“You will always be a good reader and a good choral singer, but you won’t ever be a soloist,” my mom said to me only a few years ago when I was home for Christmas, as matter of factly as if it was a truth written in an encyclopedia. This had been closely followed by … Read more
“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not … Read more
It started when I was 19 years old. I was a college student, studying medieval literature, but I had a secret habit. Late at night, I would sneak into the basement of my dormitory to sing opera. Singing gave me energy. Whenever I had to pull an all-nighter to study for a test or write … Read more
One of my earliest memories in college was sitting in a circle with my freshman classmates discussing why we were there. What training had led us to this place. (Because let’s face it, not many youngsters are saying, “Gee, I want to perform music that’s 400 years old!”) I found that even among this elite … Read more