Back to Life

Posted on Nov 30, 2015 in Updates

Back to Life

This post’s a bit lengthy, but if you’re really into it, subscribe to my newsletter. I get much more personal in those.

Residency Ending

All good things must come to an end. We will be finishing out almost 3 years in residence at Pearl Wine Co. this month. You only have one more chance to hear us on December 18.

I cannot express what a joy it has been to explore my music there and grow as a musician. Many thanks to the owner, Leora, for such an incredible run!

Project Overcome Fear

Remember my 2015 “Project Overcome Fear” video series on my Facebook page?

A few people asked me why I opted for Facebook over YouTube. YouTube now claims perpetual ownership of any content uploaded, so no.

Plus, this is Project Overcome Fear, not Project Exhibitionist. If you wanna see it, like my page. Likers gonna like.

I’m Finally Recording!

Thanks to all of you who contributed to my campaign to raise money for my album. Because I did not reach the minimum amount I needed for it to be worth offering the perks (daughter of an accountant), I took a few months to recalibrate.

In that process, the song list and theme changed to be more honest with the here and now. I’ve decided to separate this album from Convert Augustine. A lot has happened in one year, and I think now is the time to express it without tagging on to a much older story. We will begin December 18th!

Of course, if any of you who offered to help before still want to contribute financially, I won’t turn it down… 😉

Liturgical Psalm Project

In June of 2014, I gave myself a compositional and devotional challenge: to musically set every Responsorial Psalm on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation for the entire 3-year Catholic liturgical cycle.This comes out to about 65 settings a year, so I figured I could use it as a means of personal prayer 1-2 times a week. I started mid-way through Year A, and I’m so amazed to say I just finished the entirety of Year B!

So into Advent of Year C and continuing the fruitful exercise. There’s something to be said for discipline on weeks I feel I have nothing, only to listen back a month later with understanding that I couldn’t hear it at the time, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.

New Orleans Vocal Arts VOCE

One of the most surreal and ecstatic moments of this year was when I was accepted into the small ensemble of VOCE, a subset of the New Orleans Vocal Arts Chorale. As Loyola Artists in Residence, NOVA Chorale is under the direction of conductor, Dr. Meg Frazier, whom every choral singer and conductor I’ve met aspires to be.

We will have a few concerts next year, including one that is sure to lift the spirits in this horrible time of world and national conflict, entitled Pace, or “peace/respect.”

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New Album, Video Series, and Then Some

Posted on Mar 17, 2015 in Media, Updates

New Album, Video Series, and Then Some

Finally a New Album?

I bit the bullet and started an IndieGogo Campaign with lots of stuff to buy to fund a new album (including presales of the actual album).

I will finally record this long-awaited sequel only if this campaign reaches its goal in the next 2 months. So check it out, and tell your generous friends ASAP!

Fridays at Pearl Wine Co.

Pearl PosterThanks to the generosity of the owner, in addition to my regular Friday-night residency at Pearl Wine Co. (8:30-10:30pm), first Fridays of the month now feature my Rhythmic Tricks.

We’ll still do my originals and arrangements every week, but the first Fridays bring a heavier version. Up-and-comer Brad Webb is the steady rock on drums, while we experiment with new sounds for the layers above him.

The 2nd week of Jazz Fest, Jason Isaac will be coming in from New York to sub for him while his old pal from Afroskull, Bill Richards, holds it down on bass.

Video Series on Facebook

Video SeriesSome of you are familiar with my aversion to cameras. To conquer my fear, I have launched a video series on Facebook. Once a month I put up a home video of me performing.

To witness this year-long transformation from ‘fraidy cat to maybe just cat, like my Facebook page.

(Shout out to my piano teacher, Meghan Swartz!)

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