Jon and I open our recital tomorrow night at Bethany Church in Chicago.
I am prepared for this one. The difference between this recital and previous ones is...I learned all the music for it in about 6 weeks. This is half of my normal music-learning time. It is a testament to putting in HOURS of training, to be as comfortable with 6-week learned music as I was with 3 months.
Not much else to say...it promises to be an exciting weekend!
Now to shoot for 10 hours of glorious pre-recital sleep.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
This crazy business of show.....
The last 3 days have been QUITE eventful...not sure if I can accurately recap, but I'll try:
-the family in France accepted me!
-I sent off materials (passport copy etc.) to be processed by the agency.
-was beside myself with excitement over living so CLOSE to Geneva for almost a year
Then, this morning:
-got an email from a YAP that I thought had turned me down, but turns out I was waitlisted and...I got in!
-the problem is it runs for 6 months....3 two month shifts (it's triple-cast)
now, I know none of this is a "problem"....I'm not lying around saying "Oh, poor me, I simply CAN'T go to France yet because I am in such demand HERE"...it's more a matter of impeccable cosmic timing - or mistiming.
So, I'm trying to finagle everything, like the multi-tasker extraordinaire that I fancy myself to be. I am trying to keep my October opera, do this tour, and simply push back going to france until early next year.
Wish me luck! oh, and while luck is being wished for that, Please come see/wish luck for:
recital in Mary Sauer's studio tomorrow night, Fine Arts Building, Chicago
S.O.N.G. recital with Beacon Street Chamber, Sunday, 3pm, Fine Arts Building, Chicago
recital with Jon and Eric Hiller, Thursday, 7:30pm, UCC Bethany Church, 4250 N. Paulina st. Chicago
and
Sunday, 3pm, Resurrection Lutheran Church, 3303 N. Seminary Ave., Chicago
POWERing through this next week. woot.
-the family in France accepted me!
-I sent off materials (passport copy etc.) to be processed by the agency.
-was beside myself with excitement over living so CLOSE to Geneva for almost a year
Then, this morning:
-got an email from a YAP that I thought had turned me down, but turns out I was waitlisted and...I got in!
-the problem is it runs for 6 months....3 two month shifts (it's triple-cast)
now, I know none of this is a "problem"....I'm not lying around saying "Oh, poor me, I simply CAN'T go to France yet because I am in such demand HERE"...it's more a matter of impeccable cosmic timing - or mistiming.
So, I'm trying to finagle everything, like the multi-tasker extraordinaire that I fancy myself to be. I am trying to keep my October opera, do this tour, and simply push back going to france until early next year.
Wish me luck! oh, and while luck is being wished for that, Please come see/wish luck for:
recital in Mary Sauer's studio tomorrow night, Fine Arts Building, Chicago
S.O.N.G. recital with Beacon Street Chamber, Sunday, 3pm, Fine Arts Building, Chicago
recital with Jon and Eric Hiller, Thursday, 7:30pm, UCC Bethany Church, 4250 N. Paulina st. Chicago
and
Sunday, 3pm, Resurrection Lutheran Church, 3303 N. Seminary Ave., Chicago
POWERing through this next week. woot.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
A Different Direction?
So, I'm at a bit of an impasse with my life at the moment...I have a couple of years to hang out waiting for my voice to finish developing enough for my career to start and I don't really want to hang out here.
Here, meaning the U.S.
Solution?
Move to Europe!
I've decided to au pair in Italy or France (probably France) after my October opera finishes. I think it will be good to really solidify one of the languages I've studied and have to sing in all the time, and see what life as an opera singer is like in a country where opera is an integral part of their history and still considered a popular art form.
I realize that this move will pose new challenges; the "game" of getting an opera career started is slightly different over there than here, but some things are the same: I will start by finding a teacher that I work well with and trust, and speak to several of my friends that have moved to Europe to try their hand at getting their careers started over there. I want to be careful to not lose the motivation and momentum I have gained this year simply by working hard, networking and seeking out any and every opportunity to sing.
