This week was jam packed with rehearsals and concerts. On Sunday we had a rehearsal then I was asked to learn a descant for one of the songs. Two cool things about the descant: it was for a song that I had first heard on one of Dolhai Atilla’s albums and it included the highest note I’ve ever performed - G above high C! The concerts on Tuesday and Wednesday were great. I had a “nunc dimittis” moment on Wednesday when someone told me he could “die happy after hearing the descant.” As complimentary as that was, no dying is necessary 😂😂. Our final concert was Saturday night. I was worried because I woke up with a scratchy throat which has continued to get worse. Luckily, I was able to sing above it and the descant (and rest of the concert) was good. Or so people tell me... those notes always sound awful in my head. Now I’m ready to get extra sleep and rest my voice for the next week ... until rehearsals start for our Christmas concerts!
In the rest of my life, I’ve been struggling to catch up my class from when they were sick. I’m not used to being confined to a pacing calendar and it’s been stressful trying to double up lessons to rush through everything so I’m on the same page as the other teachers. It’s hard to feel like a good teacher when I have to rush through things even when I know the students are struggling to understand. I wish I had more time to help them really learn all of the topics.
Showing posts with label Singing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Singing. Show all posts
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Monday, September 24, 2018
Sawdust carpets, concerts, and the flu
Luckily, the flu wasn’t me. Unluckily, it was 13 of my 25 students. Ten of them were out at the same time two weeks ago. That’s left me playing catch up because of our strict pacing schedule. We are getting closer to being back on track but not there yet. Hopefully, by the end of this week we will be.
Guatemala celebrated Independence Day a week ago. One of the biggest parts of our school celebration was colorful carpets made out of sawdust. Each class made one with different decorations. Unfortunately, my iPad won’t let me post pictures right now. Hopefully, I can get that fixed tomorrow.
Finally, I’ve been busy with choir. I’m in two different ones. Capella Cantorum had a concert the week before last, we sang for a wedding yesterday, and have three more concerts next week! The other choir is much more low key. We are getting ready for a Messiah concert in December but it’s easy for me since I’ve already sung it plenty of times.
Guatemala celebrated Independence Day a week ago. One of the biggest parts of our school celebration was colorful carpets made out of sawdust. Each class made one with different decorations. Unfortunately, my iPad won’t let me post pictures right now. Hopefully, I can get that fixed tomorrow.
Finally, I’ve been busy with choir. I’m in two different ones. Capella Cantorum had a concert the week before last, we sang for a wedding yesterday, and have three more concerts next week! The other choir is much more low key. We are getting ready for a Messiah concert in December but it’s easy for me since I’ve already sung it plenty of times.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
And I’ll Sing Once More...
Last Sunday, I wasn’t in any choirs here in Guate. This Sunday, I’m in one, a practice quartet for it, and should hear by tomorrow about a second choir I auditioned for today.
The group I’m in so far is a small ensemble (around 20 members) that sings mostly short a cappella pieces. We’re working on a Lauridsen piece, two Masses, and assorted Spanish language songs. The audition today was for a group that sings Messiah part 1 each year. The audition was fine except a mixup about what I had to bring. I wasn’t at fault (I had specifically asked about it ahead of time) but we’ll see if that keeps me out.
After a year and a half of no musically stimulating group to sing with, it’s great to be back in the swing of things!
The group I’m in so far is a small ensemble (around 20 members) that sings mostly short a cappella pieces. We’re working on a Lauridsen piece, two Masses, and assorted Spanish language songs. The audition today was for a group that sings Messiah part 1 each year. The audition was fine except a mixup about what I had to bring. I wasn’t at fault (I had specifically asked about it ahead of time) but we’ll see if that keeps me out.
After a year and a half of no musically stimulating group to sing with, it’s great to be back in the swing of things!
