Vocal Coach Analysis: Angelic boy soprano CORMAC THOMPSON sings "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

[@CormacThompson]

Hello 😀 a friend who follows me shared this with me, what a lovely surprise and I have really enjoyed watching this episode with my mum. You have said some very kind things and I really appreciate you doing such an in-depth analysis of me singing this brilliant song. I was inspired to sing it by my brilliant singing teacher Daphne and when I listened to Jonathan Antoine perform it with the fabulous cellist Tina Guo. I’ve been very lucky that it’s doing so well on my channel it really helps me know that all my hard work is noticed with lovely feedback like this 🌞 thank you 🙏🏻

[@johnbrown9588]

@Cormac Thompson What a great review this is Cormac, I watched the whole video this morning, and even though I have played your rendition many times since you published, I heard it in a new light after this fine review by Johan. I hope our members play the whole video through too, and what a great voice Johan has, maybe a duet with him on your next album??. 👍👍

[@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach]

@@johnbrown9588 , thanks so much for the lovely comment! Great to connect with a fellow fan 🤗

[@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach]

Dear Cormac - it means so much that you and your team got to see this! I think your gift is profound and, even though I don't know you personally, I do believe that you have an incredible heart as well. Keep staying true to yourself, working hard and carefully looking after that God given gift and voice. I look forward to following your progress for many years to come 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@richardterrell5309]

@@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach Agree

[@timothyscheidler6365]

Cormac, your voice is going to develop so beautifully. It is incredible now and will be even more incredible as it develops. I think you will easily match the likes of Michael Ball. I look forward to hearing your voice in the coming years.

[@claudiahubel1888]

No one has ever had this effect on me before. His singing brings tears to my eyes, it is so beautiful.

[@NotoriousLHLamb]

I think the words you were looking for were “purity in innocence with a depth of knowing in every breath and transition”. That’s how I would describe that sweet angel and his incredible gift, talent, and art. Blessings.

[@Garek_George]

Cormac … the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. Brings me to tears every time. Every. Time. And don’t get me started on the masterful annunciation. WOW.

[@timothyscheidler6365]

He is already quite famous. But he keeps such a wonderful attitude - always focused on others. What you didn't mention was that he recorded this to help those in the theatre who were out of work. Every penny that he raised from that video goes to a charity for actors and stage workers. Cormac is just a delightful young man!!

[@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach]

Amazing... thanks for your feedback, Timothy!

[@path-to-ahh]

Thanks for helping to spread the joy that Cormac Thompson brings to our world.... he is indeed special .... watching your face in the video ... I was waiting for that moment when he overwhelmed just for a moment your own sense of emotion ... and there it was ... when you had to take a little breath before you could continue ... that's how it gets me too .. and I hope others who can be enchanted by something so pure and delightful. His latest tracks are continuing to be issued up to last week (Jan 2023) latest at this date was a cover of True Colours ...

[@CormacThompson]

I check in on this post every so often, someone kindly shared it in a comment on my new video today, thanks a million for mentioning the new stuff 🤗🤗

[@path-to-ahh]

@@CormacThompson The least I could do, I wish I could tell EVERYONE hahaha, Especially your latest incredibly soulful offering 'Cinema Paradiso', and bravo for your choice of material.

[@CormacThompson]

@@path-to-ahh Thank you 🙌🙌🎵🎵

[@maureenmooney532]

Totally agree with every word you said about Cormac and He is a Little Earth Angle with A Beautiful Gift on Keeps on Giveing ,Bless Him❤😢❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ love,love, love His Voice❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@donna30044]

This is a voice so rare that does not seem to occur even once a generation.

[@Dany-yi5rz]

That boy and that song had me dissolved in tears.

[@whatadollslife]

me too .............................it makes your heart swell

[@RobertJohnsonmusic]

Your vocal analysis was wonderfully and tenderly done. Thank you for your astute observations. As far as the work of Cormac Thompson, it can be equaled but cannot be beaten. I, much as you, do not know what endears me to male soprano. The vocal qualities cannot be far removed from a female soprano, but I too hear the difference. --Signed, An old choir bass.

[@Angie-mm9rn]

Thank you Johan for this in-depth analysis of Cormac Tompson singing my ABSOLUTE favourite song from Les Misérables. He expresses such deep sorrow, wistfulness and regret WAY beyond his years and I'd add experience which moves me to tears every time I hear it. After your technical analysis I appreciate his singing even more....thank you again🙏❤

[@paul45b]

Agree. A boy soprano, ethereal and heavenly. I was one, pushing past high D, in the descant of my school choir. As I've heard Kings College choristers say in videos - "It's really nice being on top". Bad news though when it all comes crashing down - it's all over Rover. Which makes it so special. Cormac's got it all for me - the capacity to transport one to a magical space of infinite sonic beauty; of the likes of Aled Jones at his best, Anthony Way, James Rainbird, and some others. And he's a gem of humanity, wanting to help others in less benevolent circumstances. Viva la Cormac; if there were only many more like you.

