Annah's Junior Recital

 Annah is a junior (actually, with all her credits she is officially a senior) Vocal Performance major at SIUe, and gave her junior recital tonight. What an honor it was to be in her audience and see and hear her incredible performance. She has worked so hard through a really ridiculous and difficult few years, and it was such joy to experience her performance!!!

Annah's voice teacher, Dr. T, gave a lovely introduction about Annah. She has been the best blessing about Annah transferring to SIUe and changing her major to performance. She is a phenomenal teacher and support to Annah, and we are so thankful Annah gets to study with her!

The recital was in Abbott Auditorium in the library on campus, which is such a nice place to sing!

Annah wore the lovely dress I wore in her Uncle Travis' and Aunt Erin's wedding in 2001 along with a sparkly taupe shawl I crocheted that happened to match it perfectly. She looked so beautiful!

Annah's accompanist, Nancy Mayo is a fabulous professional, who Annah says is amazing to work with. Annah's was about the 18th recital she has accompanied in the past few weeks, and I heard her talking about accompanying violinists and flautists on the convocation recital this morning. I think SIUe keeps her very busy, so Annah is extra grateful to be able to work with her.

I can't even express how it felt to experience Annah's performance. Of course, she made me think of performing my own recitals 20+ years ago, and even sang one of the same pieces and studies out of many of the books I used in college. I also know how hard she had to work to pull off a performance like this, with such difficult music. 

Really, though, I am just in awe of how much her voice has grown while studying with Dr. T. these last 2 years. She sang with such control, expression, confidence, precision, clarity, and beauty. She was truly absolutely incredible. 

Annah's program was very difficult and included four languages. Her coloratura work on the Handel was so clean and lovely. Her German has really gotten good, and I loved the Schubert set. I did four pieces by Debussy on my senior recital at Capital, and I hold that as kind of a pride point that they're probably the most difficult thing I ever performed. Annah sang all six of the Debussy Ariettes oubliees, and she made them seem effortless! I was not familiar with Ricky Ian Gordon, but her final set was so touching and the perfect way to end her recital. It was all I could do not to sob with tears streaming down my face the entire time, but I couldn't see if I let the tears come and I was recording video and didn't want to be heard sniffling on it! Dr. T. told Annah afterwards that she had given a graduate level recital, and I wholeheartedly agree. She was incredible.

Merry Christmas Music

 Merry Christmas Music from my studio!

ILMEA 2020-Style

ILMEA, like everything else this year, is different for 2020.  District festivals were all canceled months ago, so ILMEA decided to have students submit audition videos. Sylvia auditioned for both orchestra and vocal jazz and made it into both.  Instead of district festivals, today they hosted online masterclasses for the students.  Sylvia chose to attend one workshop for each ensemble she auditioned into, so her first one was cello.

Her second masterclass was with Kim Nazarian of New York Voices. She was awesome, and Sylvia loved every second of this workshop! Kim talked about how she got into vocal jazz and made it her career, as well as how she and other friends have made having a family a priority while also maintaining a career as a performer.  

As Kim was teaching the students over Zoom, she could see their names on the screen as she was watching what she was having them do.  She was calling out students who didn't look like they were participating, and 4 different times she encouraged Sylvia and told her she was doing great!   (Annah, Caeden, and I were all listening in off-screen.) It was pretty darn cool, really.

Starting to Crack

For the 3rd month in a row, my Amazon Subscribe and Save order of toilet paper has been canceled. This is the least of my concerns. We have plenty of TP.

And we still have plenty of silly and SnapChat filter fun going on.

Annah was only required to record one of the pieces she's worked on this semester in her private lessons for her juries. She sang a Mozart aria that I didn't know, and I loved getting to accompany her.   We had a few challenges recording, as it was the first beautiful day we'd had in a while and all of our neighbors were outside mowing and the sound was picked up on the recording. When we finally found a few minute window where no one was mowing, and trucks weren't driving by our house constantly, we got this take...ignore my little screw-up at the end and Annah's hair getting in her eyes. We had fun making music together.

When she got home unexpectedly in March, Annah cleared a spot on the table in the den to set up her computer and work. Notice her phone in front of her computer...She and Ryan are FaceTiming while she works and he is playing video games at his house. 

She has had to push really hard (and needed several pep talks) to keep going. One more week!