Friday, January 6, 2012
I could do that... really, I could
That's my most frequent feeling when I read through job postings these days. Because I honestly feel that I would be able to do many of the jobs I see listed. Retail, food service, administrative assistant, secretary, etc. the list could go on. But, I have no proof that I can do any of those things. Looking at my resume, people have no reason to believe I'm capable of much more than teaching working with costumes (and my ability to do one of those is shady at best).
And, what makes it worse, is I feel like I have no direction. This afternoon, it hit me that I have no idea of where I would like to be in 5, 10, 25 years. None. Frankly, what I'd like to be doing is singing, but that's a slow process at best and a pipe dream at worst. Because, again:
You have to have the experience to apply for graduate school and young artist programs.
And how do you get that experience outside of graduate school or young artist programs?!
Yet another vicious cycle.
No one wants you unless you've got the experience.
And how do you get the experience without a job?!
It's a vicious cycle.
And how do you get the experience without a job?!
It's a vicious cycle.
And, what makes it worse, is I feel like I have no direction. This afternoon, it hit me that I have no idea of where I would like to be in 5, 10, 25 years. None. Frankly, what I'd like to be doing is singing, but that's a slow process at best and a pipe dream at worst. Because, again:
You have to have the experience to apply for graduate school and young artist programs.
And how do you get that experience outside of graduate school or young artist programs?!
Yet another vicious cycle.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
"Behold, I tell you [some] myster[ies]"
Thoughts from last night's performance of (about two-thirds of) Handel's Messiah in no particular order...
1. Singing "Thou Shalt Break Them" with a "clothespin on your nose" is HIGHLY inadvisable. It may result in much of the choir and orchestra turning around to attempt not to laugh and the audience to stare in bewilderment. Also, it is painful. When it comes to extreme nasality: Just say no!
2. The group has grown. It was so enormous (100 was the program count) that there were not enough chairs and a handful of the basses ended up sitting in the pastor's lounge behind the organ and slipping in to stand next to us sopranos for the choruses. I've missed singing with a good group of people but having some great basses next me was an extra treat. Especially since...
3. Thanks to some rearranging after my solo, for the last chorus and the second time we sang the Hallelujah Chorus, I was right next to Erik who was one of my best friends in high school... with our former choir director on his other side. Talk about a blast from the past. It was like being in AC Choir all over again. The only thing we needed was our friend LaKedria singing "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" with us :-D
4. (Actually from rehearsal on Monday) A fire engine drove by. And, yes, this time it really was a fire engine ;-) "Glory to God"
5. There are reasons that "The Trumpet Shall Sound" is typically played on a piccolo trumpet. While I am sure there are people who could play it fantastically on a regular B-flat, the two trumpet players we had.... could not. To put it nicely. It was a hot mess. I kind of felt bad for the soloist (my high school choir director) because it seemed to be throwing him off.
6. There were some really fantastic high school kids singing solos. In particular, "The People That Walked In Darkness" -- honestly, the kid's breath support was unreal. One almost had to wonder if he was circular breathing.
7. I've learned my lesson: always bring water out with you if you're not sure about an intermission. By the beginning of Part 2, I was getting drier than dust and it didn't help my solo ("If God Be For Us"). I managed to get through it and it could have been much worse, but it also could have been much better. Even so...
8. Here's a really shocking tidbit: If someone has an summa cum laude degree in voice performance, there is a good chance that they can sing decently. Which my former choir director might have known ahead of time had he ever come to either of my recitals in Ohio (high school senior recital or the one I gave this summer -- both of which he claimed he was coming to) and heard me sing (or, I don't know ... cast me in a musical in high school) before this. The hug and shocked approval that I got from him was amusing. I often say that all of my music teachers have gotten me to where I am today. Most of them, thanks to their support and encouragement (my hs voice teacher, all the SHU profs -- huge shout out to MH who is most directly responsible for my still pursuing music) but this man because he pushed me to succeed simply to prove him wrong. That I AM a musician and DO deserve more than just two chorus numbers in a musical my senior year of high school. [rant over :) ]
All in all it was a good evening.. so nice to be singing real rep again and with a good chorus!
