Here I am. One Week Out. I’m about to open a door to my future and I have no idea what to expect, but I am so excited. I’ve been to New York many times, only one other time for academic purposes. But this time, is going to change the way I perceive the Big Apple. I’m so glad the trip is actually a course structured to help us learn about the city so that our perceptions can be exposed to the truth of actually living as a starving artist. I cannot believe that my school offers something like this to students. This is truly wonderful. I’ve always wanted to live in New York, especially New York City. I want to know if the big city is right for me, or if I’m right for the big city. I want to know if I could be ready for Broadway after college. I want to know what the lifestyle is like. My main professional goal is to start building some sort of network. I think that after this trip this will be done. Personally, I’m looking forward to working the subway and learning the neighborhoods. I want to know where I am going in New York at any time. Hopefully I will make the right mistakes and learn very quickly. I can’t wait to be with my little family and start making my connections. I’m opening doors, saying here I am.
Miles
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Pre-NYC!
Wow! Can't believe a week from now we'll be on a plane going to the big city of New York! I'm too excited. There are so many things that I'm excited for, one being just being able to get a tasted of what life may be like for me if I decide to end up in a big city like New York. I really want to find out what daily life is for a performer, down to the small details like finding time for family or getting enough sleep through performances and busy weeks. This is information that I can use even now as a college performance major. I am also very excited for the variety of things that we will be doing there, not just the typical tourist sight seeing (although I really want to see Times Square). I'm also a little nervous for things too, like being surrounded by a whole slew of different people. How will they act towards me? Will they know that I'm from the Midwest? These are worries and questions that we've addressed in the class, but can only be truly answered once I've gone there and actually experienced it. I've given up on the idea of packing everything in a carry on, by the way. I'll pay that extra fee. Too many clothes.
But anyways, I'm counting down the days until we board the plane and have the experience that I've been anticipating for so long!
Laura :)
But anyways, I'm counting down the days until we board the plane and have the experience that I've been anticipating for so long!
Laura :)
Packing up our suitcases and minds
Wow! Hard to believe we take off for NYC in less than a week! With so much work going into this trip by students and faculty it's almost surreal to surreal to leaving so soon. Eight weeks of planning flies by and it's incredible to see how much can be accomplished in such a short amount of time!
I know that I am excited for many different reasons. One, I am thrilled to explore different options for careers. One thing that has been in my mind constantly during the course of this year is what role I will choose to pursue and play in the musical world following my undergrad. I know that grad. school is in my future but what degree I will pursue is to be determined still. Meeting with professionals in the field now and receiving feedback is what I hope can shed some light on my confused yet very excited mind. That's goal number one for the trip.
Secondly, I am thrilled for this trip because I am be given the opportunity to grow with peers and professors I have grown incredibly close to and others whom I am excited to get to know better. With such a small and intimate group traveling together, bonds are sure to be created, strengthened, and renewed. I know that as a senior at the university, many of the us traveling have been together for four years, and, in a way, this trip is a culmination and celebration of the relationships some of us have created with each other.
Next, the ability and chance to network with other musicians outside of Wisconsin is wonderful! While I love good ol' WI, I am excited to have/make connections and experiences with people who, in many of our minds, are making it big. Many of us, including myself, have aspirations being successful and well-known. One of the steps to getting there is through networking and meeting people. Who knows who we might each encounter walking the streets, attending a concert, or standing in line at Starbucks? The possibilities to meet and connect are endless and I know that I am excited to create some new connections outside of the state!
Until next time,
Andy Steffen
Composer/Accompanist/Singer/Conductor
I know that I am excited for many different reasons. One, I am thrilled to explore different options for careers. One thing that has been in my mind constantly during the course of this year is what role I will choose to pursue and play in the musical world following my undergrad. I know that grad. school is in my future but what degree I will pursue is to be determined still. Meeting with professionals in the field now and receiving feedback is what I hope can shed some light on my confused yet very excited mind. That's goal number one for the trip.
Secondly, I am thrilled for this trip because I am be given the opportunity to grow with peers and professors I have grown incredibly close to and others whom I am excited to get to know better. With such a small and intimate group traveling together, bonds are sure to be created, strengthened, and renewed. I know that as a senior at the university, many of the us traveling have been together for four years, and, in a way, this trip is a culmination and celebration of the relationships some of us have created with each other.
