To where has the time gone...
Reading my last post, I am uncertain as to what bothers me more: That I have not posted in almost 2 years or that I said I wanted to post more often. Regardless, now is the time I am writing and so I will attempt to catch up with a few my many things.
I left Milwaukee in May of 2010 with stars in my eyes. Having completed my first major apprenticeship, I felt ready to conquer NYC. Getting a job was a high priority, as paying the rent is an important task. With my extensive experience in restaurant service, I landed a job on my second interview. I thought it was fate. Perhaps it was. I worked 5 or 6 nights a week to make the money needed for bills. I did not have the energy to study, to audition or to perform. Come the end of December, I realized I had wasted an entire season, save for one audition. I had let the mundane set in and I needed an intervention.
A couple of nights later, there was a lunar eclipse on the eve of the winter solstice. It is believed that this was a powerful time to project into the universe something desired. I found myself shirtless, wrapped in a blanket and sitting on the roof of my building by candlelight. The night sky was a sight to behold. When my candle was prematurely blown out, I accepted the sign for my departure. It was a bit cold. I returned inside to warm myself and go to bed. I fell asleep dreaming of how my spell would manifest and the time would take.
As fate would have it, I received a phone call less than 2 weeks later from a major opera company. By that point, I had forgotten about my only audition that year. They asked me to fill an open spot as an apprentice left suddenly vacant. Without hesitation I accepted the offer. The next day, I was on a plane and the following morning, I was handed 4 operas, 6 opera scenes and a full concert of music. The maestro said "rehearsal is in 20 minutes." I felt my lunar evening had emptied my mind and prepared me to absorb the task laid before me. I pushed myself hard and managed to gain an invite for the next fall as well.
While there, I learned a lot about myself as a performer. The discussion of fach came up and instead of rejecting it, I attacked it. In the end, I lost. And won, as I feel I know more what talents I have to offer to the opera world. I am not abandoning lyric music, but accepting the comic and character music. I realize I can become a great character tenor and have sought new opportunities for experience. It has brought me work with several companies and more opportunities all the time.
Now, it may sound as if everything is going as planned. I am not solely supporting myself with music. Most of the opportunities of late have been free. I still have the need to support myself through other means. Through all this time, I have waited tables and even was promoted to supervisor a couple of months ago. Though I have been busy singing, the new job title gave me more responsibilities and hours. I began to grow bitter of the restaurant, but did not see it working out any other way. Two days ago, I was terminated. The new GM gave the excuse of not fulfilling my duties and neglecting to manage my hours of overtime. Pointing out I was not in charge of my own schedule did not satisfy her and I was escorted from the building. Even though I am certain more is at work, there is still a level of malcontent within me. I worked there for a year and a half and find it is hard to accept that it is no more. It does bring comfort with all the messages from coworkers stating their dissatisfaction and confusion with my termination. Looking at the situation now, I believe it has happened for a reason. That this is a blessing in disguise. I have to believe it, there isn't another positive way to see it.
From here, I plan to look for singing opportunities. As one would call it, a singing whore. I am going to look for whatever jobs I can find that will pay me to sing. There are a lot of options in the city, choruses, churches, weddings, funerals... everything a singer can do to survive. It is time for me to accept the challenge of being a singer and stop wasting time with jobs that do not further my career. Well, at least I am going to give it a shot. There is always a temp agency or my 13 years of experience waiting tables I can fall back on. We will see what happens. For now, I am performing 1 of the 9 operas scheduled for this year this Friday. I am focusing on doing a recital as well as many more auditions. The last couple of years have been a roller coaster and right now, I feel good.
I left Milwaukee in May of 2010 with stars in my eyes. Having completed my first major apprenticeship, I felt ready to conquer NYC. Getting a job was a high priority, as paying the rent is an important task. With my extensive experience in restaurant service, I landed a job on my second interview. I thought it was fate. Perhaps it was. I worked 5 or 6 nights a week to make the money needed for bills. I did not have the energy to study, to audition or to perform. Come the end of December, I realized I had wasted an entire season, save for one audition. I had let the mundane set in and I needed an intervention.
A couple of nights later, there was a lunar eclipse on the eve of the winter solstice. It is believed that this was a powerful time to project into the universe something desired. I found myself shirtless, wrapped in a blanket and sitting on the roof of my building by candlelight. The night sky was a sight to behold. When my candle was prematurely blown out, I accepted the sign for my departure. It was a bit cold. I returned inside to warm myself and go to bed. I fell asleep dreaming of how my spell would manifest and the time would take.
As fate would have it, I received a phone call less than 2 weeks later from a major opera company. By that point, I had forgotten about my only audition that year. They asked me to fill an open spot as an apprentice left suddenly vacant. Without hesitation I accepted the offer. The next day, I was on a plane and the following morning, I was handed 4 operas, 6 opera scenes and a full concert of music. The maestro said "rehearsal is in 20 minutes." I felt my lunar evening had emptied my mind and prepared me to absorb the task laid before me. I pushed myself hard and managed to gain an invite for the next fall as well.
While there, I learned a lot about myself as a performer. The discussion of fach came up and instead of rejecting it, I attacked it. In the end, I lost. And won, as I feel I know more what talents I have to offer to the opera world. I am not abandoning lyric music, but accepting the comic and character music. I realize I can become a great character tenor and have sought new opportunities for experience. It has brought me work with several companies and more opportunities all the time.
Now, it may sound as if everything is going as planned. I am not solely supporting myself with music. Most of the opportunities of late have been free. I still have the need to support myself through other means. Through all this time, I have waited tables and even was promoted to supervisor a couple of months ago. Though I have been busy singing, the new job title gave me more responsibilities and hours. I began to grow bitter of the restaurant, but did not see it working out any other way. Two days ago, I was terminated. The new GM gave the excuse of not fulfilling my duties and neglecting to manage my hours of overtime. Pointing out I was not in charge of my own schedule did not satisfy her and I was escorted from the building. Even though I am certain more is at work, there is still a level of malcontent within me. I worked there for a year and a half and find it is hard to accept that it is no more. It does bring comfort with all the messages from coworkers stating their dissatisfaction and confusion with my termination. Looking at the situation now, I believe it has happened for a reason. That this is a blessing in disguise. I have to believe it, there isn't another positive way to see it.
From here, I plan to look for singing opportunities. As one would call it, a singing whore. I am going to look for whatever jobs I can find that will pay me to sing. There are a lot of options in the city, choruses, churches, weddings, funerals... everything a singer can do to survive. It is time for me to accept the challenge of being a singer and stop wasting time with jobs that do not further my career. Well, at least I am going to give it a shot. There is always a temp agency or my 13 years of experience waiting tables I can fall back on. We will see what happens. For now, I am performing 1 of the 9 operas scheduled for this year this Friday. I am focusing on doing a recital as well as many more auditions. The last couple of years have been a roller coaster and right now, I feel good.