FIRST WEEK AT NDNU

Wow! What a week this has been. I am happy to report that so far so good! Wednesday I was as nervous as can be since I am still getting used to the campus but I managed to find all my classes. Later that evening some of us from the Musical Theatre Wokshop sang for Convocation. It was a lovely event.

Thursday I had vocal performance & rep class which was great. All levels of singers are there from freshman to graduate students. There was a a lot of talent in that room. For some reason I was so frightened to sing. I guess I am not used to that atmosphere. Singing for a room of 30 fellow students. I chose to sing Agustin Lara's haunting Spanish ballad "Granada." (I had to sing two songs this week and chose songs that have significant meaning to me.) I never met my Mother's Father (my Grandpa Jaime - he died when I was a child) but both my parents told me that he was a great singer. I remember when I was younger and I was watching The Three Tenors In Concert on TV and Jose Carreras sang "Granada" and my Mom started to cry, thinking about her Dad. So whenever I sing this song, I sing it as a tribute to him. It was so odd but as soon as the music began, I felt this force come over me. It was like my Grandpa gave me the courage to sing this very diffcult piece. I was so overwhelmed by the response I got after the song was finished. A lot of my fellow students gave me a standing ovation - that was to say the least - tremendous.

I have met some wonderful people this week and I feel I have already made a lot of new friends. It was a wonderful experience. My pal Courtney Stokes (being the Superstar that she is) blew everyone away with her rendition of "Good Morning Baltimore" from Hairspray - she rocked the Herzo Recital Hall!

Friday was a crazy day and I didn't get much sleep the night before but it was so wonderful to see Marc Jacobs, Billy Liberatore & Dottie Lester-White at the Musical Theatre Workshop. All people that I adore. Dottie's dance audition was so hard but I did what I could - of course I always feel like the hippo in "Fantasia" at a dance audition but I felt I fared much better with the singing. I picked "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love. This song is my Dad's favorite song that I do. He & I have had a a very tumultous relationship and have since reconciled so I guess I picked songs that have very special meaning for me and you can't go wrong with that. Billy was pleased so that was a relief.

I think I'm going to like it at NDNU. Yay! =+) This upcoming week I will be seeing Heather in Opera San Jose's Romeo & Juliette and on Saturday I will be celebrating my 28th Birthday (I can't believe it!)

Okay - have a great week y'all!

Mwah!

M.