1. Singing "Thou Shalt Break Them" with a "clothespin on your nose" is HIGHLY inadvisable. It may result in much of the choir and orchestra turning around to attempt not to laugh and the audience to stare in bewilderment. Also, it is painful. When it comes to extreme nasality: Just say no!
2. The group has grown. It was so enormous (100 was the program count) that there were not enough chairs and a handful of the basses ended up sitting in the pastor's lounge behind the organ and slipping in to stand next to us sopranos for the choruses. I've missed singing with a good group of people but having some great basses next me was an extra treat. Especially since...
3. Thanks to some rearranging after my solo, for the last chorus and the second time we sang the Hallelujah Chorus, I was right next to Erik who was one of my best friends in high school... with our former choir director on his other side. Talk about a blast from the past. It was like being in AC Choir all over again. The only thing we needed was our friend LaKedria singing "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" with us :-D
4. (Actually from rehearsal on Monday) A fire engine drove by. And, yes, this time it really was a fire engine ;-) "Glory to God"
5. There are reasons that "The Trumpet Shall Sound" is typically played on a piccolo trumpet. While I am sure there are people who could play it fantastically on a regular B-flat, the two trumpet players we had.... could not. To put it nicely. It was a hot mess. I kind of felt bad for the soloist (my high school choir director) because it seemed to be throwing him off.
6. There were some really fantastic high school kids singing solos. In particular, "The People That Walked In Darkness" -- honestly, the kid's breath support was unreal. One almost had to wonder if he was circular breathing.
7. I've learned my lesson: always bring water out with you if you're not sure about an intermission. By the beginning of Part 2, I was getting drier than dust and it didn't help my solo ("If God Be For Us"). I managed to get through it and it could have been much worse, but it also could have been much better. Even so...
8. Here's a really shocking tidbit: If someone has an summa cum laude degree in voice performance, there is a good chance that they can sing decently. Which my former choir director might have known ahead of time had he ever come to either of my recitals in Ohio (high school senior recital or the one I gave this summer -- both of which he claimed he was coming to) and heard me sing (or, I don't know ... cast me in a musical in high school) before this. The hug and shocked approval that I got from him was amusing. I often say that all of my music teachers have gotten me to where I am today. Most of them, thanks to their support and encouragement (my hs voice teacher, all the SHU profs -- huge shout out to MH who is most directly responsible for my still pursuing music) but this man because he pushed me to succeed simply to prove him wrong. That I AM a musician and DO deserve more than just two chorus numbers in a musical my senior year of high school. [rant over :) ]
All in all it was a good evening.. so nice to be singing real rep again and with a good chorus!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Absence makes the heart ...
... ache more when you have to say good-bye again?
The past few days have been crazy. Since I'm in the States for my Grandma's funeral, I had the chance to go back to SHU and see so many close friends and mentors. It was wonderful: the chance to celebrate Candice's birthday, spend time with Chris, Kaitlin, Kelly, Sam, Colleen, Brittany, et al., hang out with Caitlyn at "our" house, talk to teachers, sit in on a "Music in Secondary Education" class -- the topic for the day was middle school psychology: I don't think there could have been a more useful topic for me right now, sit in on a choral society rehearsal and then continue a tradition into its fourth year by getting cheesesticks and talking with Candice for hours.
It was such an unexpected gift. And yet, it had a dark side.
The realization of how much I have changed and how much my life has changed since graduation hit me like a ton of bricks. And, at the same time, so many of my friends are still where they were when we were in school together. If not the same mental, emotional, spiritual, or intellectual place then at least the same physical location. We've all grown... in different ways. It's been easy enough to accept that from across the ocean, but being confronted by the fact, in the place where I spent so many hours with these people who are so dear to me was really difficult. I'm happy where I am and there are things that I wouldn't trade just to go back to SHU but it still wasn't easy to see how firmly the door has closed on that chapter of my life.
