The Hills Are Alive

...with the Sound of Music.


Ok, I officially had two people get after me for not posting. Obviously my public demands that I post. (Mom and Dana) :)


Its been a busy three months here.


This post is about January.


January was consumed by music at our house. First of all I was participating in NATS for the second year. NATS is a vocal competition but really I think the vocal teachers compete with each other to see how many of their students place:)


I did both the classical and musical theater categories this year, preparing three songs in each.


I had a bit of a glitch wherein I ended up with an accompanist that I never rehearsed with for the classical category. I mean I literally met the man two minutes before I walked in with the judges. I told him what changes I was doing and he told me he'd follow me for tempo. Little stressful.


However, it went beautifully as did musical theater with my original pianist. I took first in the classical category and second in musical theater. More importantly, I felt good about how I sang for the judges. I had been working on one of the songs for a year and it was important to me that I sing it for the judges as I'd practiced.


(I had to sing at the awards concert thinger later the same night too. It didn't go as well but frankly by that time I'd been up since 4 am. I'm just glad noise was still coming out of my mouth.)


Now in the same week as NATS were auditions for a multi-stake production of The Sound of Music. Uh, so S of M is my favorite movie - EVER. Granted the stage production is a bit different but still its my fav. Both Madilyn and Emma wanted to audition and worked on their songs for a couple of months. I'm not sure who I was more nervous for them or me. Ok I know the answer - them.


They were both very nervous but I was so proud of them. They did wonderful. It was a joy to ride home from our auditions with both of them singing their songs and feeling pleased with themselves for having done their best.


Three or four very looooong weeks later we heard back. Madilyn was cast as Brigitta, Emma as Marta, and I as Baroness Elsa Shraeder (For the record, the Baroness sings two songs in the stage production.). There was some jumping up and down and screaming at our house.


That was January. Exciting, stressful January.