I've really appreciated Jimmy Fallon's putting out "Tonight Show" videos from his home with his adorable family. And I really enjoyed this song, and maybe identified with some of the references a little too much.  Haha.

It does feel like we're "starting to crack" a little bit sometimes.

I emailed all my piano and voice students this week, and have loved hearing back from them how they are using their music and what they are doing during this difficulty.  One dad responded that he is playing music from different eras and genres for his kids each night!  So cool--a little "music history class" in their kitchen and they probably don't even realize they're learning!  That same dad said to me "I think this was God's way of reminding everyone what is truly important in this world." Yep, I think he's right.

Another person said to me, "God has a plan in everything, and I pray we can use this time of a slower pace of life to really evaluate where we are in life and how we are using our time in service to Him!"  Ohh yes, and did I need to hear that!!!

During this past week I have been able to connect/reconnect with friends I haven't made time for in a while.  One morning my friend Kim called me after she sent me and Jeremy a text to check in and I told her I was having a rough morning.  We talked for probably 45 minutes, and I bet we haven't talked on the phone in years!  She was such a comfort to me!

One day, Pastor Todd issued a Facebook challenge to our church to reach out to 10 people, and I did that.  I delivered a couple of the bags I crocheted last week to friends and was able to visit--from 6 feet away--with Jenna and Will (and Martin) for a while.  They are such cheerful people, and Jesus' light just shines out of them...such a refreshing joy to just talk with them for a little bit!

I also texted dear friends that are far away that I haven't caught up with in too long, and had sweet conversations with Lori and Cora.  Ohhh, that does a heart good!

Friday evening I received a really difficult message from a friend and I have been extremely upset and emotional about it all weekend.  I decided to fast my phone for the weekend, and it has helped not to have it in my hand as much as usual.  

Saturday morning, the girls and I started an online women's small group with several women from church.  We will be studying this book, and I am really excited about it!

For the first couple weeks, we are just chatting and praying together, since we need time for our books to arrive.  It was so wonderful to see the faces of some of our closest sisters in Christ on the zoom meeting yesterday, and to hear about what the past weeks have been like for them, and to pray for one another and feel encouraged!  Every person is experiencing the situation differently, but we can all appreciate and support one another through it.  Such peace and comfort in that!  I am so grateful to have the time to be part of this group and study, as it occurs during a time when I would usually be teaching and unable to participate.  Thank you for that, God!  

We have loved our PoC online worship service each Sunday morning.  Sundays have been crazy busy for us for the past I-don't-know-how-many years! It is so refreshing to get up and come to the living room and worship at home, then have lunch and spend the day relaxing together.  A beautiful sabbath, really.  I know it is still a lot of work for those on the church staff, the worship team that is rehearsing and playing, and especially the technical staff.  They are doing a great job, and it is so meaningful and wonderful for our congregation.

Annah recorded this for her recital at school.  We've all enjoyed hearing her learn this very difficult piece these past few weeks!

Today was a gorgeous day here, and we all got at least a little time in the sunshine. Jeremy spent a lot of yesterday outside removing a stump in the yard, and starting to fashion a fire pit in the corner of our yard at Annah's request.  Today, he and Sylvia threw a little nerf football back and forth for quite a while, and Sylvia spent time skateboarding, of course. Sometimes it would be nice to have a bigger yard, but I am thankful for the little spot we have.

Annah stood on Sylvia's skateboard and has pretty good balance.  I got on for about 7 seconds and found it pretty scary, haha.

This evening, I noticed these flowers by the garage looked so pretty in the sun.

There is no "new normal"

I am really emotional today.  Jeremy brought in the mail this morning, and there was a box addressed to me.  I opened it and found these Disney World scented candles that Dawn sent us to remind us of the wonderful memories of our vacation there together!  I bawled.  

All ready to try a Zoom piano lesson with Carly...

It did not go so well...No fault of hers, but there was trouble getting a good connection and it wasn't really video.  And the audio was awful...when she played a song with the pedal it sounded staccato.  Next week we will try a different platform.  It was really wonderful to see her, for sure!  It just proved that live video is not an option for all 16 of my students.  :(

Jeremy did the grocery run today.  He also got carry out from Moe's--our first food pickup since the stay-at-home order.  I forgot to order queso though, so that was a big bummer.

Snaps

Took a walk with Sylv and Caed this afternoon.  These buds on this tree are such an awesome color!!!

Sylvia wore her crafty jeans and we took some pics on the stairs of the church.