[@johanve46]

Johan, I salute you for your superb analysis of this BRILLIANT young lad. Is he not something out of this world?? There is just something very very special about a boy soprano as you have rightly mentioned!!! Thank you ever so much. I had tears in my eyes for this talented young boy!!!!😂❤

[@χριστιναχριστοφορου-υ8χ]

I got into tears!!!!!! OMG what an amazing voice!!!!! Thank you so much for this video!!! You are a great, talented teacher and musician!!! Keep on your beautiful job!!!! Love from Greece❤

[@florencecurrie7861]

This is profound, brought tears.

[@nattyco]

We are privileged to live at a time when we can so readily hear and see recordings of music like this.

[@janelloyd4332]

Thank you for the video..goosebumps and tears listening to that young boy singing..I could feel the same emotions that you were feeling ..wonderful

[@gesangsunterrichtvocalcoac5821]

Your lovely comments resonate within me. I can see and hear the same fine tunes in his voice. And I also appreciate that Cormac Thompson is mentioning his singing teacher in his video description.

[@colldollm51]

A boy soprano is a fleeting thing, like a flower that blossoms only rarely. An angel that visits Earth only once to deliver his message.

[@miatoser9702]

highly reccomend looking into libera boys choir !! my favorite songs re by isaac london, who aged out a few years ago.

[@dc2london]

I just found this young man. What a moving, beautiful performance. And yes, it brought me to tears by the end. Just wonderful.

[@majkus]

It is comforting to remember that, aside from pitch range (and the resonances of the sinus cavities), when Thompson's voice matures, he will retain those things you call out here: his extraordinary articulation and (once he re-learns what his mature voice does) control of air flow with his new instrument. It will, I think, be worth waiting for! Depending on where his mature range lands, we could see him singing Marius in a real production of Les Mis before long.

[@johnstirret5021]

This sent chills down my spine.

[@nancyarchibald9095]

I noticed in the beginning, right away, that young Cormac is already a gifted singer/performer and well taught musically. His diction and phrasing, more specifically, are well accomplished. I majored in music while in college in the 1970's. I performed a lot with choral acapella groups, madrigal, double mixed octets, and some solo work with the yearly performances of The Messiah. So speaking from my own studies and experiences, I have to appreciate that many of Cormac's techniques take years to learn well. 😅 I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to Cormac's tunes... many, many times over. Keep them coming, young friend. 🎉

[@KimberlysCreative]

Brilliant analysis. I can really relate to Cormac, such a talent. I'm in awe.

[@1010divajap]

everything you said I feel the same. yes the flow is remarkable, the articulation of consonants is crisp without being overdone, and most of all the sound emanating from this boy is just gorgeous. listening to him is an experience. I have sent this to quite a few people, as we are all singers. you just can't replicate this. The Voice is an instrument that you never know what to expect when a person stands there ready to sing. we can predict the general sound of a pianist, or any other orchestral instrument but the voice is completely unique unto the person singing. this boy well I hope once his voice does change that it will continue to be beautiful. some things cannot be explained or fullu understood.

[@markjones9693]

Returned again to watch your analysis. So interesting and I found when listening that you explanation give me more interest and further enjoyment to this wonderful singer.

[@vanja11novisad71]

Your analysis helped me understand why this boy's singing touches me so deeply...

[@heartmommyinpa]

I love to listen to him sing. He has so much emotion when he sings. I follow his KZbin channel. Phenomenal.

[@richardterrell5309]

Your words, compliment of Cormac rang true in my ears with this song when I first heard it just recent, my feeling is that he in this magical period childhood that can never be captured again, unique I notice, how intelligent he moves his voice throughout the song, a difficult thing to do in his angelic innocence to portray the sadness of the moment table now empty. My hope is that sometime later, Cormac can develop a meaningful journiey in singing. He appers to have a natural undeerstanding of tone so imprtant to tell a story, in particular put emphasis without harshness. You can hear it when he is just talking. His tutors have clearly put much attention in guiding him of otherwise an oportunity that would be missed.

[@PELEGON1]

It would be wonderful to hear and see Cormac sing A Bird Without Wings and watch him express the vocal range and depth of meaning of those words. Another beautiful and emotional love song that would surely bring tears to the eyes to many to whom it would connect secularly and spiritually.