Next, the ability and chance to network with other musicians outside of Wisconsin is wonderful! While I love good ol' WI, I am excited to have/make connections and experiences with people who, in many of our minds, are making it big. Many of us, including myself, have aspirations being successful and well-known. One of the steps to getting there is through networking and meeting people. Who knows who we might each encounter walking the streets, attending a concert, or standing in line at Starbucks? The possibilities to meet and connect are endless and I know that I am excited to create some new connections outside of the state!
Until next time,
Andy Steffen
Composer/Accompanist/Singer/Conductor
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
"There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it." - Charles Dudley Warner
It seems like just yesterday that I was getting ready to pack for the 2012 NYC trip. I was so nervous. There were so many things going through my head: what if I get lost? What if I end up in bad parts of town? What if I hate the city? What am I going to do if I don't think I can make it as a performer?
It turns out that all of those questions (and more) were answered on that trip. I felt invigorated in that "concrete jungle where dreams are made of" (to quote Alicia Keys) and learned that New York isn't scary. It's someplace I can see myself living. I love the juxtaposition of luxury and grit, as well as other opposites found throughout the city.
I learned that yes, performing is the right path for me. I feel more comfortable admitting that now than right after the trip last year. I am drawn to opera and thrive on the challenge of discovering a character and making it your own. Working with characters has always been daunting to me, but during Die Fledermaus, I challenged myself to come up with extremely detailed aspects of Rosalinde's life. Doing research (and then just using imagination) was my favorite part of learning the role. In order to understand a character, we have to fully know it, and prior to Fledermaus, I didn't even think about specifics such as fears or things that make someone self-conscious, because they weren't important to the story. I know Rosalinde inside and out, and the intimate knowledge of her character made me so much more comfortable with the idea of performing. I've found a method that works for me for the large-scale learning of entire roles, as opposed to only learning facets of a character when you learn only one aria. Honestly, for character purposes, I'd much rather learn an entire role than just one aria (but let's be honest, I don't have enough time to devote that level of research and practice at this stage in my life. I'm still working on figuring out my voice!)
Now we're preparing to start our journey - both to the city and to further self-discovery. I'm in a completely different mindset now than I was for the first trip. I'm not the wide-eyed, naive girl who almost hyperventilated and cried simultaneously her first trip to the Met (true story, that actually happened).
My goals now are more concrete:
All right New York, be ready. I'm coming home to you.
Jordyn Beranek
It turns out that all of those questions (and more) were answered on that trip. I felt invigorated in that "concrete jungle where dreams are made of" (to quote Alicia Keys) and learned that New York isn't scary. It's someplace I can see myself living. I love the juxtaposition of luxury and grit, as well as other opposites found throughout the city.
I learned that yes, performing is the right path for me. I feel more comfortable admitting that now than right after the trip last year. I am drawn to opera and thrive on the challenge of discovering a character and making it your own. Working with characters has always been daunting to me, but during Die Fledermaus, I challenged myself to come up with extremely detailed aspects of Rosalinde's life. Doing research (and then just using imagination) was my favorite part of learning the role. In order to understand a character, we have to fully know it, and prior to Fledermaus, I didn't even think about specifics such as fears or things that make someone self-conscious, because they weren't important to the story. I know Rosalinde inside and out, and the intimate knowledge of her character made me so much more comfortable with the idea of performing. I've found a method that works for me for the large-scale learning of entire roles, as opposed to only learning facets of a character when you learn only one aria. Honestly, for character purposes, I'd much rather learn an entire role than just one aria (but let's be honest, I don't have enough time to devote that level of research and practice at this stage in my life. I'm still working on figuring out my voice!)
Now we're preparing to start our journey - both to the city and to further self-discovery. I'm in a completely different mindset now than I was for the first trip. I'm not the wide-eyed, naive girl who almost hyperventilated and cried simultaneously her first trip to the Met (true story, that actually happened).
My goals now are more concrete:
- I want to learn more about what daily life is like as a young artist (how often auditions are, balance of time with practice/performing and temping, etc.)
- I want to determine the best way for me to survive once I move to the city (best options for housing, inexpensive ways to do lots of different things without going bankrupt, how to find friends in a city where you don't know anyone, etc.)
Yes, actually living as a "starving artist" in New York is a few years away, but I still want to be prepared. I have the basics and now I need to learn more details so my acclimation to the real world (college life isn't real life, and I bet grad school isn't either) is smooth.
All right New York, be ready. I'm coming home to you.
Jordyn Beranek
Monday, February 25, 2013
NYC.. Round 2!
