Mississippi School of the Arts’ students enjoyed a specialperformance and those studying vocal music experienced a differentperspective of the music industry in Lampton Auditorium onWednesday.

Soprano Katie Van Kooten sang a few of her favorite songs forstudents as they took a break from their studies to sit back andenjoy her boisterous voice boom off the walls of theauditorium.

Van Kooten is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music andDrama in London. She has performed in Rome, Paris, New York andacross the United States.

However, before working her vocal chords, Van Kooten wouldstretch her legs. MSA Director Suzanne Hirsch gave the talentedsinger a tour of the school. As Van Kooten passed studentspracticing for a play and unique displays of talent that lined thehalls, she could not help but think how the diversity of classeswas getting the students prepared for much more than the arts.

“It helps them be a whole person,” Van Kooten said. “This helpsthem relate to other things.”

Shortly after the tour, Van Kooten performed numerouscompositions for the students as they cheered at familiar songs andclapped in appreciation after each final note. While the studentsmay have been dazed by the mesmerizing melodies, they might nothave noticed the performance doubled as a music lesson.

Van Kooten was like a living textbook for the students. Theperformance allowed them to see and hear various techniques theyhave learned in the classroom.

“It’s great for them to have an oral example,” said MSA VocalInstructor Patton Rice. “It’s one thing to hear a recording andit’s one thing to see it live.”

This year, there has been a total of 22 Master Classes, whichhappens when students receive the opportunity to learn from a knownartist in their particular field of study. However, when Hirschbrings someone to Brookhaven, she tries to share him or her withthe city.

“When I came here, I saw guest artists were something I couldbring to Brookhaven and the students,” said Hirsch, who joined MSAin August of 2009.

While Hirsch always attempts to have some sort of public eventwith the guest artist, the Master Classes are only for thestudents. The director thinks the special class provides studentswith a unique opportunity to learn.

“It exposes students to things that they need to think aboutbeyond the walls of MSA in the arts,” she said.

The guest speakers give students an outlet to learn about suchthings as choosing the right college, improving their talents anddealing with agents and publishers. The classes assist in preparingstudents for a life in the arts.

“They hear there is not one cookie cutter way of getting there,”said Hirsch.

As the guest performers have been a proven resource for both MSAand Brookhaven, Hirsch said she plans to bring additional talent toHomeseekers Paradise in the future.

“This is an ongoing thing we plan on doing,” she said. “I’mworking now to identify who will come next year.”