I wanted to get a picture to replicate this one...

Tried to get a pictuer of Sylvia, but someone else wanted in too...

Walking home

Sylvia spent some time skating.

I used the sidewalk chalk.

This afternoon, Sylvia put in the Barbie Island Princess dvd singalong version, and she and Caeden sang along.  Too funny.

Ridgeview's production of Guys and Dolls was supposed to open tonight.  Sylvia has dreamed of playing the part of Adelaide since she was a little girl and first saw the movie.  She choreographed the entire show and had taught all the dances to the cast. She had chosen costumes from the closet at school, from Amazon, and had gone to the theatre warehouse with Mr. M.  She had spent countless hours listening to and practicing the music.  So had the whole cast.  When Mr. M realized he had no other choice but to cancel the show, he called me and asked to tell Sylvia personally.  She and everyone knew it was coming, but it was really kind of him to let her know himself.  He said he will for sure do Guys and Dolls for the musical next year, but he will have to re-audition and re-cast it. Sylvia cried.  Caeden was disappointed, but knows he should have more opportunities through his high school career.

This evening, even though she hadn't practiced in 3 weeks, Sylvia put on a dress and lipstick and sang through Adelaide's Lament in her bedroom.  I was glad to be her audience, and I cried. I hope someday she will get the chance to play Adelaide.

Greenville University Choir Concert in Bloomington

It is very interesting to write this blog post, more than a week after this event took place, looking back through the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic.  Awareness of the virus was beginning to spread while the GU choir was on tour, visiting public places, churches, and staying in homes around Illinois, and Indiana, including Chicago and Indianapolis, but we didn't know that this concert in Bloomington would be the last of their tour, the last of their school year, and Annah's last ever with the choir.  So grateful for these moments and this evening!!!

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The GU choir's concert was at the Benton family's church in Bloomington this evening, and Joyce planned their dinner.  She invited our whole family, but Caeden and Sylvia had musical rehearsal, and Jeremy was throwing a pizza party for the junior high wrestling team in place of their last practice before IESA State, which was canceled yesterday by the hosting university because of the pandemic. I really enjoyed visiting with Annah, Ryan, Allison, Ashley, Bree, JiWon, and Abi during supper.  There was a lot of love and laughter being shared.

I loved the choir's song to thank the host church for their dinner.

After eating, the choir changed into their concert attire and did a little rehearsing in the sanctuary. The Cornerstone Christian High School Concert Choir joined them for a few pieces.

Lexie, the GU Choir president, conducting Holy, Holy, Holy

Professor Park is not only the choir's accompanist, but teaches class piano, and this semester is Annah's Music Theory/Aural Skills 2 professor.  She is very sweet and funny.

As the choir gathered in singing, their love for one another was so beautiful.

At times this school year, with the difficulties of the Music Education degree program being cut, Annah has wondered if she chose the wrong school.  These people and relationships are why God put her at Greenville this year.  They have encouraged and supported her and undoubtedly will be lifelong friends!

These songs and shared moments of making music are forming a beautiful part of Annah's life experience.

Bree was Annah's R.A. first semester, and the first person we met on move-in day last August. 

Andrea lives on the same hall as Annah, and they have been such good emotional support for one another! 

We met Marissa and her family in November of 2018 when she and Annah happened to be auditioning at GU on the same day.  We visited with them at Olivet when the girls both sang in the district 3 ILMEA choir that same November, and February of 2019 when the girls were competing and interviewing for the President's Day Scholarship.  Marissa is in most of Annah's classes and has become such a dear friend to her.

Annah has LOVED getting to share college and more music experiences with Allison!

After rehearsing, the choir had a short break before the concert.

Annah sat on Ryan's lap for a moment, and Allison and Ashley thought it was a great idea!

I tried to record much of the concert, but didn't want to be too distracting with my camera and tripod. Some trouble focusing at times, but hopefully the sound comes across.  It was a beautiful concert, and so special for Allison and Annah to sing at home. 

We were so blessed by friends who came to the concert to see and hear Annah's choir.  Grandma Sandi was there, Tracie and Tom with the girls and Miles, Ridgeview friends Tyler and Adam, and the girls' first violin teacher that we haven't seen in years--Ruthie and 3 of her kids!  

It was a beautiful evening, and such a moving concert.  The choir really poured out the love of Jesus all over everyone in the audience.  Everyone was moved.  So, SO blessed.