http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/arts/music/21joyce.html?pagewanted=1&ref=music

A wonderful article about this amazing Mezzo. Her words about "taking off the singers mask" really resonate with me. It can be difficult to truly make the music your own and to express yourself through it, but she surely does and it's evident.

Prioritize

I appologize for my absence, lately. I do not have a good reason other than I've placed my priorities somewhere else.

Since my last post, I started a new job working full time as an admin. assistant for a local architecture company. While it's going all right and I'm paying the bills, I miss music every second of the day. I have begun to realize exactly why I decided to follow my passion for singing; I can not live without it. I feel incomplete and unsettled, especially lately.

My "job" has taken over every part of me and when I get home from work all I can think about it relaxing and "taking a load off" after a stressful day. (yes, everyday is stressful... but that's another post.) I do not take the time necessary to devote myself to my true calling and passion and it has been weighing on me for quite some time. Yes, I do practice every now and then, but it's nothing like it used to be. Now that the "audition season" is over, I have to work harder than ever to make practicing and honing my skills a priority. In fact, my top priority. I will be doing many more competitions/auditions this fall/winter and it is my goal to have new pieces prepared and the old ones polished.

I know this happens to a lot of singers/artists because not many of us are able to make a living doing what we love and have to work to pay the bills, so I know it can be done. I just need to keep my nose to the grindstone, so to speak, and get busy! These winter "blahs" have had a hold on me for far too long....