[@ecoquilting7077]

I feel even very young children can have a deep sense of pathos and a natural ability to express emotions in song. He has that in addition to his beautiful vocal gifts and learning. I'm okay with kids singing lyrics that are melancholy like this.

[@criselis602]

I really enjoyed your reaction to this piece. It contains so much more detail than nearly any other reaction video I've seen, and I appreciate what I've learned. I thought you might like to see this new video by the same artist, Cormac Thompson. Thank you

[@VFN556]

Angelic boy sopranos are special because the voice only lasts for a finite length of time. It has to be captured as much as possible for posterity, while it lasts. Cormac Thompson is so special and he sings Empty Chairs at Empty Tables beautifully. Thank God he is being captured for posterity.

[@PJL7095]

Funny… I just wrote a very similar post on a another video. It is a rare breed to sing like this. It will all the sudden be gone

[@VFN556]

@@PJL7095 So astute of us to pick up on that............right :)

[@PJL7095]

@@VFN556 I saw another video more recent & his voice is already breaking. He is 13 years old now. His range unfortunately is nowhere near as high as it was when he was younger. Mother Nature can be cruel in a way by taking away such a beautiful sound …. But all young boys must grow up. I am a boys choir director having seen hundreds of boys grow up & move on.

[@VFN556]

@@PJL7095 The one saving grace in Cormac's case is, such a beautiful young voice can only end up being a beautiful adult male voice that we can enjoy for a longer time. Throughout your career you must have witnessed many wonderful transformations........but you are right, it is cruel in a way!

[@CormacThompson]

@@PJL7095 hello, thank you for your kind comments about my voice, i know how lucky i am to have been able to record as many songs as i did in my treble range but i'd just like to say that i don't consider my voice to be breaking, it's such a negative phrase and whilst yes it is a sad thing to lose my treble voice, that is what makes it all the more special. if it was something we kept forever it wouldn't be quite so special and I much prefer to refer to it as my changing voice, which indeed is a term we use much more often here in England, breaking implies a problem and it's s not the most positive word and the only moving on I hope I'll do is to a stronger, older, deeper voice and bigger lungs ☺☺from Cormac 🎵🎵

[@robertspruill3067]

He does have a voice of an angel 🙏

[@florencecurrie7861]

Thank you for analysis!!

[@denisebarnett9724]

Absolutely magical.

[@alicelee3033]

There is a young male singer in China named ZhoShen who also owns such an angelic voice. I would look forward to hearing your reaction to his singings. I am really overwhelmed by the voice of Cormac and at the same time it occurred to me the voice of ZhoShen. I appreciate very much of your detailed and deep analysis of Cormac's "Empty Chairs at the Empty Tables". I was in tears when I heard his song.

[@melindaflick631]

this is about the 3rd time I've listened to Cormac sing this, and it's chokes me up every time, it's just beautiful and such a sad song.

[@gwenvaliadiam]

Gorgeous Vocal!

[@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach]

Yes, Gwen! Thanks for watching ❤

[@gkdresden]

Yes, indeed, Cormac is outstanding in several ways. He has a very good control over his voice and he is capable to work with dynamics, with the flow of music and the sound character of his voice to underline his performance, but not too much, not with artificial affection, in the right measure and in the right way. I've found that he started singing not so long ago. It came by chance due to the separation of the elderly people from the younger ones to keep them safe from Covid infection. So he decited to sing some songs for his Grandmother, because he wanted to bring her some joy into her lonesome days. And it goes as it sometimes goes, someone found him singing on KZbin and the tale goes down the line: there is a unknown boy singing in a very special way.

[@maureenmooney532]

Thank you for share Comac and his Angle Beautiful Gifts of Singing❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@marystacey4796]

I hope this young man continues to blow our minds

[@anitastrother1324]

You have the most beautiful voice and I listen to you every night before I go to sleep. Your parents must be so proud of you!

[@JulieRobb-o2o]

I can't believe I just found this now after a few of my posts on Libera. I have NOT heard & will comment so YOU can get a sense of how we feel waiting for YOUR reactions!!! That offered let's go! !!First . This fine young boy Cormac sings TRULY as if he were feeling/experiencing this , with such raw but powerful emotion. (critical for idol performances). His gift & skill seemingly effortless. ( what I personally look for as a performer shares their gift). Now after finishing ,,,YES to your comments .Even the female/male difference, 😊As a female singing along (even reaching those beautiful high registrs) it could NEVER offer such a sound and in my own opinion is PERFECTION from Cormac. I loved that you chose 'angelic in your post title' & feel assured of this as I listen to libera almost daily)...love their sounds from the film soundtrack of "The Snowman'...".Walking in the air"......................Enjoy IF you listen!!!! Thank you profoundly!!! ........ Beyond .Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!🥇🎶🎼

[@gloriacabeen2819]

Thank you! I watch this every now and then, and it's so inspiring. Thanks be to God!

