Quick Update!

Here's the deal, friends.

NYC tomorrow.
Elections for Student Government also unfortunately tomorrow.
Juxtaparty next Thursday. Getting nervous. Need to make plans for this in NYC.
Way too much academic work.
Messy room and a need to pack.
Dallas next weekend.
Really stressed. To the point of not being able to write complete sentences.

One month until summer...

Ooooooooooo-klahoma

Hello friends. I had the pleasure of traveling to Oklahoma City this weekend with friend Laura Mclain and, no lie, I was expecting tumbleweeds and orange dirt. Alas, OKC was not quite as I had imagined. Though their arts district is diminutive (to say the least), it's full of character. We saw David Ives' "All in the Timing"--which was sublimely hysterical. Unamunda was suddenly my official language. "Squigi" and "Diddly" have entered into my common jargon. Needless to say, it was a highly entertaining experience.

Sunday I experienced a large, Methodist, family-style Easter. It was pretty entertaining. I love watching people (and let me tell you, Laura has some serious characters in her family) and Laura and I even gave a little recital for the fam. I always get nervous about meeting families of close friends or boyfriends etc., but I think it went relatively well. I made a date with her "Grandmother Beautiful" (wouldn't it be great if my non-existent future grandkids would call me 'grandmother beautiful?') in Dallas when Laura visits this summer.

Oklahoma is sort of like a small, less superficial, less nook-y Dallas. It's just a little bit less of everything. Still, that small taste of Dallas was enough to tide me over until next weekend.

This weekend I'm headed to the Big Apple (hooray!) I'll probably be seeing either Gypsy (with Patti Lupone), South Pacific (with Kelli O'Hara), or Crybaby (the new Hairspray collaboration). I am DEFINITELY seeing Spring Awakening. Am I excited? Oh my goodness, YES. I have waited to see it for far too long. I'm ready to hop on the plane NOW to see lovely Jonathon Groff and company singing Duncan Sheik chorale-style.

The only detriments to the excursion this weekend is that I'm missing the Bach B Minor Mass with Rhodes Singers (which would have been really neat) and Formal Week (three evenings of parties in a row) at pretty cool locations. Still, nothing beats NYC.

I'll be sure to tell you all of my adventures!
Until then!

New Spring Template/Update Tomorrow!

So I have a new template for spring which allows comments! So comment, folks!

I'll legitimately post tomorrow, but I'm basically back in Memphis for 3 days after 5 days in Oklahoma City (which was surprisingly awesome) and then I'm off to NYC for SAA things. Then we have 4 days till Juxtap'arty and the next day I leave for Dallas for auditions.

IT'S NUTS!!

Wish/hope/think/pray I can make it through the next couple of weeks!

Longer letter later--
Katharine

First Love Revisited

Hey friends! Don't worry, I'll change the layout so you can comment etc shortly. Other than the chaos that is Juxtap'art[y] the arts haven't been too too prevalent in my life. In all honesty, I'm glad to have a break from organized arts overload. It had been a bit much.

That said, I have totally delved into my inner virtuoso pianist. You see, piano was really my first true love. I started lessons at age 6 (after begging my mom to start earlier every time I heard my cousin John play). From then until about seventh grade, I was pretty steady with my work. That said, 6-12 is only 6 years of dedicated work. My teacher was one of the most incredible people I've ever known. Anyone who knows me knows that I respect and admire my arts professors and mentors more than just about anyone in my life. Lola Dill was the first of my great mentors. If I ever win some crazy award in the future (ha, wouldn't a Tony be nice?) she needs to be the first person I thank (don't worry, family members, you'll totally get mentioned too.) My piano lessons at that early age taught me musicianship and opened the world of composition and interpretation of music. Lola Dill was responsible for fostering an intense passion that I will enjoy for the rest of my life. You see, because piano led to dance, choirs, musical theatre, orchestra, a cappella choirs, and conducting, Mrs. Dill is technically responsible for the activities that make me happiest.

