Craziness of school beginning

I hate panic attacks.  Hate'em.  But whenever I leave for a gig, I get them.  One has to remember that you teach kids, but they're at that weird, in-between stage of travelling to adulthood.  They will be fine, and I will make up every, cotton pickin' lesson.  That will be a month of saturdays, and at least I will have the spring breaks o work, also.

Doing this is good for the Department and my students, but good for me and my family.  It would take take two months work at VCU to come close to making what I make on these gigs.

I will miss most Sheridan and the girls.  I love the Christma Holidays.  That is when I get my most intimate time with my family.  I get very emotional the first few days when I am away, and it is worse when I go to Europe.  Eight weeks there will be extremely fun.  Well, at least the first week won't be...

Great lesson today

In the midst of all the garbage, i had a great lesson with Jackson today.  "Just sing like you speak" has become my new mantra.  

Sang through six arias after the warm-up.  The best of the bunch was the Carmen.  That is what I am talking about.  It eliviates the worry when I begin the "Puis, je m'accuse de blaspheme" that I don't have the space, because the voice is sitting in the same space as if I am speaking.  A lot more ring and a lot more ease.  

The "Donna non vidi mai" was pretty danged good today, and the "Celeste Aida is'nt far off the mark.  But the Freischutz was spot on.  Spot on!!

Gonna have problems choosing what to sing on auditions, especially in Europe this coming fall....