I haven't written anything here for a long time, probably because I have been reasonably happy and busy.
The biggest change that has happened is that last week I went to see an ENT because I was having to constantly clear my throat (a separate issue from the heavy sinus drainage, which I can keep mostly under control with the Neti Pot). I had no idea what she would find, but what she did find was, first (the good news) a pair of pristine looking vocal cords and second (the bad news) that I have laryngoesophageal reflux (who knew?) which means I have to follow certain dietary restrictions. The main one is that she wants me to drink 8 glasses of water a day (I've heard this mentioned and always thought it was a myth, that this is a healthy thing to do) and to stop all fruit juices and acidic fruit (meaning no fruit other than melons or pears, or bananas, which I don't think of as "fruit" because they're not juicy). Also to cut back on tomatoes, salad dressings, and various spices. She also told me to cut back on coffee but I told her this was no deal. For me coffee is a rich dessert (I drink flavored coffee with vanilla soy milk), an antidepressant, and an ADD medicine all rolled into one, so I ain't giving it up.
Well, to my pleasant surprise, I feel a lot better and am not clearing my throat all the time. I have less sinus drainage also. And if I drink water even when I'm not thirsty (something I had no idea I was supposed to do) I don't get that intense dry throat that made me crave juice (mostly mango nectar) to begin with. I haven't really noticed any difference in my singing (my easy vocalizing still stops squarely on a B and my ability to pluck a note out of the air stops squarely on an A) but probably if I had kept up that constant throat clearing it would have had an adverse effect.
Now as for Carmen, things are moving ahead and going well. The tenor is on board to sing in the big concert as well as at the musicale. I have one candidate for a reader. And we will probably have a Micaela. And I am sooo enjoying working on this! And my partner is being (amazingly) supportive.
Last but not least, my struggle for visibility at the church still continues (I know Lent is a time to look at one's character flaws, but a pushy soloist I am and I pushy soloist I will stay). After this morning yet again having to sing under a high soprano descant sung by a single soloist (referred to jokingly as an "Olympic Event") I was really fuming. If the communal voice is more important than the solo voice this should not be taken to mean, to paraphrase George Orwell, everyone is equal but high sopranos are more equal than others.
Anyhow, I was ticked off enough that I thought I would speak to the choir director again (rather than waiting until Wednesday) about singing "O Rest in the Lord" or "Woe Unto Them" and he said he would look into it. He thinks there might be a spot on Maundy Thursday even though that is being led by the director of the other choir.
What I can't figure out (more navel gazing) is whether what bothers me is that this young soprano sings better than I do (she does; however I am still one of the top five singers in this choir of about 20 and the star turns should be more equally spread around) or whether what bothers me is all the attention she gets. Certainly it bothers me that someone her age sings better than I do. I have been studying, even this time around, longer than she has and people have told me the fact that I smoked over 30 years ago should not be a handicap.
On the other hand, all this has strengthened my resolve that other than the precious life of my loved one, singing is the most important thing in the entire world to me and that I will do it until I drop dead, if it means never again eating a mango; if it means waking up at 6 am when we've turned the clock ahead so that I can warm up; and if it means putting as much money, time, and ingenuity into a vanity concert as professionals put into anything they do.
No comments:
Post a Comment