Les Mis School Edition-Marius - Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

[31emxof]

He's sitting, collapsed at that, and trying to muscle out notes that are at the edge of his range. I think if he had a proper voice director for this show who showed him how to properly support his breath, extend his range, and enunciate musical speech, then he would have been fine. If he kept with it, I'm sure he sounds monumentally different today.

[31emxof]

...but I personally would also have deleted old videos of myself from youtube that didn't make me look good.

[Shanejmurphy]

well done mate. For a student, very well done.

[francolongobardi95]

did he not have a coach to help him with this. i dont think ive ever heard anyone be off off key like he is. he has a nice tone. he needs some help ! Save this child!

[ChloeMmm2]

When my school did Les Mis, our Marius was lying/sitting up on a bed. I remember him talking about how incredibly hard it was to sing this song.

[fanlotr91]

Cornurrrr.. All I'm gonna say.

[MMarsalli]

@fanlotr91 LOL yes...followed by woald...

[nickbattaglio]

Okay... so... this is a really hard song to sing, so I give him some credit... The acting was pretty good, and the stage work was good...ie lighting etc. but the singing really wasn't that great. Sorry, kid. Hopefully you're taking lessons or something.

[Swim4thegold92]

he needs to tone it up a bit on the higher parts- it was a little pitchy

[patrickkeith27]

this guy sucks period.

[sparepart973]

@patrickkeith27 Grow up. This is a school edition and this boy is clearly not even 16. Stop comparing him to your precious professionally recorded cast recordings.

[MasterAnemos]

@patrickkeith27 Agreed. However, he shows potential if he continues on. I'm something of a hobby singer. Just the other day, I listened to some old recordings I made of myself singing when I was around 14. Two words: DRASTIC IMPROVEMENT.

He has time.

[Lyalln]

he needs to watch his intonation a bit. the lower bits were really good but he needs to watch his support in the higher parts.

[orbitrix]

Excellent use of lighting for this level of production!

[hellomynameiscory]

this is way to high for his voice at some points

[Trimen1000]

I think it's within his voice, I just think he needs to learn to use his voice.

[xMeatShieldx]

he sounds like hes got a cold

[Trimen1000]

I started off with "I don't think" then hit 1:18 and am going to change to: He is not using support (It's a tightening of the muscles in the stomach that allows for careful control of the air flow that helps out the "got a cold" and the high voice sound, to name two things. I think his voice could be very good if he gets his support right. On the other hand support is pretty hard while sitting down. They should have had him get up early enough that would have forced him to have a little bit.

[northerntropics]

Stupid choice to have most of this sung sitting down. Harder to sing and a lot of the passion on the song is lost.

[sniggle06]

i sung this for a music exam and i got a scholarship to one of the best drama schools in london from it so it is definitely a good choice of song.

[xMeatShieldx]

I did it my freshman year of highschool and was the only freshman in 5 years to get a vocal solo in the end of the year showcase

[villc94]

Wow, that's pretty much my dream... only I'm from Norway so I don't stand much of a chance... But good job! :)

[Ju0Ju0Bug]

Learning to sing this, i am a teenage GIRL and i'm singing it for a concert. I will probably die......

[balletDancergirl22]

so how did it go in the end

[Ju0Ju0Bug]

I died. Now I'm walking the earth trying to find the composer to eat his brains :)

[povertyblue90]

wow i definetly agree with sniggle06

[sniggle06]

dude this guy is flat, he misses the high note by miles!!!!!!! nice dramatization though.

[xparkinglotromance]

yeah the beginning is good though. :)

[Behappyxoxox]

wow...you guys this is a school production and the whole effects and take they had on this scene is class!keep in mind its not like singing is this guys career-he was really great!my school is an all girls one and we did les miserables-was so funny lots of very soprano men!!

[TheOnlyItachiUchiha]

Not bad, not bad! XD

[catherined512]

This Kid is not a Maruis type I think that he should have been in the Chours

[bitney123]

i agree!

[JayKaryeJ]

how can you find the writes to pull off a production like this at a school? please tell me.

[shrybouski]

Oh and he has a weird accent. Sounds a little funny. Still, the has a nice overall timbre.

[shrybouski]

He's a tenor folks. Anyone who says otherwise proly doesn't know what he's talking about. The tone of this guy is waaayyyy to bright for a baritone. His passagio seems too high for a baritone as well. He just needs some training. In fact I think that with some really good training this guy would go far. He just needs a good coach.

[Connellanator]

im a baritone and im singing it in a week and a half, but without the rest of the play

[cpjc08]

bit too high for him. shudve changed the key or falsttoed it

[ciaspook]

My school did the school version also, and we didn't have nuns in the cafe...

[mllethenardier]

Aw c'mon guys, he was pretty good. Just had trouble with the high notes... Besides, I think he's at Valjean's house at Rue Plumet, which would explain the nuns.

