Moment Number 7
Moment Number 7: NATS Competition February 2004
it was mid February and I had been having an awful year. Between depression, going from a straight A student to a C/D student, having a broken heart, and feeling generally alone, I decided I needed to take something seriously... The NATS competition is a state wide competition that happens every year in Boston. My fabulous teacher had persuaded me to enter the high school division for musical theatre. A week before the competition, my grandmother died... she was more like a second mother to me. At that point I wasnt sure if i was going to compete or not, but I knew she'd want me to do it.I arrived for the big day. I felt slightly under dressed in my simple brown halter dress as I passed hundreds of girls in what seemed to be wedding gowns, and guys in full tuxes. When it was finally my turn I stepped into a room and greeted the three judges. Unsure of how/when to introduce myself I waited for one of them to prompt me. I finished my ballad, someone to watch over me, with ease and went right into my belt, Cabaret, hoping that this epic of a song would fulfill my time limit so I wouldnt have to sing my third song... but of course...I was forced to sing If I were a Bell... I wasn t really comfortable with that one and I totally screwed up my lyrics, which caused me to feel I blew it right there.
As i waited for the results of preliminaries to see who would be the 14 out of about 150 to make it to run offs, I didnt think i stood I chance. Although I had felt I performed my best,after hearing the other singers, I was prepared to pack up and leave. But somehow i made the list and headed over for run offs. Because I was near the end of the set I was allowed to watch the other competitors...I was blown away by their talent and versality. Happy with how far I had made it in such a talented group of compeitiors, I decided to just have a fun time with it. I knew that the one thing I maybe had on all of these incredible singers, was that some of them didnt perform their songs, they just sang them... and I'm never one to just sing a song. In the back of my head i kept telling myself to make my grandma proud, and all i needed to do to accomplish that was sing out and smile. The judges let me choose my starting song, so I chose my strongest, but most difficult: Cabaret. I knew I was taking a huge risk by singing my belt before one of the ballads they would ask me to sing after, but I wanted to ensure that I would get to perform this one. I wasnt sure if it was a good or bad thing that the judges watched my entire peice without writing, but at that point was just there to have fun. They chose the Gershwin for my second peice, and some how, after the belt, I nailed it.
After waiting about 20 min while the judges deliberated over the top 3 singers who would come back the next day to compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place cash and scholarship awards, I spoke with the other competitors who all nervously chatted about their performances and chances of winning. I prayed a little bit and asked mygrandma for a little luck if I was deserving of it, but mostly i was jsut excited to see which three would be chosen. When the judges finally arrived i sat up straight on the off chance that my name would be called. And my grandma must have been working some magic that night bc I was first on the list.
The three finalists, two high school seniors and myself (a junior at the time), came back the following evening to sing our songs for a 3rd and final panal of acclaimed performers from the boston area, chosen to judge our finals. I was the third to perform, and clearly the underdog vocally by far, but I jsut had a blast. Unfortanately bc I was only a junior I was not eligible for the college scholarship money but I ended up winning $250 dollars :) But of course that was nothing compared to the experience. A week later all my comments from all 9 judges that critiqued be throughout the compeition, were sent back to me. I was thrilled with both the positive and negative feedback and it gave me a real good idea of what my new focuses should be. After that I was asked to come back and singmy peices in a concert performance, along with the finalists of the college and professional divisions, at Boston University.
