catch up

where have i been for all this time?  much has been keeping me away from this blog, and i've missed it.  here's a  peek of all the exciting things that have happened within the past six months... details will have to follow.  right now i just want to get back into blogging!

new (old) furniture for our house...

retaining wall in front of house...

 kicked the astro turf to the curb!

new nephew!!                    with uncle m:

                                         and me

                                       and noah the big

finished my masters degree!

sang my first lead in an opera!

and experienced so much happiness along the way.  grateful.

exciting projects

school has resumed, so my posting will be far less frequent.

the university has provided the most wonderful opportunities this year, 

and they are sure to keep me busy!

what am i most excited about?

 mozart!!!

we are performing die zauberflöte this year;

and i couldn't be happier.

anyone who knows me well enough knows how infatuated i am with mozart

(on a completely normal and not weird level.)

so the chance to sing in a production with orchestra is a little dream come true.

 

Queen of the Night, Pamina

besides learning this opera (in german!)

 i will be working as a teacher's assistant at school AND preparing a master's in voice recital.

so.... it's sure to be an amazing year!! 

stay tuned for updates.

images:

[1] [2] [3]

I tell you: there is no inner turmoil
that a little Chopin
cannot remedy.

I'm rather fond of his Nocturnes and have a visceral reaction to them 
by which every bad feeling is immediately released.  

You must listen to his 

Nocturne Op. 9 no. 1

and 

Nocturne Op. 27 no. 2

Polski jest dobry

Boy, is it ever!

My Polish Adventure

Part 1

Have you heard that Chicago has the world's largest population outside of Warsaw?  Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a great number of them when I sang at the Polish Museum here in town.  And you'll never believe how this 'gig' came to be!  Flashback to last Sunday.  M and I were walking with the dogs in a new park when Jasper & Lola met with a funny-looking fat pug.  The pug was there with an old woman who began talking with us, and didn't stop for about an hour!  I stood there in attentive amusement because she was talking so fast, so animated, so charming, yet I could only understand about 30% of what she was saying!  What I did gather is that Hanna had lived in our apartment building on the second floor for 25 years before our landlord kicked her out for refusing to let him work on her apartment.  What a coincidence!  I also gathered that she was a poet and would be reading some special poems she'd written for a Mother's Day concert at the Polish Museum.  She was ranting and raving about how difficult it is to work with musicians and how she wasn't sure her singers would show up because they never call her back, (though, she doesn't have an answering machine, so how would she know if they were calling?)  So then she said, "Maybe you come sing" and I gave her my number thinking, "She won't remember it," and "she won't call."  Surprisingly, she did call and I agreed to come sing the Ave Maria for the concert.  A strange way to get a singing gig, but with my posse out of town I couldn't think of a better thing to do on Mother's Day than singing an ode to the Mother of God. 

My Polish Adventure

Part 2

I know Italians, I am Italian, but I have not one ounce of Polish blood.  Poles are closer to Italians than I ever realized before, as I learned yesterday.  They are both infinitely hospitable.  They will talk to strangers as though they are old friends.  They love to eat- food is a central part of any event.  I also learned that Hanna's sense of time is an Italian sense of time: whenever I'm ready is when we go.  Forget that our ride showed up on time (he must have been German!) at 1:15.  Forget that the event started at 3.  At 2:00 Hanna was still trying to fit into a dress and freaking out because she'd gained weight.  Meanwhile, I was waiting on the street corner thinking, "I may not make it to the Museum today..."  When they finally drove up, Hanna was nearly in tears, repeating "Don't look at me, don't look at me!"  Again, feeling a little belly heavy.  Harry, our elderly driver trying to calm her, "She won't look at you, okay?  Just get in!"  I thought she looked lovely.  Harry got us to the museum and dropped Hanna at the back door so that no one would see her before she got her make up on.  I met with the pianist, but it was still unclear to me how many songs Hanna wanted me to sing; she'd asked me to bring three.  So apparently Poles don't plan very well- just like my Italian family!   Besides the fact that I could pass as a Pole, I felt as though I was in another world- a different country perhaps!  No one was speaking English, and many times in her frantic stress-induced state, Hanna would look me straight in the eye and spout of two or three minutes of pure Polish as though I could understand.  

