Reviewing 2013....

2013....was magical in so many ways...I just can't describe.  

I've been singing consistently every month.  Every month.  Do you know how rare that is for a struggling singer? Rarer than rare.

January....I sang with some friends some repertoire I thought I may never do, but now I'm contracted to do it.  LOL  I tested my chops on Mira o Norma in public and it was fun.  Really, really fun.

February...in the midst of a blizzard I traveled up to New Paltz, NY (2 hours north of the city) to sing where a friend teaches.  I sang with some great kids from the Newburgh Free School District.  They are talented and were very prepared.  What a joy!

Then in the middle of the month, I present some songs with other friends at St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University.  What a treat sharing the music of African American Composers.

March....The most psychotic...neurotic month of my life.  LOL  Literally.  I had 4 concerts, a recording and a 3 hour rehearsal for an upcoming gig in October.  This did not include all of the rehearsals for Women's Day at my church job and all of the things surrounding that.  

Concerts/Opera: I did this fabulous Women of the Bible concert with 2 other friends.  One more talented than the next.  Then, I did a presentation of A Gentle Lark: The Ellabelle Davis Story (google her)....and the next day I did an concert with my dear friend Alison McConekey on crazy women.  By 6 PM on 3/18 my voice had enough of me and went into epic fail.  EPIC FAIL.  It was no bueno because I was doing a concert suite version of Paula Kimper's Truth on my bday (3/24).  

March 24th came and I did the best that I could do, but I was not very pleased.  (If Truth comes to your hood...go see it.  Very beautiful music and an important story in history.)

Sidebar: March 28th....I got to see Lawrence Brownlee.  Yea...if he comes your way, go see him.  GO.SEE.HIM.

April....It started out with a bang.  LOL  I did my first Handel opera with Sing Through Central.  Rodelinda.  Lemme talk about how singing Eduige makes my heart soar.  That coloratura makes me very happy. (Oh yes, I love singing TONS of black notes.)  

In the midst of all of this, I was learning Marthe Schwerdlein from Faust.  LOL  It might be the shortest part in opera history, but I can't tell you how much I love the role and this opera.

May...Marthe came to fruition....

with Bryce Smith for Amore Opera

June....pretty stale....

July....I did my first Nuits d'Ete.  Let us talk about the gloriousness of that music. (Yea I made up that word...)  It is just exquisite from beginning to end. It is 30 minutes cover to cover of glorious music.  When I heard it in college, I couldn't appreciate the poetry, the music, the way it touches your soul....  I'm so glad I've grown up, fallen in and out of love and fallen in love with this music.

with Mark Coogley for Empire Opera

August....A week in Szeged, Hungary...  Talk about a beautiful place that I got to spend more than 6 hours in.  LOL (I did a drive by in Buda and Pest in when I was working in Vienna one year.)  Antywhooo, I was there in a production of Porgy and Bess singing Strawberry Woman/Ensemble.  

I had a week off, then my friend Ali and I did a Benefit Concert up in Saugerties, NY.  I love singing with my friend Alison and we sure are working up somethings for the future.

Yea...this is a be continued post.......Cause September led into October, which was a life changing moment in my life musically.  Wee...stay tuned for the adventure.