At the very least, this should make for some interesting blog posts!
Here, meaning the U.S.
Solution?
Move to Europe!
I've decided to au pair in Italy or France (probably France) after my October opera finishes. I think it will be good to really solidify one of the languages I've studied and have to sing in all the time, and see what life as an opera singer is like in a country where opera is an integral part of their history and still considered a popular art form.
I realize that this move will pose new challenges; the "game" of getting an opera career started is slightly different over there than here, but some things are the same: I will start by finding a teacher that I work well with and trust, and speak to several of my friends that have moved to Europe to try their hand at getting their careers started over there. I want to be careful to not lose the motivation and momentum I have gained this year simply by working hard, networking and seeking out any and every opportunity to sing.
At the very least, this should make for some interesting blog posts!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Funny Story
as the spring weather has slowly come to Chicago, I've taken out my bike and started getting some exercise as I go about my day. Not only is it physically and environmentally friendly, but it gives me a chance to mentally reflect on important things in my life. These days, the most important thing is my upcoming recital with Jon. I have a LOT of music to memorize, and, while biking, I've been going over words and music in my head...or so I thought.
Maybe I can't differentiate between in my head and aloud, because when I stopped at a traffic light tonight while riding home, I noticed a man in a car on the adjacent street looking at me. I looked back at him and he asked "was that your voice?" Then I realized I had actually been singing phrases aloud instead of just going over them mentally. I answered "...yes?" and he said "well it's beautiful."
And I rode home with a spring in my pedal.
Maybe I can't differentiate between in my head and aloud, because when I stopped at a traffic light tonight while riding home, I noticed a man in a car on the adjacent street looking at me. I looked back at him and he asked "was that your voice?" Then I realized I had actually been singing phrases aloud instead of just going over them mentally. I answered "...yes?" and he said "well it's beautiful."
And I rode home with a spring in my pedal.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Waiting Dreams
I did my Elgin callback yesterday for their production of Dido and Aenaes. I sang for two roles...Belinda and Second Woman. It went quite well. And now I play the waiting game.
Singers have different methods of dealing with the 'wait time' between audition and notification. I like to try and sleep a lot. But sleeping brings on these weird dreams of audition results with various outcomes, some awesome, some not so awesome.
Either way it's going to be a great summer. The Elgin program is great, the Boheme will be fantastic, and I will be adding super cool things to my resume.
Singers have different methods of dealing with the 'wait time' between audition and notification. I like to try and sleep a lot. But sleeping brings on these weird dreams of audition results with various outcomes, some awesome, some not so awesome.
Either way it's going to be a great summer. The Elgin program is great, the Boheme will be fantastic, and I will be adding super cool things to my resume.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
1 out of 2...so far!!
So I had my Musetta callback Monday, and shortly thereafter received an email welcoming me to the Verismo Opera Club of Chicago!
For those of you who haven't heard of it, the Verismo Opera Club of Chicago is a new company showcasing awesome singers doing awesome operas of Verdi, Puccini, and other verismo composers. It's a new company being headed up by a couple of pro singers in Chicago who are interested in getting to the core of an operatic performance and encouraging total collaboration between singers, instrumentalists, and production staff. Their premiere performance is Boheme, this August from the 13-15. And I get to be their Musetta!
I am especially happy to be a part of this company because it means my reputation is starting to catch on. I heard about and was invited to participate in this project based on an audition for a completely separate company. But everyone in this business seems to know everyone else, and if you make a good impression, as I guess I did, then things can start happening for you rather quickly.
So I'm thrilled! and now back to preparing for Saturday's Dido and Aneas callback.
For those of you who haven't heard of it, the Verismo Opera Club of Chicago is a new company showcasing awesome singers doing awesome operas of Verdi, Puccini, and other verismo composers. It's a new company being headed up by a couple of pro singers in Chicago who are interested in getting to the core of an operatic performance and encouraging total collaboration between singers, instrumentalists, and production staff. Their premiere performance is Boheme, this August from the 13-15. And I get to be their Musetta!
