Well, this week was quite the week. My brain was working 100 mph, and school was crazy. But spring break is finally here-whew!
On Friday A Cappella (my advanced mixed choir) sang at an NAU concert downtown Phoenix. We sang at Trinity Cathedral, a beautiful beautiful venue to sing in. The students really enjoyed it, and it was a special thing for me too. I graduated from NAU, so being a part of this concert meant that my career and college worlds were colliding. Shrine of the Ages Choir sang the first half of the concert, then there was a brief intermission. After intermission A Cappella came on and sang three songs (and did a wonderful job too). Shrine finished the rest of the concert, and the final piece was Z. Randall Stroope's Homeland which both choirs sang together. The best part was I conducted! So here I am in this fabulous venue, with a 120 voice choir of my students, my friends and colleagues. Homeland holds a special place in my heart. In high school my choir sang that song on our tour and I got so into the song that I started raising my hands at the words "Homeland, the country that I love, hold out your arms to me." So this experience was not just cool, it was so special. The week prior to the concert I had been so nervous to conduct Shrine. I knew they would be analyzing my every movement and gesture, and Copley would be watching EVERYTHING. My students, me, EVERYTHING. As a student, you almost can't help but want to make your teacher and mentor proud. So when Copley walked up to me and said, "You're wonderful. Your gesture is clear, it's gorgeous...it's everything that makes a teacher proud" I knew I had arrived. Another thing that made it a truly special night was the fact that German introduced me when A Cappella sang. I consider German to be a great mentor and friend. He also told me he was so proud of me-so I guess I'm on the right track. It was a huge "ah ha" moment for me. I've realized that in the world of high school choral music, everyone needs these from time to time. That night reminded me the reason I began this job, and why I will continue to give it my all for many years to come. It was the concert of the year for me.
There's been other good news on the choral front. I received a call from Mark Lawlor at Oklahoma State. He said he saw A Cappella perform at the MPS Choral Festival, and liked what he saw. He invited us to sing at Carnegie Hall March 2010! A huge huge honor as you may imagine. So that's been another wonderful opportunity that I'm looking forward too. God has really blessed me and rewarded my work with things like this-things I cannot claim are from me or my work-they're really a blessing from God.
Well, this week is Spring Break and I'm SO looking forward to the time off. Although the time will not be "off" it'll be filled with organizing and painting and landscaping-I still can't wait. Patrick's parents are coming at the end of the week too which will keep me busy and enjoying my time off. It's always fun spending time with his family, and mine. Spring Break here I come!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
First Time Blogging
Well, I've finally given into another fad-blogging. I have this thing where I refuse to do what everyone else is doing because it's just a fad. The problem is some things don't fade away. Anyway, this is probably a good way to keep in touch with friends and family that don't live close.
Patrick probably won't keep up too much with this, so you'll hear mostly from me. I think he checks his facebook once every month or so-silly husband.
There's not a whole lot going on right now. I'm living at work this semester, and doing my very best to keep up with everything. Last week I started auditions for next school year, and as always we're running short on male voices. I need to find some way to make choir look cool to guys, hmm....In addition to auditions, Chamber is getting ready for Jazz Baby (our Jazz only performance). Plus Seussical (the Mesa High musical) is in full swing. Next week we have a joint concert with NAU Shrine of the Ages choir-which to me is a pretty big deal. I was talking to Dr. Copley yesterday and she says, "You're conducting Homeland, not me" (exciting but stressful). I'm stoked about the concert with NAU. I think I'll be quite nostalgic when I'm up there conducting a university choir with my kids interspersed. It'll be fun. Next week we're also doing junior high recruiting, which involves taking students to the junior highs, singing for them and getting them all back to school on time. You would NOT believe all the paperwork that goes into such a small and seemingly uneventful trip. That's a story for another time though :) All of that, plus All-State auditions on that Saturday. Spring Break really can't come fast enough. I guess it's a good thing I enjoy what I do (the teaching part at least).
