Audition Day 1
Well, it's been an eventful and smooth day. Courtney and I got a late start this morning because I realized I needed to print out a tree's worth of stuff, but it didn't make any difference. Both flights went smoothly, and both arrived early. I'm inexperienced enough at flying to be amused by de-icing. "OOh! Big hose and elevating thingy! COOL!" I slept through both flights, and I hope I didn't snore. No one seemed to be giving me dirty looks upon disembarking.
The car rental thing has been interesting. It ended up being quite a bit more than I'd anticipated, but I'm really enjoying having the freedom to see the area at my own pace. Plus the car's wicked cool: black Dodge Avenger. Tomorrow I'll try to check out some student living areas, and I think I might even go downtown to see La Boheme!
I found the Meadows School of the Arts building without incident. This campus has got to be the prettiest I've EVER seen. It reminds me of Hanover, Glasgow, and Butler combined. But with the rich, old Southern stateliness that none of them have. They have FLOWERS blooming here. Magnolias, pansies, and daffodils. And those weird decorative lettuce thingies. Really, the campus looks like it's out of a movie. Hopefully I'll remember to take some pictures tomorrow. Also, I was able to find the arts building without even needing a sign. Amongst huge, stately brick buildings with white shutters and pillars, there was a weird/ugly looking building with a fountain out front. Clearly a music building. The inside is a big dilapidated looking and not modern at all, but it's got charm.
I asked some very friendly people at the music office how to find Virginia's office, and managed to get there without getting hopelessly lost. In the process, I re-met Dale, who accompanied Virginia when she did her recital here, and was one of the double-team in the masterclass. Then, as if fate had intended it, Ben Plocher walked by and Dale made him stop to talk to me. Butler has a long tradition of sending graduate voice students to SMU, and Ben is the latest. I think he was a senior when I was a freshman, so he doesn't remember me. Still, he was very friendly and gave me his phone number so I could go out to dinner with him and some other voice people sometime this weekend.
Then came the lesson. It wasn't a full lesson, really, but the amount I accomplished in 45 minutes with Virginia was as satisfying as a month with Dr. K. I happened to have forgotten to bring ANY copy of Sure on this Shining Night, so she let me use hers. We talked about what key I was using, and she decided to try me out in the low key based on what she remembered of my voice from the masterclass. The result was amazing. She got me releasing my jaw and larynx more than ever before and the resultant sound was...well, it was right. It sounded like ME in a way that I haven't sounded in quite some time. We played around with keys and she heard some of my other audition rep, and she agreed with Dr. K on one thing: I am between fachs. It's possible that I could master two. But, for the sake of my vocal health and sanity, Virginia seems to be of the opinion that I should stick with mezzo repertoire, and rattled off this long list of mezzo roles that would use my abilities well. Wow. I can't even tell you how happy and relieved I was.
After that I had an hour or so to collect my thoughts. Virginia led me around to meet people and copy my music, and then took me into the room where I'll have my audition tomorrow. She had me stand where I'll stand tomorrow and sing a bit. Whoa, that room is LIVE. I'm glad I got a crack at it today because I'd be scared to death of that tomorrow. It's distracting, really. Then, Virginia had to go rehearse some "God-awful songs". I headed outside and walked around as much as I could without risking getting horribly lost. I found a sunny place, left a voicemail for the parentals, and pulled out "The Inner Voice" by Renee Fleming. That book and this weekend's experience have me thinking very, very hard about my impending choices. Also, I think I have a slight sunburn, but it was SO WORTH IT to sit in the sun, no jacket, and read.
At 2 I sat in on the lesson of a tenor. The lesson wasn't in Virginia's studio, it was in the recital hall. Now THERE'S a concept. She had remarked during my lesson that there were some things she wouldn't be able to tell about my voice until she heard me in a bigger hall, and I think I understood better what she meant when I heard this guy. The Dallas Opera does a sort of student opera ensemble that they use for outreach to area schools, and this guy is the tenor for that ensemble. It was nice hearing her advice as well as seeing the rapport between the two of them. It's very honest, but very positive, and she seems to have that with everyone.
The accompanist for this guy's lesson turned out to be my accompanist for tomorrow, so I ran though Fair Robin and Aus meinen grossen Schmerzen with him in the recital hall. Man, I have so lucked out. It was stated very specifically that we would not have a chance to rehearse beforehand, and here I just happened to be in a recital hall with my accompanist with some free time on our hands. He said he was glad to have the time, especially since I was one of the only ones who ever got back to him as to what my repertoire is.
After that, it was time to check into my hotel and CRASH. The hotel is a bit far away from SMU, but it's not bad. Traffic: very, very heavy, but not bad. Hotel: sweet. I've got a great rate, too, and my room has a huge bed and a couch! I opted for a GPS navigator thingy in my rental car, so I was able to use it to find somewhere for dinner and to get to CVS for forgotten necessities like pantyhose. Dr. K will be glad to know that I didn't dare audition without pantyhose.