[donkers2008]

LOL Allshookup1 you are right! Why are there nuns in the cafe??? I laughed so hard and still am. I'm crying here!!!! They are taking a break from the abbey. Mother superior is kicking thier asses!!!

[npa589]

lol....no, it's a fact. He's not good at all, and should not consider an "actual" singing career --- but who honestly cares?

Oh - explodingcornpops - he doesn't have any type of trained voice. He said wahld instead of world.

I'm sure Chris Walker is an awesome guy and had a heck of a fun time performing this - as well he should have. Good luck to him...he's just not a gifted vocalist.

[Allshookup1]

why is there nuns in the cafe?

[ExplodingCornpops]

i thought he was amazing.

just because he doesn't have a typical trained broadway voice.

and yeah, i'd like to see you people sing it better.

[NatelyHunnicutt]

Don't give up. That song takes a lot of skill. I don't see anyone else here posting themselves singing it. Some voice lessons could fix that if musical theater is what you want to persue.

[HikariDragonRyuu]

He's just not a good singer... period. not terrible, but i wouldn't consider a vocal career, were i him.

[Woahme32]

I don't remember saying that vvv, that isn't something i would say.

But falsetto is a good choice when you can not hit the high ones in a belt.

[Kamotgus]

Yeah those high notes were murderous. Your low baritone is very good though.

[supernovaoo]

and he doesn't belt the whole time, he just doesn't have alot of control with his voice

[supernovaoo]

belting does not ruin your voice if you do it properly, i agree you dont have to belt all the time. You most likely sing in allot of choirs and actually they way the want you too sing in choirs is very unnatural and can hurt your voice just as much as not belting properly. but if you use proper technique belting will not hurt you. How do you think not only pop stars but people on Broadway doing concerts all the time or preforming eight shows a week dont produce nodes or destroy there voice.

[astemeric]

Well.... belting is bad for a guy's voice, especially the way "Chris Walker" was doing it. If you tilt your head up, you completely ruin your vocal chords.

Also, most people on Broadway know their range. Normally they either go into their falsetto or just crescendo and use their bravado. It may sound like a belt, but they have it under control...

[Woahme32]

belting ruines your voice dude.

dont belt the whole thig. it is more of a ballod than a madam thenardier thing.

[spanguin989]

he has a good voice by all means...but those high notes really killed him...

[thekillingspoon]

Great voice! Wow... this guy was in highschool when he sung this (very difficult) song?

[number1thespian]

He is a low baritone like me, cast for a tenor part, or well, since it's a musical, it would probably be considered a baritone part.  I forget. It's been 3 or 4 years since I was in it, but he should have been cast for Javert or some other part. Should have been a bass part, though. lol. Yeah, I agree, he was MAJOR pitchy, and the high notes really killed him. lol.

[sosafan2189]

he is really out of key on alot of it. I am sure he is good at songs with less of a range, but then he shouldnt have been cast for the part.

[ThurmanMerman15]

He sings good in some parts...Others not so well

[candylove1234]

he has quite a nice voice this son is very hard to sing and while he was very off in some parts if he got some training i think he could be really good! very good effort! looks really good too! you should be very proud!

[usong10]

I like the light effects and the smoke....much better than a lot of stuff out there esp. for a high school.....who did the lights?....He should get hired to do professional stuff !)

[leanneboone]

Not bad for such a young voice... he souds like one of my friends when he sang it.

[mrmusic930]

your actors and actresses dont move as soon as they sing they become statues

[joeknowswhoheis]

you dont always have to move to get the desired effect

[mrmusic930]

um thats is a big part of acting if you stay still its just singing!!!

[joeknowswhoheis]

I agree - moving is a big part of acting. However the way you sing and what you sing (particularly in les mis) should give the desired effect.

You cant say watching John Owen Jones or someone do Bring Him Home - where they barely move - is just, as you very eloquently put it, 'singing'

[Thrant]

The ones in the background? They're just there to show the dead. To give Marius someone to sing to when he talks about his freinds.

[mrmusic930]

i know that and im not just talking about this clip its alot of your actors and actresses and i was just giving you advice

[Thrant]

Their not MY actors and actresses. I wasn't even in this show! Did you think I was one of them?

[adcahela]

way way way too high a song for the voice.

[EthanCoker]

the song has a really big range...from a low A to a G above the staff...not too many high schoolers have that big of a range. so they chose someone who could sing the main part of Marius' songs.

[jenianydots]

Aw nice version, my school just did Les Mis. I love the way Enjorlas and co come forward on this out of the mist, and I think it's a really good attempt at the song. A big thumbs up! :D :D:D

[vtbjjp]

I think everyone needs to remember that this is not a professional production. I thought his voice had a very pleasant tone and given more training his voice will develop well. Beautiful song.

[calonkat]

A couple of sour notes (it seems to always happen when the camera is on) but very nice!

[choochooboi]

The staging very good. All the tech and stuff but the singer is really bad

[adcahela]

ok...so...if i were Simon Cowell...I would say this..."I have nothing to say." Now am I speechless in a good or bad way? (*nasal, straining)

[mrmusic930]

BAD???

