It hit me today. I guess I haven't thought about it much because it's taken so long to get here.
3 (major) moves.
Two universities
3 BYU rejection letters.
One BYU-Idaho acceptance letter.
One BYU-Idaho Associate's Degree.
One UVU acceptance letter.
I-can't-even-count-how-many auditions.
An engagement.
A wedding.
One 2-year break.
Five jobs.
One business.
Tears, blood, sweat, failures, joys.
Six years of total schooling.
In a year, I will have a diploma. A Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance.
In a year, I will be deciding where to go for grad school.
In a year, I will be able to call myself "a professional."
As I think back on these six years, it's been a wonderful and awful experience. I have made and lost many friends. I met the love of my life. I have grown as a person, a woman, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a wife. I have grown as a musician, a professional. I have come to love myself and my gift enough to want to develop and share it.
I want to grow. I want to succeed. I want to be an example to my children, to my students, to anyone I encounter that anything is possible with enough determination and love and faith.
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Saturday, September 8, 2012
School. Music. Life.
I live in a time where I have to go to school so I can do what I want.
So, here I am.
Going to UVU.
And loving it. :)
I think that I needed to go back to school when I did because I was going crazy just working all the time. I feel like the store has been such a mess this summer and I barely survived it. But being able to sing every day and talk about music like it's a way of life (because it IS!) just makes me happy.
There are 3 audition choirs on campus: Women's choir, the Masterworks Chorale, and the Chamber Choir. I was in Women's choir all last year and loved every second of it! Singing in an all-female chorus is such a unique experience. I also loved all the women I sang with and our director is fabulous! This year, however, with work, I could only audition for the Masterworks Chorale. I went into my audition and could hardly look at Cherilyn (the Women's Choir director) because I was so sad. But as I finished my audition, Dr. Criddle looked and me and asked, "Are you sure you don't have time for 2 choirs? I would have called you back for Chamber." A-what?!! Chamber Choir is the "elite" choir on campus. Normally, Dr. Criddle picks choir voices for that group. This year, however, he's changing it up a bit: the choir is going to China in the spring so he wanted to gather up the good voices in the vocal department. So, it's official: Dr. Criddle thinks I'm GOOD. That was definitely a confidence booster for me, as it's hard to please him.
I'm so excited to be working with Tyler again this year in voice lessons. His wife (who is a contralto) is now teaching voice lessons on campus, so I considered moving to her studio. Plus, she's awesome and who wouldn't want to be Val's student?! Anyway, I felt, though, that Tyler really pushed me to find my soprano voice. I have a dark color and a wide vibrato, so most voice teachers have put me in the mezzo-soprano category. But the thing is... I can hit an E above the staff. Yes, folks. That is 3 ledger lines above the staff. B above the staff is a comfortable soprano note. I can hit it. Comfortably. I like singing low and jazzy in choirs because it pushes my range lower (I can sing tenor better than most tenors, lets be honest here), but I love crooning above the staff.
Ok, nerd moment over...
Bryan and I are putting together a small business plan so I can start teaching voice and piano lessons. I need to be singing every day, all the time. Teaching will help me do that :) I think we'll start small--just Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday teaching while I work part-time at the store and still go to school. When I get enough students, then I can go to work and tell them, "It's been real, but I'M OUTTA HERE!" (I'm still working on the exact script, but you get the idea).
Bryan is turning into a real freelancer. Yes, ladies and gent's: He's made a COMMERCIAL. And, he just book ANOTHER commercial through the same advertising company. They really like him. Hopefully this means that he'll get all their small projects (6-8 per year) and then we'll be able to finally start saving for a new car, a condo, and a baby (not pregnant).
Here's the 30 second spot, if you haven't already seen it on TV:
Yes, my super awesome, amazingly talented hubby did that. I'm so proud :)
My family is going to Disneyland in October. My whole family. That's all 8 of my siblings, spouses, grandkids, and my cute parents. Bryan and I are trying to figure out if we're going or not. I really want to go, but money is tight and we're trying to figure out if it's just the right time.... I sure hope we can go. I love seeing my family and I don't get to see them very often. And plus, it's the happiest place on earth! Where Bryan and I honeymooned over 2 years ago!
So, here I am.
Going to UVU.
