So, I've been sort of MIA for the past year 😛. I've gotten horribly naughty about not posting, following up with messages, or even calling people that I think of as my best friends. So first off, this is just to let people know that my disappearing act is not because I don't want to keep up with people or stay in touch. Farthest thing from it, in fact. I was SO bummed not to go to NEST this year. It was the first time I had to miss out on a big gathering since before I de-lurked. As sad as I was to not be there, I got to do some really cool stuff! 🙂
So second...here is my year in a nutshell. I've been dying to share everything that's happened to me. This year has truly been an amazing journey for me and I feel like this community was a big part of my support system to keep going, so I'd like to share some of it 🙂.
So, I started back to school to finish my last year of my bachelors back in September, and jumped in full force by performing in a professional (yes, I got paid!) run of Il Trovatore. I got to sing huge opera music and get put in a super cute costume that made me look like Eponine from Les Miserables 😛. Right before my brief visit to the wonderful Bella Bash, I had my senior recital. I prepared for MONTHS learning music from the ground up and translation after translation, not to mention the technique getting drilled into my skull by my teacher. I'm not complaining, though. It was wonderful to be recognized, and the applause after my last number definitely goes down as one of the most incredible moments of pride in my life 🙂.
So once I got through my recital, I had to go on to the task of learning the role of Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte which I would cover for the graduate opera. This was fun...but a little frustrating. We had a chance to perform, but not everyone took the role of "cover" seriously, and because of that the people who were prepared had to suffer the consequences of our peers NOT being prepared. Bummer. Despite all of that, it was still really freaking awesome. Mozart is a bad ass...and I'm basically going to be known as Despina for life haha.
After learning a full role, I had to learn ANOTHER, but this time I would get to perform it 😀. We did our undergraduate opera scenes and I was given one of the most vocally challenging pieces I've been given so far. I had to learn how to sing coloratura: fast, high, annoying, and hard as hell :/...but I got it down 😀. I had the most amazing connection with my teacher during the process of this role. I finally felt that I was more than just a student to her. She really cares about my well being and wants me to succeed. I had been wanting this for four years...and I finally got it. She came to me before I went on for my performance of Dr. Miracle, and put around me a necklace that was given to her by her former teacher, Virginia Zeani (look her up 😀). She told me that Ms. Zeani gave this to her for her first performance of Countess in Marriage of Figaro. The gesture was so overwhelming...and let me tell you, it gave me the confidence to sing the hell out of my performance knowing that I was wearing the necklace of Virginia Zeani.
After this it was time for spring break, which fell during holy week AND during tech week of the NEXT production I was doing...yeah...my life in a nutshell. It still isn't over 😛.
So next I get the CRAZY amazing opportunity to premiere this composition student's opera scenes. Not only was it really cool to get to learn a piece from scratch, but the rehearsal process was so neat. The composer was in the rehearsals working things out musically with you telling you EXACTLY what they want. For the first time I actually knew what the composer was trying to write. So if this wasn't cool enough, the young student who I was working for was working on his piece with Carlisle Floyd (American Composer), and Mr. Floyd decided to come watch this debut. His words to me were, "Young lady, you are so delightful to listen to. I look forward to big things from you!". 😀 😀 😀 😀
So then the whole reason I couldn't come to NEST was because of this opera premiere and I was also collaborating with a guitar student to do a set of a Spanish songs. Also, at some point during my crazy mess of chaos, I got a call from a local community theatre director asking me to do my DREAM ROLE of Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray. WTF hahahaha. So, in the course of trying to juggle a premiere opera, guitar recital, a cabaret project, AND passing my classes so I could actually graduate, I decided to do Tracy 😛. Probably really stupid of me, but I'll never regret doing it. It did help me realize I really have moved on from musical theatre. I loved it so much and it will always hold a dear place in my heart, but opera is just so much more rewarding. Plus, I've gotten pretty good at it 😛.
Graduation was incredible. Our commencement speaker was Alan Menken. If you don't know him, he composed the music for just about every amazing Disney movie score imaginable (Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Hunchback, etc). His speech was mediocre, but he compiled an 18 minute medley of his music for the ending of the commencement. It was wonderful. It was so special to have this man who wrote the music of my childhood send me out into the world. He ended the medley with "A Whole New World". Very appropriate 🙂.
So now I'm graduated. I have a church job through the summer along with numerous camps I'll be teaching, plus a small voice studio. It's a start. I hope I can make money through music, it's the only thing I'm good at 😛.
So for the next year, I'm planning on hanging around here in NC ( I know...but I want to save some money). Plus, I'll be auditioning for grad school and various summer programs for next year. We'll see what happens. I'm living each day out and seeing where the next one will take me. It seems that opportunities keep knocking on my door, and I'm taking every single one I can get!
So, you can see I've been busy. I miss all of you, and since I have more free time now, I want to connect back to the community that helped mold me into the person I'm becoming. For those of you wondering, I'll be heading up to NHLee in August, and a trip up to visit some members of Team Canada in July. I can't wait to reconnect with old friends 🙂!
