Exciting recital coming up! I had reserved a date, and thought that two of my adult students might like to sings some jazz standards with me...and then everyone wanted on board! So 13 of us will be singing on Feb 12 at 6 pm. It makes for lots of variety, and we have a fabulous accompanist--Dr. David Wohl--who is also a composer, music director, and professor. I don't exaggerate when I say that he can play anything, and amazingly well! Come see us at Broadway Music School, 1940 S Broadway, Denver CO 80210--for free! Cheers, Nance

Our holiday performing is over, my second jazz-standards CD wrapped and mailed (Nance Sings Love--new website being built),a lovely vacation had, and now it's back to work! (As if I've stopped for long...) I've put up the first four pages of the new website for OperaAndBeyond.com this morning, and, later, have some sewing to do, both for myself and for my elder daughter's dance company, Louder Than Words Dancetheatre, which has four performances the second and third weekends of January at the Denver School for the Arts. I've already planned the calendar for all of the next school year, believe it or not, and am condensing my teaching into three days, Tuesdays through Thursdays, starting July 2012. Other obligations (and fun events, and adjudicating, and conferences, and, and,) have become more pressing, and I need a little more time to do them. I'm excited about the changes and the many events coming up...performing a minimum of once a month, myself, in addition to my students' events...NATS adjudicating in March and April...managing Opera and Beyond...etc. It may already be obvious that I get bored and depressed without lots of things to do, so the more, the merrier! Have a Happy New Year's celebration, and drive safely!
Cheers, Nance

Today, Opera and Beyond sang Holiday Songs for Children's Hospital for over two hours...first, in the performance space in the lobby, and then, walking four floors and singing to the children who couldn't come down. They were so sweet, and the joy on their faces was delicious and so rewarding to the group!
Our next performance (minus Frosty, Rudolph, and Jingle Bells--the most requested songs, and plus more adult numbers) will be on Dec 19 for the Littleton AARP Chapter's Holiday Potluck at the Buck Recreation Center in old downtown Littleton. Set-up is at noon, eating around 12:30, with our singing to follow, probably at 1 pm. The program is about half an hour long, followed by some sing-along carols with the audience. Anyone 50 and over is welcome to attend as a guest to the chapter...just bring a nibble to share!
Be Merry! Nance

Not only has it arrived, it arrived on our Holiday Recital weekend! although the main roads are fine, the snow in Denver has made side roads slippery and a bit dangerous, plus, since Broadway has been torn up for new infrastructure, cement, sidewalks, center planters, alcove parking, etc., parking near the studio is really scarce! All the more reason for us to give the audience our all! They will have worked hard to get there.

I'm quite happy with the change from Artistic Director of RMOC to Artistic Director of Opera and Beyond, more event-oriented and flexible, and many of my adult students are participating in our events, having fun together, and being able to perform more often.

Have a Happy Holiday Season! Nance

Ah, computers! I wrote this all out, and hit the wrong button! So, again...I LOVE FALL! The weather is so crisp and gorgeous, and my petunias all decided to start blooming again! they look better now than they did in terribly hot August. Silly things...and I'm really looking forward to a Sunday trip to the mountains to see the golden aspen glowing in the sunlight!

The studio is buzzing with all of the preparations for the monthly DAMTA Musicales, recordings for college auditions, the Dec 4 Studio Recital, the Feb 12 Adult Jazz Concert, and the April NATS Auditions. Students are learning songs in the standard English, Spanish, French, and German, but also Portuguese and Hungarian! Lots of new beginnings and endings (I've harvested all of my spinach and chard, already), and I am so gratified that my studio is completely full, with two additional adults fitting in wherever there is a cancellation! It can become quite the balancing act, but I'm happy to be needed and useful! Happy Fall! Nance

Denver has had the hottest August on record since the 1800's! I believe it...my flowers did weird things...almost no blossoms on my petunias for the past week, just leaves, and other flowers that usually do poorly, bloomed like crazy! Global warming has dragged this summer out long past its time...We did clear out our storage unit, taking the final table to ARC on the 31st! Boy, does that feel good! The rest of the furniture is all on consignment, someone else's problem.
I have been buried under scheduling, organizations wanting everything under the sun (but YESTERDAY...), lots of work on scripts and music and rehearsals with RMOC, lots of clean-up work for the studio files, both online and in hard-copy. I feel a little more on top of it all, now, just in time to take the DAMTA Technology in the Studio course, starting Sept 14.
Before that, I am taking Labor Day week off from the studio to attend the American Sewing Guild Denver Chapter's Sewaway, at which I hope to sew up a new red taffeta ballgown for concert performances. In any case, I will not think about singing even once during that week! It is my creative escape/vacation, which I've not had at all this past summer (three conferences, Intensive, teaching, emptying storerooms, etc.)
Exciting year ahead, and all of my students are doing really well, already! Onward! Cheers, Nance