Wow, I ramble. The point is, she was incredible. Once she retired, however, I knew I needed a little break. I performed in dozens of recitals, competitions, and festivals (and Hockaday was getting harder) and I needed a break. In eighth grade, I tried taking from a friend's father (that was a bust) and by ninth grade I had essentially given up. Though I dabbled a bit my freshman and sophomore year, I pretty much left the keys alone. Junior year, I befriended John Aldous and he introduced me to Songs for a New World. We were in the dressing room before an evening performance of Anything Goes and he and Brooks Dennard we chatting about what the boys were playing in their dressing room. When I asked, they said "Katie Beth you HAVE to listen to it! It's Jason Robert Brown...it's amazing. Don't worry--I'll burn the Last Five Years for you." The rest is history. I fell madly in love with JRB (and still totally am) and started playing all of his music. When vocalists heard that I played those pieces, they went crazy. I started accompanying. This carried into college, though by first semester I had a few more songs under my belt that I could play. Through this process, my sightreading skills skyrocketed though my technical abilities remained as they were in seventh grade.

This semester I started taking lessons. Though they aren't going quite as wonderfully as I hoped, I'm being exposed to more pieces. My friend Laura is playing a gorgeous Chopin Nocturne that I adore. She copied it for me yesterday, and I've literally practiced a solid five hours on it the past two days alone. Maybe it's only going to be a brief thing, but at least for now, the pianist has returned.

I desire to learn concertos and sonatas. I want to play Rachmaninov C Minor Adagio (Mvmt 2) and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. I wish I hadn't quit in seventh grade, but I did. I'm only eighteen, and though I have a good six years of technical catching up to do, I think I'm finally ready to do it.

I'll be rusty for a little while, but I should be alright in a couple of years. Anyone who reads this is totally invited to my senior recital:)

New Beginnings

Hello friends. I have the You've Got Mail score stuck in my head (half clickity-clackity keyboard-esque percussion mixed with dainty piano/half "Somewhere Over the Rainbow") and I'm about to start the last quarter of my freshman year in college. It's been an interesting year (and I'm sure as the semester further comes to a close I'll have more reflections). It's been trying in many ways, but it's also been enjoyable. I don't really know where I'm going with this, but I feel like this is one of those inexplicably anti-climactic crossroads and I don't know where I want to go with it. Basically, I guess I'm life-confused. I don't know if that's actually a term, but I just made it up then and there and now it is. So there.

You probably noticed the hyper perky, uber Spring-y new layout. Don't worry. I know it's crazy--it'll go away soon. Until I actually get the time to create my own this-is-not-an-emo-blog-but-I-hate-the-generic-preset-layouts-so-I'm-creating-my-own layout, things may continue to be somewhat goofy. IN the meantime, I'm going to try to enable comments since I received complaints about that.

Over the break (I had a cabin in the Smokies with some friends and then went to Dallas) I found some really neat things for Juxtap'art[y]. It should be really fun! I'll definitely have more updates as this week progresses and things get rolling again.

Sorry for the short post, but I have class...Another update soon!

Tribute to Friends and Family

It's 1:00 AM Monday morning and my Search (humanities) midterm is literally 12 hours away. While I've done the reading, studied for the past five hours, and attended the study session, I still feel like I don't adequately grasp all these names/dates/numbers. This semester feels more like a history than humanities class. At any rate, I think I'm doomed.

Regardless of how I fare on this exam, this week will be Hellish. I have Search midterm tomorrow, monologue performance (where I have to channel a Marilyn Monroe-obsessed, sex-goddess wannabe from the late 60's) and piano master class Tuesday, and English paper and Theory test on Friday. Thankfully, the stress-level of each task gets progressively less excessive as the week goes on. However, it's going to be a doozy.

At a frantic, chaotic time like this, I have to remind myself of the wonderful, stable things in my life--these being my friends and my family. While I have just now settled into a new family at Rhodes, there's still something comfortable about your family back home and friends from elementary/middle/high school. Thus, this post is for them.