That wasn't the only difficult part. I had the chance to participate in handbell rehearsal because a few people were absent. Later I went to choral society -- my first "real" choral/vocal anything since MAY. That's almost a year. Additionally, various people asked me where/if I'm singing these days. I hate the answers to those questions. Because, it's easy to ignore how much I'm not singing and how desperately I miss it when I'm not reminded what it's actually like. It's difficult to admit to someone else (particularly those who have been musical mentors to me) that I'm not doing anything with music outside of the little teaching I do. Singing is something my soul needs. And it has been starving for the past (almost) year. This must change. Now, it's just a matter of figuring out how.
Finally, along with missing music, I miss learning. Of course I'm learning much from teaching, but I miss being the receptive student not the constantly active teacher. Yet another reason to start looking at grad schools again.
On a completely unrelated note:
Have a blessed Triduum!
The past few days have been crazy. Since I'm in the States for my Grandma's funeral, I had the chance to go back to SHU and see so many close friends and mentors. It was wonderful: the chance to celebrate Candice's birthday, spend time with Chris, Kaitlin, Kelly, Sam, Colleen, Brittany, et al., hang out with Caitlyn at "our" house, talk to teachers, sit in on a "Music in Secondary Education" class -- the topic for the day was middle school psychology: I don't think there could have been a more useful topic for me right now, sit in on a choral society rehearsal and then continue a tradition into its fourth year by getting cheesesticks and talking with Candice for hours.
It was such an unexpected gift. And yet, it had a dark side.
The realization of how much I have changed and how much my life has changed since graduation hit me like a ton of bricks. And, at the same time, so many of my friends are still where they were when we were in school together. If not the same mental, emotional, spiritual, or intellectual place then at least the same physical location. We've all grown... in different ways. It's been easy enough to accept that from across the ocean, but being confronted by the fact, in the place where I spent so many hours with these people who are so dear to me was really difficult. I'm happy where I am and there are things that I wouldn't trade just to go back to SHU but it still wasn't easy to see how firmly the door has closed on that chapter of my life.
That wasn't the only difficult part. I had the chance to participate in handbell rehearsal because a few people were absent. Later I went to choral society -- my first "real" choral/vocal anything since MAY. That's almost a year. Additionally, various people asked me where/if I'm singing these days. I hate the answers to those questions. Because, it's easy to ignore how much I'm not singing and how desperately I miss it when I'm not reminded what it's actually like. It's difficult to admit to someone else (particularly those who have been musical mentors to me) that I'm not doing anything with music outside of the little teaching I do. Singing is something my soul needs. And it has been starving for the past (almost) year. This must change. Now, it's just a matter of figuring out how.
Finally, along with missing music, I miss learning. Of course I'm learning much from teaching, but I miss being the receptive student not the constantly active teacher. Yet another reason to start looking at grad schools again.
On a completely unrelated note:
Have a blessed Triduum!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
What is music really about?
A blog about Sweden will be up in the next couple of days (for some reason, my camera doesn't want to transfer some of the pictures to my computer)... for the moment, I'm turning to a different topic.
A few days ago, I was asked to sing for a kindergarten party (parents) with a '50's theme. Some of the other teachers will be playing as a small jazz ensemble and one of them asked me if I would sing "Fever" - as I responded "sure" he continued with something to the effect of "I don't know if you would want to because it's kind of risque - not exactly Adoramus Te."
Le grand sigh.
Really? Is that honestly the way I come across? That I wouldn't ever sing (or think or do or say) anything not appropriate for church? That my entire personality is "good little Catholic girl" (aka a "Catholic Duggar")? Because, if it is... then people are pretty mistaken. If that was the case, it would have been really difficult for me to have gotten a degree in voice performance. With the exception of sacred pieces, I would challenge anyone to find me a piece of classical vocal music which isn't about love in some form. And some of it gets pretty provocative. That's just what music is about. Ever seen/listened to an opera? Same thing. Love, in it's many forms, has been a, if not the, common theme of music for the entire history of Western classical music.