My Polish Adventure

Part 3

The event began promptly.... at 3:20.... with a good 45 minutes of Polish introductions and recitation of poems.  Then the piano students of my accompanist gave a beautiful performance of Chopin's music... finally a language I understood!  One boy in particular stood out as quite a prodigy and I was mesmerized by his flawless and incredibly musical interpretation of a challenging Chopin piece that I struggle to play well.  He was 14 years old.  When it was time for me to sing, I had to get up and say a few words about myself- in English.... So that felt weird and was received with mixed feelings, but after I sang I instantly gained about 100 friends.  They loved the Ave Maria!  Well, who doesn't?  It's a beautiful piece of music, but there is something about the deep devotion to their faith that made the song so much more meaningful to them.  And after the concert was over, of course, we all partook of an amazing feast of (you guessed it) sausage, cheese, bread, some unidentifiable goodies, and fruit.  One of my favorite moments of the day?  When Hanna grabbed a giant smoked sausage, broke it in half, and handed me a piece.  I kept thinking there may have been hidden cameras somewhere because the entire situation, from the initial meeting to the concert and after party, seemed like a scene from a funny movie.... "My Big Fat Polish Party" maybe?  One thing's for sure.  I'm a fan of the Polish people, now and always.  They are some of the most welcoming, charming, feisty, happy, lovely people I've encountered in a while.  Hanna kept telling people God sent me to her in the park.... perhaps?

Długi Żyć Polska!

Long Live Poland!

My Saturday Home

Today I was introduced to my new Saturday home.  I'll be teaching here on Saturdays at least through the next two years, and I'm delighted to say our satellite location in Lakeview is quite nice!  It's small; there are only six studios inside, but it has everything a teaching musician needs to get the job done!

 A wall full of music books!!

Plenty of space for waiting students, with books and toys for youngsters.

A charming kitchenette, with a dining table and chairs in the back.

A beautiful studio with a comfy armchair. (This is my Saturday room!)

And best of all: 

A Piggery just around the corner.

"What is a Piggery?" you may ask.  I do not know.

The background of how this place came to be is not so happy.

Meghan Andrea Hormann was a local musician who began this teaching business not long ago.  She called it "Backbeat," and it was quickly becoming a staple of the neighborhood.  Sadly, in January of 2010 Meghan passed away after struggling with a mysterious lung infection for only a month.  She was just 26 years old.  Having inherited the company, but lacking the means to sustain it, Meghan's parents began searching for an established company to "adopt" the business, and Old Town did so a little over a month ago.  It's nice to have such a wonderful space, but tragic how it came to be ours.  She seemed to be a lovely person; one I would have been friends with.
Rest in peace, Meghan

1983-2010
You can read a nice tribute to Meghan here:
Our Neighbor Meghan Hormann

Hello Again, World Wide Web.

I have been way too busy to blog much lately, but I find myself here with the computer (a rare occasion since M's fantasy hockey obsession began) with the dogs napping on my lap and an M.I.A. husband. I seriously have no idea where he is right now. Probably at a record store somewhere. So I'm back with some exciting updates on life. 1.) I have decided to go back to school in the fall, and I've been accepted to Roosevelt University, where I'm choosing to go. The tuition is pretty high, but the program is strong and the school is connected with the most important Chicago-based professional singing companies, so I know I'll be able to make great contacts there on top of receiving a high-quality education. 2.) A couple of weeks ago I participated in a local opera company's annual voice competition, and I placed 2nd! About 40 singers in my age group sang in the competition, and receiving a 2nd-place award (and cash prize!) is just the affirmation a struggling singer like myself truly cherishes. I even found a beautiful dress (pictured below) at a thrift store for $4 to wear. (I'm not above that.) I'm now more encouraged than ever to begin studying for a Masters in Vocal Performance, and I can't wait until the fall! Now just to get through a summer of working six days a week. 

Longing

Searching for music to download tonight I came across a piece from my past. Listening to this concerto brought back years of memories in a matter of seconds- and the music seemed fresh in my mind as though it hasn't been ten years since I've heard it! It's strange to me how profound a reaction music can provoke. (Do you ever contemplate the mystery of how a certain combination of sound waves interpreted by the brain can actually incite tears or joy? 'Cause I do. And how would the people of thousands of years ago have reacted if they suddenly heard a Beethoven symphony? Are we conditioned to have a positive response to tonal music by our nurturing and inescapable exposure to western tonality? Or are our brains wired by nature to have a positive response to tonal harmonies by virtue of how the sound waves interact with our biology? And how is it that I can literally cry every time I hear the final phrases of La Boheme, even though I've heard it a million times.) Anyway, I've found myself longing to be as fine a pianist as I was years ago, and listening to this Saint-Saens concerto actually hurt a little! I used to be able to play it.... But I made the decision long ago to focus on vocal music, realizing that in order to be a professional working musician, you realistically have to focus your efforts on the area in which you aim to succeed. And spending the vast majority of my time teaching leaves little room for practicing even voice. Now I'm afraid many of my piano-playing muscles have atrophied, and when I play for too long, I even get a sharp pain in my right hand (could I be getting old?) So tonight I'm feeling a little like I'm mourning for a beautiful piece of my life that for such a long time seemed to define who I was. A little dramatic? Well, that's typical of me.... Yes, I can still play the piano, and play it pretty well. But listening to the mastery of someone like Arthur Rubinstein (in the video below) makes me wish I could play with such precision and beauty, a level of skill that can only be reached with a lifetime's worth of dedication and discipline. Will I one day be described as someone who was "once a great pianist?" I certainly hope not! As long as I still have fingers I guess there's a chance I'll somehow find the time to keep my talent alive! But for now, I'll have to live vicariously through YouTube videos. Is there anything in your life you wish you hadn't lost like me?