[adcahela]

Yes. very.

[SEDsed929]

your voice needs to mature, not much you can do, lets not go so nasal buddy. mmmmkay?

[ColinTC]

this isn't very good

[ngusxphn]

Very nice attempt...........there were a few problems in some spots but that could happen to anyone. Keep practicing and working at it, you have a good start.

[cruelangel7]

ya. was ist das? he sucks! good actors can at least fake a good accent. and whats with the here it twas they lit the flame? its here it was. and Im working on this very peice for my voice lessons. it is hard to hit the higher notes, but at least drop an octave instead of butchering a good song

[sonicx666]

he is so flat!

[MrSeaver]

he needs a little bit of work on his vowels, otherwise it's decent

[toddhatesyou]

you really suck

[PhantomLover111]

good attempt!

The american accent

sounds kinda weird.

Maybe you guys should have put

the high notes down an octave?

Cute voice though!

[YeahItsPhilSoChill]

None of the les mis songs sound good with american accents.

[Jonseyboydanny]

agreed :)

[xnoraax]

Ouch.. :S

[freytizzle]

and wheres the emotion? hes supposed to be sad. argh!

[freytizzle]

he needed work on the high notes he missed the G at 'became' kinda ruined it.

sincerely,

Marius - Tom Clark High

[ginger505]

his voice is beautiful!

[weeky]

Not bad. Some minor faults and pitchiness at certain points at the high points and descending melodies. Cute voice though. Can't blame anyone if they can't reach the high notes. I can't do it properly myself :P

[cxeazn]

I thought as a high school production he did pretty well... definitely room for improvement but I could see him getting really good if he pursued theatre.

[muzzy2222]

its a bit all over the place his voice aint it realy

[ConcertPianist]

Whoa! Pitchy.... but ok. It is quite hard to support sitting.... *shudders at the c4 to d5 part* but what do I know... I only have a degree in piano.

[osmock]

Abit pitchy though.

[revolutionary14]

hehehehe....is that enjolras japanese? =]

[WAFFALINO]

he has a very pleasant voice :)

[ujiveturkey]

wow man ery well done!! check out my les mis vids frm our production!!

[GaelicFreak]

Some people think all performances have to be perfect.

Face it kids, this ain't Broadway. It's high school. Pretty good, too.

[minicomma]

Not too bad - I really think the theatrical effects were done nicely. The singer has a pleasant voice, but could have used a little more coaching to fine tune his singing so that he could show his full potential. For a highschool performance, it was good!

[minicheno78]

it was pretty good but he just needed to hold out the notes he was supposed to. My school just did this and it was amazing

[ElphabaThroppFae]

I honestly think he was very good at this song. Come on, people, it was a school production, no one's gonna be Broadway caliber, but Chris did really well.

[christhestarkey23]

this was a bit shite. i dont think the excsuse of it being a "school production" has anything to do with it poor choice of the director to pick this show if he/ she didnt have a good enough potential cast. oh well.

[wizardsfirstrule900]

ok, not the best voice, but at least he tried. it isn't profesional and i know guys who sing worse then that.me personally wouldn't have had the guts to sing a solo at all so go him:)

[XpshyeahX]

The "high" notes made my ears bleed.

sorry to say.

Maybe if he used his head voice, instead of trying to belt it out, iot would have been a little better.

I know, you're kinda supposed to belt those notes, but yeah.

Ouch.

[Soccerman136]

excellent. I think some of these people are forgetting that this is a highschool performance. I loved the effect of the revolutionist ghosts coming in from behind. Much better then just walking in from the sides which they did in the produciton I saw.

[naichoo]

i love this show and i love marius i was he in the 2003 when we did the miserables in my school, whas beautiful congratulations! nico from argenitna

[atheatergeek]

Wow!*Cries*It was so good. so sad and so happy!

[lifedreams38]

woah that was really full of emotion. I mean yeah he doesn't have the best voice but that isn't always that important. The song does seem to have a large range as well, which would make it hard for any guy to tackle.

[kingpingu]

Ouch.

[danb453]

I liked it!

[thelighttwin]

whoa...uh...needs a lot of work. geez.

[crazy4music3]

i think the people who rated it didnt like the flat high notes, or just notes...or maybe just his voice. of course the production was in all great, hooray for the brothers...idk theres a fine line with sacrificing pitch for emotion, it is possible to do both. Me...i suck at that (combining the two) so feel free to comment on any of my future videos which have that problem, ill recognize it anyway.

[spatterbrain]

thank you. you have insightful help. unlike most commentators.

[UTube321123]

Very, very good! I actually got chills and felt the pain and the emotion of what was haunting you. Keep up the good work!

[SierraSevilla]

i was not the one who rated the video!...i think it is phenominal!!!! bravo chris! bravo!

[blahja]

this is really good i love this show