For the sake of the argument (what I would sing) the following (rough) translations/texts only include things I have actually studied and performed. This means I'm not counting the story of when a close friend had to be told by a coach what the theme was of a French art song titled "C'est l'extase" (Is Ecstasy) ... gee, sounds like a song about a baby playing with a puppy dog, right?
"Offrande" by Hahn (French art song)
On your young breast let me rest my head
Still ringing with your last kisses,
Let it be stilled after the sweet tempest
And let me sleep a little, while you rest.
"Deh vieni, non tardar" from the Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
Susanna is singing to herself thinking of her husband, knowing that he is listening, and knowing he believes she is singing about the Count.
The moment which I will enjoy
without anxiety, in the arms of
my idol, has finally arrived.
Timid feelings, leave my breast;
don't come to disturb
my pleasure!
"Mesicku na nebi hlubokem" from Rusalka by Dvorak
Rusalka, a water nymph, is talking to the moon about her lover, a human.
Give him your beams afar,
tell him, that I wait for him here!
Oh, if his human heart dreams of me,
let this vision awaken!
"Dearest Mama" from The Ballad of Baby Doe by Moore
Baby is writing a letter to her mother telling her about the married man she has fallen in love with.
Dearest Mama,
now I've found him
And he loves me truly too.
Ev'ry moment we're together
We both know it had to be.
But, dear mama, he's not free to marry
It is wrong for us to feel the way we do.
I know he needs me
And that I love him
But I have to give him up
And we must part forever.
Vergebliches Standchen by Brahms (Lied)
My door is locked,
and I won't let you in:
My mother has advised me well!
If you came
It would all be over for me!
Here's a bit of "Fever"
"Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever
In the morning
Fever all through the night"
Would I sing it? Why not? Personally, I'd rather sing "I'm beginning to see the light" because I have sung it before ... but considering these are some of the lyrics, while I'm fine singing it, maybe it's too much for them :-D
"Then you came and caused a spark
That's a four-alarm fire now
I never made love by lantern-shine
I never saw rainbows in my wine
But now that your lips are burning mine
I'm beginning to see the light"
Ok, rant over :-) ... Sweden will come soon, I promise!
A few days ago, I was asked to sing for a kindergarten party (parents) with a '50's theme. Some of the other teachers will be playing as a small jazz ensemble and one of them asked me if I would sing "Fever" - as I responded "sure" he continued with something to the effect of "I don't know if you would want to because it's kind of risque - not exactly Adoramus Te."
Le grand sigh.
Really? Is that honestly the way I come across? That I wouldn't ever sing (or think or do or say) anything not appropriate for church? That my entire personality is "good little Catholic girl" (aka a "Catholic Duggar")? Because, if it is... then people are pretty mistaken. If that was the case, it would have been really difficult for me to have gotten a degree in voice performance. With the exception of sacred pieces, I would challenge anyone to find me a piece of classical vocal music which isn't about love in some form. And some of it gets pretty provocative. That's just what music is about. Ever seen/listened to an opera? Same thing. Love, in it's many forms, has been a, if not the, common theme of music for the entire history of Western classical music.
For the sake of the argument (what I would sing) the following (rough) translations/texts only include things I have actually studied and performed. This means I'm not counting the story of when a close friend had to be told by a coach what the theme was of a French art song titled "C'est l'extase" (Is Ecstasy) ... gee, sounds like a song about a baby playing with a puppy dog, right?
"Offrande" by Hahn (French art song)
On your young breast let me rest my head
Still ringing with your last kisses,
Let it be stilled after the sweet tempest
And let me sleep a little, while you rest.
"Deh vieni, non tardar" from the Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
Susanna is singing to herself thinking of her husband, knowing that he is listening, and knowing he believes she is singing about the Count.
The moment which I will enjoy
without anxiety, in the arms of
my idol, has finally arrived.
Timid feelings, leave my breast;
don't come to disturb
my pleasure!
"Mesicku na nebi hlubokem" from Rusalka by Dvorak
Rusalka, a water nymph, is talking to the moon about her lover, a human.