And now...bath, facial, nails, stupid movie, bed. I just need to relax. I'm feeling my larynx tighten up very now and again, and that needs to stop RIGHT NOW.
Love you all.
The car rental thing has been interesting. It ended up being quite a bit more than I'd anticipated, but I'm really enjoying having the freedom to see the area at my own pace. Plus the car's wicked cool: black Dodge Avenger. Tomorrow I'll try to check out some student living areas, and I think I might even go downtown to see La Boheme!
I found the Meadows School of the Arts building without incident. This campus has got to be the prettiest I've EVER seen. It reminds me of Hanover, Glasgow, and Butler combined. But with the rich, old Southern stateliness that none of them have. They have FLOWERS blooming here. Magnolias, pansies, and daffodils. And those weird decorative lettuce thingies. Really, the campus looks like it's out of a movie. Hopefully I'll remember to take some pictures tomorrow. Also, I was able to find the arts building without even needing a sign. Amongst huge, stately brick buildings with white shutters and pillars, there was a weird/ugly looking building with a fountain out front. Clearly a music building. The inside is a big dilapidated looking and not modern at all, but it's got charm.
I asked some very friendly people at the music office how to find Virginia's office, and managed to get there without getting hopelessly lost. In the process, I re-met Dale, who accompanied Virginia when she did her recital here, and was one of the double-team in the masterclass. Then, as if fate had intended it, Ben Plocher walked by and Dale made him stop to talk to me. Butler has a long tradition of sending graduate voice students to SMU, and Ben is the latest. I think he was a senior when I was a freshman, so he doesn't remember me. Still, he was very friendly and gave me his phone number so I could go out to dinner with him and some other voice people sometime this weekend.
Then came the lesson. It wasn't a full lesson, really, but the amount I accomplished in 45 minutes with Virginia was as satisfying as a month with Dr. K. I happened to have forgotten to bring ANY copy of Sure on this Shining Night, so she let me use hers. We talked about what key I was using, and she decided to try me out in the low key based on what she remembered of my voice from the masterclass. The result was amazing. She got me releasing my jaw and larynx more than ever before and the resultant sound was...well, it was right. It sounded like ME in a way that I haven't sounded in quite some time. We played around with keys and she heard some of my other audition rep, and she agreed with Dr. K on one thing: I am between fachs. It's possible that I could master two. But, for the sake of my vocal health and sanity, Virginia seems to be of the opinion that I should stick with mezzo repertoire, and rattled off this long list of mezzo roles that would use my abilities well. Wow. I can't even tell you how happy and relieved I was.
After that I had an hour or so to collect my thoughts. Virginia led me around to meet people and copy my music, and then took me into the room where I'll have my audition tomorrow. She had me stand where I'll stand tomorrow and sing a bit. Whoa, that room is LIVE. I'm glad I got a crack at it today because I'd be scared to death of that tomorrow. It's distracting, really. Then, Virginia had to go rehearse some "God-awful songs". I headed outside and walked around as much as I could without risking getting horribly lost. I found a sunny place, left a voicemail for the parentals, and pulled out "The Inner Voice" by Renee Fleming. That book and this weekend's experience have me thinking very, very hard about my impending choices. Also, I think I have a slight sunburn, but it was SO WORTH IT to sit in the sun, no jacket, and read.
At 2 I sat in on the lesson of a tenor. The lesson wasn't in Virginia's studio, it was in the recital hall. Now THERE'S a concept. She had remarked during my lesson that there were some things she wouldn't be able to tell about my voice until she heard me in a bigger hall, and I think I understood better what she meant when I heard this guy. The Dallas Opera does a sort of student opera ensemble that they use for outreach to area schools, and this guy is the tenor for that ensemble. It was nice hearing her advice as well as seeing the rapport between the two of them. It's very honest, but very positive, and she seems to have that with everyone.
The accompanist for this guy's lesson turned out to be my accompanist for tomorrow, so I ran though Fair Robin and Aus meinen grossen Schmerzen with him in the recital hall. Man, I have so lucked out. It was stated very specifically that we would not have a chance to rehearse beforehand, and here I just happened to be in a recital hall with my accompanist with some free time on our hands. He said he was glad to have the time, especially since I was one of the only ones who ever got back to him as to what my repertoire is.
After that, it was time to check into my hotel and CRASH. The hotel is a bit far away from SMU, but it's not bad. Traffic: very, very heavy, but not bad. Hotel: sweet. I've got a great rate, too, and my room has a huge bed and a couch! I opted for a GPS navigator thingy in my rental car, so I was able to use it to find somewhere for dinner and to get to CVS for forgotten necessities like pantyhose. Dr. K will be glad to know that I didn't dare audition without pantyhose.
And now...bath, facial, nails, stupid movie, bed. I just need to relax. I'm feeling my larynx tighten up very now and again, and that needs to stop RIGHT NOW.
Love you all.