WOW! Great information at the NCVS Symposium on Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract and Uses in Voice Therapy. See my tip of the month for a quick and dirty discussion and uses in regular singing. I am hoping to present a full summary of this event next June (2012) for the CSMTA/NATS joint conference. Ellie Seligmann, another Denver vocologist, and I were the only voice teachers there...everyone else (USA, Australia, Japan, India, Finland) was a voice-research scientist! We learned a lot and I have been passing on the information to my students to enhance their warmups and to help those needing some therapy.
My students have returned for the school year. We started a little early this year due to my personal schedule, but almost everyone is on board and raring to go! We have recitals every month, with the big ones in December, February, and April, plus the CO/WY NATS Auditions in April, so lots to prep for. "Paint Your Wagon" will be a centerpiece for the December recital, and we're on our way, already! Cheers! Nance

Can you believe the heat? Global warming is here with no holds barred! I hope that you are staying cool!
The National Center for Voice and Speech Symposium on semi-occluded vocal production is next week in Salt Lake City. I'm looking forward to it...Always more to learn!
The website is already set up for the 2012 Denver Summer Voice Intensive (Level 1--June 4-8; Level 2--June 11-15), and we are adding a 2012 Ft. Collins Summer Voice Intensive Level 1--June 18-22. Save the dates!
My few days off have been spent emptying file cabinets, shredding, donating, recycling--in general, emptying at least half a storeroom, and organizing what's left to make it easier to process it all. We have photos to scan and records to download, genealogy folders to sort through and put into notebooks, etc. But it feels lighter and possible, now! I recommend it! Enjoy the rest of the summer! Nance

It is amazing, always, how fast time rushes by! We've just had a wonderful spring recital, and now everyone is making plans for the summer. The Denver Summer Voice Intensives are in full preparation phase, to start June 13, summer classes for July are being scheduled, and only three openings are left for the fall contract year. It is very gratifying!
Personally, I have been dealing with a chronic problem...saying "Yes" to too many activities! When I was younger, people used to ask me how I could do everything that I did, and I was always surprised that others couldn't or wouldn't do as much. My brain often told me that I could handle everything...but the body also would occasionally say, "No"! Now I find that I must truly listen to what my body says or it simply gets sick to stop me in my tracks and make me rest.
So I am on the hunt to find replacements for myself in multiple organizations. Anyone out there want to be a secretary or treasurer?
Cheers! Nance

It's actually Spring? Time has a way of blending...did you ever notice? We may think something has occurred only months ago, only to discover it was actually years.I've read that it's a function of age. As we get older, we start to lose the markers that helped us to isolate events of the past...there is less adrenaline attached, so events are less vivid or fade completely, and important events of growing up such as changing grades, getting that first bike, a first kiss, marriage, birth of a baby, a new house...those are all done, and the rest of life begins to smear. It certainly changes our perception of the amount of time that has passed. We (the elders) feel as if we blink and ten years have gone by! I have learned that we need to live in the NOW, dealing with today, not yesterday or even tomorrow, because it is all that we truly have. "Regrets avail not." Did someone important say that? We must forge our lives again, every day, finding our meanings and our passions and our paths, and facing them all with joy that we can actually do so! Let's go CREATE TODAY! Cheers, Nance

We've had an incredibly busy time since I last wrote...formed the Rocky Mountain Opera Company and performed multiple times, students singing in the West Central Region NATS Auditions, multiple recitals, and a trip to Florida for the holidays and a family reunion. We even visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios...my Christmas present. Add a nasty virus on top, and when I blinked, several months had zoomed by!
We are still busy, rushing forward to complete preparations for this coming summer's two weeks of Intensive day camps, creating the new website to handle the registrations, and fitting in an occasional opportunity to sing. My favorite was a few days ago, when I was asked to join in on a jazz jam session, and had a ball! I've managed to become secretary and/or treasurer of just about every organization around, too, it seems, so lots of time on the computer doing updates.
Recent favorite show was my daughter Chris's professional company (LouderThanWordsDance.com) in an amazing, tight, beautifully conceived and presented production, Tempus Fugit. Wow! What a mature artist at 39-going-on-40 she has become. I'm an immensely proud parent.
Back to work! Nance

