Singing for my supper

As mentioned in yesterday's quick update , teaching now dominates my life, and the thoughts below have been percolating for a while (and, in fact, are why I resurrected the blog!).  I often hear new teachers asking questions about choosing repertoire for younger or developing singers, which prompted me to jot down a few notes that guide my own thinking as I choose pieces for my students at all ages and stages of development.    

Eight years since the last post.  EIGHT YEARS.  Not quite sure how that has happened, but here we are!   My old blog summary, which I've just updated:  "Musings on my life as a busy opera singer, voice teacher, photographer and mom - not necessarily in that order! I consider myself immensely fortunate to have carved out a way of doing all of these things which mean so much to me - it may sometimes get a little crazy, but it's always worth it. Welcome to the madhouse!" I'm still fortunate, and I'm still doing all these things in one way or another, but life has sure changed a lot since then. We've come out the other side of a major recession. The beautiful 12 year old in the  sidebar photo is graduating from college and moving on to grad school (note to self, update photo!).  Both of my parents passed away in 2019, after 5 complicated, traumatic years of steep decline.  I was appointed Voice Department Chair of a conservatory Preparatory division a...

Out of the blue. Coup de foudre. And with less than a week's notice ... I found myself on  a 10 day "tour de France". Normally, my last-minute travel is gig-related, but this particular trip required no singing on my part: I was invited to be a replacement-chaperone for my daughter's chorus tour.  Eighty adolescents, 6 of whom (none of them my own) were under my care for the duration. Despite some seriously cold feet before we left, it couldn't have turned out any better - the entire experience was absolutely wonderful at so many different levels.  I've enjoyed many trips to France before, but I can honestly say that this was among the best.  I can also say that it is unbelievably liberating not to have to worry about "the voice" while traveling!  For once, somebody else was doing the singing (all 80 of them :).  I didn't have to cast a single thought to allergy medications, air conditioning issues, what kind of water I was drinking, whether or...

Yes, another blog fail with a full 6-month gap. Ouch! This blog isn't abandoned, but living life sometimes take precedence to blogging it.... :) Sharing a recent post from my photo blog, which may explain some of what's been going on this very busy spring.  Enjoy! Divatography (photography for performing artists)

Disclaimer #1:  I have never shopped Black Friday and have no intention of joining the throngs (hate crowds and typically there are so few real bargains it's not worth it) Disclaimer #2: I don't think stores "need" to be open on a national holiday like Thanksgiving Disclaimer #3: Even as a committed  shopper, I'm finding the national devotion to the God of Retail disconcerting and would greatly prefer a real "day off" where it wasn't even *possible* to do stuff. Disclaimer #4:  If the stories of employer pressure to work on holidays are true, I deplore that behaviour lock, stock and barrel. OPTING to work on a holiday is one thing; being blackmailed into with the threat of losing your job if you don't is another. Those out of the way, I admit I'm bemused and baffled by the outrage in some quarters.  A program on NPR yesterday featured scores of distraught callers phoning in to discuss the subject (prompting this blog post).  A few respon...

I'm alarmed that I appear as the tallest thing on the stage (not true, and a trick of the perspective!), but still - what fun!  Truly a pleasure to sing with Maestro Walker and the team of talented musicians and singers on that stage! Concert Opera Rehearsal