The rest of recital lab...

Hey ya'll. So the last little bit of my recital lab has been recovered....so enjoy! Later, gators!



PS...WE HAVE A SNOW DAY TODAY!!!!!!

My first recital lab...

Hey everyone. Yesterday was my first recital lab ever. Recital labs happen every Monday from 2:10-3:00. All the music students go into Minsky Recital Hall and we listen to our peers perform. Every music student is required to perform at least once per semester. Yesterday was my first time! It went pretty well, but something kinda funny happened at the beginning. My accompanist was Phillip Silver, who is a professor here at UMaine. He's a really amazing pianist and he's a good accompanist because he gives good feedback and all that jazz. So anyway, yesterday I start singing my song and I realize a bit into it that something is going horribly wrong. Like it just sounds off. So I start backtracking in my mind going "what in the world did I do wrong!??!" And I looked at Phillip out of the corner of my eye. He stopped playing and he goes "my mistake!" He had the pages out of order! I was sooo relieved that it wasn't me!!! So we started again and it actually took a lot of the nerve off...and I sounded better the second time around. Everyone had a laugh and congratulated me after for being "the only person they'd ever seen Phillip mess up with". haha. He felt bad, I think, but I mean...it was honest mistake. No hard feelings =) Plus it was pretty funny. Alyssa was taping...so you can watch the video. Her camera dies before the end, but you'll get a good jist off my song...plus the funny mess up at the beginning. Enjoy! Later, gators!

OBAMA IN BANGOR!!!!

Yesterday was such an exciting day. Barack Obama was at the Bangor Auditorium!! I got up in the morning and had to go to rehearsal, so I was really worried I wouldn't get in to see him, but this is what happened:
Sara picked me up at 1:30. We headed for Bangor. The traffic was out of control. We were stuck on the interstate for almost an hour. By the time we actually parked it was after 2:30, when the doors were supposed to open. The line was stretching at least a mile and we thought that there was absolutely no way we were going to get in. We started walking toward the back of the line and we saw 3 kids who lived on our floor last year...who we'd never talked to. BUT I was like "oh my gosh! you guys lived in York last year!!! Let's walk and talk!" so they let us in line with them and WE GOT IN. Thank God! So we were sitting way in the back up high, but we had a good view of the stage and everything. The crowd was HUGE and he was so inspiring. I love him. I have rehearsal today and can't go to the caucus...so vote for Obama for me. He ABSOLUTELY needs to be our next president. Later, gators.

Yes We Can...

"Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --

Yes. We. Can."
-Senator Barack Obama

I love him. Plain and simple.
Later, gators.

PS...If you've been living under a rock and HAVEN'T seen the "Yes We Can" video go here. It makes me tear up every time I watch it. Lovin' Barack...

Oh come faithful lovers in happy accord!

The Marriage of Figaro was composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. According to Wikipedia,

"The action of The Marriage of Figaro takes place after the events in The Barber of Seville and recounts a single day in the palace of the Count Almaviva. Rosina is now the Countess; her husband, the Count, is seeking the favors of Susanna, who is to be wed to her love, Figaro, the Count's valet. When the Count detects the interest of the young page Cherubino, in the Countess, he tries to get rid of Cherubino by giving him an officer's commission in his own regiment. Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess conspire to embarrass the Count and expose his infidelity. Meanwhile Figaro is caught up in a dispute with Bartolo and Marcellina, which ends when he is revealed to be their son. At night, all find themselves on the palace grounds, where a comic series of cases of mistaken identity results in the Count's humiliation and then forgiveness by the Countess. The action takes place in Seville, Spain."

Though I wasn't extremely excited about being a part of this show at first, I am becoming increasingly more excited as opening night gets closer and closer. I think we have a very entertaining piece of work to present and though I am not in it ALL that much, I think it's a good show for everyone to see because I mean, how often does a full staged opera get done around here? Not that often.

So come see it!

Later, gators!

Oh Britney...

...what has happened to you? I wrote a blog much like this one awhile ago...right after Britney had shaved her head. At that point I just thought she was doing stuff for attention...but I officially think her status is scary. I don't think people who don't live in the spotlight can truly understand what a famous person lives with everyday of their lives. I got Rosie O'Donnell's book Celebrity Detox for Christmas and it's definitely and interesting look into the life of a celebrity and the pressure one feels under constant watch. Rosie, of course, didn't start when she was a pre-teen like Britney did. Clearly child stars, of Britney's stature, are over-worked. Think about over-worked pre-teens and teens for just a moment and where they are now. Britney Spears...obviously mentally ill. Michael Jackson...nuff said. Drew Barrymore...drug addict for many years. MaryKate & Ashley Olson...anorexia and now some weird twist with Heath Ledger. Speaking of...with the recent death of Heath Ledger I began thinking about Britney and how I'm certainly frightened the same fate is not far off for her. Maybe I'm just the 5th grade girl that adored Britney Spears, but I truly fear for her life. And I feel like America is addicted to watching her downfall. She needs help and not from Dr. Phil. She needs professional help and to be left alone for like 2 seconds. I'm sure you all think this is a ridiculous post, but I don't. Yeah, maybe she has said some dumb things, maybe she has done some dumb things, maybe she dressed slutty...but she's human. And people forget that...she's a human being and I've always been one to look at people as human first and judge their actions later. I hope she gets better. I miss the old Britney, but I bet she doesn't even know who the real Britney is. She's never been allowed to decide for herself, America has decided for her. And that's scary. Anyway...I just felt the need to say it. Mock it all you want, I don't care! =) Later, gators.

So busy...

Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't written in a few days...I'm super busy. I go pretty much straight from 9am til 9pm...so I don't usually get a whole lot of time to write an entry. Between Figaro rehearsals and my ensembles and classes and voice lessons and everything else that I squeeze into 12 hours, I am pretty pooped by the end of it. It's great, don't get me wrong! It just doesn't leave a whole lot of time to do anything else but sleep (and maybe some homework hehe). And I've got added stress because a week from Monday I am singing in recital lab. What's recital lab you ask? Well, every Monday from 2:00-3:00 all the music students congregate in Minsky Recital Hall and we listen to our peers. Every music student who is taking applied lessons (private lessons in their field, whether it be voice or instrumental) is required to perform at least once in Recital Lab per semester. 1st year music students are exempt from performing our first semester, so this semester will be my first time performing...I'm kind of nervous. It's nerve racking to perform in front of peers!! But I am sure it will go fine. And I'm pretty comfortable with the song I am singing.
Alright, well I should really get some sleep! Later, gators!

PS:
Come see The Marriage of Figaro!!!!
February 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24!!!
Call 581-1755 for tickets and
visit the UMaine School of Performing Arts website for more info on the show!