Former UCO graduate taught Idol star

EDMOND — One University of Central Oklahoma graduate and vocal teacher hasn’t missed one episode of “American Idol” this year as Jordin Sparks, her previous student, battles for the title.

Melissa Black earned her bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma City University and her master’s in vocal music education from the University of Central Oklahoma. She also attended the Aims Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, to study opera and classical music.

Black later moved to Arizona and opened an all female vocal studio, Music by Melissa, in 1996. It was there that she met 14-year-old Sparks.

The teenager’s mother and grandmother had searched the Internet for a vocal teacher that could help refine her voice. Sparks had never had voice lessons.

Sparks already had been auditioning for shows, including Star Search where she made it to the finals. But the teen was ready to move on to bigger and better things.

“I had somebody almost perfect when she got here,” Black said.

Black said she just helped Sparks along.

One thing that made Sparks a unique student was the maturity of her voice made her sound older than she actually was.

“That goes along with the person inside,” Black said. “She’s got the best morals and standards.”

Black said the now 17-year-old sounds she like she’s 25-30-years-old.

After five months of lessons with Black, Sparks went on to audition for America’s Most Talented Kid and Arizona Idol, which she won. After winning Arizona Idol, she was promised an audition in Seattle for American Idol. She is now competing against 25-year-old Blake Lewis as one of the two finalists for the national title.

“It was always her intent to go to the top,” Black said.

Black said she’s one of Sparks’ many supporters. She said one of Arizona’s malls has a viewing party, which thousands attend each week.

Sparks is no stranger to the public eye, Black said. She is also the daughter of former New York Giants cornerback Phillippi Sparks.

Black said American Idol has made Sparks grow in the way of handling the stress and responsibility of such a popular television show.

She said watching Sparks’ success makes her feel like she did something right. The voice teacher said she thinks Sparks will win but she has been wrong before.

The winner will annouced on the two-hour American Idol finale, which starts at 7 p.m. tonight.