Post - Sandy

The view of the island where I live in NYC post-Sandy...

The credit for this pic goes to tweeter, Inga Sarda-Sorenson.

It was just such a stunning photo of home, I had to post it.  

Hope you don't mind, Inga...

Hilarious moment of the day

"You know, when I hear deaf people speak - "

"Those weren't deaf people - they were foreigners."

"What!?!?"

"They were speaking Swedish or Norwegian or something."

"They sounded deaf to me."

Debate Party

The best place to watch a debate - in a cabaret/experimental black box theater.

Habit

I paraphrase a nugget of wisdom I heard in a master class I observed led by the flutist, Emmanuel Pahud, this morning, but it went something like this:

"...This is precision work...it is important to do this, because when we don't pay attention to these details, we begin to do things out of habit...and all habits are bad habits. Music is meant to be expressive. When we do something out of habit, it has no expression."

Amen, amen, amen.

Happy

Why hasn't EVERYONE seen this movie?

Watching it was the best 76 minutes of my day today.

Today's Muses

A few pics of our muses for tonight's concert at (le) Poisson Rouge in NYC.

The dynamic duo - looking quite handsome, I daresay.

A barely legal Dennis Brain. 

(I think he's 17 in this picture...so I guess still illegal in some places?)

Dame Edith Sitwell, in all of her eccentric glory.

 (I LOVE this picture of her - is she getting her hair set? Is she on the set of Star Trek?)

 Osian Ellis working his magic and looking very intense, indeed.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing you there!

If you're not in NYC, be sure to catch us online here starting at 7:30 NYC time tonight!

Celebrate Good Times

If you are in New York City on Monday, October 15 - we're celebrating the release of 'Still Falls the Rain' at the nightclub, (le) Poisson Rouge.  Myra, Sivan and I will be performing selections from both our Britten albums  Special guest Richard Deane of the New York Philharmonic and Atlanta Symphony will also be joining us for one special number.  We'd love it if you could join us to raise a glass or two to Britten!

Doors open at 6:30, and the music will start at 7:30.

Info and Tickets are here.

And for those of you who are not in NYC on Monday night, you can watch us live online here.

Award

I think that when most people think about the University of Michigan, the first thing to probably pop into their head is Big 10 football and the giant stadium that dominates the corner of Main St. and Stadium Blvd.  After that, there are a slew of impressive academic branches to the institution that surely spring to mind, too.  Growing up in Ann Arbor, it seemed normal to me that the Alums of the University often referred to John F. Kennedy's quote in which he called Harvard "The Michigan of the East" - the town is justly proud of the institution that defines it.  One of those branches of the school of which I am very proud to be an alumnus is the School of Music, where I received my Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance roughly a decade ago.

Today, I am in Ann Arbor to receive the Paul Boylan Award - an award that recognizes "outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions in the field of music, theatre or dance to a recent graduate (within 10 years of graduation) from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance."  There are a lot of fantastic and highly accomplished fellow alumni to choose from when it comes time for the School of Music to decide to whom they wish to give this award, so I am deeply honored to be receiving it today.

Since my family moved to Ann Arbor when I was only 2 years old, and I remained there until I finished college 20 years later, to say that the University of Michigan School of Music had an indelible imprint on the foundation of my musical life is an understatement.  I was running in and out of the School of Music building multiple times a week from the ages of 10 - 22 for everything from violin lessons, viola lessons, youth orchestra rehearsals, youth choir rehearsals, my first voice lessons, theory and music history classes, diction classes, opera rehearsals, and more. It was the hub of my musical education from the moment I decided I wanted to be a professional musician around the age of 11 until I embarked on the first steps of my professional career.  

I often tell people that most of what I needed to know, I learned at U of M.  I don't think that is an exaggeration - I quite literally grew up there.  The musical foundation that I learned there has served me well through every up and down of this musical life, and while I have been lucky enough to have many additional mentors since, I am forever grateful for the incredible faculty at Michigan who took me under their collective wing, taught me the value of a curious mind, a disciplined practice, and inspired me to reach for the stars.  Without them none of this would have happened, and I wouldn't be the musician and person that I am today.

Happy Coming Out

I am able to wish everyone a Happy Coming Out Day just in the nick of time...can't believe I almost missed it...

Here's a lovely video about coming out from the folks at The Stranger:

Still Falls The Rain

'Still Falls the Rain' was released yesterday...oddly enough, it was a rather Still-Falls-the-Rainy day here in New York City yesterday, as well. It seemed rather appropriate and was hopefully an auspicious sign...

If you haven't already, you can order your copy here:

Waiting for the Plane

Kale

I became obsessed with kale this week. Am I the only one who feels phenomenal after eating it? I'm obsessed, I tell you.

Starchy Heart

Yes, folks, that is a potato he is holding.

Simple Pleasures

People often ask me, "What are you thinking about while you are sitting in front of the orchestra, waiting to sing?"

Tonight, I was thinking about how the bassoon countermelody - when the violas first come in with the Ode to Joy theme - in the last movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony is one of the most happy and joyful countermelodies I've ever heard.

It makes me smile every time I hear it.  I daresay, it is my favorite part of the Ludwig's 9th Symphony.

How Cool Is This?

Congratulations, Alan. You are a true master.

Pre-Ode-to-Joy Run

Where the Canadian government magic happens...

Québec looks pretty across the river...

Close Encounters

The ceiling of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa makes me think a little bit of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Sweet

Somebody loves me.

Small

Oh Canada...you are so civilized with your small sizes that are actually small.

Yes, Autumn, Yes.

Duly Noted

Thank you, Jenny Rivera, for passing this along.

And thank you, Janet, for the kind reminder to get back to it.  I needed that.