Want to know what 3 gigs in 7 days looks like?
Those bags are well earned, my friends.
{To those of you reading who might be in a position to hire me to sing with your choir/symphony/opera company/etc. please know that despite some of the insecurities I address in this post, I am an extremely competent, highly musical, talented, hardworking, and smart performer.
You should totally call to book me today before my calendar gets full.}
WEDNESDAY:
The Priests gig was the first event during my crazy week. It came right in the middle of production week for Amahl.
I wrote an account of the event as the rehearsal was happening and you can read it again
here.
In retrospect, this turned out to be a really wonderful gig.
The Orpheum is a beautiful theater, over 100 years old, and there's something about singing in a beautiful space that just makes it all more exciting.
The priests were not the most amazing singers I have ever heard, but they were quite good, extremely musical, and gave a wonderful show.
The tour manager was a bit intense, but I'm pretty good at flying under the radar.
There was a lot of sitting around involved. I sang for 20 minutes in the 3 hour rehearsal, spending the time I wasn't singing sitting in the house and writing a blog post.
Then in the evening I sat off stage right and watched the show, holding my music loosely in my lap, occasionally reviewing the words.
I ended up singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "O mio, babbino caro," "She walked through the fair" (a folk song), and "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."
The band was made up of a string quartet, keyboard, and piano.
And when I was done, I promptly went home and had a piece of pizza.
THURSDAY:
Sitzprobe, then dress rehearsal for Amahl.
FRIDAY:
My biggest teaching day, voice lessons starting at 8 and ending at 5:30.
One of the accompanists that day told me she had seen me in the newspaper and brought her copy to me.
Thankfully I had the night off and tried to get to bed early.
SATURDAY:
Musical theater juries in the morning and 2 shows of Amahl and the Night Visitors.
It's hard to figure out what to say about this gig.
As a young(ish) professional, it's hard to find opera gigs. Companies all over the country are folding and those that do have money, don't hire many singers who are up and coming. And as a mom to young children, I'm not willing to take the time to travel all over the nation to take auditions.
With all that in mind, when an opportunity comes along to sing a role in an opera, I jump at the chance.
After spending some time with this opera now and having it live in my body, I have come to the conclusion that my voice isn't well suited to this role.
I began to become aware of this at the beginning of production week, and as the week progressed and my realization was confirmed, I got more discouraged and insecure with each run-through and performance.
As a performer, I always strive to be consistent in what I do. I pride myself on my musicianship and the fact that conductors and fellow actors know what to expect from me.
In the dress rehearsal and Saturday's matinee, I made some stupid mistakes, and it was hard for me to recover emotionally.
I was really, really hard on myself.
I just wasn't as focused as I needed to be with the circumstances surrounding this production.
The experience as a whole had moments of frustration, but I did meet some really wonderful people, and the opera, itself is a masterpiece.
SUNDAY:
This was the Sunday that my church gig had their service that showcases the big Christmas music selections. There was an 8:30 call and then I sang 2 services with full orchestra.
It was a big sing that left my voice extremely fatigued.
MONDAY:
I had my first and only rehearsal with the WSO.
I have known about this gig the longest, having been contracted over the summer.
I received the music in October.
I promptly began work on "Rejoice, greatly." It's one of those arias that I've always stayed away from because it scares me to death. It's a hard little sucker. So, I got to work on it early.
The other two pop tunes were just lead sheets. (Meaning just a melody, without any accompaniment written in.) The Priests sent the same format.
Which is fine. Except that, when learning music from a lead sheet, one has no idea what the accompaniment sounds like. Which is difficult for a singer, because we have to produce notes out of thin air. We don't get to push down a button or string to find our note. Which means, if a singer doesn't have perfect pitch (which this singer doesn't) knowing how the vocal line fits in the with accompaniment is essential.
The WSO is legit. Along with my music, I also got a parking pass for the basement (and I rode up in a freight elevator which is super legit and also strangely terrifying). Upon my arrival I was whisked to my dressing room and left there to wait.
So the rehearsal schedule was tight and there are only about 10 minutes allotted for each piece.
We started my selections with "Santa Baby" and as I ended the first verse and began the second, it became apparent that something was wrong.
The conductor stops the song, turns to me and says, "so you're singing here and we've got an interlude."
After trying to stifle my panic, bending over his score and my lead sheet, we realized that I have a different arrangement.
So, we run it again, going over the allotted time, and I think I know what to expect.
The rest of the rehearsal is uneventful, but I did not feel as comfortable as I would have liked.
TUESDAY:
I woke up exhausted and started my day with juries. Thankfully it was just 4 hours of listening to music education majors.
Our nanny comes on Tuesday afternoons and so I took advantage by trying to take a nap. Unfortunately I couldn't fall asleep, but I did catch half an episode of Bethenny (meh).
Aleks' dad came into town for the week and I was able to see him before I headed over to Century II to get dressed and put my makeup on.
I totally forgot my blush at home, but thankfully I haven't washed my brushes in ages and there was enough residue to do the job.
The doors opened at 6:30 and the people started pouring in.
There's a tuba choir that plays beforehand and this year CBS Sunday Morning sent a camera crew to do a story. It airs Dec. 22, so check it out and just maybe there might be a clip of me singing.
The convention center holds about 4,000 and so a mic was essential.
And thankfully everything went fine.
There was lots of waiting around again, and I kept reminding myself of how many measures rest I needed to count.
Of course when I got out there I promptly lost count, but it all worked out in the end.
Can you believe they let this guy conduct?!
A professional photographer was there and the following photos are his.
This is one of my favorites.
I was so pleasantly surprised to see what I look like while I'm performing.
Honestly, the inside of my head looks nothing like what my face is projecting.
There's lots of "what beat was that?" "take a deep breath… manage that air" "put the emphasis on -joice" "keep it forward" "don't step on my dress" "that light is so bright" "oh, that baby just started crying""look at Mark for the cue" "is it here? wait, here."
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I've learned some important things that can only be gained from experience.
1. There are different kinds of nerves. I was sick for 2 days before the Priests gig, but once I had the rehearsal, I was fine. On the other hand, right before the curtain for Amahl opened, I experienced the heart pounding, can't catch a breath kind of nerves.
2. I get very manic as I head to each gig. God bless my husband who has learned to take it all in stride and ignore the crazy.
3. After the mania passes I get very quiet (physically and mentally). Almost to the point where I could fall asleep if I closed my eyes. It's as if my body knows that I need to conserve all its energy for whatever might happen in the event ahead.
4. As a performer working with minimal rehearsals, it's essential to be sure everything I can control is as prepared as possible so that I can handle whatever happens on stage. I have to be aware of the big picture and how my part fits in, but also concerned with the details. I have to be flexible and smart and quick on my feet and there is absolutely no room for ego.
I am so grateful for all the performing opportunities I've had this past week.
To work as much as I did in 7 days is the stuff dreams are made of and I will never take opportunities like this for granted.
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