[@jamesharrison7354]

really enjoyed your analysis of that performance , excellent...

[@ejjohnstone1984]

There has to be a God to give this kind of gift.

[@sandyp4123]

What a wonderful ❤ voice and analysis. It really touched me. Thank you ❤

[@dougsturgess2651]

Yes, it did the same thing to me that it did to you. No words.

[@renaorikou]

ジョナサン　ティナ　コーマック　みんな素敵です　良い歌唱に会えて幸せです

[@whatadollslife]

I watched his video ........ stunning tone

[@peterpiperpicked4785]

Thank you for that very interesting indeed to come from an expert

[@Gillby47]

There used to be a saying "The Tingle Factor",it's that feeing you get when your skin tingles at the sheer beauty of sounds.I certainly tingled at that.😢

[@johnmarja323]

So very beautiful! I was so scared when I heard him sing this song!

[@amandabonhomme]

Wonderful review. The only thing I disagree with is that chidren don't know or understand grief. Childen lose loved ones all the time. We just lost my dad and my husband to covid in 2021 and my son was 12 at the time so the words and the fact that a 12 year old is singing this song is very relatable to us. We literally have two empty chairs in our house. We wept when we first heard this. Cormacs voice has been very healing to us. Comac if you read this comment,thank you so so much.

[@CormacThompson]

I’m very sorry for your sadness 🤍 my singing helping you and your family is a great honour for me 🌹thank you for leaving such a lovely comment 🎶

[@amayastrata4629]

I believe the royalties from this song was donated to covid charities.

[@ReginaVella-h7m]

Perfection ❤❤❤

[@chiusacan18754]

Great Analysis of Cormac's voice. Nothing new in term of the short time allow to them to be boy sopranos. We have to enjoy it knowing that in 4 years they will be gone, and replace by new ones, where the story will repeat it. I am also a baritone, but by aging I can see the intensity of my voice starts breaking down, and I have to accept it, like anyone else involved. At the end of the day "aging" will be "always" a factor in human voices.....

[@roykersey2287]

That was a great analysis of a very well sung performance by Cormac Thompson. He is really great in this rep. I have given my thoughts on his voice elsewhere and will not repeat them. All I will say is that you have to judge him as a chorister against his current peers and his historical peers, of whom there are many, from Alred to Aksel Rykkvin and Cai Thomas. I do hope that his coaches and singing teachers will push him to develop in the classical rep in the short time he has left as a treble.

[@alessandroruggeri5765]

Only... Amazing ❤

[@Annie-cg4hy]

It’s poignant to the point of painful. Every note and every word shaped with meaning and with care. Thank you for the insightful analysis ❤. I’m off to my piano now - which reminds me - a shout out to the beautiful accompaniment, it’s everything I would wish to hear with nothing ‘in the way’.

[@johnmarja323]

Very nice!😊

[@_CAT-lg4sr]

Yes, Cormac is at the top 5% of all the dozens of treble singers I have listened to. Very practiced, skilled and talented. The treble voice is truly angelic. However, you sir seem to have a very good singing voice as well. Maybe a duet with Cormac?

[@DrKCLam-ym8me]

This singing caught me when I was looking for songs to sing myself. I was surprised to have been presented with this singing, That was completely different from the original version which was sung with broken phrases. This was ear catching.

[@markjones9693]

I did enjoy . Thank you

[@jamesc3488]

It reminds me of 2020/2021 where friends took the snakebite and left the earth for good.

[@markjones9693]

Love this. Recommend Diana Navarro Person . Would be interested your thoughts.🙂keep up the great work

[@florencescalabre1709]

It’s just incredibly beautiful , thank you so much ❤

[@robertlewis1576]

I'd love you to check out some of Cai Thomas' stuff as a boy treble. HIs album is called 'Seren'. I think it's quite special! Aksel Rykvin too is outstanding!

[@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach]

Thanks for the comment, Robert! I am aware of both these trebles you mentioned - they are both also brilliant 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@V768-o9n]

Cormack's version of "Empty chairs at empty tables" sounds the best of all recorded on you tube by professional adult singers or actors because the child sings about experiences beyond his age: like death ,mourning of dead friends in the revolution,- which makes it particularly special,-such a young boy shows maturity of an adult, ability to understand what happened and being able to convey this grief in such a mature honoring way ,- which instantly pulls all heart strings ; in addition to his innocent cute looks, angelic voice,that is sometimes so high pitched ,that no doubt carries the listeners to the spiritual realms

[@donnanixon3314]

Powerful sweetness.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Our Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey, back when I was a decani chorister, told us that the special quality in treble voices was mainly because we had fuller chest voices than young girl sopranos. Of course, this always brought giggles among the older boys. Our voice test asked us to sing F3 to C6, which is a range most teen and pre-teen girls cannot reach well. Cormac has an ideal treble tembre.

