AIMS Update 15: T-13 Days To Go

August 3rd - 6pm at The Heim in Graz, Austria

Time sure flies.

It feels like only a few days ago I just arrived in Graz. And now we have just a little under two weeks left here, even less since classes officially end middle of next week. My time in Graz has been nothing short of amazing, but I'll have a much more personal post about this trip sometime next week. Though we're nearing the end, things are still as busy and great as ever (in my coachings and lessons especially). I've learned and continue to learn so much here and I can't wait to come back to the states and share all I've learned.

Among my usual classes, I've had a blast exploring the city and having amazing opportunities along the way. Thursday morning I have a private coaching with Soprano Linda Watson and I hope to be singing on the final Monday night recital next week. Next week will also be the final round of the Meistersinger Vocal Competition, where many of my friends will participate and compete (and it's another chance to wear a gown)!

Things may be starting to wind down, but everything is far from over!

AIMS Update 14: 4/6

July 30th - 10:15am at The Heim in Graz, Austria

Busy. Busy. Busy.

This past weekend was crazy busy, starting with our two Spirituals concert. Saturday night we performed in this beautiful church high on a mountain top that was overflowing with people. In addition to our usual group numbers, I sang my solo 'O What A Beautiful City' which I was able to have videotaped and will atempt to put up a bit later. The concert was a great success and we even sang two encore numbers before attending a small reception and then headed back home.

And then came Sunday...

Early in the afternoon I headed downtown to the Odelian-Institute to sing for Soprano, Patricia Craig! All singers here at AIMS are guaranteed to sing on one masterclass and we are assigned our masterclass by the faculty and powers that be. I was very excited to be singing for Ms. Craig as she was one of the foremost leading American Sopranos some years ago. I sang 'Deh vieni, non tardar' for her and we worked on some vocal things, textual elements and played with some tempos. Since I was the last singer before a short break, I also had the chance to speak with her about my vocal growth and future plans. I am so glad that I was able to be a part of this masterclass, and as always, I wish we had more time to work together.

Immediately afterwards I raced back to the Heim to change for Spirituals Concert #2! This second and final concert was held at a church closer to the Heim, and like the first, it was packed with people who couldn't get enough of our Spirituals. While I was not selected to sing my solo that night, most of the faculty and fellow AIMS-ers who were not able to attend Saturday night were there and all loved it! It was a great weekend filled with LOTS of singing.

Now week four is almost over, and we only have a little less than two weeks left here in Graz. It's crazy to think that this program has gone by so fast and I only have a short time left here in Graz. Though we are nearing the end, I plan to make the most out of these last few weeks and participate in as much as possible. Viva la AIMS!

AIMS Update 13: I Swear I'm Still Here

July 25rd - 10:30am at the Heim in Graz, Austria

I'm back! I was unable to post for a few days due to some WiFi problems, but now they're all fixed and I'm back again!

This weeks been crazy busy with coachings, classes, lessons and rehearsals, and its only going to get busier! Everything has been going really well and it's hard to believe that this amazing experience is already half over. Three more weeks of bliss before I return to the states.

That said, this weekend is pretty packed. Tonight and tomorrow night the Spirituals Ensemble will give our first concerts for the Graz public! We've prepared a number of group pieecs as well as solo Spirituals, and according to various sources, these concerts are the most attended of any AIMS concerts! Tonight I sing my solo 'O What A Beautiful City', get to jam out to some great music and then do it all again tomorrow! Also tomorrow afternoon, I am singing on a masterclass with Soprano, Patricia Craig and I'm very excited to meet, sing and work with her.

Besides this hectic weekend, there's not much else to report. Graz is love, Graz is life.

AIMS Upddate 12: Moment to Spare

July 20th, 1pm - The Heim in Graz, Austria

I finally have some time to sit and write!! 

A lot has happened since my last post, so let's catch up a bit.

