Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's back to school I go!

I have completed my first week of graduate studies at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) - and what a week it was! So far, I love everything about it. I am pursuing a Master of Music in Vocal Performance, and my courses are absolutely great: Vocal Pedagogy, Opera Performance Technique, Alexander Technique for Performers, Chamber Singers, Opera, and of course Voice Lessons. Unfortunately, most of those courses (in some combination) fall on Mondays... But as the week goes on, the days get progressively lighter. 

I am a graduate assistant, so there are other duties required of me. I assist with a section of music history, which requires my attending the class, taking attendance, and keeping records. My other assistantship duty is working in the box office - mostly the school of music box office, but occasionally the main university one. All of the work is pretty simple, and I certainly can't complain. I work several hours each week for the university, and the university gives me money to go to school here. Sounds like my kind of deal. 

I have been spending a lot of (much needed) time in the practice room. Auditions for the fall opera (Albert Herring) are taking place at the beginning of the week; mine is on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, I have my first in-class audition for Opera Performance Technique. I've been a little frustrated and displeased with my voice, but I know it's my own fault for not staying in better vocal shape the past few months. Needless to say, I am slowly getting back to where I need to be. Practice makes better. 

I can already tell that grad school will take some getting used to. In undergrad, it seems that you went to class or rehearsal all day (everyday) with a few breaks placed sporadically. Sure, you had work for all the classes, but you could kind of sift through what you really need to get done. Here, I have a few classes or rehearsals each day, but there is a lot more down time. Here's the clincher. Although I have fewer courses, I have more work for each one. I don't think it will be 'hard' to do the work because most of it is enjoyable thus far; it's just very time-consuming. Lots and lots of reading...

I really think this is going to be an amazing two years. Even with all of the work. After all, that's kind of why I'm here - to "master" the art of singing and performing (or at least get a whole lot better!). 

Yum!

Recently, I've had the strange urge to cook. I don't really cook much, but I do enjoy it. So, I told my mom that I would cook dinner some night this week. I think she was pretty happy to get a break! I decided to make Italian breaded chicken with noodles and sauteed green beans. It turned out really well, and I received good reviews from my parents, so here are some photos and details!


Ingredients:

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Italian dressing
• bread crumbs
• grated parmesan cheese
• eggs
• a lemon 

I marinated the chicken in Italian dressing for several hours, but that is optional. Then beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Dip the chicken in it, then roll it in the bread crumb and parmesan cheese mixture. Put it in a pan with some vegetable oil, and put a dab of butter and a lemon slice on it. Then bake it in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350-375 degrees.

To accompany this delicious chicken, I boiled a bag of egg-noodles.

And I sauteed green beans from our garden last year. They were blanched, then frozen, so they remained pretty fresh tasting. I added some garlic powder, lemon and pepper seasoning, and chopped onions.

Here is the finished product! Try not to drool on your keyboard...

I'm sure Danielle and I will have lots of cooking experiments while student teaching in the fall, so I figure I need to get a little more experience! But this is definitely one recipe I will keep!

Drink the Water

A little while ago, I saw a post online that read:

A pessimist sees the glass half empty.

An optimist sees the glass half full.

The opportunist drinks the water.

The last sentence made me think. Opportunism is defined as "the art, policy, or practice of taking advantage of opportunities or circumstances often with little regard for principles or consequences." This has somewhat of a negative connotation. However, being the optimistic person that I am, I think of opportunism in a more positive manner. Is "drinking the water" always a bad thing? Not in my opinion! Now, I'm not saying that everyone should selfishly promote themselves without regard to others or do as they please without thinking. But I am saying that sometimes you don't have time to sit and ponder before making a decision.

As a young adult nearing the end of my undergraduate study, I know that the decisions I make will influence my future/career. I also know that experience is crucial in the field of music. How do you get experience if you don't take advantage of the opportunities that come your way? You don't. For example, if someone offers me a wedding gig, I don't ask how much they will pay me. I check the dates, and if I'm available I take it! Why? Because I like helping people, I like singing, and it's more experience! Of course you should be able to make a little money, especially if you have to travel, but I've found that the experience is just as important for me as a young performer.

I have many friends who are beginning careers as music educators - some have found jobs, and many have not. The ones that take advantage of every opportunity seem more likely to get a job. By that I mean the ones who are willing to move anywhere, teach any grade levels, teach any course-load, or even settle for a few long-term substitute positions during the first few years. Understandably, some people cannot search for jobs so freely. That doesn't mean they won't have success, but their opportunities will certainly be limited.

You never know where a small opportunity may take you. If I've learned one thing in life so far, it's that experience is key - work, school, stage experience, musical experience, training, etc. So don't be afraid to "drink the water" and get more experience!

Summer 2012 - Let's Go!

I have been contemplating the idea of starting a blog for a while. A few of my close friends blog, and it seems to be a good way to share interests and experiences with others - especially when starting chapters in life. So, here it is... my first blog post! This blog is about living life to the fullest and letting your soul sing!

I just finished my fourth year of undergraduate study at Mansfield University. I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by! Only one semester stands between me and a Bachelor's Degree. But that's a topic for another post :)

On a different note... summer is here!!! I usually look at summer as a time to reset myself before returning to school in the fall. The only difference this summer is that I will not be returning to Mansfield, but I will be student teaching in State College. To kick off the summer, I have been "catching up" on the sleep I was deprived of during school. Enough of that - now I need to be productive! Here is my list of summer goals:

1. Get a Job - I have applied several places, so hopefully I'll hear back soon!

2. Get Fit! - Every semester I tell myself that I will go to the gym on a regular basis, but that usually doesn't happen. Sometimes I start off well, but by the end of the semester I've given up. Summer, on the other hand, is the time when I can actually put in the time to get in shape! I would like to drop a few pounds, but I'm focusing more on my overall fitness than my weight. A friend of mine decided to try a plan called "Couch-to-5K", and I think I'm going to give it a shot, too. It calls for 3 sessions a week over the course of 9 weeks. Week 1 starts with 20 minute sessions of alternating jogging (60 seconds) and walking (90 seconds). By Week 9, it has you jogging 30 minutes without stopping! Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

3. Get in Teacher Mode - In the fall, I will be student teaching. This means that I will be going to school early every morning just like a "real" teacher. If you know me well, you know that I do NOT like waking up in the morning. So one priority of teacher mode is waking up early! In further preparation for student teaching, I would like to organize all of my music education materials. I have handouts, lesson plans, books, and CDs, but I have no clue what I really have! I would also like to write some lesson plans, or at least brainstorm ideas, to make my life a little easier in the fall.

4. Find an Apartment - Unless I want to live in a box while student teaching, I need find a place to live! Luckily, my friend Danielle is also student teaching in the State College area, so we are looking for a 2-bedroom apartment within reasonable driving distance of our placements.

5. Prepare for Grad School Applications - I am hoping to go to graduate school next fall (2013) for a Master's degree in vocal performance. Therefore, I need to keep my voice in shape and prepare to make a pre-screening recording for application purposes. Application fees are rather expensive, so I need to continue researching schools thoroughly to decide where I want to apply.

6. Have Fun! - In addition to accomplishing this list of summer goals, I want to have fun! I am a fun-loving person who laughs a lot! I have several summer adventures planned already, which are sure to be a good time, including World Choir Games (Cincinnati, OH) and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Convention (Orlando, FL). And I'm sure there will be more to come!


Bring it on Summer 2012!!!