[@ramaswamyadisesh6848]

Good analysis. One thing I have not been able to figure out is, there is a lot of emotion in that song. I am not sure how he infuses that emotion into the songs he sings. Many times I have listened to this song by other artists, and it sounds more like someone is just making a plain statement.

[@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach]

Yes, he definitely did feel what the song says, in a very mature and natural way!

[@JostAndre]

Cormac is just fantastic 🥰

[@milojevicsvetlana9533]

I cry every time I listen to this song. Thank You for the analysis. I wish You make the reaction and analysis to Dimash Kudaibergian, SOS song or Ave Maria 🙏

[@artful1967]

You should revisit his developing voice in his verson of "Titanium"

[@markjones9693]

❤️

[@malkwinter8998]

The last time i heard such a beautiful boy's voice was Anthony Way from st. Paul's cathedral, remember?, but very blurry, they used bad cameras

[@gerharddutoit9548]

I just subscribe now for the first time....... new to this channel. Did you analys - the boy soprano Luca Brugnoli, also from the UK ?

[@burthuffman2802]

Just, omg.

[@malkwinter8998]

I'm mighty glad that a lot of Cormac's songs have been recorded with high quality cameras & sound equipment, unlike Anthony Way's songs, just about lost to history because of the poor-quality equipment used.

[@donna30044]

Cormac Thompson was born sometime in 2009.

[@ncox001]

A can't listen to the recording from Cormac without being overwhelmed

[@alisonwade7172]

Girl choristers are also in the competition.

[@trishtraynor]

Girls too!!

[@LoveMusic-pd5iz]

I hope you find time to comment on Cormac's changed voice.

[@susanap.tinsay6316]

SUBLIME!

[@peterd788]

50 years ago I was a lead treble and the funny thing was that I approached singing as purely a technical thing. I really didn't understand much of the underlying emotion of a piece. My music teacher used that as a reason why girls shouldn't be in the chorus because they matured emotionally faster than boys and that maturity made it wrong. It was entirely a technical thing when I was 13. I also knew what I did was never going to exist forever and it didn't so then I stopped singing.

[@dgschindele]

Cormac's voice reminds me of a fine woodwind instrument. Perhaps a flute? Maybe an oboe?

[@harryabelpotter9630]

The high G (24th fret of the G-string) = 392Hz.

[@bartlettje]

😥😥😥

[@miaherridge8587]

Can you please react to Voice Kids UK 2019 Ryan Performs Dancing In The Dark Ryan is also in the band called The Tyne

[@JohanBesterYourVocalCoach]

Thanks for the comment, Mia - I'll check it out!

[@vivianjames9925]

I absolutely love his voice. I don't think Cathedral Choristers are allowed to enter Young Chorister of the Year - at least they weren't allowed to 35 years ago when my sons were Cathedral choristers. They aren't allowed to do their own recordings either, without permission - they even have to get permission to sing at someone's wedding.

[@vickilindberg6336]

Of course he's exceptional. To start, he's ginger.

[@BlueZebra1955]

It's odd that people keep saying "he/she sounds like an angel." How do we know what an angel sounds like? Also, there is a reason for copyright. 😜

[@Tanya-cb6vj]

Я из ,, русского мира,, , этот ребенок меня потрясает. Почему Вы так много говорите?

[@Chimel31]

It's his best song so far indeed. You didn't mention his British accent, which to me, adds to the beauty of this interpretation. I love his "o" in "on and on", "gone", "more" or "for", for instance. I discovered Thompson a couple years ago, listening to alternate interpretations to Howard Blake's "Walking in the air". I still prefer Blake, who is more from a classical choir, rolling his "r" like a Shakespeare actor. Of course, the song itself and the whole Misérables context make it all the more emotional.

[@elisabethforsberg9027]

Dont remember at he was in the misirable

[@weirdhuman7008]

Ya baby

[@DraganGrazic]

A few 100 years ago, he might have become a castrato.

[@sherrryann]

It could've also applied to school mass shootings for young kids. It's sad they have so many tragedies that they have options to choose from...

[@blaubar]

Beautyfull voice, really. Nevertheless the song makes no sense with an innocent little boy.