I’m home after a good 10-day engagement in Wisconsin. I was invited to University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, to music-direct an opera. I had suggested:
“A Hand of Bridge” (Samuel Barber)
“The Telephone” (Gian Carlo Menotti)
“The Old Maid and the Thief” (Gian Carlo Menotti)
I had gone there to cast the show in November, and then returned in late March for rehearsals, tech week, dress rehearsals, and performances. I performed all three of these from the keyboard for the performances, along with a gifted student percussionist adding some obbligato and sound effects.
There were a few things that I felt were incredibly successful about the project:
1). Clear, detailed direction. I am learning that some of the best teaching (which can also transition into performing or “directing” at the professional level) is rooted in this skill. My great friend and colleague of nearly a decade had invited me to music-direct his show, and we both took this approach. M.M. is very detail-oriented, so I was very happy to have my detail-oriented coaching or teaching style complement this. The students did very well with our approach, I felt.
2). Creativity. We had a lot of fun and “play” with this show. We borrowed a porpoise-skull (!) from the Art Department, for Ben to give to Lucy at the top of “The Telephone” (the score indicates that his gift is an abstract sculpture). We also had a great time with three “jingle girls” - a trio of singing sisters who sang commercials, composed by one of the composition faculty at UWSP. These were a hit and almost stole the show from the actually larger works! We had also set the entire production as a radio-broadcast, with audience watching.
3). Being human, being ourselves. I was out in Wisconsin immediately after taking my doctoral oral exam. And then I had to wait all day in O’Hare airport because of a poorly handled canceled flight and baggage detail. I made it to UWSP, just later than intended. My friend, my host and co-director, had offered his home very hospitably. That also meant late nights chatting, catching up, always with wine. I still don’t think I’ve recovered from this time, and my body certainly doesn’t want to go to bed when it should.
4). Native language of audience and cast. There is nothing like the immediacy of singing or hearing in your own language. I was also a fiend about clear text, and it paid off: M.M.’s parents visited from North Carolina for the performances, and they said they could understand everything.
I am so grateful for this project, for the opportunity to music-direct, and for the trip and the time spent in a new place.
Here is a link introducing the production. https://vimeo.com/90440940
PHOTO: Me with the “Jingle Girls.”
I am approximately four (total) hours away from finishing my formal education.
There are, however, some things that I have not yet learned how to do:
- pack lightly (I am a “just in case I need this” packer)
- not squeeze as much in as possible (see above)
- not be annoyed when I need to show my boarding pass eight times
- not be continually surprised that all nice elements of flying (including maybe not having paper
cups only at every turn in an airport!) have been disposed of
When I was little, I would travel by bike to my neighbor’s house to play. The neighbor was about a 45-second bike ride away. I would also insist on bringing lots of other things with me. Would we want to play ponies or jewelry? It’s better to be prepared.
In order to be prepared, I needed to bring everything. I would balance bags on opposite handlebars, and wiggle my way down our cul-de-sac (apparently with my mother watching from the door).
There is still some truth to this four-year-old girl. She has grown up, but not grown-out-of, being a bag lady.
Yet there are some problems to be solved on the current trip:
CLOTHING AND ATTIRE
1. I am headed to Wisconsin for ten days. Weather there, at this time of year, is inconsistent. I have a coat, scarf, and gloves with me. Also packed are coordinated (black-and-color) palettes of pants, sweaters, tops, that can be layered easily.
2. I will be staying with a friend, who is a work-out fiend and we will go to the gym often. Also in my bag are: sneakers and workout attire.
3. Part of the gig is the playing of two concerts - I will be in a long black dress. This also means that the right shoes, hosiery, dress, and jewelry are there.
4. My day-to-day existence on this trip is one of musical authority, at a university where I am a guest. This also requires me to be appearing professional (the same jeans and sweatshirt every day won’t cut it on this job). Attire: classy professional or business-semi-casual (see #1).
PORTABLE OFFICE
5. The gig is to music-direct three one-act operas. Each of these is an entire book.
6. I have an audition coming up which will require me to play-and-sing an entire opera. That score, and its libretto notebook (another post, later) are in the wheeling bag. I will have some time to practice, and that audition is approximately one month after the closing of this gig.
7. I just got a new laptop (!) and I want to do more video-editing and website-editing and professional work while I’m gone. That came with me.
8. I have only one paperback novel with me, along with my Kindle. While I love books, the Kindle for purposes of travel is a god-send.
9. I will want to do some recording of myself playing rehearsals, so I can adjust anything I need to. I can listen back, take notes, and make corrections to myself or others. My weapon-of-choice here is a Zoom H4. I also don’t leave home without this - I’m recording myself during most days, on either harpsichord or piano.
I normally don’t name names on this blog, as to keep a professional tone. However, United Airlines (with American Airlines a close second) have appeared to be a combination of Sleeping Beauty’s Malificent, Dido’s Sorceress, Benedict Arnold, and Circle of Friends’ Sean Walsh.
First of all, no notification on my flight-change from United. Nothing. They emailed me *while I was in the air* to tell me that my flight from O’Hare to Central Wisconsin was canceled. Customer service? Non-existent. Then, my carry-on, containing my scores (it was heavy, so I packed it in something that wheeled) didn’t fit beneath my seat, so they …
CHECKED IT ALL THE WAY TO WI.
I have been waiting in Chicago for the bag to be released, but no … the music and my clothing will beat me to Wisconsin.
A while ago, I would have really flipped out about this … there is nothing to be done. So the rest of my afternoon will consist of:
finishing this blog post
finishing my cappuccino (though I’m drinking it out of a paper cup - my inner European hates this)
going through airport security for the third time today
enjoy the wait
And then … doing some writing … recovering from the most intense six months that I can remember (wedding planning, wedding, tour, written comps preparation, job applications, written comps, waiting for written comps, orals). In fact, I may very well get an airport massage and invest in a travel pillow (those micro-bead, soft foamy ones) … I can either be stressed or I can relax and wait for my plane … being stressed won’t solve anything …
PHOTO: From an audition trip in 2008 - the best way to wait for a flight (or other mode of transportation) ...
"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation and hard work, learning from failure.” - Colin Powell
I am happy to report that I have passed my oral comprehensive exams. These happened at Eastman last week - I had a committee of four ‘doctors.' For the most part, it was a conversation about music. It encompassed score-identification (Scriabin solo piece), theoretical discussions, historical backgrounds, and pedagogical possibilities.
While it was a rite of passage, it also felt like the beginning of a good-bye. This brought about, surprisingly, mixed emotions. The let-down, or the relief, after several months of intense preparation, was also very real.
Two days after, I left Rochester, for my second journey back Stevens Point, Wisconsin. I'm here now for the final rehearsals and performances of "American Opera Triptych."
This photo brings so many aspects together of what artists need, to prepare a performance, exam or opera. Everything needs different shapes, dimensions, sizes, and colors - just like the departments of an opera (direction, music, set, costumes, lights) or the facets of a complete artist (technique, sound, vision, communication, teaching, writing). The photo is from my bridal bouquet.