This experience meant alot to me, not only because it was a prestigious competition, but because I was able to give my all and work so hard for something that seemed out my my reach, under some of the hardest conditions I've ever faced. It also reminded me that when I'm failing at everything else, I still have some talents and tricks up my sleeve that lift me up when I've fallen flat on my ass. Finally, i did it for my grandmother, who meant the world for me... who was so passionate about music... and about my pursuing a career in theatre... who was there to support my every performance since preschool... She was there for them all, until this one... yet somehow I was able to do it bc I knew I still had her support on my side and that even if she couldnt be there, she was still my number one fan.
it was mid February and I had been having an awful year. Between depression, going from a straight A student to a C/D student, having a broken heart, and feeling generally alone, I decided I needed to take something seriously... The NATS competition is a state wide competition that happens every year in Boston. My fabulous teacher had persuaded me to enter the high school division for musical theatre. A week before the competition, my grandmother died... she was more like a second mother to me. At that point I wasnt sure if i was going to compete or not, but I knew she'd want me to do it.I arrived for the big day. I felt slightly under dressed in my simple brown halter dress as I passed hundreds of girls in what seemed to be wedding gowns, and guys in full tuxes. When it was finally my turn I stepped into a room and greeted the three judges. Unsure of how/when to introduce myself I waited for one of them to prompt me. I finished my ballad, someone to watch over me, with ease and went right into my belt, Cabaret, hoping that this epic of a song would fulfill my time limit so I wouldnt have to sing my third song... but of course...I was forced to sing If I were a Bell... I wasn t really comfortable with that one and I totally screwed up my lyrics, which caused me to feel I blew it right there.
As i waited for the results of preliminaries to see who would be the 14 out of about 150 to make it to run offs, I didnt think i stood I chance. Although I had felt I performed my best,after hearing the other singers, I was prepared to pack up and leave. But somehow i made the list and headed over for run offs. Because I was near the end of the set I was allowed to watch the other competitors...I was blown away by their talent and versality. Happy with how far I had made it in such a talented group of compeitiors, I decided to just have a fun time with it. I knew that the one thing I maybe had on all of these incredible singers, was that some of them didnt perform their songs, they just sang them... and I'm never one to just sing a song. In the back of my head i kept telling myself to make my grandma proud, and all i needed to do to accomplish that was sing out and smile. The judges let me choose my starting song, so I chose my strongest, but most difficult: Cabaret. I knew I was taking a huge risk by singing my belt before one of the ballads they would ask me to sing after, but I wanted to ensure that I would get to perform this one. I wasnt sure if it was a good or bad thing that the judges watched my entire peice without writing, but at that point was just there to have fun. They chose the Gershwin for my second peice, and some how, after the belt, I nailed it.
After waiting about 20 min while the judges deliberated over the top 3 singers who would come back the next day to compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place cash and scholarship awards, I spoke with the other competitors who all nervously chatted about their performances and chances of winning. I prayed a little bit and asked mygrandma for a little luck if I was deserving of it, but mostly i was jsut excited to see which three would be chosen. When the judges finally arrived i sat up straight on the off chance that my name would be called. And my grandma must have been working some magic that night bc I was first on the list.
The three finalists, two high school seniors and myself (a junior at the time), came back the following evening to sing our songs for a 3rd and final panal of acclaimed performers from the boston area, chosen to judge our finals. I was the third to perform, and clearly the underdog vocally by far, but I jsut had a blast. Unfortanately bc I was only a junior I was not eligible for the college scholarship money but I ended up winning $250 dollars :) But of course that was nothing compared to the experience. A week later all my comments from all 9 judges that critiqued be throughout the compeition, were sent back to me. I was thrilled with both the positive and negative feedback and it gave me a real good idea of what my new focuses should be. After that I was asked to come back and singmy peices in a concert performance, along with the finalists of the college and professional divisions, at Boston University.
This experience meant alot to me, not only because it was a prestigious competition, but because I was able to give my all and work so hard for something that seemed out my my reach, under some of the hardest conditions I've ever faced. It also reminded me that when I'm failing at everything else, I still have some talents and tricks up my sleeve that lift me up when I've fallen flat on my ass. Finally, i did it for my grandmother, who meant the world for me... who was so passionate about music... and about my pursuing a career in theatre... who was there to support my every performance since preschool... She was there for them all, until this one... yet somehow I was able to do it bc I knew I still had her support on my side and that even if she couldnt be there, she was still my number one fan.