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About Francine BellBrooklyn, New York-born and raised, Francine Bell started singing at the age of 5. Significantly influenced by years of singing in church, she later joined the High School of Music and Art (part of New York’s School of Performing Arts, the inspiration for the film, stage production, and television series ‘Fame’) where she studied voice. To sharpen her skills, she joined the Actors’ Music Workshop in New York. In 1980, with $52 dollars and a one-way airline ticket in hand, she set out to discover a new life, language and culture: destination, Paris, France. Within a month of her arrival, she was hired as a resident singer at ‘Le Chevalier du Temple’. To enrich her performance, Francine studied French at L’Université de la Sorbonne in Paris. During the opening season of Paris’ exclusive ‘Champagne Club’, Francine was spotted by Jacques Martin (France’s equivalent to Ray Martin) and was invited to appear on ‘Thé Dansant’, a leading French weekly television show. She recorded a successful self-titled album as a result of her popularity on the show. Francine also starred for six weeks in ‘Grand Hotel’ at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club, playing before the Royal Family. Since her arrival in Australia, Francine has starred in theatre, films, television, commercials, corporate videos and functions, music clips and voice-overs for Australia and the overseas market. Her film work includes roles in the long-awaited epic ‘Superman Returns’, ‘Matrix Revolutions’ and a co-starring role in ‘The Wilde Girls’, opposite Olivia Newton-John. Francine played the role of ‘Kebo Akuna’ in the Logie-winning television series ‘All Saints’. Francine was the featured soloist for ‘The World of Accor ’ (Accor Hotels) and has just returned from a successful tour of Europe with the Beethoven Choir. Francine was the soloist for the 80th Birthday celebrations of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Parliament House in Sydney and and was the featured soloist at the official opening of Lou’s Place (Mission Australia) with Prime Minister John Howard. She has just released her first book, Lights Camera! Action! (Koel Koel Publications). Francine was an in-flight News Presenter for Qantas Airlines on all flights to the US and Canada. The University of Newcastle School of Music and Drama: The Conservatorium honored Francine when they invited her to join their teaching staff. Francine taught contemporary singing and lectured in Contemporary Performance and Presentation for ten years at the university, and was the first contemporary singing teacher in its history. She was the Director of the Newcastle Conservatorium Gospel ‘Quar’ (Choir) for 4 years. Francine toured South Korea with The Newcastle Conservatorium Chamber Choir and taught master classes in gospel music, contemporary performance and presentation at Kimpo College, Kwangshin University, and Seoul Theological University while there. Francine was recently invited to be a guest professor at Kwangshin University.
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In 1996, Francine began the Francine Bell Performance Workshop. This workshop was designed to improve performance skills and to build confidence in Australia’s up and coming ‘stars’. Since starting the workshops, Francine has taught stagecraft and performance skills to numerous singers and actors in the Hunter region, Sydney and overseas. She has acted as a Consultant for The Australian School of Vocal Performance, The Hunter School of Performing Arts and Queenwood School for Girls. Francine is also a consultant for the Talent Development Project, funded by the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Ministry for the Arts. Francine has adjudicated for The McDonald’s Performing Arts Challenge (City of Sydney Cultural Council). Francine has also been featured as a workshop presenter in Newcastle Music Week for TAFE (Hunter Institute). An award-winning gospel singer/songwriter, Francine has toured around the churches of the world. She was a soloist and speaker at the inaugural Symposium on Sacred Music in Canberra. Francine was the featured artist in the sell-out success ‘Oh Happy Day’ in New Caledonia, which was recorded for television and screened by Antenne 2. Her appearance singing jazz gospel accompanied by Jazz Serenade, featuring the late, world-renowned jazz trumpeter Tom Baker, at The Newcastle Jazz Festival was said to be ‘...an artistic triumph’ by the organizers. In Australia, she has continued her work in this area performing Negro Spirituals at The Sydney Opera House and The Sydney and Newcastle Entertainment Centres and Civic Theatre. She performed in and co-hosted the inaugural Australian Gospel Music Awards with Glenn A. Baker at Homebush Stadium. Francine received five nominations and won 2 awards at the event at The National Gallery in Canberra. Her recordings include Together for Christmas, Jesus Told Me I Can Fly and The Highway. In 2003, Francine was awarded The Golden Gospel Award for her contribution to gospel music in Australia. The previous winner was Jimmy Little. Francine has made several appearances on Turn ‘Round Australia and Rise & Shine (The Wesley Mission, Nine Network). She was a featured artist Gospel Music Festivals in Port Macquarie, NSW and Toowoomba, Queensland. She plays the role of Elizabeth on the CD, Bible Oz-The Gospel Story’ which also features fellow Christians Tommy Emmanuel, Jimmy Little, and Grammy-Award Winning Singer/Songwriter, Darlene Zschech from Hillsong Australia. She has conducted workshops for the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) School of Music and is quickly gaining popularity as a Christian Speaker and Performer in Australia and New Zealand. A former international fashion model, Francine has acted as presenter for numerous functions including fashion parades with the ex-Miss Australia/Miss World, Belinda Green. She was also featured as Fashion Editor on the Nine network show, This Mornin’. Francine has appeared in many ‘Carols by Candlelight’ productions around Australia, notably seven consecutive years in An Australian Christmas at Darling Harbour. She also performed in The Premier’s Christmas Concert with Tommy Tycho and The Sydney International Orchestra at The Sydney Entertainment Centre with Anthony Warlow. She was Co-Producer, Casting Director, Compere and Special Guest Artist for ‘Carols by Candlelight’ at the Sydney Adventist Hospital for two years running. Charity work plays a big part in Francine’s life. She has performed and raised funds for numerous charity organizations. Francine was invited by Out There Productions (Sydney) to conduct a Master Class for Father Chris Riley and Youth Off The Streets. Francine was the special guest soloist for Rev. Dr. The Hon.Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C., at his farewell addresses in Newcastle and at Sydney Town Hall. Francine was guest soloist at the Australian National Prayer Breakfast at The Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra, in 2005. |
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