Give him your beams afar,
tell him, that I wait for him here!
Oh, if his human heart dreams of me,
let this vision awaken!
"Dearest Mama" from The Ballad of Baby Doe by Moore
Baby is writing a letter to her mother telling her about the married man she has fallen in love with.
Dearest Mama,
now I've found him
And he loves me truly too.
Ev'ry moment we're together
We both know it had to be.
But, dear mama, he's not free to marry
It is wrong for us to feel the way we do.
I know he needs me
And that I love him
But I have to give him up
And we must part forever.
Vergebliches Standchen by Brahms (Lied)
My door is locked,
and I won't let you in:
My mother has advised me well!
If you came
It would all be over for me!
Here's a bit of "Fever"
"Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever
In the morning
Fever all through the night"
Would I sing it? Why not? Personally, I'd rather sing "I'm beginning to see the light" because I have sung it before ... but considering these are some of the lyrics, while I'm fine singing it, maybe it's too much for them :-D
"Then you came and caused a spark
That's a four-alarm fire now
I never made love by lantern-shine
I never saw rainbows in my wine
But now that your lips are burning mine
I'm beginning to see the light"
Ok, rant over :-) ... Sweden will come soon, I promise!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Respect
Would you tell your boss that, while business casual is the standard in your office, you will only wear sweat pants to work? Or how about using your phone for personal calls all day at work? Extending your lunch break into time allotted for meetings? If so, would you expect to keep your job in this economy?
NO!
These questions probably seem ridiculous and rightly so. When you apply for a job, you find out what it entails and then agree to fulfill your duties to the best of your ability. Certainly, there are deadbeats in every field, unfortunately. But... suppose you had studied for years to be qualified for your job. Suppose you had sacrificed time, money, and countless other things for this job. Suppose you were, somehow, amazingly, being paid (however little... remember - YOU accepted the job) to do what you love most. Would you respect it any less than the average entry-level worker fresh out of school and thrilled to have any job?
Of course not... one would think.
As crazy as it sounds, this is exactly what I see way too much when I go to work. Some of the YAAPs (members of the Young American Artist Program here at GGO) have so little respect for what they are doing. Refusing to wear costumes, purposefully neglecting to remove personal jewelry, going onstage with cell phones in their costume pockets, ignoring requests about things like not playing frisbee in costume, and, my personal "favorite", wearing costume pieces home.
As an aspiring singer, I find the attitudes sported by some of these talented young performers to be nothing short of offensive. Out of probably close to a thousand applicants and hundreds of auditions, this small group of 20-30 was chosen. If you consider the additional numbers of people like myself who know they have years of study remaining before attempting to apply, there are thousands of people who would give almost anything for the opportunity these singers have been given.
Obviously, not all of the YAAPs fall into this category! There are some singers I am working with and have worked with at GGO who are not only talented performers but also wonderful people. These are the ones I hope go far. These are the singers I would love to work with in the future. These are the people from whom I hope to learn something.
The rest, I would love to give a piece of my mind. And, in the words of Mrs. Cratchit, "I hope they have a good appetite for it!" I wish I could shake them and ask "How do you not realize the opportunity you have? Do you know how many people would trade places with you in a heartbeat? How can you be doing what you love and have so little respect for it? Why even bother taking the job if you won't do what's asked of you? Isn't singing worth taking out your earrings or carefully checking that you return your costume pieces and props? What's the use of scoffing at the people whose job it is to make you look good?"
In the end, I doubt they would hear me, even if I had the opportunity to ask.
NO!
These questions probably seem ridiculous and rightly so. When you apply for a job, you find out what it entails and then agree to fulfill your duties to the best of your ability. Certainly, there are deadbeats in every field, unfortunately. But... suppose you had studied for years to be qualified for your job. Suppose you had sacrificed time, money, and countless other things for this job. Suppose you were, somehow, amazingly, being paid (however little... remember - YOU accepted the job) to do what you love most. Would you respect it any less than the average entry-level worker fresh out of school and thrilled to have any job?
