Get your ‘freq’ on as OCC’s Music Department hosts vocal production masterclass

Anyone interested in learning about the art of vocal production, engineering and how one rising star is cutting her own path in the music industry may want to check out a free masterclass Wednesday at Costa Mesa’s Orange Coast College.

“Finding Your Frequency,” part of a Coast Musical Encounters series offered through OCC’s Music Department, takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the campus’ Music Recital Hall and will be led by Grammy-nominated and Latin Grammy-honored engineer, vocal producer and artist Simone Torres.

Honored as one of the Latin Recording Academy’s “Leading Ladies of Entertainment” in 2023, Torres will speak on the experience and insights gleaned from years of working with prominent artists, from Dua Lipa and Cardi B to Becky G and the Backstreet Boys.

The free event is open to the public and will include a Q& A session along with a reception afterwards at which attendees can interact directly with Torres.

“We are thrilled to have Simone Torres as our guest artist for Coast Musical Encounters,” OCC Music Instructor Kelly Self said in a statement Friday. “Her engaging and approachable energy will resonate with guests, and her dedication to creating inclusive spaces and opportunities for young women and individuals in music makes her presentation particularly powerful and inspiring.”

The department’s ongoing “Coast Musical Encounters” series rotates artists working within the different aspects of the music industry and invites master teachers and working musicians to engage with and inspire the next generation of musicians.

The next event in the series will be held Wednesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. with internationally recognized composer Saunder Choi, who will deliver a presentation, “Dealing with Dissonance: A Portfolio of Advocacy in Music.”

Orange Coast College Music Department’s “Finding Your Frequency: Simone Torres Talks Vocal Production and Engineering” takes place Wednesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Music Recital Hall (Music 102). Free parking is available in Lot C near the Robert B. Moore Theatre. For more on the artist, visit simonetorres.com.