Vent

Oh, how I love Mozart. So imagine my excitement when I was invited to sing a concert at the Basilica in GR this May. Mozart's "Exsultate, Jubilate" is a most beautiful motet written for solo soprano voice and orchestra. I began working on the piece last year when my contact at the Basilica asked me to sing it. Unfortunately, this man turned out to be a slight, well, weasel. Without giving any details about why he changed his mind, he simply notified me that he's "taking the concert in a different direction." I have two theories as to the reasons: 1.) He resents me for not auditioning for America's Got Talent with one of his original songs (I'm not interested in going on TV and even if I were, he didn't give me the music until three weeks before the audition and I had other commitments that day.) 2.) He couldn't get his act together enough to make the concert a reality. I personally believe his motivations having something more to do with no. 1, as his e-mail was highly formal and seem to imply a certain termination of contact, as though he wanted to say he wasn't interested in my singing for him ever again. I'm highly disappointed but know someday I'll have the chance to sing Mozart again. Click on the link below to watch a clip of my favorite movement from the piece, "Tu Virginum Corona." And be sure to avoid any concerts at the Basilica!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d67jpC5YlA0

Favorite aria this month

My video bar is not working. My favorite aria this month is the new one I'm working on. It gets stuck in my head constantly, so it must be a goodie! It's quite a challenge, and I'm up for it. However, it will probably be a while before I can focus all my attention on it considering I have three auditions for grad school approaching. If you're interested, follow the link. Oh, and by the way, Happy New Year to all.

O Luce di Quest Anima

Photo of Edita Gruberova as Linda di Chamonix, www.gruberova.com

Depuis le jour, from "Louise" by Charpentier

(Translation of this month's favorite aria, be it a good two weeks late in posting.)

Since the day
I gave myself,
my fate seems all in flower.
I seem to be dreaming
beneath a fairy sky,
my soul still enraptured
by that first kiss!
What a wonderful life!
My dream was not a dream!
Oh, I am so happy!
Love spreads its wings above me!
In the garden of my heart
a new joy sings!
Everything vibrates,
everything rejoices in my triumph!

About me it is all smiles,
light and happiness!;
And I tremble deliciously
at the delightful memory
of the first day of love!
What a glorious life!
Oh, how happy I am! too happy!...
And I tremble deliciously
at the delightful memory
of the first day of Love!

Sung by Renee Fleming, of course. Her beautiful performance ALMOST takes one's attention away from her hideous outfit.

Glitter and Be Gay

My favorite aria this month is from "Candide" by Bernstein... but the aria isn't necessarily my favorite aria.  Specifically, I'm enthralled by this performance of soprano Anna Christy from the 2007 production at La Scala in Milan.  I love stage director Robert Carsen's imitation of Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend."  Clever beyond clever- and so fitting for the character!  Christy's performance is something else to be marveled at.  Her singing is close to flawless, and she is classy, sexy, and charming, unlike many Counegondes I've seen bounce around the stage, mugging to the audience.  I hope you enjoy this performance as much as I do... follow the link to six minutes of pure enjoyment!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chofHEQNgTM

Oh, What a Beautiful Day!

SING IT WITH ME!

There's a bright golden haze in the city...

There's a bright golden haze in the city...

The snow is all melted, the puddles all dry...

And it looks like Old Winter has finally died....

Oh what a beautiful mornin'

Oh what a beautiful day,

I've got a beautiful feelin'

Everything's goin my way-ay

Oh what a beautiful day!

All the sounds of the Spring are like music,

All the sounds of the Spring are like music,

The horns and the the yells seem a grand symphony

When outside it is nearly 70 degrees...

Oh what a beautiful mornin'

Oh what a beautiful day,

I've got a beautiful feelin'

Everything's goin my way-ay

Oh what a beautiful day!!!