And loving it. :)
I think that I needed to go back to school when I did because I was going crazy just working all the time. I feel like the store has been such a mess this summer and I barely survived it. But being able to sing every day and talk about music like it's a way of life (because it IS!) just makes me happy.
There are 3 audition choirs on campus: Women's choir, the Masterworks Chorale, and the Chamber Choir. I was in Women's choir all last year and loved every second of it! Singing in an all-female chorus is such a unique experience. I also loved all the women I sang with and our director is fabulous! This year, however, with work, I could only audition for the Masterworks Chorale. I went into my audition and could hardly look at Cherilyn (the Women's Choir director) because I was so sad. But as I finished my audition, Dr. Criddle looked and me and asked, "Are you sure you don't have time for 2 choirs? I would have called you back for Chamber." A-what?!! Chamber Choir is the "elite" choir on campus. Normally, Dr. Criddle picks choir voices for that group. This year, however, he's changing it up a bit: the choir is going to China in the spring so he wanted to gather up the good voices in the vocal department. So, it's official: Dr. Criddle thinks I'm GOOD. That was definitely a confidence booster for me, as it's hard to please him.
I'm so excited to be working with Tyler again this year in voice lessons. His wife (who is a contralto) is now teaching voice lessons on campus, so I considered moving to her studio. Plus, she's awesome and who wouldn't want to be Val's student?! Anyway, I felt, though, that Tyler really pushed me to find my soprano voice. I have a dark color and a wide vibrato, so most voice teachers have put me in the mezzo-soprano category. But the thing is... I can hit an E above the staff. Yes, folks. That is 3 ledger lines above the staff. B above the staff is a comfortable soprano note. I can hit it. Comfortably. I like singing low and jazzy in choirs because it pushes my range lower (I can sing tenor better than most tenors, lets be honest here), but I love crooning above the staff.
Ok, nerd moment over...
Bryan and I are putting together a small business plan so I can start teaching voice and piano lessons. I need to be singing every day, all the time. Teaching will help me do that :) I think we'll start small--just Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday teaching while I work part-time at the store and still go to school. When I get enough students, then I can go to work and tell them, "It's been real, but I'M OUTTA HERE!" (I'm still working on the exact script, but you get the idea).
Bryan is turning into a real freelancer. Yes, ladies and gent's: He's made a COMMERCIAL. And, he just book ANOTHER commercial through the same advertising company. They really like him. Hopefully this means that he'll get all their small projects (6-8 per year) and then we'll be able to finally start saving for a new car, a condo, and a baby (not pregnant).
Here's the 30 second spot, if you haven't already seen it on TV:
Yes, my super awesome, amazingly talented hubby did that. I'm so proud :)
My family is going to Disneyland in October. My whole family. That's all 8 of my siblings, spouses, grandkids, and my cute parents. Bryan and I are trying to figure out if we're going or not. I really want to go, but money is tight and we're trying to figure out if it's just the right time.... I sure hope we can go. I love seeing my family and I don't get to see them very often. And plus, it's the happiest place on earth! Where Bryan and I honeymooned over 2 years ago!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Remember how I disappeared for, like, 4 months?
Hi friends.
I know, I know, I've been slacking. But, hey! What do you expect from me? Sometimes I'm good and oftentimes I'm terrible. Just be grateful you're getting an update now! Ha! :)
This semester was one of the best semesters of my college career. Hands down. I feel like I excelled so much more than I ever have and had so many opportunities opened up to me that made me a better person and performer. It's been such a phenomenal experience! I love UVU!
I took the Opera Workshop class (OpShop for short) this semester. It made me realize so much more how I love performing. And how I am not one who would do well in a classroom with students, but rather in a studio. I know, it's crazy. I love teaching. Really, I do. But honestly, if I'm going to do what I love all the time, the best way for me to make a living and do that would to be to teach privately. So, that's happening. Bryan and I are working on putting together a little "business plan" type thing for me to bring around and start getting voice and piano students.
Anyway, going back to OpShop and why I wanted to talk about that in the first place:
1. I LOVE GERMAN. I'm convinced that when Schubert was composing anything for high voice, my voice was the one singing in his head. And the language is just so lovely! (Yes, with the hacking and all).
2. I was cast as Dorabella for the Cosi fan Tutte scene. SO. MUCH. FUN. I would do it again a million times if I could. And, my Fiordiligi was (who am I kidding? IS.) AH. MAZE. ING. I want to be her when I grow up. For realsies.
