Today is our Showcase, which this year will meld two of my great loves – cabaret and American Song. I’m excited about the program, which will open with the title song, “Look for me in the songs” by Craig Carnelia. The final solo is John Bucchino’s “Grateful,” which pretty much sums up how I feelContinue reading “Showcase today!”
Author Archives: Mezzoid Voice Studio
This Wacky Economy
This week I lose 8 – possibly 9 – students. The majority of them are because of graduation. However, a couple are because of the economic hardships that American families are facing right now. I’m always willing to work with people who are having troubles. I remember when I lost my day job in OctoberContinue reading “This Wacky Economy”
To music
I was teaching “An die Musik” today (art song by Schubert) and in light of my most recent post, I thought I would post the original German text and its English translation. This gets to the core of what my family simply doesn’t get about me: Du holde Kunst, in wieviel grauen Stunden, Wo michContinue reading “To music”
"All you care about is your music"
Something bothered me the other day. My parents and sister have always referred to my career choice as “your music” with this tone that can only be described as scorn. “My music” is why I’m not a mother, why I wouldn’t be a good mother, why my first marriage failed, why I’m not rich, whyContinue reading “"All you care about is your music"”
Scratching the directing itch
“To open the show, I always like to do one thing that is impossible. So right now I’m going to suck this piano into my lungs.” —Steve Martin About 8 years ago, I decided I was going to break away from the standard park-&-bark assembly line kind of recital, at least at the end ofContinue reading “Scratching the directing itch”
Why I teach – part II
So I left Milwaukee in June 1987 for the DC area. I started to audition for anything and everything and discovered, much to my chagrin, that my sightsinging skills left a lot to be desired (and all the auditions called for sightsinging). Since my husband at the time (hereafter “HATT”) was on the road aContinue reading “Why I teach – part II”
Si canta come si parla
“One sings as one speaks.” This is the phrase I think of when I think of Richard Miller, who passed away last Tuesday at the age of 83. I met Richard Miller on 3 occasions – a week in June 1999 when I attended his pedagogy workshop at Concordia University-River Forest, a master class atContinue reading “Si canta come si parla”
Why I teach – part I
I have to confess that there have been two times in my life when teaching was something to “fall back on.” The first time was when I majored in music at Alverno College, and told my advisor that what I wanted to do was to sing professionally and teach voice privately. I had never evenContinue reading “Why I teach – part I”
Last night’s performance
Last night Ryan and I performed “Oh, to be a movie star” for the 2nd time, this time at the Times Cinema. We were freaking out a few days before because ticket sales were going extremely slowly. And then I decided that at the very least, this was an opportunity for us to perform theContinue reading “Last night’s performance”
Oh, to be a movie star!
My fascination with movies and movie stars began because I was an obnoxious child who began reading early. Or because of parental neglect. You be the judge. I started reading at about 4 years of age and would read every chance I got. One of those chances was at the grocery store because I hatedContinue reading “Oh, to be a movie star!”