My mother is delightfully quirky. My love for music (at least in one capacity) stemmed from her. She loves musical theatre, classical music, hymns, and standards (all of which I love.) Though she claims she has little musical talent, this is not the case. She sightreads and harmonizes better than anyone I know and enjoys singing in the car a bit too much. She thoroughly enjoys singing in the car, making turkey dip, and doing high kicks (which, if she reads this, she might kill me for saying.) All kidding aside, she's a pretty wonderful person. I don't really know what led me to discuss this with you, but I suppose I might miss the fam. She cares about her students (she's a teacher) greatly--almost to the point of creepiness (yes, everyone, teachers DO stalk kids' blogs and facebooks, so beware) and my sister occasionally (okay, maybe more than occasionally) gets frustrated with having her mother teach at her high school, but all this seeming "overprotective-ness" and involvement is out of love and a genuine compassion for her students and her daughters. The reasons I respect her are numerous and I won't go into them all here, but if anything I say on here is remotely eloquent, it's because she taught me how to write. If anything on her makes you think I have something positive in my character, it's because she raised me well. That may be completely un-arts related, but I sort of felt it necessary to give credit to her on here. She's a pretty great person and I hope you have the pleasure of knowing her.

My sister is a total goof. She's even quirkier than my mother, possibly more theatre-obsessed than I am, and enjoys redecorating various parts of the house that are no longer inhabited by yours truly. She has possibly the brightest and friendliest smile you've ever seen (one that looks particularly fantastic onstage) and similarly seems as though she popped out of a Disney film. She's infallibly loyal and cares sincerely about her friends. She also has great capacity for having faith in people--something I lack and something I admire in her. She, like my mother, enjoys singing in the car, and though my mother has sad hopes of us becoming a small version of the Von Trapps, this will never happen. We're all practically tenors and...how do I put this nicely?...none of us will ever become Barbra Streisand or Julie Andrews--try though we may.
Abby and me in NYC--clearly excited.

Me and Bayla at BonnieJean's House Getting ready to decorate her tree!
Bayla is insane. I remember meeting her when she visited in 8th grade, and I thought she was the most arrogant brat I'd ever met. She said she was a dancer (and she carried herself like one) and someone asked if she was good. She replied, "yes." I had never heard someone receive a compliment like that. I was totally taken aback. Little did I know that this was merely an indicator of gumption rather than arrogance. Bayla has obscenely curly red hair, friendly dimples, and the prettiest smile you've ever seen. She likes to think she's a hippie (which, Bayla if you ever read this, don't let it dissuade you) and she'd like to marry James Taylor. She's a modern dancer; She's the kind of dancer you can't take your eyes off of when she's onstage. There's something beyond her movement that is so captivating--it's her energy, spirit, and genuine love of being on stage, performing, and dance. Beyond this, she gives the warmest hugs, best advice, greatest reason for a laugh, and great friendship.

(Allie, Me, Bayla at Hockaday Graduation 2007)
(Do I sound like a Hallmark card, yet?)

My aunts, cousins, uncles, and grandparents all have their delightful traits. There are two Susans--Susan Rogers is possibly the most content person I've ever known. I've never seen her unhappy and she has a genuine desire to be involved (in a positive way) in everyone's lives--because she cares. Susan Gharis (aka "Luscious Lips, don't ask...) has the goofiest and most wonderful laugh ever. She's generous to a fault. Bill similarly has a crazy, nearly maniacal giggle that's infectious and an interesting hybrid mix of these two giggles manifested itself in their inquisitive daughter, Caroline. Will is quieter, but he's a wonderfully decent human being who really loves his family and Daniel is basically a Tasmanian devil with a great heart. Dan, Patty, and Christopher and Davis (they're twins!) always make me smile and Rick, John, Rebecca, and Erin are all decidedly good-natured. Kalli and Jake, besides being the absolute cutest children I've ever seen alive, are rarely seen displeased with anything. They're little adults who say the funniest things you've ever heard. Kara, though she is ever-so-slightly OCD (she asks for Christmas lists in August and sends me regular nutritional warnings via email) has a great sense of humor and a wonderful heart. Tim is a total computer nerd who enjoys food fights. He's a real man because he loves Meg Ryan movies (but not half as much as he adores his wife and kids) and essentially my second father. Grandmother is the best cook in the universe (I promise you she will out-bake anyone's pies and out-cook anyone's mashed potatoes and rolls) and a wonderfully generous human being. Christmas at her house is always a treat. Though the Breeds are farther away, they are the bomb.com. Justin, Austin, and Z-man are all growing up to be awesome guys, and Aunt Jan is one of the strongest people I know. Pop has the loudest sneezes and laughs on the planet, says "Hot Dog!" to exclaim extreme happiness, and occasionally seems as though he wandered out of a Western. That said, he is a great man and I respect him so much. Grandmama is my namesake and rolemodel. Anytime I'm struggling in a situation, I try so hard to emulate her.

