Iraq, France, and Russia. I wrote articles for music and christian magazines while occasionally subbing in with Nashville and Atlanta Opera in the ensemble as well as performing minor roles.

After returning to my place of birth in the Charlotte area, I made the decision to return to my first love of musical theater, being offered leading and supporting lead roles in CPCC Professional Summer Theater, Actor's Theater and the Children's Imaginon Theater of Charlotte among others. I was nominated for Best Actor awards as Edna in "Hairspray" and Aldolpho in "Drowsy Chaperone." I was also cast as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof,” the Chauvelin in "The Scarlett Pimpernel" and Jacob Marley in "Scrooge" among others. During that time I also began some industrial film work with Lowe's corporate, gaining some success as "Mr. Jones."

It was after my return to the Charlotte area that I first opened BeauD Studio and began teaching a number of amazingly talented young men and women who perform on the Broadway stage, in TV and Film, have become Broadway producers, done national tours of Broadway shows and have been accepted into some of the most prestigious Music Theater programs in the country.  I maintain connection with performing artists in Opera, Broadway, local theater, television, and film and use that experience to continue to pour into my students everything that they need to be successful as performers. When I have time, I still perform and serve as a judge for the annual Blumenthal High School Music theater Awards. I was cast in “Something Rotten” and “Footloose” for the Summer of 2020, but those roles have been carried over to 2021 because of Covid 19. Of all the things I've accomplished, apart from being the father to four amazing children and the grandfather to two who have become recording artists and young talents in their own rights, working with the students I have had the privilege of teaching and mentoring in BeauD Studio since I opened the Studio in 2011 remains my greatest pleasure and deepest sustaining enjoyment.