What gorgeous weather we've had in Colorado, lately! Here we are in October, and the temperatures are still in the 80's and 70's, so my flowers are still blooming in my railing boxes. We've added a rolling miniature greenhouse that will allow us to grow spinach and chard through the winter, we hope, as our very sunny, south-facing balcony is always warm and well-lit.
The Rocky Mountain Opera Company was formed in June for singers 45 , and gave its first performance on July 30. I am the Artistic Director, and our next venture is to perform monthly for a retirement village (active people)in Monument. We are also creating The Opera Box to take into schools, an interactive performance opportunity for students to create their own opera, while incorporating professional performances.
My performance schedule seems as busy as I wish it to be without auditioning for anything, including several benefits and RMOC events. My studio is also quite full, with drop-in students taking the few openings each week. I have also begun to mentor young voice teachers, something I love doing!
Upcoming is the West Central Regional NATS Auditions for which I have several high school students entered, and for which I will be adjudicating for three days. Add monthly recitals, the Spookathon scholarship event, and my students are very involved. I am also the treasurer of the Denver Area Music Teachers Association and the CO-WY chapter of NATS, so have plenty of computer work to add to that of RMOC. Life is busy, we are healthy and physically active, we have enough to pay our bills, and I can still sing well. What more could anyone want?

What a fantastic summer! From June 1-5, I attended the CoreSinging Teacher Certification Training in Fort Collins, from June 14-19, ran the very first Denver Summer Voice Intensive for 12-18-yr olds, from July 1-6 went to Salt Lake City for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Conference, and from July 16-Aug 7, ran my summer session of regular voice lessons. On Aug 17, I started my contract year, which matches the school year.
I almost feel as if I've had no break from work, as the weeks between each of those events were spent prepping for the next events! But I will have some recreational time when I go up to the mountains in a week for Sewaway, a four-day get-together sponsored by the local Denver chapter of the American Sewing Guild. Although I will be sewing a lot, from morning to night, I will not be teaching or rescheduling, etc., so it will be a nice break.
All of the experiences this summer were so amazing! I came away with a deeper understanding of myself, as well as of the essence of the energetic body, from the CoreSinging training, and immediately added elements from that training into the Intensive, which was exactly that! Parents reported that students would come home each day and say, "That was the BEST day, ever!" and collapse...only to come home the next day to say, "No, THAT was the best day ever!" All were enthusiastic and definitely want to return next year for Level Two. (We will also offer another Level One.)
At the NATS Conference, there was much to learn or re-learn, and we also had a guest star, Kelli O'Hara, from Broadway who was a really wonderful performer.
In other areas, I have upgraded to using a ZOOM camera for my studio, a much better solution than connecting to my computer and hoping the sound wouldn't distort. I have lots of new students this fall, all enthusiastic about learning the correct way to sing, so I'm having a great time with them.
Fall is my favorite time of year, and I'm looking forward to crisp air, crunchy leaves, and hikes in the mountains!

When that was written, things were very different! Today is the last day of my contract year, and I've been getting everything ready for both summer and fall sessions, in addition to creating the handouts for the Voice Intensive. Scheduling is never fun, but we seem to be settled now, with no room left in the summer schedule for new students, and only four hours a week open in fall. That's a good sign, not just for me, but for the economy in general.
I've nearly finished sewing costumes for daughter Chris's company's performances at DU's Newman Center on June 4, 5, 11, and 12 and will deliver them today.
Then, on Tuesday, we will drive up to Fort Collins for a five-day marathon of CoreSinging(tm) Teacher Certification Training, the first held in the US. (Normally Meribeth Dayme teaches in Europe.)It's all about integrating all of the different forms of energy (physical, earth, emotional, spiritual, etc.) into our singing for a more natural and free production. I'm excited about it and looking forward to the experience!
The 2010 Denver Summer Voice Intensive will start on June 14, and we have nearly a dozen students registered or committed in another way, so it will be a really nice size. More later about how both events turn out!