(My makeup is post-"Millie"...I don't normally look this crazy!)


If you can't tell, I love and miss my family more than anything (and yes, Bayla counts. She even came to Christmas:) They are incredible people and I have no clue what I'd do without them. Even though it's nearly March, I'm having so much trouble adjusting to not seeing my favorite people every weekend. I still get care packages, letters, and calls, but it's not quite the same.

Fortunately, I get to see them all in two weeks (!) and then one whole side of the fam is coming up the week of March 15th (and you can tell by this post--there are a LOT of them) so it should be crazy!

Well this excessively nostalgic post must come to an end so I may resume my Search studies. Wish me luck!

(For giggles and a silly finish, here's some REALLY old nostalgia:)

Reverie-Induced Catharsis

It's been a pretty interesting weekend. I've been absurdly happy, ridiculously embarrassed, unabashedly excited, and seriously confused. Currently, Memphis is showcasing the most beautiful weather possible in the south--sunny and windy--and I couldn't be happier. I finally began to catch up on sleep last night after seeing Joshua Bell (!?) at GPAC. Joshua Bell, as Christine aptly put, "made sounds I never thought POSSIBLE from a violin." He was elegant, graceful, and literally danced with the music. While it'd be easy to brush this off as silly and ridiculous and pompous, the music he created while dancing with his violin was such that no one could ever complain! Friday night was the Famous Lovers dance (Johnny and I went as Robbie Hart and Julia Guiglia from The Wedding Singer) and it was a blast. I apparently channeled the 80s a little bit too much into my dance moves, but it was appropriate considering our costumes, so I'm pretty sure I'm safe. (Can I interject right now and say that I have the best pandora.com radio station on? It's Paolo Nutini's New Shoes Radio and it has been the best mix so far...) As Friday evening progressed, my friend and I got into a ridiculous fight about her lack of recognition of her strengths/her ability to literally always put others before herself. She's kind of like my grandmother in this sense--it's not forced, it's not intentional. She literally is programmed to think of others before herself and always be concerned with other peoples' problems before her own, meanwhile criticizing her own faults (which are few and far between...) Anyway, this somehow caused great strife for me internally and this stress manifested itself in about thirty dreams last night that happened all in a row. One of them was my best friend from high school and I running through a candy emporium, grabbing all the delicious candies humanly possible. This was wonderful, until we ran into a person who wasn't too fond of us from high school and said person ruined our fun. However, we (in my dream)decided it was appropriate since candy is shiny and has a fake sugary coating just like this person. My next dream was a trip to Disney world and all of my friends, teachers, and mentors stood around the Cinderella castle (which I was in) and took turns pointing out every single flaw in my physical appearance, relationships, and personality. It was truly the most horrific nightmare I think I've ever had. It was kind of awful. I woke up after this one (and had a bit of trouble dozing back off) but decided I needed to sleep again so hopefully I could awake after a happier dream. It's pretty windy here, and my window by my bed is open so the sun and wind kept hitting my face. Anyway, this triggered Pocohontas, so Mel Gibson's voice was in my head as I heard "Steady as the Beating Drum" and then "mine, Mine, Mine." These were the three dreams I remember most, but I know there were others. It was kind of crazy, but wonderful I guess. I don't know what to take from them or how to justify that they're artsy, but I thought I should talk about them somewhere, even if it's on my blog.

And for some reason, they didn't put me in a terrible mood. Actually, this catch up on sleep has just made me much, much happier. And now all I want is a banana. So I'm going to go get lunch.

Hope you have a wonderful blustery day.
Katharine