Well, it's once again that time. In three weeks, we'll be in New York! So exciting!!!!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
From little details comes the whole picture
Well, it's been about 2 months after the trip to NY. Although I haven't been blogging as much as others (for which I'm grateful to read and look back on different viewpoints), I've been struggling to keep up with schoolwork, my senior recital, and myself these past two months. Even though I haven't been blogging, I am aware of catching myself thinking about the trip, whether I'm researching for my project, or walking across the bridge (y'all know....that wind-tunnel. It's kind of a long walk, if you think about it!). I found myself avoiding the internet, email, what-have-you, these last couple of months in order to finish things. I've found it to be a double-edged sword in that this is how people communicate the most to each other now, so I'm missing out on things, but I get my work done.
People posted in here about their singing, especially if they had received a lesson in New York. Although I did not focus on having a lesson for the trip, I went about making the connections between the masterclass with Claudia and my private lessons back here in Eau Claire. I had told my teacher that Claudia had mentioned singers today not using their full body to sing, but just from here (pointing to her chest) up. Preparing for my senior recital, he did not let me forget that statement. I can honestly say that the trip has re-kindled my reasons for why I love singing. And it's not the performances we've attended that made it, but the conversations with Naomi, Caroline, Nick, and John Raymond, that made it special. They all emphasize the importance of why they do it. I enjoy singing, but I enjoy it more when I give my talent to people. I feel alive when I sing. It may sound cheesy, but it's true. Coming back to Eau Claire has given me a reason to sing, and although Haas is closed the day after we get back.... (frustrating as all get out!) it can't stop you from learning your pieces.
Another aspect of this trip that I found important, and tried to incorporate it here, is finding time for yourself. Finishing up my last semester here, I think this is valuable information. I made it a personal habit not to do work at home over the years, and it was most likely due to the fact that my apartment (tiny as it is) is my little sanctuary away from music, from work, and from school. Therefore, I made an investment to myself to be at a coffee shop at 8am until class, and then after class, if I wasn't working, would stay somewhere until I made a decent dent in my work, usually until 10 or 11 at night. This mindset, I think, is important to recognize. There always has to be a get-away spot for you to clear your head, and that became my apartment.
It's the little things such as that that allow you to realize how to organize your life. Going back to Logan's remark on being your own CEO, she has a desk in her home that is like her office. Personally, I'm stoked for that aspect of it, because I LOVE office supplies! But it's more than that. It's a way to prioritize your life. And it means more to me right now since I'm graduating. I've decided to take a year off of school and get situated. This trip was more to me than how to network, and how to go about a singing career. It was a trip to say "Hey, take a step back, look at the big picture. Now, where do you want to go from here?" And I'm starting to be able to answer that question.
As mentioned in Mitra's blog about starting our summer programs, I've made a few short term goals for myself.
They may not seem like much, but from my viewpoint it's finding stability while still participating in music. I may have to shift my calendar of goals as things come up, but overall - I want to keep my life balanced in what I enjoy doing, because like Claudia said, if you don't enjoy doing your work, then that's all it is is work, and you won't find any fulfillment in it. I have such an eclectic variety of interests, that this is the way (at the moment) that I see how I can balance everything together.
This is a long post, but necessary. After 2 1/2 hours of sitting here and trying to word what I want to say, I'm happy to say that I've made a connection with the whole picture. The trip to New York is not just about singing, or keeping the arts in your life, but it is a lifestyle in itself. And though it will take time and energy to get where you want to be, the good "habits" that you develop along the way will only reinforce the direction you want to travel. And that is another aspect of this trip: Life is choices. So many choices. You have to do what makes you most happy. It will not be the same path for any one person, and I am perfectly okay with that. :-)
Signing off with new confidence for the future,
Leisa A. Sunier
Choose the color that suits you best. :-)
People posted in here about their singing, especially if they had received a lesson in New York. Although I did not focus on having a lesson for the trip, I went about making the connections between the masterclass with Claudia and my private lessons back here in Eau Claire. I had told my teacher that Claudia had mentioned singers today not using their full body to sing, but just from here (pointing to her chest) up. Preparing for my senior recital, he did not let me forget that statement. I can honestly say that the trip has re-kindled my reasons for why I love singing. And it's not the performances we've attended that made it, but the conversations with Naomi, Caroline, Nick, and John Raymond, that made it special. They all emphasize the importance of why they do it. I enjoy singing, but I enjoy it more when I give my talent to people. I feel alive when I sing. It may sound cheesy, but it's true. Coming back to Eau Claire has given me a reason to sing, and although Haas is closed the day after we get back.... (frustrating as all get out!) it can't stop you from learning your pieces.
