I did a thing! This was the 5th Virtual Choir project that I have participated in, having also done VC 2-4 and the World of Color Honor Choir. (Sixth, if you count the Virtual Youth Choir that a student of mine submitted a video for.) Eric Whitacre is one of my favorite composers, and I love these Virtual Choirs that give me an opportunity to perform his music.

This project was a bit different than the previous, as there was not as much to record in the way of vocal parts. Deep Field is written for orchestra and electronic instruments in addition to the chorus part. You can read more about the piece and his compositional process and inspiration here or you can listen to a recording on Soundcloud. Be on the look out later this year for the (slightly modified) Virtual Choir edition!

I am also excited to be learning some new pieces to perform. "Tu che di gel sei cinta" is from Puccini's Turandot. In it, Liu sings of how she loves her master and, no matter how much Turandot tortures her to learn his name, she would rather die than betray him - and that surely Turandot will learn to love him as she does. 
The others are from modern operas. "Mommy, Are You Here?" comes from Berstein's A Quiet Place, in which Dede talks to her recently deceased mother while visiting her garden.
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"Adelaide's Wedding Aria" is even more contemporary, written by Jonathan Dove for his community opera, The Enchanted Pig. The libretto is based on the fairy tale by the same name, at the start of which it is foretold that 2 sisters will marry princes while the 3rd will marry a pig. This aria is sung by one of the first 2 sisters on her wedding day, as she has a "bridezilla" moment about what she had dreamed about as being her "perfect" day. If you only have time to listen to one of these three recordings, I recommend this one - it's a hoot!

I'm finally getting around to putting this post up. One of our dogs is recuperating from knee surgery, and we just lost the other to cancer 2 days ago. It's been a rough time, but we'll get back into the swing of things.

Boston was a great experience. There were over 800 competitors there across the various divisions, and about 1500 people attended the convention overall. I did not advance in the competition, but I can say that there were a lot of great singers there that I enjoyed listening to. And I sat in on, I believe, 13 masterclasses, presentations, and panels throughout the weekend. I gained insight, learned new techniques, and was inspired.

As I experiment with what I have learned and incorporate it into my practice, expect posts about these new techniques and insights. I am eager to try one in particular, however first I need to buy some Dum-Dums! ;)

Early in the morning we'll be flying up to Boston for the weekend to attend Classical Singer magazine's CS Music Convention and its competition. I've been working on "Ain't It A Pretty Night" (Susannah) and "Un bel dì vedremo" (Madama Butterfly) to present on Friday for my Round 2 audition. While there, I will be attending masterclasses and presentations at the convention with topics such as "Breath Management Made Easy" and "Vocal Science and Health". 

I hope to learn a lot, make a few connections, and advance in the competition!  We'll also do a little touristy stuff, eat a lot of seafood, and watch a Red Sox game at Fenway.  I'll post again here when I get back with my results and will share a bit of what I gleaned from the classes.

Now to pack and go to bed early!  I am not a fan of early morning flights.

Welcome to the new blog section for Ryan Lakanen Music Studio! This is where I will share news of what's been going on with the studio, where/what I've been singing, and articles and discussions on topics related to singing, playing piano, or music in general.

Keep an eye out for the first content post, which should be up in the next day or two.