A Show is Not a Show

It all started when I walked on stage, full audience, completely attentive. My band however, was not my band. My bass player was there, but where was the pianist and the drummer, suddenly substituted by others (will not mention who). I was all dressed up, gown, makeup, ready for a fantastic show, however I was still questioning the missing musicians.

I began to sing 'S Wonderful, and suddenly could hear a member of the audience singing over me. So loud that it through me off, but I thought it as nothing, just a fan of George Gershwin music.

However, I knew that something was wrong when I began to sing "I've Never Been In Love Before" and the arrangements were in a different tempo, different rhythm, and I once again began singing over voices, except these were coming through the system. I asked what was wrong? Where was the musical arrangements. She politely said, she knew them, and didn't need the book.

Tears began to fall, I look over and my bass player is looking miserable. I yell out "STOP, that's it! Show canceled!" Told my bass player and drummer they will be paid.

Then I wake up.

Some dream!

I don't know why, but I am thinking about my father a lot. I didn't know him very well, but what I do remember is hearing him play the oboe. His concentration and focus in making the perfect sound. He was a wonderful musician. It could be, as I throw myself into music more and more, that void is being filled. I was very lucky to have the musical gene passed on to me by both my mother and my father. I never really said goodbye to my father when he passed, and today words (in progress) came to me.

It Isn't Too Late (To Say Goodbye)

When I was young I can remember the music

You used to play, creating this sound, for hours every day.

But then the music stopped, the beautiful sound just gone.

The silence grew and suddenly replaced all I once knew.

It's not too late to forgive and to just let go.

To say goodbye to the sound you made, which I grew to know

You left in such a way, I think about it every day

But it isn't ever too late to say goodbye.

Years past, days long, an empty void not filled

How do you deal, when the music is gone

and your stuck at a fork until--

You realized it was there all along,

needing to break free, by creating a new song.

As I grow older, I can feel your music within.

It's such a strong part of me-I never thought I would ever feel this free

I wish you could hear the beautiful sounds coming from my soul.

The silence is gone and replaced with many melodies new and old.

It's not too late to forgive and to just let go.

To say goodbye to the sound you made, which I grew to know

You left in such a way, I think about every single day

But it isn't ever too late to say goodbye.

Stillness

As I wandered through the paths and tunnels in this magnificent location in the Adirondack Mountains, I came upon a quiet area, where the only sounds were the echoes of people in the distance and the rushing water from the waterfall above. But in this one spot, quite near to the fallen water, towards the bottom of the path, there was complete stillness. Not a movement within the water. Moving closer, the air was thick and humid, and the water presented a perfect reflection. An "Oyster". The feeling of humidity and heat, was overcome by the beauty of a nature-made gem. However, there was no pearl, or could I say the site was a pearl. The size and magnitude of this area was brilliant. The colors of the rock beamed in yellow, white and pinks. The feeling of solitude felt safe and warm. As a slight breeze was felt within my hair, the water didn't move, it lay still with the constant perfection of a giant Oyster, hidden in the caverns of this magnificent wonderland of water and rocks.

"Stillness"

In a place far away, unexpected to be found

A new found path led to an uncommon ground

All thoughts were left forgotten

And fears and sadness were quieted down

Nothing could be tugged away

From the quiet all around.

There are times when life is surrounded by indescribable moments

Countless souring moments leading to a darkened depth

But to escape melancholy, with the freedom

To enter a world only allowing nature's quiet

Is a newly found treasure allowing peace within the soul.

So sadness disappears, because beauty has risen

Faded thoughts now forgotten due to stillness

A captured picture that will be remembered

Can only bring solitude and calmness within

Is this a song?

Ever get woken up in the morning by a caller, that you don't want to hear from? I'm sure there are a LOT of answers to that one. But to be woken up at 8:55am this morning on a day off to contribute money to the Democratic Senate Committee, when I haven't even had my coffee is not the way to start the morning. I know when I see an "unknown name unknown number" I usually don't pick up, but when it has woken me, I don't really have the capacity to fully be alert. I don't think the woman fully got through the word "Committee" before I clicked the phone off. Maybe I could have handled it this way... mind you I am a Democrat, but maybe this would have been a better way to handle the call. :)

cut and paste: It's worth seeing. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllDWSbuDsQ


Enjoy your day!
Alysa

My Very First Blog

So today I woke up and went to my student's graduation. You see during the day I work in a very special school helping kids learn, and today was their last day. This year has been different than others. I have always been a cultural woman, and have loved the fact that I was raised in a musical family and could share that with my students. For the past few years, I have done trips to the NYC Ballet, inviting the students into a world I grew up with. Lucky me, I got to meet Michael Baryshnikov several times: while my foot sat in a pack of ice upstairs in the State Theater (or what used to be ST), dancing across the floor with him at David Howard School of Ballet, (what a treat), I even walked his dog at SPAC, and have hanging on my parents wall, a very special photo of me watching as he, Patty McBride and Balanchine all rehearsed Stars and Stripes... this wasn't exactly the world I brought the kids into, but it was a start. And then in February I took 165 parents and kids to see West Side Story on Broadway. Mind you, many of them had never stepped into a theater, more importantly a theater of this caliber, and seeing the expression on their faces, after a talkback was arranged, and they got to meet the cast was "priceless". Finally, in tribute to GLEE on TV, I started a Glee Club (not officially named yet), but it was the beginning of musical theater in our school. With all the work in the cubicles, and pouring out so much energy in a job I love, I was able to truly balance it out with the Arts. I worked with students who had so many different levels of talent, who all came together putting on a fabulous performance for the limited time we had. I made sure to put in hours of extra help to my soloists who sung some of the most difficult songs, some more challenging for others, but magnificently came through.

On top of my job, I had been working so hard all year to put together my one-woman show, A Jazzy Kind of Love. I made my NYC jazz singing debut at Don't Tell Mama on May 23rd, 2010,. 8pm. The show was a HUGE hit! I couldn't believe it. I was nervous, excited, and just fed off the energy in the room. Then in one night it was over, all that work... to be performed again at a later date, but for that moment, in an hour, it was over. Although I was full of smiles for about a week. And I'm still working towards other shows and gigs...

Then today I woke up emotional, "graduation", end of the year, and tears came. It's ok, because it may be expected, that "crash" people feel after the production is over... well the production appears to be over for the summer...

I wish my students a great summer as I plan to travel and sing these next few months. I hope great things happen. I recently heard a music producer came to my show and was quite impressed, so we shall see!!! Meanwhile, it's about memorization and networking, and making sure I make the connections to keep singing. I'm looking to team up, to explore music, and to see where it takes me.

Videos to be posted soon.

This is the beginning of my journey. I hope you continue to read. Should be a nice ride.

Good Night and Sweet Musical Dreams.

Alysa