Thursday was a a pretty normal day starting off with Stage Artistry and German class. Later that afternoon I had my second lesson with Stephanie Weiss, and if we're friends on Facebook, you'll know that I had an absolutely amazing lesson that day! We mainly worked on  Mozart's 'Deh vieni non tardar' and Handel's 'Furie terribili', while also focussing on some technical aspects of singing. In the two short lessons we've had together I have made INCREDIBLE strides and with continuous practice it can only get better from here. Family and friends who know me know that I always want to make a good impression, especially in a lesson situation so I practice and work all the concepts of the previous lesson to show that I have made improvement. I was thrilled when Stephanie told me that she could tell I had practiced and was singing more with my full body. After working the Mozart, she also told me that in the future she doesn't see me singing Susanna or other light, soubrette-type roles but instead sees my voice really filling out and doing some bigger repertoire (which is beyond exciting!!). Our lessons are also great because she doesn't let me get away with anything, and if she knows I can do something better she calls me out on it right away. These lessons so far have been fantastic and I can't wait to see where we go from here!

Post lesson of awesome-ness, I attended the first AIMS Orchestra Concert! These concerts are cast by the faculty, advertised to the public and are generally very well attended. This concert was also my first opportunity to hear some of the "big gun" voices so I was very excited to hear them with an orchestra. The concert consisted of the orchestra playing three works and ten singers performing various arias. I was generally impressed, but ultimately, the orchestra won my heart.

Then came this weekend.

Some people traveled and some hung around Graz, myself included. I met up with a group of AIMS-ers Saturday afternoon and headed to an outdoor pool about a ten minute walk from the Heim - and  was fabulous!! When most of us took a break to grab a drink, we were asked by the cashier (who was Australian) if we would sing for an elderly man who was at the pool celebrating his birthday. Naturally, we said yes and sang happy birthday. A few minutes later the cashier returned and said that the gentemens wife had bought us each a glass of apricot schnapps! It was a great day overall, and six hours later, we headed back home.

Yesterday, Sunday, was also a nice day. I sang at a Catholic Cathedral downtown along with two other singers for a 9am mass service. It was wonderful to attend a service here in Graz, even if it was all in German and it was a test of how well I could sightread German hymns. After the service, I came back to the Heim for a bit until I headed out again for a Spirituals Ensemble Rehearsal. Our first concerts are this Saturday and Sunday, so we're finalizing our group pieces as well as singing our solos for the entire group. According to the faculty and everyone else I've ever asked, the Spirituals concerts are the most attended of any AIMS concerts and will most likely be standing room only. The Grazers love spirituals, so I can't wait to perform for them this weekend!

Today is another usual day: Early morning coaching, German, Audition Seminar, Spiritual Ensemble Rehearsal and tonight is our first Monday Night Recital! These recitals are held every Monday night and students volunteer to sing for fellow AIMS participants, faculty and even the public - yet another great opportunity to perform in front of an audience!

The time is flying - Graz ist wunderbar!!

AIMS Updates 9,10 & 11 - To Sing, To Be, To Go To the Festival

July 15th, 7pm - The Heim in Graz, Austria

First off, apologies for the lack of posting these past three days. While they've been pretty crazy, they've also incredibly amazing. All classes officially started this week, and so far, everything has been great. Here's my schedule from Monday to today:

Monday Schedule:

• 10-10:45am - Coaching with Christina Haan
• 10:50-11:35am - German I
• 11:40-12:25pm - Audition Training Seminar I
• 4-4:30pm - Spirituals Ensemble Rehearsal
• 6-9pm - Govenors Official Welcome Ball/Gala

Tuesday Schedule:

• 10-10:45am - Stage Artistry 6
• 10:50-11:35am - German I
• 11:40-12:25 - Stage Artistry Coaching
• 2;15-3pm - Lesson with Stephanie Weiss
• 4-5pm - Voice Studio Class
• 5-6pm - Sirituals Ensemble Rehearsal

Wednesday (Today's) Schedule:

• 10:50-11:35am - German I
• 11:40-12:25pm - Audition Training Seminar I
• 3:05-3:50pm - Coaching with Christina Haan
• 4-5pm - Vocal Coach Studio Class
• 5-6pm - Spirituals Ensemble Rehearsal

Let's start with Monday:

The day began with my first coaching! After a general getting-to-know you session, we dove right into working repetoire and I was very plelased with how our first session went. I can tell that we're going to have some great sessions together and that I will learn a lot. Following my coaching and German, I went to my first audition training seminar class. After intoructions and a basic outline of the class we began talking about how to properly audition and what opera directors are looking for in auditions today. Vocalism, technique and expression are all required if auditioning for an opera company, but our teachers also talked about how to keep the body calm, breathe properly and command the room right from your entrance. In our second class meeting Wednesday we will begin performing arias for the class as if giving an auddition and we will recieve collective feedback about our appearance/performance. This class is extrememly crucial and I know it will have much to offer. Then came something important: FOOD. Post lunch and a short break, I headed back to the Elisibethschule (School) for a brief, second Spirituals Ensemble Rehearsal!