This class made this semester so worth it. I mean, I took good classes that I enjoyed and learned a lot from. But this experience was one that literally changed my life. It makes me see the Lord's hand in my life so much more when I can recognize the blessings instead of thinking about the trials. I love my Father in Heaven! I love my Savior! They are so wonderful to me!
Bryan is doing great! Work is treating him well, he's working on a script, we're putting together a kickstarter campaign... There really isn't much more we can say besides The Lord blesses those who have faith in Him and who do all that they can do. It's awesome.
Life is good. It's even grand. I'm trying to be better about writing on here because I can say so much more here than I can anywhere else.
I know, I know, I've been slacking. But, hey! What do you expect from me? Sometimes I'm good and oftentimes I'm terrible. Just be grateful you're getting an update now! Ha! :)
This semester was one of the best semesters of my college career. Hands down. I feel like I excelled so much more than I ever have and had so many opportunities opened up to me that made me a better person and performer. It's been such a phenomenal experience! I love UVU!
I took the Opera Workshop class (OpShop for short) this semester. It made me realize so much more how I love performing. And how I am not one who would do well in a classroom with students, but rather in a studio. I know, it's crazy. I love teaching. Really, I do. But honestly, if I'm going to do what I love all the time, the best way for me to make a living and do that would to be to teach privately. So, that's happening. Bryan and I are working on putting together a little "business plan" type thing for me to bring around and start getting voice and piano students.
Anyway, going back to OpShop and why I wanted to talk about that in the first place:
1. I LOVE GERMAN. I'm convinced that when Schubert was composing anything for high voice, my voice was the one singing in his head. And the language is just so lovely! (Yes, with the hacking and all).
2. I was cast as Dorabella for the Cosi fan Tutte scene. SO. MUCH. FUN. I would do it again a million times if I could. And, my Fiordiligi was (who am I kidding? IS.) AH. MAZE. ING. I want to be her when I grow up. For realsies.
This class made this semester so worth it. I mean, I took good classes that I enjoyed and learned a lot from. But this experience was one that literally changed my life. It makes me see the Lord's hand in my life so much more when I can recognize the blessings instead of thinking about the trials. I love my Father in Heaven! I love my Savior! They are so wonderful to me!
Bryan is doing great! Work is treating him well, he's working on a script, we're putting together a kickstarter campaign... There really isn't much more we can say besides The Lord blesses those who have faith in Him and who do all that they can do. It's awesome.
Life is good. It's even grand. I'm trying to be better about writing on here because I can say so much more here than I can anywhere else.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
I've never been a "New Year's Resolution" type of person
But this year, that's changing.
My sweet husband is a SUPER GOAL MAKER! No really. He is.
Anyway, so I decided that this year I would make a few goals that I know I can attain or at least get close to attaining. I read this talk not too long ago that was pretty awesome. It's called "Go For It!" by M. Russell Ballard. And... I loved it! It really put a new perspective on goal-making for me.
I always felt like if I made a goal, I was more likely to fail. I felt this way with almost every goal I made! (I'm super hard on myself; something I need to work on). But this talk that I read just helped me out so much!
Elder Ballard said that we need to make righteous goals that lift us up, but those goals also need to be ones that we know we can attain.
HA!
I needed it in simple terms to realize that I needed the confidence to attain those goals!
I'm retarded. Simply put.
Anyway, I made a few goals. And I'm hoping that I can attain them by the end of this year.
My sweet husband is a SUPER GOAL MAKER! No really. He is.
Anyway, so I decided that this year I would make a few goals that I know I can attain or at least get close to attaining. I read this talk not too long ago that was pretty awesome. It's called "Go For It!" by M. Russell Ballard. And... I loved it! It really put a new perspective on goal-making for me.
I always felt like if I made a goal, I was more likely to fail. I felt this way with almost every goal I made! (I'm super hard on myself; something I need to work on). But this talk that I read just helped me out so much!
Elder Ballard said that we need to make righteous goals that lift us up, but those goals also need to be ones that we know we can attain.
HA!
I needed it in simple terms to realize that I needed the confidence to attain those goals!
I'm retarded. Simply put.
Anyway, I made a few goals. And I'm hoping that I can attain them by the end of this year.
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