Long Time Without a Post...again...

This month was NOT so boring that I didn't have anything to post about.
It was so busy that I didn't have time..plus STILL no internet (RCN is about to get the strongest worded letter I've ever written...). But it doesn't matter, since I will be in Cincinnati with Jon in just 3 weeks! I landed a job and therefore am able to move earlier than expected.

Here's a recap on this awesome month:

-2 weeks with Opera for the Young, performing Pirates of Penzance. Which is really an amazing company to work for and with. The first week of October, I was in rehearsal with them, and I just now came off of a week long tour throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. There were some GEMS of questions that kids came up with; some were about details of the show ("why is February such a beastly month?") and some were just plain cute (Kindergartener raises hand and, when called on, proudly proclaims "I likeded the show"). I will be touring with them throughout the winter and spring as well, and am thrilled with how fun it is. It reaffirms my career choice on a daily basis.

-World premier performance of Kyong-Me Choi's "The Eternal Tao." This Guggenheim funded production was performed last Friday, October 22, and was the most difficult piece of music I've ever had to sing on stage. Dr. Choi employed extended techniques such as sprechstimme and hummed chromatic scales, and had orchestra, electronics, recorded sounds, and singers. Somehow it all came together and we had a fantastic performance. I definitely had to push my ears and rhythm to the limit in order to prepare for this piece, and it's nice to know I have that capacity.

-I also had a couple of auditions/competitions...and many more to follow. This is always the hardest time of year for me...learning to separate Myself as a person from what I do. It's a recurring theme here, but it is difficult to have such a personal aspect of yourself judged on a regular basis, and yet maintain high esteem and what I heard referred to as "courage" this past week. I never thought of audition season as a courageous time, and I think that will help my process this season. At any rate, I'm proud of what I've accomplished this past year. Hopefully my momentum will continue.

Now, to bed. I have a consultation/lesson tomorrow with the man who I hope will be my new voice teacher once I move to Cincy for good.

Ok, not having internet is getting ridiculous....

I spoke to another friendly yet ultimately unhelpful RCN technical assistant yesterday. GAH.

Last week I was up in Madison, rehearsing for and launching Opera For The Young's 2010-2011 tour of Pirates of Penzance! It was a FANTASTIC week. All the singers are great and the staff are some of the kindest, most fun people I've ever met. I tried to blog from my hotel room there but kept getting caught up in rehearsing/socializing/sleeping.

I will tour Madison and come down to the burbs of Chicago during the last week of October. Check my website for locations of my public performances!