LXXXVIII: Singing Herstory

I have had a smile plastered on my face and a twinkle in my eye since last night when I started getting feedback for my YouTube video. What a change from yesterday's Grumpy Giosy! Mind you, I also got about eight hours of sleep...but that hasn't added as much joy into my day as the kind comments from everyone. It's like a second wave of excitement has overtaken me since the day of my performance. I'm going to enjoy this little wave while it lasts because as soon as it nears the shore, it will splash away again like the last one.

I'm especially surprised at how many people from my elementary school have commented. The last time they heard me sing was probably in grade seven. I used to be in the school choir and would enter the school's Sing-a-thon every spring. And if any opportunities for performing came along, I would likely do some sort of solo, duet, triad, or...quad. (What do you call a musical foursome? Quartets are for string instruments, right?) The first song I ever performed was Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love of All". At the time, I didn't even know who Whitney Houston was. I just happened to stumble upon it on someone's home karaoke set. Trust me, it was not a good performance.

Then came (in the closest thing to chronological order - these are YouTube clips of the recording artists):

• Beauty and the Beast
• Colours of the Wind
• A solo from Handel's Messiah
• Don't Cry for Me Argentina
• Think of Me
• Lately
• Sometimes (biggest mistake EVER on SO MANY LEVELS)
• Breathe (second biggest mistake...this taught me to stay away from performing pop forever)
• Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
• O mio babbino caro
• Quando men vo (disastrous performance for me because there was no dress rehearsal)
• My Immortal (okay, this is pop...but not as bubblegum poppy as Britney)

I've probably missed a handful of performances, but they pale in comparison to the two turning points in my "singing herstory". The first time I performed an aria (O mio babbino caro) and the most recent time (Glück das mir verblieb). One for exposing me to an audience that I thought would not like opera, and the second for letting me finally be present in the moment.

Thank you for walking down a piece of Memory Lane with me. My aim is not to be self-centred but to reflect upon my roots and journey so far...and I have to admit, to dream of the journey that is to come.