The Recital

     As of earlier this week, I was given the "GO AHEAD" from my old HS for my recital!  This makes me feel really good for many reasons.  Firstly, I get to show all of my friends and family (those who think it's worth their while) what I'm doing with my life and how far I've come in developing my talent and technique.  I'm just slightly better than when I played Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls and the Evil Stepmother in Cinderella :D  [If you couldn't get the sarcasm by the Italics, you need to stop reading this blog and get a life.]  Plus, I get to have the event hosted at the place where my education started and the majority of people who started me on this path called life... it truly is home for me, no matter how much I dislike spending more than a week there.  Secondly, I'll be giving back to Montello in the best way that I can--through music.  I plan on doing this recital thing there every year, but let's see how this one goes first.  Eventually I'd like to go back there and open a cafe that features local produce and only WI meats and cheeses, homemade goodness all around with baked goods, soups, etc. all made from scratch, you get the idea... but that won't happen for quite some time.  Lastly, but definitely not LEAST, is the donation aspect; having my supporters actually support me in a financial way (in whatever amount) is the main focus of the whole thing.
     So, onto figuring out a few main things that are pertinent to the recital.  The most important, I think, is finding a PIANIST.  I have a few colleagues who play piano in that area of the state, so now I just have to figure out which one can actually do it and how much they charge :)  Another big thing I have to do is, and this is using my Arts Mgt Degree knowledge, is create and increase my visibility, and create excitement about this event, within Montello and the surrounding communities through word of mouth, flyers, the newspaper, donation jugs w/a spiel on them, and utilizing "MHS Presents".  I already have a freelance writer's information who has done an article on me previously, so hopefully she'll want to write another one.  I've already created the posters for the event, now I just need to alter it to fit the time, date, and find my accompanist & tac their info on there.  Then, another big thing is PROGRAM NOTES.  I know relatively all of the songs & arias I'd like to sing; now, I just have to create translations, get composer's bios, and slap them together and print those off.  Lastly, baked goods.  I'm not going to charge for them, but I'll have a BIG jug by them saying, "Donations Welcome--If You Liked the Music, Toss in a Coin or Two," or something to that affect.
     I feel confident and am becoming increasing ecstatic about my recital at home.  I listened to the first recording of myself since I started Grad School this past week, and it was amazing to hear the difference that less than a year's worth of practice and lessons has had on my voice!  I sounded like me, or at least how I remembered myself sounding, but WAAAY better... it was so cool and made me feel really proud.
    I had to sing this past week for a few things at school (I sang the Presentation Duet from Strauss' Rosenkavalier and Stabat Mater by Rossini).  I got a lot of compliments from students, teachers, the head of the Voice Dept @ Peabody, etc., and it felt awesome.  It just reiterated that I'm doing the right thing for my life and career, and it was really reassuring :) 

Here's to enjoying your life and future career!