Coachings..

Yesterday I had my biweekly vocal coaching with Giulio Favario. He is an amazing coach and I am so blessed that he was willing to continue to work with me after I completed my Master's Degree at CCPA. Giulio has been all over and he retired from the Ryan Center (Young Artist Program at Lyric Opera), and he was the chorus master at Lyric Opera of Chicago. It feels really good to have someone like him supporting me, and helping me to grow into a great opera singer. Yesterday I had a really good lesson. He said something to me that really clicked, and from then on he kept stopping to tell me how good I was, instead of pointing out a mistake! It felt so good to see him so excited about what I was producing, and he was very happy to see how much I have grown since we have been working together. I shouldn't share this, but it is my testimony. He told me when we first started working together in 2008 that he thought I had a nice voice, but it wasn't cut out for the stage, but now he can see me on any stage. I told him I am glad he is brutally honest with me. Him saying that to me makes me feel like all of my hard work has not gone to waste. I have grown so much and have become more confident in the things that I was lacking confidence in before. I have been given a new zest for practicing and learning my music so that I can go even further than I ever imagined. Things are really coming together for my singing career. God has been preparing me for something great, and I am glad that he is with me on this journey.

Nay Sayers...

Ok, it's been too long since I have written a blog. I definitely have to do a better job. This morning on my way to work I was talking with a close friend and we were discussing what I plan on doing next. He asked me have I been offered any other positions when I told him I was headed to work. This is my 5th year at the school, and I like it here. I told him that I was offered two positions, but I didn't want either one of them. If I was to take a promotion that means I would be working a 9 to 5, and not able to leave when I need to for when I have auditions. It also will take my practice time away. I also explained to him that I don't want somebody to recommend me for a position that I only work for a year. That wouldn't be the right thing to do in my opinion. Then he went on about how he has never heard of the Young Artist Programs, and where do I get this information from. I told him that he doesn't know about it because he doesn't aspire to become an opera singer. He then made commentary about how much it is paying, and how I should be working and making real money at this point, and that's what he would be doing. Now this person teaches music and doesn't like it! It seems like he would be more supportive of me taking this leap of faith and doing what I have to do to become a professional opera singer. I have worked very hard, and it troubles me that people can be such nay sayers about what I do. He asked what does my mother think about this, and I told him that she supports me in everything I do. We have been friends for many years and have been sharing are trials and triumphs of our musical journeys and life. I just do not like people speaking on things that they know nothing about. This is my dream and I feel that my friends should be there to support me for not only having goals, but working towards them. Sorry for my rant, but I figured this would be a good place to do it.