Too old to be this shy

[Dash]

Introductions suck, so here's a bio I used for a gig at a Unitarian Church recently:

A ninth generation son of Mennonites, I grew up on a farm and private airport where I drove an orange Allis Chalmers D21 tractor, but never learned to fly. I began studying piano in the first grade and have sometimes been an amateur painter, builder of tesla coils, poet, shaman, sculptor and astrophotographer. After studying architecture for three years I took a Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano from Oklahoma State University. In the following years I was a picture framer, social worker, organist, and a clerk at a patent library. I have designed websites for OSU, Oklahoma's vocational education system, and Northwestern University. Operatic roles include Laurie in Adamo's Little Women, Valére in Mechem's Tartuffe, and Tamino in Mozart's The Magic Flute. In June '05 I completed a Master's Degree in Voice Performance and Literature at Northwestern University.

(I know, it seems kinda silly, but those beautiful Unitarians loved it!)

Anyway...I love what Soulforce does, and have been following the Equality Riders with great interest.

[Zerbie]

'Nother opera singer!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very happy to have ya!

For a moment, I thought I knew you - we have a tenor friend originally from Ohio from a Mennonite community with a long family tree. He works now as an architect, I'm pretty sure. Anyway, for a moment I thought you were the same person.

In any event, I enjoyed reading your bio and will certainly look forward to reading more from you on the forums.

Ever sing any R. Strauss?

[schoolboi]

Okie here! Spent 2 years at OSU too. GO POKES!

[SolInvictus]

Welcome! Glad to have you here.

[Dash]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

Ever sing any R. Strauss?

Ya, shure! I got nice aria from Capriccio ("Kein Andres das mir so im Herzen Loht"), and a few of his gorgeous songs like Die Nacht, Zueignung, and...sigh...Morgen

Originally Posted by schoolboi

Okie here! Spent 2 years at OSU too. GO POKES!

Whatever made you leave? Took me 7 years to get out of school there.

[NathanATX]

Originally Posted by Dash

Ya, shure! I got nice aria from Capriccio ("Kein Andres das mir so im Herzen Loht"), and a few of his gorgeous songs like Die Nacht, Zueignung, and...sigh...Morgen



Whatever made you leave? Took me 7 years to get out of school there.

lol... I KNOW... I kept changing majors just to stay there. Now I'm trying to finish up my last 30 hours without actually having to be on campus... or even in the state... cause I loooove OSU... it's very addictive.

Go POKES!

[Jennifer5]

Welcome!

[Zerbie]

Ah yes, Morgen, Zueignung, usw. I particularly love Zueignung and Befreit - I wish I had a voice that had more weight where those operate cuz I love the lines on them. But my voice blossoms higher, so I sing stuff like Amor (the Strauss, not the Bolton), and Kling!

I'm not familiar with Capriccio. Should give it a listen. I like Arabella, Frau ohne Schatten, but Ariadne's my fave.

[Dash]

Originally Posted by NathanATX

I loooove OSU... it's very addictive.

Holey moley!!! Didn't expect to find all these Oklahomamites here! That's wack! I grew up just outside of Meno myself. Spent 13...count 'em...THIRTEEN years hangin' out in Stillwater, though before I moved to Chicago. When I wasn't going to school at OSU, I was working there. Before I left, some relatives of the Reitan-man told me he was at Northwestern, which as I learned who he was, helped me discover Soulforce.

Originally Posted by Zerbie

I wish I had a voice that had more weight where those operate cuz I love the lines on them. But my voice blossoms higher...

(Careful, dear!! They'll realize that we're opera nerds! Hahah!! It's like a crazy gravity...get around another singer and we start talking...)

Speaking of nerds...gotta go! Doctor Who is premiering on the SciFi channel in 10 minutes! Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!

So, thanks for the welcome folks. I got things to say, and I'm sure I'll be sayin' em soon...for better or worse.

[SolInvictus]

Hey Dash,

I'm watching Dr. Who now on Scifi. Its awesome.

[Vanessa White]

Welcome to Soulforce, Dash. THe more the merrier, and looking forward to what you have to say. THe Riders have been inspiring for many of us. Peace, Vanessa

[Lydia]

Originally Posted by Dash

A ninth generation son of Mennonites

I'm seventh generation Mennonite.

Are you German as well? Knowing how much German-Mennonites stuck to themselves for so many years, we could be related

[RyGuy23]

Lydia -- I love that quote at the bottom of your post. What a laugh!

[Lydia]

Originally Posted by RyGuy23

Lydia -- I love that quote at the bottom of your post. What a laugh!

Thanks.

[Daniel]

Hi Dash,

I'm new to this forum myself and an opera singer as well as a voice teacher here in NYC. I went to an AG school in Missouri (Evangel College) many years back.

Did you do Little Women with NYCO? They are staging another Adamo work right now: Lysistrata. Rather on the edge muscially as I'm sure you know from experience.

Have thought about going the doctorate route myself.

Looking foward to hearing your views.

Daniel

[Zerbie]

You mentioned thoughts about the doctorate. I'm doing a DMA right now - going painstakingly slowly, but it preserves my sanity in the meanwhile. Lemme know if ya wanna chat about DMAs ever.