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2021 In Review

Posted byMezzoid Voice StudioPosted inGeneralTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
MVS Year in Review

Well, THIS was a year.  Let’s review it, shall we?

(Buckle up, there’s a lot – although it’s still shorter than Dave Barry’s annual year in review)

  • January:Sang for a televised Mass in honor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg (masked)
    • Started taking Peter Jacobson’s Alexander Technique Teacher Training program
    • Tripped on a bunched-up rug and broke my face open on the back of a chair. Stitches in my gumline, chin, finger (?), and I broke my kneecap. Weirdly enough, the last part was really no big deal and required no surgery or even physical therapy.
  • February: Recorded and submitted virtual entries for MDDC NATS competition, resulting in two second-place finishes for Juliet Jones (Upper HS MT treble voice) and Sasha Kostakis (Lower HS MT treble voice), both of whom continued on to regionals the following month
    • Began planning World Voice Weekend (WVW)!
    • Applied for WVW funding from Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) – rejected and encouraged to reapply
    • Returned to some choral singing at my church job (masked) at Cathedral of Mary our Queen (CMOQ) Catholic Church for the first time in nearly a year
  • March:Saw a dermatologist for the scar on my chin, and oh, by the way, what’s going on with this mole down here?
    • Diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, involving MOHS surgery (all is well – it was early)
    • Saw a plastic surgeon for the scar on my chin and began steroid injections
    • Reapplied for MSAC grant for WVW, following all the guidelines outlined earlier – missed by one point
    • Interviewed by Nikki Loney for the Full Voice Podcast regarding WVW!
  • April:Holy Week/Easter services with a small ensemble at CMOQ (masked)
    • Reapplied for MSAC grant for WVW, incorporating recommendations from previous application – missed by 11 points (???) and asked why I was applying so late
    • Second COVID shot!
    • Put together virtual choir for World Voice Day featuring studio members past and present!
    • World Voice Weekend – went extremely well and I learned a lot for the next time I do it (2023)
    • VACATION – cross country drive with the dog in the car to Arizona and back (also learned a lot, including add one more day on each end to this trip)
  • May:Resumed lessons gearing toward the end of the school year!
  • June:Second annual Studio Recital on my back porch to an enthusiastic audience of parents, friends – and cicadas
  • July:Audited masterclass with Christian Borle, hosted by Izzie Bauman and featuring Mezzoid Voice Studio student Kay-Megan WashingtonNew music director started at CMOQ
    • Booked hotel stays for trips to New York in December 2021 and January 2022 because COVID will be over by then, right???
    • Began coordinating Back to Whatever program for end of August/beginning of September
  • August:Began lessons with Dr. Nicholas PernaWent to Milwaukee for Milwaukee Irish Fest!Presented Back to Whatever program with guests Aimee Woods, Phyllis Horridge, Heather Statham, and James Valcq
  • September:Back to in-person lessons for people vaccinated!
    • Signed contract for WNO concert in November
    • Adopted Spike & Charlie
    • Auditioned for Baltimore Concert Opera – first audition since January 2020 (it was…okay)
  • October:Attended Wit at Fells Point Corner Theater (masked) with Kay-Megan Washington in the lead (first theater since 2019)
    • Began Branding Bootcamp with Sara Campbell/Savvy Music Studio
    • Began rehearsals for Come Home with Washington National Opera
    • Sang for Toby Bell’s memorial service in Alexandria, one week after attending a Mass in honor of my late mother-in-law, Barbara O’Meally
    • Transcribed a song from YouTube for an upcoming show
    • Wrote chart for last year’s 25 Days of Caroling arrangement for same upcoming show
  • November:Put together the 2021 version of Ding-a-ling, I feel so Christmas-y! for a December performance and sent it to my pianist
    • Six performances of Come Home with WNO at the Kennedy Center
    • Started rehearsals for Messiah with Baltimore Symphonic Chorale
    • Re-did hair with a little lighter purple (amethyst) for more contrast 😀
    • Made a video of 5 Tips for Giving a GREAT Golden Age Audition, followed the next day by a free class on preparing a specific Golden Age song, which I also captured for posterity on YouTube (I think I’ve hit my quota for embedding videos)
  • December:Performed Messiah with the Baltimore Symphonic Chorale and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff (masked)
    • Presented Ding-a-ling, I feel so Christmas-y at the Three Arts Club in Homeland
    • Lessons and Carols at CMOQ for the first time (live) since 2019
    • Went to the Ravens/Packers game at M&T Bank Stadium (first professional NFL season game!) and the Packers won!
    • Christmas Eve gig at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Crofton, Maryland (6pm), followed by 10pm Mass at CMOQ
    • Cantored for the eve of the Feast of the Holy Family at St. Leo’s in Little Italy
    • Signed up for Sara Campbell’s Mastermind group to help give me some FOCUS  (see below)
    • Cancelled New York trip for December because COVID isn’t over yet (January trip TBD)
    • Wrote this blogpost!

In review, it was a tough year, in many respects, but a busy one and often rewarding. I learned that I sign up for too many things and then don’t schedule enough time to complete them (see BDTR, June) which means that I probably need to decide that my 2022 word is going to be FOCUS, because I think I have boldness to spare. But without focus, how effective will those bold actions actually be?

MVS Year in Review But wait, there’s more!

*****
What did you accomplish in 2021? What do you wish you’d gotten done? If voice lessons are on your bucket list, why not find out how you can
work with me in 2022?

Published by Mezzoid Voice Studio

Christine Thomas-O'Meally, a mezzo soprano and voice teacher currently based in the Baltimore-DC area, has performed everything from the motets of J.S. Bach to the melodies of Irving Berlin to the minimalism of Philip Glass. As an opera singer and actress, she has appeared with companies such as Charm City Players, Spotlighters Theatre, Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Theater of Northern Virginia, Opera North, the Washington Savoyards, In Tandem Theatre, Windfall Theater, The Young Victorian Theater of Baltimore, and Skylight Opera Theatre. She created the role of The Woman in Red in Dominick Argento’s Dream of Valentino in its world premiere with the Washington Opera and Mary Pickersgill in O'er the Ramparts at its world premiere during the Bicentennial of Battle of Baltimore at the Community College of Baltimore County. Other roles include Mrs. Paroo in Music Man, Mother Abbess in Sound of Music, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, both Hansel and the Witch in Hansel & Gretel, and many roles in Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. Her performance as the Housekeeper in Man of La Mancha was honored with a WATCH award nomination. Ms. Thomas-O'Meally received an M.M. in vocal performance from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She regularly attends master classes and workshops in both performance and vocal pedagogy, and is certified in all three Levels of Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method. Her students have performed on national and international tours of Broadway productions, at prestigious conservatories, and in regional theater throughout the country.

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