Reflecting

My professional goal prior to the trip was that I wanted to be more marketable by learning more about the different careers in the performing arts. I want to know what the process is to becoming a performer, a general director of an opera company, a stage director, or a voice teacher. My personal goal was that I want to know if NYC is the right place for me to live and if it’s possible for me to do. I wanted to be more independent and confident in my decisions and knowing I can be successful in the performing arts.

Prior to the trip, I got sick and could not sing for a really long time. I tried very hard to get better enough to perform while I was in NYC because I had voice lessons planned, and I felt like this was my one chance to get to sing for the teachers. I sang at the master class, and realized that I was not well enough to sing yet after that. I decided to cancel my lessons. But this turned out to be OK as I had more time to really reflect and answer my goal questions. I started to really look into myself and think of what I really want. Not being able to sing really made me realize how nothing is certain. There are no guarantees that I will make it as a performer. This made me really want to dive further into looking at other options.

During my interviews I asked about their jobs, what made them choose to be a voice teacher and a stage director, and what they do for their jobs. What surprised me most was that they both didn't originally plan on having those jobs. Their life experiences just lead them to it. I then had my eyes opened even further later when Patricia Sheridan gave me a call later in the week. She talked to me about why I wanted to know about the other jobs. When she asked me what I would do if I could do anything, my response was perform, and she said that that is what I need to do then. She told me to stop worrying about the other things because that will come later. Right now I need to focus on becoming the best performer I can be. 

After meeting all the people we met and talking to them about their experiences, I realized how comfortable I felt in NYC. Hearing their stories and how they made it made me realize that even though their are no guarantees, it is possible, and I need to go for it. I stayed a few extra days for the NOA conference. During that I gained more independence, and realized that I can get around on my own, and make connections on my own.

On the trip, I learned more than just what I was searching for with my goals.  One way the NYC Immersion Trip has changed me as a person was immersion through diversity.Learning to work with, communicate, and create relationships with people from diverse backgrounds has taught more about communication, networking, and understanding. I experienced immersion right away on the trip through the use of public transportation. I gained more independence through finding my way around, and I met more people by walking around the city. As the student assistant for the trip this year, I contacted many people in New York City for reservations and questions. My communicative skills have improved greatly because of this.

Getting my own interviews helped me with my communication and networking skills, and by attending other students interviews it allowed me to learn about the lifestyles of other people, how they got to where they are, what events impacted their lives, and also opened me up to other opportunities in my own life. This idea was also reinforced by the group interviews we had, which ranged from dancers to managers to performers.

I also grew professionally as a performer through the performance opportunities while there. Even though I decided to cancel my lessons, I still got to have a coaching, and participated in two master classes while there, which gave me a new perspective on my voice. This year we performed for a high school for the arts. The students were very encouraging and cheered for us, and we even got to see them do dance auditions. It was also very inspiring to go to the Broadway, Off Broadway, and MET performances. This was both humbling and motivating for me to see a production of such high caliber. It made me want to work harder to get there. This year we got to speak with one of the leads in the MET performance of “Die Fledermaus”. Speaking to the professional performers made me realize that they are human too and they had to work hard to get to where they are today, and even now they still work hard.

Going on the NYC Immerson Trip has been truly life changing for me. I will continue to take everything I learned and experienced, and apply it as I continue to further my studies on this journey.

Kelly