This has been a hectic time for both students and teachers, with all of the choir concerts, school projects, final exams, NATS Auditions, recitals, etc., going on all in the same month! Stress has been high, but I was really proud of my students at the May 2 recital. Nearly half of them were first-timers, having never sung a solo in front of an audience before. They had two chances on the stage in full dress to practice, however, so by the time they actually had to perform for the audience, they came through with flying colors! And every opportunity they have to do so will only strengthen their confidence and abilities more. It is such a joy to see them grow!
I enrolled 5 new students this month, and summer and fall schedules are nearly full at this writing...another hectic spring chore. :) Cheers! Nance

Time is running down as we prepare for the Colorado/Wyoming National Association of Teachers Auditions which will take place at Denver University all day on Saturday, April 10, 2010. Three of my high school students are competing this year, and I'm working on my own three pieces for the Teachers' Auditions. We are also polishing our songs for our studio's Spring Recital at 3 pm on Sunday, May 2, at the Broadway Music School. My adult student, Claire, was accepted into Opera Colorado's ensemble and is ecstatic, as am I!
New students continue to make inquiries, which is very gratifying, and I'm enjoying the new challenges. My students currently range in age from 8 to 58, from New Jersey to Vietnamese accents, from serious operatic singers to pop divas. It's fun and always different!

Annette and Lou Ann's French recital went really well! The ambiance was beautiful (silk trees, material draped on metal screens, flowers everywhere, lovely programs) and the ladies were exquisite in long red gowns for the first half, and cabaret slacks for the second. Their accompanist/collaborator Grace Christus, was beautifully dressed in black and red Chinese robes for the Chinese New Year, and even the guitarist, Harry Olssen wore a black jacket with a red turtleneck.
They all performed beautifully, and the audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation at the end! The ladies were relieved that it was over...but are now planning a recital in German for next year! :) We are also planning a recital totally of Grace's compositions for singers, choirs, and pianists.
Mel and I are settling in well in Littleton, very glad to be "home" in the Denver metro area where we have lived for 38 years. It's nice not to have any maintenance issues any more! But the storage issue is a different question! I am slowly plowing my way through the last 50 years of stored family history: letters, pictures, calendars, etc. and writing our story. Haven't quite decided, but may call it "A Life in Paper". There is certainly enough of it!

We found a new home, truly downsizing this time into a 2-bedroom apartment, and moved furniture in mid-January. Our move has been successful in many ways--we love our sunny apartment in historic downtown Littleton, close to my favorite performance venue, the Littleton Town Hall Arts Center, and my studio's size doubled as soon as I announced the new days and times available. It was quite overwhelming!
My students Annette and Lou Ann are working hard on their joint recital of French music on Valentine's Day, and our move out of our house, which sold in only two days, will be completed that same day. Happy Day!

Up here in Greeley, it has been snowing since last night, nonstop. We have about 10" already. How lovely it is! And we don't have to go anywhere, so it's a comfy day at home with each other. Happy Holidays to everyone!

My husband and I have decided to move back to Denver after 1 1/2 years in Greeley. The majority of my clientele is there and the commute has been long each time. We are looking in Englewood and Littleton for an apartment, so don't have a move date, yet.

I've been spending a lot of time during the past few days responding to discussion topics on Facebook...NATS and Musical Interests. Teachers share ideas about recital content, teaching special needs students, upcoming events, etc.

I've just registered for a 5-day certification training program next June in Fort Collins for Meribeth Dayme's CoreSinging tm voice teaching method. I'm really looking forward to it!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EARLY!
As I imagine you are, I’m looking forward to a few days off, then, and some very fattening comfort foods. We also look forward to spending some time visiting family over the holiday.

During late October, I spent some days creating eight 10-second jingles for Pirate Radio here in Greeley. It’s a small non-profit 100-watt station that plays lots of 40’s-60’s music during the week, complete with the old DJ’s who actually worked in radio back in those days! They’ve offered free publicity in exchange for the jingles and have already played songs from my jazz album on the air.

For fun, check out this YouTube video of a stairwell that is a piano keyboard! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw

Here are some very worthwhile remarks and a fabulous example about the importance of music in our lives given by noted composer Jack Stamp. Extremely funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw4vqll9cAM

I just finished reading opera star Renee Fleming’s book, The Inner Voice: The Making of a Singer. She said a lot of things that I spout on a daily basis, which makes me feel that I am truly helping people as much as I can. I wanted to share her wording on a few common topics (it always helps to hear a different way of saying the same thing):
“Just as with a piece of luggage, it works better when you pull rather than push. When the voice is pushed, chances are too much breath pressure is being applied through too small a space.” (Nance says, “That doesn’t mean that your chin goes forward when you pull the sound out!”)
“After English, French is the language I most enjoy performing in, for its nasal vowels help me to maintain the high placement that is safest for my voice, and the fluidity of the vocal line lends itself especially well to singing.”