Education Report.(MUSIC: "Cabaret")The word cabaret bringsto mind images of singersin nightclubs,or maybe Liza Minnelliperforming years agoin the movie "Cabaret."What the word does not bringto mind is college dormitories,dining halls andearly morning classes.But for the past eight summers,hopeful singers have come tothe International CabaretConference at Yale University.Think of itas a cabaret training campin New Haven, Connecticut.The artistic directoris Erv Raible, a club ownerin New York City.He says cabaret is a deeplyemotional experience for a singer.ERV RAIBLE: "The intimacy of it,I think, is the most important part.The fact that, unlike any othergenre in the entertainment world,you actually go into a roomwhere you go out of there feelinglike you know the person.You know something about them.They have touched your heart."Learning how to touch the heartmay be the main goalof the conference.But the students also learnhow to dress anddo their hair and makeup.And they learn about sound,lighting and marketing.The thirty-eight students this yearwere ages sixteen to sixty-six.They came from all over theUnited States and other countries.Harold Sanditen is fromthe state of Oklahoma.He began his professional lifeas an investment banker.HAROLD SANDITEN: "Then I becamea theater producer for twenty yearsin London and I gave thatup three years ago to start singing,which is what I wanted to doin the very first place,but I never had the confidence."Harold Sanditen and his classmateshad the chance to spend nine daysworking with top music directorsand cabaret artists.They included Laurel Masse,an original member of the singinggroup Manhattan Transfer,and Faith Prince,a Tony Award-winning actress.So now it is time forthe first performance session.Mr. Sanditen tries hisown version of a Beatles song.(SOUND)Faith Prince likes it, but ...FAITH PRINCE: "I need youto not close your eyes.I feel like you'reclosing your eyeson the most important contact."Mr. Sanditen nods his headin agreement and tries again.His classmate, Lindsay Sutherland Boal,is a singer from Vancouver, Canada.She trained in opera.But she changed her mind andbecame interested in cabaret singing.(SOUND)The teachers think she soundstoo theatrical at times.They work with her through a weekof fourteen-hour days.Ms. Boal says:"It's not important,frankly, to be a singerto be a cabaret artist.It's all about storytellingand while I, of course,I knew that before, I understandthat at a much deeper level now."On the last night, all the studentshave three minutes to show whatthey have learned in frontof a paying audience.The concert is called"Cabaret Stars of Tomorrow."And that's the VOA Special EnglishEducation Report.