Thanks for listening!
Katie
So second...here is my year in a nutshell. I've been dying to share everything that's happened to me. This year has truly been an amazing journey for me and I feel like this community was a big part of my support system to keep going, so I'd like to share some of it 🙂.
So, I started back to school to finish my last year of my bachelors back in September, and jumped in full force by performing in a professional (yes, I got paid!) run of Il Trovatore. I got to sing huge opera music and get put in a super cute costume that made me look like Eponine from Les Miserables 😛. Right before my brief visit to the wonderful Bella Bash, I had my senior recital. I prepared for MONTHS learning music from the ground up and translation after translation, not to mention the technique getting drilled into my skull by my teacher. I'm not complaining, though. It was wonderful to be recognized, and the applause after my last number definitely goes down as one of the most incredible moments of pride in my life 🙂.
So once I got through my recital, I had to go on to the task of learning the role of Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte which I would cover for the graduate opera. This was fun...but a little frustrating. We had a chance to perform, but not everyone took the role of "cover" seriously, and because of that the people who were prepared had to suffer the consequences of our peers NOT being prepared. Bummer. Despite all of that, it was still really freaking awesome. Mozart is a bad ass...and I'm basically going to be known as Despina for life haha.
After learning a full role, I had to learn ANOTHER, but this time I would get to perform it 😀. We did our undergraduate opera scenes and I was given one of the most vocally challenging pieces I've been given so far. I had to learn how to sing coloratura: fast, high, annoying, and hard as hell :/...but I got it down 😀. I had the most amazing connection with my teacher during the process of this role. I finally felt that I was more than just a student to her. She really cares about my well being and wants me to succeed. I had been wanting this for four years...and I finally got it. She came to me before I went on for my performance of Dr. Miracle, and put around me a necklace that was given to her by her former teacher, Virginia Zeani (look her up 😀). She told me that Ms. Zeani gave this to her for her first performance of Countess in Marriage of Figaro. The gesture was so overwhelming...and let me tell you, it gave me the confidence to sing the hell out of my performance knowing that I was wearing the necklace of Virginia Zeani.
After this it was time for spring break, which fell during holy week AND during tech week of the NEXT production I was doing...yeah...my life in a nutshell. It still isn't over 😛.
So next I get the CRAZY amazing opportunity to premiere this composition student's opera scenes. Not only was it really cool to get to learn a piece from scratch, but the rehearsal process was so neat. The composer was in the rehearsals working things out musically with you telling you EXACTLY what they want. For the first time I actually knew what the composer was trying to write. So if this wasn't cool enough, the young student who I was working for was working on his piece with Carlisle Floyd (American Composer), and Mr. Floyd decided to come watch this debut. His words to me were, "Young lady, you are so delightful to listen to. I look forward to big things from you!". 😀 😀 😀 😀
So then the whole reason I couldn't come to NEST was because of this opera premiere and I was also collaborating with a guitar student to do a set of a Spanish songs. Also, at some point during my crazy mess of chaos, I got a call from a local community theatre director asking me to do my DREAM ROLE of Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray. WTF hahahaha. So, in the course of trying to juggle a premiere opera, guitar recital, a cabaret project, AND passing my classes so I could actually graduate, I decided to do Tracy 😛. Probably really stupid of me, but I'll never regret doing it. It did help me realize I really have moved on from musical theatre. I loved it so much and it will always hold a dear place in my heart, but opera is just so much more rewarding. Plus, I've gotten pretty good at it 😛.
Graduation was incredible. Our commencement speaker was Alan Menken. If you don't know him, he composed the music for just about every amazing Disney movie score imaginable (Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Hunchback, etc). His speech was mediocre, but he compiled an 18 minute medley of his music for the ending of the commencement. It was wonderful. It was so special to have this man who wrote the music of my childhood send me out into the world. He ended the medley with "A Whole New World". Very appropriate 🙂.
So now I'm graduated. I have a church job through the summer along with numerous camps I'll be teaching, plus a small voice studio. It's a start. I hope I can make money through music, it's the only thing I'm good at 😛.
So for the next year, I'm planning on hanging around here in NC ( I know...but I want to save some money). Plus, I'll be auditioning for grad school and various summer programs for next year. We'll see what happens. I'm living each day out and seeing where the next one will take me. It seems that opportunities keep knocking on my door, and I'm taking every single one I can get!
So, you can see I've been busy. I miss all of you, and since I have more free time now, I want to connect back to the community that helped mold me into the person I'm becoming. For those of you wondering, I'll be heading up to NHLee in August, and a trip up to visit some members of Team Canada in July. I can't wait to reconnect with old friends 🙂!
Thanks for listening!
Katie
<---you deserve it. That truly does sounds like an amazing year. I wish I could have seen you do Hairspray!! I'm feeling pretty lucky to be able to get to see you in less than a month now. We're totally making the most of it.
