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conducting myself accordingly

I just got back from my first rehearsal of the season with Echo Women’s Choir. I’ve sung with Echo for many years. I love the world music and community-minded, loving atmosphere.  Plus, it’s really amazing to sing with 80 other women in the incredibly resonant Holy Trinity Church in downtown Toronto (yes, this is the same Church of the Trinity Session by the Cowboy Junkies!).   I haven’t been able to sing with Echo for the last year because of school, so it feels even more lovely to be back. Like reuniting with an old, dear friend. But this year is… Read More »conducting myself accordingly

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the joy and agony of performance

We just finished our two-night run of the east-end edition of the Undone Cabaret. It was, literally, a full house both nights.  Without suggesting that our performance was awesome, I would like to state that, in general,  house concerts are a wonderful thing.  The set-up is cozy, personal, and full of sparkle. It makes everyday living extraordinary, turning intimate personal space into a public performance space. And houses are weird performance spaces. When Jen and I first performed the cabaret at a house concert in the West End, we were confronted with a space that simply couldn’t be set up… Read More »the joy and agony of performance

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undone recordings

Woot!  We’re going to go into the studio on Monday to record our favourite songs from the Undone Cabaret.  By “we,” I mean Jen Cook, Tania Gill (on piano), and Chris Banks (on bass). By “the studio,” I mean a big empty room that used to be a dining hall, in which my amazing colleague Augusto Monk will use his equipment to capture our magic. And maybe add some percussion?  What’d’ya say, Augusto? I like the idea of undone recordings.  Really, I just meant recording songs from the Undone Cabaret show.  But isn’t it a bit of a mind-twister to… Read More »undone recordings

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My STAR Interview!

I am blessed to know many incredible women. One of those women is Sarah Hopen,  Chief Administrator of STAR Company: the Society of Technicians for Administrative Removal. STAR Company is in the business of taking care of the book-keeping, filing, and organizing of creative people so that creative people can…well…create. Thanks for that, Sarah. And thanks for this: STAR Company profiles an artist in each newsletter, and this month, I got to be interviewed! With Sarah’s permission, I’m reposting the interview here, but if you want to see it in its original setting, go for it. Oh, and STAR Company… Read More »My STAR Interview!

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undone cabaret: new performance dates!

Jen and I are thrilled to announce that we’ve got two more end-of-summer performances planned for the undone cabaret.  Mark your calendars for Aug 27 and 28 in Leslieville–east end Toronto.  Come and see the show that has been described as “a hedonistically divine evening capable of stoking a lustful fire, and healing a broken heart.” I’m so excited to work with Jen again–such an incredibly bright, warm, intoxicating voice. Yes, I could easily drink a case of her.  And accompanied  by Tania Gill on piano and Chris Banks on bass?  As if that isn’t total awesomeness right there. We’ll… Read More »undone cabaret: new performance dates!

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making everything easier

Last Saturday morning at breakfast, my 5-year-old was asking why my partner had to leave for the day. “I’m going to campaign school,” my partner said (it’s election time soon in these parts). My son thought about this. “Well,” he said, “if you’re going to school, there’s one thing you should learn first.” “What’s that?” “First, you should learn how to sing.  Singing makes everything easier.” Singing makes everything easier! After I stopped laughing, I started to consider the implications of this. Do I agree? I’ve wrestled my fair share of singing demons. I’ve gone through long periods where singing… Read More »making everything easier

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Summer Voice Classes!

I’m thrilled to launch two summer classes!  A class in solo singing that includes performing a solo piece, and an introductory class in the foundations of singing. Excite you? Scare you? Then read on… Summer Solo Salon Always wanted to sing a solo?  Or want to sing solo from a different style, or from a new place within yourself? This is the class for you!  A 6-week group class for 6 – 8 people.  You will work on foundational singing technique and apply it to one or two solo songs of your choice. You will get the opportunity to work… Read More »Summer Voice Classes!

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