Patrick is really rocking his job. He was hired in December to work as a teller for Wells Fargo. His goal was actually to become a personal banker, but because of the economy and his lack of experience in the financial field he gladly took the teller position. He knew he wouldn't be there long though, and boy was he right. After working as a teller for about two months, Patrick's boss hired him above all the other applicants to be one of the personal bankers for the branch! You should know that Wells Fargo's policy is this: you are contracted to be in your hired position for at least one year. Under special circumstances you may be able to apply for a promotion (different position) after 6 months. He was hired after working there 2 months! I'm so proud of him. So after coming back from teller training he worked for a couple of weeks, and is now back in training for his new position. Last night Patrick was telling me about the business cards and new nametags he ordered. Instead of "Personal Banker" underneath his name he ordered "Service starts with me" to be put on his nametags. Adorable :)
Kiri and Ella (our puppies) are great. They keep digging up the backyard, but I'm actually kind of glad. In two weeks we're going to tear up all the rocks and put in some sod. I know the puppies will enjoy it way more, especially in the summer when they can lay down underneath some shade in the grass. They're definitely behaving a lot more than when they were puppies. Ella is getting to be a good little off-leash dog, and Kiri....well, she'll get it some day. The other day I went through Patrick's undershirts and threw away the ones with holes in them. Well, Kiri decided to make one her blanket. So now she sleeps with it, carries it around-it's really pretty cute. She reminds me of Linus on Charlie Brown.
Patrick probably won't keep up too much with this, so you'll hear mostly from me. I think he checks his facebook once every month or so-silly husband.
There's not a whole lot going on right now. I'm living at work this semester, and doing my very best to keep up with everything. Last week I started auditions for next school year, and as always we're running short on male voices. I need to find some way to make choir look cool to guys, hmm....In addition to auditions, Chamber is getting ready for Jazz Baby (our Jazz only performance). Plus Seussical (the Mesa High musical) is in full swing. Next week we have a joint concert with NAU Shrine of the Ages choir-which to me is a pretty big deal. I was talking to Dr. Copley yesterday and she says, "You're conducting Homeland, not me" (exciting but stressful). I'm stoked about the concert with NAU. I think I'll be quite nostalgic when I'm up there conducting a university choir with my kids interspersed. It'll be fun. Next week we're also doing junior high recruiting, which involves taking students to the junior highs, singing for them and getting them all back to school on time. You would NOT believe all the paperwork that goes into such a small and seemingly uneventful trip. That's a story for another time though :) All of that, plus All-State auditions on that Saturday. Spring Break really can't come fast enough. I guess it's a good thing I enjoy what I do (the teaching part at least).
Patrick is really rocking his job. He was hired in December to work as a teller for Wells Fargo. His goal was actually to become a personal banker, but because of the economy and his lack of experience in the financial field he gladly took the teller position. He knew he wouldn't be there long though, and boy was he right. After working as a teller for about two months, Patrick's boss hired him above all the other applicants to be one of the personal bankers for the branch! You should know that Wells Fargo's policy is this: you are contracted to be in your hired position for at least one year. Under special circumstances you may be able to apply for a promotion (different position) after 6 months. He was hired after working there 2 months! I'm so proud of him. So after coming back from teller training he worked for a couple of weeks, and is now back in training for his new position. Last night Patrick was telling me about the business cards and new nametags he ordered. Instead of "Personal Banker" underneath his name he ordered "Service starts with me" to be put on his nametags. Adorable :)
Kiri and Ella (our puppies) are great. They keep digging up the backyard, but I'm actually kind of glad. In two weeks we're going to tear up all the rocks and put in some sod. I know the puppies will enjoy it way more, especially in the summer when they can lay down underneath some shade in the grass. They're definitely behaving a lot more than when they were puppies. Ella is getting to be a good little off-leash dog, and Kiri....well, she'll get it some day. The other day I went through Patrick's undershirts and threw away the ones with holes in them. Well, Kiri decided to make one her blanket. So now she sleeps with it, carries it around-it's really pretty cute. She reminds me of Linus on Charlie Brown.
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