Of course not... one would think.
As crazy as it sounds, this is exactly what I see way too much when I go to work. Some of the YAAPs (members of the Young American Artist Program here at GGO) have so little respect for what they are doing. Refusing to wear costumes, purposefully neglecting to remove personal jewelry, going onstage with cell phones in their costume pockets, ignoring requests about things like not playing frisbee in costume, and, my personal "favorite", wearing costume pieces home.
As an aspiring singer, I find the attitudes sported by some of these talented young performers to be nothing short of offensive. Out of probably close to a thousand applicants and hundreds of auditions, this small group of 20-30 was chosen. If you consider the additional numbers of people like myself who know they have years of study remaining before attempting to apply, there are thousands of people who would give almost anything for the opportunity these singers have been given.
Obviously, not all of the YAAPs fall into this category! There are some singers I am working with and have worked with at GGO who are not only talented performers but also wonderful people. These are the ones I hope go far. These are the singers I would love to work with in the future. These are the people from whom I hope to learn something.
The rest, I would love to give a piece of my mind. And, in the words of Mrs. Cratchit, "I hope they have a good appetite for it!" I wish I could shake them and ask "How do you not realize the opportunity you have? Do you know how many people would trade places with you in a heartbeat? How can you be doing what you love and have so little respect for it? Why even bother taking the job if you won't do what's asked of you? Isn't singing worth taking out your earrings or carefully checking that you return your costume pieces and props? What's the use of scoffing at the people whose job it is to make you look good?"
In the end, I doubt they would hear me, even if I had the opportunity to ask.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Is this for real?
It's starting to set in. I am actually moving to Europe... next week. Now that I have a place to stay for the first month (a flat arranged by the language school where I'm doing the CELTA course), I feel like I can actually start packing. Most of my shopping is done - I've had to remind myself that I'm moving to Budapest not Siberia... stocking up on a specific hair conditioner - ok, buying extra underwear - unnecessary. The list of things that I can't wait to do is increasing rapidly. The first few weeks will be rough with jet lag, culture shock, and the CELTA course all at once but at least I can look forward to the food. I might not have time for much those weeks but I have to eat :) and eat I will! If it takes more than 24 hours in the country for me to have a turo rudi there will be a serious problem!
Finding out about this flat has been such a relief. I was getting worried -- didn't want to be spending my first night in Budapest under a bridge (exaggeration!! I would have at least found a hostel). Not only is the flat in a great location - District I and only one tram stop or a short walk from Moszkva Ter (where the school is and a major transportation hub) - it's also a studio single... with INTERNET! The way God provides is just amazing.
In other news, I went to see the Figaro cover run last night with Kate, my housemate. It was hilarious. I've seen Figaro a number of times but this particular production (both the covers and the actual cast) is just amazing. There are reasons this opera is so popular and it's still one of my favorites. The only downside was it really made me miss singing. Once I settle in this fall, I think I want to get a score and start learning Suzanna just for the heck of it. Finding a voice teacher also is on my to-do list. Ideally, someone at GGO knows a good teacher in Budapest .. I just haven't gotten around to asking people. Must do that soon!
Finding out about this flat has been such a relief. I was getting worried -- didn't want to be spending my first night in Budapest under a bridge (exaggeration!! I would have at least found a hostel). Not only is the flat in a great location - District I and only one tram stop or a short walk from Moszkva Ter (where the school is and a major transportation hub) - it's also a studio single... with INTERNET! The way God provides is just amazing.
In other news, I went to see the Figaro cover run last night with Kate, my housemate. It was hilarious. I've seen Figaro a number of times but this particular production (both the covers and the actual cast) is just amazing. There are reasons this opera is so popular and it's still one of my favorites. The only downside was it really made me miss singing. Once I settle in this fall, I think I want to get a score and start learning Suzanna just for the heck of it. Finding a voice teacher also is on my to-do list. Ideally, someone at GGO knows a good teacher in Budapest .. I just haven't gotten around to asking people. Must do that soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)