I'm getting more and more thrilled about this summer. I'm really looking forward to improving as much as I can AND I also just found out that a friend of mine from grad school will be there- her boyfriend too. It'll be great to see her again. She's such a postive person to be around with such a commitment to her voice and the music. I can't wait to hear the progress in her voice. I've decided to drive out. Then I can stop and see the family in Cleveland and Cincinnati on the way. Maybe even stop at the cemetery where Hazel is buried. We'll see. It would provide me with the perfect spots in which to break up the trip!

It's Memorial Day (celebrated, that is) in 2003 and I'm looking forward to spending part of my summer in Indiana working on this craziness we call a theatrical career. I absolutely love it - even when I'm on a 10 foot platform with no railing in the back and I'm petrified every minute. I was proud of myself: I really came a long way in conquering my fear of heights during MacBeth. I would never have been able to do it, though, without the assistance of my fellow choristers. I actually walked across the platform by myself before our final rehearsal. Had to stop once in the center, but I made it. (You guys are all faboo - just in case you didn't know that already!)


Anyhoo - about Indiana. I'll be at Rising Star Singer's Audition Works. Two lessons a week, two coachings a week, private diction lessons (with Patrice!!!!), acting,

movement, and 3 concerts in 3 weeks, among other activities. I'm getting anxious to find out what I'll be singing for the concerts! In the meantime, I've got the church gig, the June 8th CMM benefit (Glitter and Be Gay and Make Your Garden Grow. I almost can put Cunegonde down as a role I've studied!), and the Female Charitable Society Annual Meeting. I'll be singing most of my audition arias in a low pressure situation and getting paid (depending on how much the accompanist wants) for it to boot. So far: Baby Doe's Willow Song, Caro nome, Olympia and something more relaxed. Maybe One Kiss (the Romberg). I need something semi-familiar to the general membership. Or something more musical theaterish. Glitter's just too long to consider for inclusion, if that's what you're thinking. Then I go to Indiana!

I had a huge AW style lesson tonight. I went to our local library to accompany one of my students at the monthly open mike night and wound up in the middle of a wonderful artist’s date! People got up and sang or played whatever style they felt like. Some were good, some needed work - but all were appreciated. (I even got praised for my piano playing, but we won’t get into that...)



My first lesson came from a gentleman who had a massive stroke back in August. I’m told he’s a fabulous guitar player: it was evident, even though he didn’t play anything terribly complicated on the guitar and the left side of his body still isn’t fully useable, from what I’m told. (You wouldn’t have known it by me - I only wish I could play guitar that well!). He also decided to pick up the autoharp a few weeks ago, just to give him a musical outlet that wouldn’t rely on his left hand as much as the guitar does. Nothing is going to stop him from making music.



My second lesson came from my student. I arrived to find a freaked out student (”My voice is cracking, I won’t sing tonight”, etc), thinking she couldn’t even get through the one song, and then I found out that they would be *taping tonight for the public access channel* (!!) and that usually people had a whole set ready to go. I reminded her to relax and breathe and also told her that whatever she decided to to was fine with me. I also suggested that if she was willing, I’d help her work up a set for the following month - she’s got the rep in her voice to do that easily. She initially wasn’t going to do it, but with very little drama about it (unlike me :-), she signed up and did it. She knew it might not be perfect, but got up because she knew this was a good place to get the experience she needs. I need that kind of moxie.



An accepting group, performances that came from the heart and expressed the emotion of the text/music, people having fun making music. Wow. What a kick in the kiester that was.


While talking with the organizers afterwards, the subject of my nerves came up. To make this growing story short, I’ll be singing a few of my English language art songs at next month’s gathering. Talk about syncronicity!

Well, it turned out that I had a mono-related virus. I'm still not functioning fully vocally speaking. It's driving me crazy. Ah, well. Slow and steady wins the race. Better not to push a lot and be able to sing later rather than blow it all for momentary glory.


I'm still so thrilled about my acceptance to Rising Star for the summer. Nothing but training, training, training. 3 weeks to spend time on nothing but the voice. It'll be a good experience.