But after rehearsal came the most exciting part of the day:

Governor Hermann Schutzenhofer
requests the please of your company
at the reception hosted on the occasion of the
45th Summer Academy of the
American Insitute of Musical Studies
In the Hall of the Planets of Eggenberg Palace
on Monday, July 13th, 2015 at 7:00pm

Monday was the night of dreams. Faculty and students every summer are invited to a ball or gala held by the Governor of Graz as part of his offical welcome. I remembered seeing pictures from of the Western group last year and was beyond excited to wear my latest gown and feel like a princess. Because it's hard to explain my dress, I leave you with one clue until pictures from my camera or friends can be posted: think Cinderella. The entire evening was magical. (Pictures to come soon!)

Yesterday was also a busy day, and it began with my first Stage Artistry class! I am in the advanced class with students who have also had much in the way of acting training and we discussed what we will do as a class and also in our private sessions. Then came German (not much to report there). Following German was my first private stage artistry coaching! I brought in an aria and talked about the character with my teacher all while working physical and gestural aspects within the aria itself. These private coachings will also be incredibly helpul, especially for arias that are harder to work with or are typically performed with just the one character on the stage. Later that afternoon came the hour I'd been waiting for: MY LESSON!! While here at AIMS I am studying with mezzo-soprano Stephanie Weiss, and although we've only had one lesson, she's amazing! We talked over repetoire and my goals for this summer and got right to work on achieving these goals. In our one lesson together I've already made great progress and I'm very excited for our second lesson tomorrow. The day ended with our first Studio Class and another Spirituals Ensemble Rehearsal.

And here we are today - another day of classes, German and rehearsal.

These first few weeks at AIMS have been absolutely incredible. I am so glad to be in Graz focussing and studying my passion. The first AIMS concerts are coming up soon and I can't wait to see all my ffriends perorm! That's all for now, but no worries, there is more to come! 

Top 10 Summer Anime Series Endings

After ranking my completed anime series from this summer, naturally I had to take the same with the endings. Just like the openings, these endings are ranked based on my own personal enjoyment, emotional connection, how well the song ends/fits the series and the song itself. So with all that in mind, here we go again:

10. Take Off - 2PM from Blue Exorcist

Don't get me wrong, this ending is not bad...it's just not that exciting. Unlike the series opening, the song is forgettable and still doesn't get any sort of reaction out of me. It's a nice jam, but that's about it.

9. Mosaic Kakera - SunSet Swish from Code Geass

Compared to its three other ending themes, I find this one by SunSet Swish to be the best by a mile. An interesting melodic line, beautiful character animation and the song can be pretty catchy and memorable. Like much of Code Geass, it sticks with you.

8. Utsukushiki Zankoku na Sekai - Yoko Hikasa from Attack on Titan

A beautiful ending video and track sung from Mikasa's perspective. Yes yes yes!

7. Alumni - Nightmare from Deathnote

This ending is downright sweet! An erie, yet still pretty catchy track, set to animation of light's double life as a normal high school student and KIRA. Though the ending for Deathnote is so low on this list, it will always be my number one anime of all time.

6. Tonbirano Mukoue - Yellow Generation from Fullmetal Alchemist

This ending is so different from any of the others, it stands out in a good way. At first I thought it was  weird, but the more I listened to it the more I liked it. I especially love that this ending animation shows the relationships of Edward, Alphonse and Whinrey as kids. Very good.

5. Vanilla Salt - Yui Horie from Toradora

My main reason for loving this ending is what it does to you (the viewer) after finishing an episode. While not all episodes are exciting, this ending song is a fantastic gateway into the look at next week's episode and uses simple animation to make this entire ending very relaxing and much like a cliff-hanger. WARNING: this ending as well as the series opening is your typical Japanese type anime song.