Another aspect of this trip that I found important, and tried to incorporate it here, is finding time for yourself. Finishing up my last semester here, I think this is valuable information. I made it a personal habit not to do work at home over the years, and it was most likely due to the fact that my apartment (tiny as it is) is my little sanctuary away from music, from work, and from school. Therefore, I made an investment to myself to be at a coffee shop at 8am until class, and then after class, if I wasn't working, would stay somewhere until I made a decent dent in my work, usually until 10 or 11 at night. This mindset, I think, is important to recognize. There always has to be a get-away spot for you to clear your head, and that became my apartment.
It's the little things such as that that allow you to realize how to organize your life. Going back to Logan's remark on being your own CEO, she has a desk in her home that is like her office. Personally, I'm stoked for that aspect of it, because I LOVE office supplies! But it's more than that. It's a way to prioritize your life. And it means more to me right now since I'm graduating. I've decided to take a year off of school and get situated. This trip was more to me than how to network, and how to go about a singing career. It was a trip to say "Hey, take a step back, look at the big picture. Now, where do you want to go from here?" And I'm starting to be able to answer that question.
As mentioned in Mitra's blog about starting our summer programs, I've made a few short term goals for myself.
- I will be singing in a family friend's wedding
- My friend composes work and is working on a new cycle that should be finished by summer
- I will be getting in contact with a professor in the Milwaukee area for bi-weekly lessons.
- I will look at FSU as a potential grad school opportunity while I'm there visiting a friend, and set up a meeting with a professor.
- I will build my Psychology resumé and find a full-time job for when I get back to Kenosha.
- And non-music related, but related in order to keep my life balanced - I will be training and running in a 10k by the end of June with the help of my sister.
- start practicing the piano again
They may not seem like much, but from my viewpoint it's finding stability while still participating in music. I may have to shift my calendar of goals as things come up, but overall - I want to keep my life balanced in what I enjoy doing, because like Claudia said, if you don't enjoy doing your work, then that's all it is is work, and you won't find any fulfillment in it. I have such an eclectic variety of interests, that this is the way (at the moment) that I see how I can balance everything together.
This is a long post, but necessary. After 2 1/2 hours of sitting here and trying to word what I want to say, I'm happy to say that I've made a connection with the whole picture. The trip to New York is not just about singing, or keeping the arts in your life, but it is a lifestyle in itself. And though it will take time and energy to get where you want to be, the good "habits" that you develop along the way will only reinforce the direction you want to travel. And that is another aspect of this trip: Life is choices. So many choices. You have to do what makes you most happy. It will not be the same path for any one person, and I am perfectly okay with that. :-)
Signing off with new confidence for the future,
Leisa A. Sunier
Choose the color that suits you best. :-)
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Happy May Day! When I was a kid, we used to make little baskets out of styrofoam cups and take treats to our elderly neighbors around our small town.... community was (and is) so important.
We had our second to last class meeting last week--the students turned in their written reflections and their "Summer Program" outlines. Each student, in addition to reflecting on the total NYC Immersion experience, was to devise a program for themselves to work on some of their less developed skill areas over the summer. What could be better than a summer program devised specifically FOR you, BY you???
I haven't read them yet but am looking forward to it. My summer program will include starting my own blog of my summer experiences so that I have an online presence, immersing myself in the big city life, getting my materials together by updating my bio, CV, etc., taking part in SongFest, which I have wanted to do for several years, and working on my professional leadership through my new role in NATS.
Also special about the last meeting was that each student shared part of their reflection with the class. It was so moving and a privilege to hear their words of self-discovery and even questioning. Out of the struggle will come strength.
Until next time.
Mitra
We had our second to last class meeting last week--the students turned in their written reflections and their "Summer Program" outlines. Each student, in addition to reflecting on the total NYC Immersion experience, was to devise a program for themselves to work on some of their less developed skill areas over the summer. What could be better than a summer program devised specifically FOR you, BY you???
I haven't read them yet but am looking forward to it. My summer program will include starting my own blog of my summer experiences so that I have an online presence, immersing myself in the big city life, getting my materials together by updating my bio, CV, etc., taking part in SongFest, which I have wanted to do for several years, and working on my professional leadership through my new role in NATS.
Also special about the last meeting was that each student shared part of their reflection with the class. It was so moving and a privilege to hear their words of self-discovery and even questioning. Out of the struggle will come strength.
Until next time.
Mitra
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