I'm a bit nervous about the concert coming up this week. I'm only singing one piece, but still - it's Baby Doe. I'd love to play that part, and I want people to hear me at my best on it. Well, back to work. More later when I've got time.

Now that things have calmed down a bit more, I’ve discovered that trying to get back into MP’s are harder than I thought (but they’ve been a struggle for me the last couple of rounds that we’ve had through the book.) I actually didn’t do *any* this week, but intend to rectify that!



I am doing this because I know I can achieve more that I have been in my performing career, and I really feel this is the career where God wants me to be. It’s performing where I feel the most like me - not teaching music in the public schools, which is where I was before leaving to get an MM in vocal performance due to the suggestion of a wonderfully supportive voice teacher. However, I can be the worst critic for myself and tend not to believe that I *can* do this career, despite the best support from some wonderful people in the business. The Artist’s Way was suggested by my current teacher.



Artist’s Date: we did our outreach show for an Arts Festival supported by a local church (their gift to the community). It’s a juried visual arts show with free performing arts concerts - all local artists. I went early and used the time to wander through the exhibits, which was a nice, peaceful time. No major breakthroughs, but it was a wonderful time to breathe and relax before a performance.



Synchronicity: probably the Artist’s Date. I wasn’t supposed to be the one performing my role at that performance, so I wouldn’t have been at the art show. All in all, it worked out well, and I have extra paycheck coming in.



Goals:

1. continue AW and FlyLady - special focus on morning pages!

2. exercise: continue to use yoga breathing tape for energy.

3. practice for FUUS concert 5/17: Baby Doe: “Willow Song” (rehearse with accompanist)

4. practice for Benefit concert in June for CMM: “Glitter and be Gay” and add “Make Our Garden Grow”

5. Keep organizing music, etc for Rising Star

5a. Send deposit to Rising Star

6. Put together copies of music for late June mini recital for local charitable organization. Use summer program rep and get it to accompanist. Set up rehearsal for 2 weeks from now.

7. Keep up with early bedtime.

With both Dido and MacBeth, I’ve been taking everything else pretty easy (especially while still under the recovery process!). MacBeth’s final performance is tomorrow - we got a 4 star in the paper this morning. Everything AW (and FlyLady for me too!) had been pushed to the side as I’ve been sleeping a lot and just focusing on performing - even subbing for an afternoon - 2 45 min. music theory classes, the lunch and planning periods just wiped me out. So, I’m going to get back on track this week. (starting Monday morning!).



Oh - and the result of my Dido and Aeneas dilemma from a few weeks back: the performance was okay. My mom said I wasn’t as strong as I usually am. Usually she’ll just say: “Oh, you were wonderful, dear!” no matter what, so it’s a step forward for her. But if there was any question in anyone’s mind, I am *Not* a mezzo :-). Everyone else sang beautifully - the Belinda graduated from the same high school I did a few years after me (I had just graduated college and was subbing at my old HS) - we even worked with the same teacher for a while. It was a real treat to hear how her voice has simply blossomed!



The following AW related things did happen:



Synchronicity: my high school chorus teacher handed me a large bag when I walked in for the aforementioned 1/2 day of subbing and said “Here’s a present for all the help you’ve given me this year.” It was a huge home spa kit that has been greatly appreciated during my recovery. My artist dates, at least, have been kept up!



And my major news: (drum roll): I received my formal acceptance letter to study at Rising Star Singers’ Audition Works from July 19-August 7. The acceptance letter was so positive (”The faculty unanimously accepts your application....”) that it totally made up for all the rejection letters during the recent YAP audition season!!



Goals:

1. Restart AW and FlyLady

2. exercise - use yoga breathing tape if still too tired

3. practice for FUUS concert: “Now...Later...Soon” and Baby Doe’s “Willow Song” (schedule rehearsals with accompanist)

4. practice for Benefit concert in June for CMM: “Glitter and be Gay”

5. Organize music, etc for Rising Star

6. Contact accompanist for late June mini recital for local charitable organization, discuss possible rep. (use summer program rep as much as possible)

7. Friday performance of outreach show (in my hometown - finally!)