4. Monster Without a Name & All Alone With You - EGOIST from Psycho-Pass

I abosolutely COULD NOT pick just one of these two endings. They both are amazing!

3. I'm Alive - Becca & Bird - Yuya Matasushita from Black Butler

I did it again. Like Psycho-Pass, I simply could not choose. If I absolutely had to pick one over the other, the prize would go to Yuya Matasushita for a beautiful track set to animated butterflies surrounding Lord Ciel Phantomhive. Great, great work done for both.

2. Dango Daikazoku - Chata from Clannad

This ending needs little in the way of explanation to anime fans. Clannad and Clannad: After Story fans will all tell you this song has great meaning.

My reactions:

After finishing episode 1: This is a cute song

After finishing the entire series: *Tears*

AND FINALLY....

1. Brave Song - Aoi Tada from Angel Beats

Had I not just started and finished AngelBeats, this ending wouldn't be on this list and the ending from Clannad would be in its place. This ending is perfection; the track is gorgeous, the lyrics are inspiring and closely follow the themes of the series and the animation of adding more and more characters throughout the ending until everyone is together is something very special. Brava AngelBeats!!

And there you have it! My top ten ranked endings to this summers anime train.
#JapaneseMusicFTW

Top 10 Summer Anime Series Openings

Just for fun, I thought I woud rank the opening themes to the ten anime series I've completed this summer! These openings are ranked by my personal enjoyment, emotional connection, how the opening sets up/fits the series and the song itself.
DISCLAIMERS:
1. This is only my opinion
2. Multiple seasons of a series, such as 'Black Butler' and 'Clannad'  have been put together.
3. Two of these openings are from series that I just recently finished watching and have not reviewed yet, so look out for another '2015: Summer of Animes' post

Hope you enjoy!

10. Nightmare - The World from Deathnote
This opening grew on me the more I watched it. It leaves the viewer with a sense of mystery about the series, introduces the characters relationships and paints protagonis Light Yagami in a very "interesting" light (no pun intened).

9. UNDO - Cool Joke from Fullmetal Alchemist

Of all the intros used in the original Fummetal Alchemist series, this is by far my favorite. A super catchy tune set to shots of Edward and Alphonse Elric as they continue their journey. This is an OP I could listen to for a long time before getting tired of it.

8. Monochrome Kiss - SID from Black Butler

Like Black Butler itself, this opening is made possible by the shots and actions of one character: Sebastian Michaelis *swoon*

7. Colors - Flow from Code Geass

Code Geass is an amazing series which you should definetly check out. Any anime fan has seen or at least heard of it and knows this opening solid. I wasn't crazy about the opening at first, but as I continued and finished the series I apprecitated it more. A very nostalgic feeling. 

6. Cause I Feel - Nothing's Carve in Stone from Psycho-Pass
When I first heard this opening I COULD NOT stop listening to it. It was more than an addiction, so sufice to say this OP holds a special spot in my heart. It captures Psycho-Pass as a series perfectly and will stay in my head for hours on end.

5. Guren no Yumina - Linked Horizon from Attack on Titan
There's one word to describe this OP: Epic
Epic music set with epic animation to make for a truly epic series

4. My Soul, Your Beats - Lia from Angel Beats
This OP is very different from the rest. Instead of giving us a fast paced "let's go" kinda feeling, this opening slows things down and gives us a beautiful track along with stunning animation. I am always especially happy when piano is used in opening such as this one.

3. Core Pride - UVERworld from Blue Exorcist
This OP is so different from anything else I'm surprised I enjoy it so much. A combination of Japanese Rap, rock and jazz saxaphone, this opening is one to remember. Plus blue flames!

2. Pre Parade from Toradora
This OP for me is near perfection. From its animation to catchy song, this opening for Toradora perfectly captures what the series is about and gives us many small, hidden teasers of what's to come in the series. Pure pureparedo!

AND FINALLY.....

1. Toki Wo Kizamu Uta - Lia from Clannad: After Story
This OP to Clannad: After Story is simply amazing. The track, characters and entire series provokes so much emotion that will take you on a feel journey, and maybe have you stop to think about life. Truly amazing.

HEADS UP: I'll also be creating a similar post where I rank the endings from the same ten series! Viva anime!