How many people do you know who are actually working in the field they majored in during college? Of my closest friends I would say the rate is 50% or less—off the top of my head I can think of a Sociology Major (working in insurance), a Business Major (working in health care), and a Computer Sciences Major (working in marketing).
I actually have a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance. Even though my music degree doesn’t pay the bills, so to speak, I actually DO utilize my degree on a regular basis.
I sing with both a neighborhood choir (the Wicker Park Choral Singers) and the Chicago Symphony Chorus (CSC)—the chorus associated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra—and feel really lucky to get to use my instrument so often.
In April, the Grammy-award winning chorus (yes, we won a Grammy for Best Choral Performance, no each chorus-member doesn’t get our own statuette) traveled to NYC to sing at Carnegie Hall. It was an AMAZING experience, and I wanted to share a few pics from the trip here.
I got to stay with one of my best friends while I was there. She has a great apartment on the Upper West Side.
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No big deal, just walked through Central Park on my way to rehearsal.
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They weren’t barring entrance—just had some scaffolding up. Couldn’t resist the pic!
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How many people get a chance to have this view of Carnegie Hall?? We rehearsed both Friday and Saturday afternoon before performing Verdi’s Otello and Berlioz’s Lelio (a companion piece to Symphonie Fantastique).
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We’re ready to go on stage!
Here we are performing Othello on Friday night. I am the 7th person in from the left—third row.
The Lelio on Saturday was really interesting…it was a performance piece and we sang much of it in the dark, reading our music from individual lights on our folders. Gerard Depardieu was the narrator.
I was lucky enough to have my own private cheering section at the second performance. My parents, husband, and in-laws all flew out from Chicago. My brother and his girlfriend who live in New Jersey, my aunt from Long Island, and my good friend Lauren and her boyfriend also came to see my debut! After the concert we went to Little Italy for an UNBELIEVABLY decadent and delicious family-style meal.
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Yum!
Well, thanks for indulging me on a non-event-related topic. I just had to share this incredible experience with you.
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