practice

The Snowy Blahs

This morning I was inspired and excited to rehearse given the lovely snowfall blanketing the area. Snowflakes that drift slowly to the ground are magical and make the world seem a more peaceful place. It really is like being in a snow globe. From my practice room, I could see two dogs running and rolling and nipping at each other’s heels in play in the freshly fallen snow. However, upon singing the first few notes, I became wholly uninspired. Crummy voice can do that. Perhaps I didn’t get enough sleep last night, though I thought I had. I have been sneezing a bit, so I suppose my … Continue reading »

O Sonnet-thon! How I pine!

For about five years, the cute, local Shakespeare Now! Theatre Company sponsored this fabulous, free annual event called the Sonnet-thon, at which all of Shakespeare’s sonnets would be read in succession, each by a different individual, with the talents ranging in age from 5 to at least 90. I found myself reminiscing about this event recently and missing it. It was cancelled a few years ago because, apparently, coordinating the talent took quite a bit of time and gathering an audience proved to be challenging, despite convenient performance locations like the Rabb Lecture … Continue reading »

Music to the rescue

Sometimes the best thing to do when auditions aren’t the reigning force and gigs aren’t working out is to return to practicing music full-force.

As you’ve read, no doubt, I’ve had a string of commercial auditions that really haven’t materialized into anything, lately. During these past few days, I was asked to work two shoe shows, received an invitation to audition for a major audiobook company, and was invited to sing as part of as summer concert series. Fabulous! Due to previously existing conflicts, though, I had to turn down the shoe gigs. Grrr. The … Continue reading »

2-for-1

It’s been a busy 24 hours! Last evening, after a nearly-two-hour MBTA ride to a town only 6 miles away (thanks MBTA!), I met the Fate Scores ensemble for a rehearsal of the short film score fALATIMI. I was a bit hesitant because, despite my practice, I was concerned about my part. Especially mm. 18. (Damn measure 18!) However, after meeting everyone, I was pleased to find out they, too, were concerned with aspects of their parts. With that sense of communal relief, we got down to business.

Fumito (Marimba), Christian (Piano, Composer), Me, Hannah (Violin)

Count, ladies!

Rehearsal was … Continue reading »

fALATIMI

I’ve been hastily trying to learn some challenging music. It’s not so difficult, but it is dissonant. The piece is fALATIMI, a single-
movement work composed by Christian Coleman as the score to short film Fate Scores (I was AD!). It’s a silent short and, as such, it does need something to jazz it up a bit. So my good friend, Albert (the director), called on his good friend Christian to compose something appropriate. May I just say how nice it was for Christian to compose a part for voice and ask me to sing it!

The piece is written for soprano, violin, cello, marimba and piano, and … Continue reading »

Something in my ear

Many people know me as a “classical singer” and seem to think I’m only into so-called “classical music”. And, since a few individuals have recently wondered what I listen to, I’ve added a slideshow in the sidebar that will provide a glimpse of what I’m currently into–what I’m listening to while I walk to an audition, ride to an audition, wait for an audition, return from an audition, or memorize lines. (But never music! Never learn music by ear, children. Only by … Continue reading »

Miscellany

Much has happened these past several days, so I’ll take a moment to summarize each event rather than post individual entries for each.

As you’ve read, the Chichester Psalms with the Choir of St. George’s Chapel went very well.
I was invited to audition for a principal role in the new dramatic thriller The Box. I did my research, preparation and practice. I arrived about 15 minutes prior to my audition time, but I could tell things were running a bit behind. So I waited patiently until I was called. there were three of us at the end, and all were auditioning for the same role. The … Continue reading »