I am especially happy to be a part of this company because it means my reputation is starting to catch on. I heard about and was invited to participate in this project based on an audition for a completely separate company. But everyone in this business seems to know everyone else, and if you make a good impression, as I guess I did, then things can start happening for you rather quickly.
So I'm thrilled! and now back to preparing for Saturday's Dido and Aneas callback.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Work...and Breathe
Exciting month coming up now...
I have 2 callbacks in the next 2 weeks; one for Elgin opera festival and one for Verismo Opera of Chicago. I am fairly confident about both, but you never know in this business who you're up against. I'm taking steps to ensure I give my best at these; I've had 2 coachings on my rep and will have at least 1 more before the callbacks. If I succeed at these, it will make my resume look pretty good for next season's auditions.
I have an audition for a good company at the end of this month as well. I'd like to think that I've turned a corner this year in how well I audition...I'm trying to get it so my audition actually IS an accurate representation of how I sing in performance. It helps to think of auditions AS performances, naturally, and I am also learning not to let too much ride - mentally - on how a particular audition goes.
I also have a recital with Jon at the end of May! We are securing venues and rehearsing our tails off so it will be successful. I'm doing a mix of Lieder and operatic arias, and a couple of scenes with Jon as well.
And, in the midst of all this, I'm trying to fix a technical issue which has plagued my singing for as long as I can remember...my breathing. Breath support is the key to good singing - if you are able to breathe well and sustain phrases, this means your posture is good, your laryngeal position is good, and therefore your tone should be good. Once all those things are lined up, I can stop worrying about technique and focus on the character and music of a piece. It recently came to my attention that my breathing issues are probably stemming all the way from my feet. My feet are constantly turned out, and have been for as long as I remember. My turned out feet come from my turned out hips which I acquired through years of dance and gymnastic training. And now it's sabotaging my singing. I'm apparently cutting off my lower support by squeezing my gluteal muscles and that is causing me to breathe high and stack my air, eventually squeezing my larynx too high and THEN I can't phonate.
Lots of big words but what it means is I'm shortchanging my air tank. So now I'm practicing pronation (turning my hips in)when I sing. It's a slow process...I need to undo about 6 years of standing wrong...but it should fix a lot if I stick with it.
I have 2 callbacks in the next 2 weeks; one for Elgin opera festival and one for Verismo Opera of Chicago. I am fairly confident about both, but you never know in this business who you're up against. I'm taking steps to ensure I give my best at these; I've had 2 coachings on my rep and will have at least 1 more before the callbacks. If I succeed at these, it will make my resume look pretty good for next season's auditions.
I have an audition for a good company at the end of this month as well. I'd like to think that I've turned a corner this year in how well I audition...I'm trying to get it so my audition actually IS an accurate representation of how I sing in performance. It helps to think of auditions AS performances, naturally, and I am also learning not to let too much ride - mentally - on how a particular audition goes.
I also have a recital with Jon at the end of May! We are securing venues and rehearsing our tails off so it will be successful. I'm doing a mix of Lieder and operatic arias, and a couple of scenes with Jon as well.
And, in the midst of all this, I'm trying to fix a technical issue which has plagued my singing for as long as I can remember...my breathing. Breath support is the key to good singing - if you are able to breathe well and sustain phrases, this means your posture is good, your laryngeal position is good, and therefore your tone should be good. Once all those things are lined up, I can stop worrying about technique and focus on the character and music of a piece. It recently came to my attention that my breathing issues are probably stemming all the way from my feet. My feet are constantly turned out, and have been for as long as I remember. My turned out feet come from my turned out hips which I acquired through years of dance and gymnastic training. And now it's sabotaging my singing. I'm apparently cutting off my lower support by squeezing my gluteal muscles and that is causing me to breathe high and stack my air, eventually squeezing my larynx too high and THEN I can't phonate.
Lots of big words but what it means is I'm shortchanging my air tank. So now I'm practicing pronation (turning my hips in)when I sing. It's a slow process...I need to undo about 6 years of standing wrong...but it should fix a lot if I stick with it.
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