One step at a time

New shoes. New dress. New resume.

I had a performance this week, for the first time in many, that provided me with a new item for my resume, and a check to put towards new shoes and a new dress for this fall's auditions. I also have a slightly new outlook. Performing isn't just what I want to do, it is what I need to do in order to stay sane. I have been dealing with a great amount of stress and anxiety related to work and personal life. It had built up to a point to where exercise or practice sessions, typically a tremendous way to meditate and escape, were rendered relatively useless. But almost instantaneously after the oboist and I finished the show, I felt my worries return to something manageable, something realistic. I still have the same anxieties, but now I can begin to deal with them.

It was really quite a fun show; Short Attention Span Chamber Music Series. There were books on Blake's artwork and his poetry displayed for the audience to explore as well as the Blake/Vaughn Williams songs performed. I was even offered another fun job because of it.

I don't quite think I can find a way to include the new job offer on my resume but it will be worth the experience, and quite entertaining. The man who hired me puts on silent movie nights in which he has the audience create the sound effects, along with a pit orchestra filled with fun instruments like an electric violin, theremin, toy pianos and the like. I would be singing from the original silent film of "The Phantom of the Opera". It sounds like some music from "Faust" and a few Schubert art songs were used. I'm sure this will be a performance to write about!