Last week, I wrote about Why I Quit. When my husband read that title, he blanched, thinking that I was announcing that I was quitting teaching (without telling him first). Not quite. As I said last week, that wasn’t the intended focus when I sat down to write. What I wanted to talk about wasContinue reading “Why I Moved (I’m Not Done Yet)”
Category Archives: Expressivity
The Summer of Suck
It was the best of times – it was the worst of times – NAH, it was the Summer of SUCK. (TLDR: Lots of health issues, a couple of studio issues, but Emma Langford and other folx made it all better) I thought I had coined this term myself, but then discovered that it wasContinue reading “The Summer of Suck”
Authenticity
I’m absolutely swamped this week with recital prep, so here’s a quick little quote from Kelli O’Hara in Classical Singer magazine (October 2021) regarding authenticity:* “The biggest advice I ever give is this authenticity thing, which is to be who you are and not make yourself into something you’re not, vocally or otherwise, ever. Because, again,Continue reading “Authenticity”
Celebrate World Voice Day with MDDC NATS!
People asked me if I was going to do World Voice Weekend again this year – but, unfortunately, World Voice Day falls on Saturday of Holy Week and it’s spring break for a lot of my students, so we’ll all be too busy. Instead, I’m working with the Maryland-DC Chapter of NATS (for which IContinue reading “Celebrate World Voice Day with MDDC NATS!”
Be a GOAT
Several years ago, videos of goats screaming like people hit the internet and became an obsession. People shared the videos of the goats just plain screaming, or cross-cut them into videos of people singing opera or missing a high note in “Let it go” in Times Square on New Year’s Eve (you know who you are,Continue reading “Be a GOAT”
Music in Our Schools Month
The celebration of Black History Month is over, although Black history continues to flourish and enhance society (check out my studio FB page for the 28 artists to whom I paid tribute during February). Now it is March, and it is Music in Our Schools Month! (AKA MIOSM) Not everyone knows this, but my undergrad degreeContinue reading “Music in Our Schools Month”
The Alchemy of Singing
Today’s blogpost is inspired by the great Annie Lennox, one of my favorite performers of all times. She wrote an article for The Guardian entitled, “Why Everyone Should Sing.” And since this blogpost is titled Why I Sing (and you can go back and check out my very first post explaining that right here), –Continue reading “The Alchemy of Singing”
When the light hit them
“I came from nothing. I came from the most isolated place in the United States: Hawaii. And I spent most of my time reading books in libraries. And I had a mediocre education. But somehow or another I was mesmerized by the idea that someone would get up in a pool of light and beContinue reading “When the light hit them”
Happy Holidays (all of them)
Saying “Happy Holidays” at this time of year does not mean that you have sold out and are part of the so-called War on Christmas. It is an acknowledgement that there are multiple holidays at this time of year and different people celebrate different things. Sometimes Hanukkah is at the same time as Christmas. ThisContinue reading “Happy Holidays (all of them)”
Grateful 2021
2021 hasn’t proved to be the relief we expected after 2020; but there are a still a lot of things – and people – for which we can be grateful.