No. 223: Faith's Journey

I am so blessed to have singers come into my life who are interested in walking the path of Opera Organically!  

It's a path that is not always easy, but, if we walk it with open hearts, it always, without fail, brings us more to life through song!

Faith Osterlund is a student we have heard from before on the blog (See No. 192).  She has chosen to take a very brave step and share her experience of a recent audition for us here.  In Opera Organically we teach and learn that singers are strengthened through the sharing of experience.  There is power in knowing that we are not alone in what we feel and live.  Our Voices have unifying strength when we have the humility and the bravery to share what we experience when singing and learning.

Faith illustrates here, word for word, the humility and bravery of a true Opera Organically singer.  It is with pride and joy that I turn the 'stage' over now to "Faith's Journey."  May there be many more chapters to this story to come!

Organically Yours,

~Becca

"The most nerve-racking part of my scholarship audition was the waiting. I've never been good at waiting for things like that, since it gives the mind time to explore all the way that things could go wrong. Of course, they never really turn out as bad as we could imagine. (Well, maybe in movies, but that's beside the point.)

I waited in a lobby for almost an hour for it to be my turn to audition. And of course, once it was, and I finally got up on stage, the nervousness sort of melted away. It was still there, somehwere in the back of my mind, but it wasn't prominent. The auditorium was small, which made the whole experience less intimidating.

It was relatively easy, I suppose, to keep the connection that I so needed for both of my song choices. I think it was several things: possibly my nervousness had something to do with it, but it was definitely the warm-up with my teacher beforehand, and I also think because God was with me. And I'll be the first to admit that I was struggling with a few phrases and notes before.

Honestly, like it is with most every time I perform, I don't really remember much. Just glimpses. I remember swaying back and forth gently in time with the music as I was performing, remember the rather impassive faces of the faculty (save a few). I remember my own surprise at the ease of which I hit the note I was struggling with. And, in hindsight, realizing that I probably should have spoken louder during the interview. I fear I came across as rather timid.

But I suppose I did all right. I got an excellent scholarship, and was accepted to the college. I'm looking forward to starting my freshman year of college there."

Gooooooooo Faith! We will be looking forward to hearing the next steps on your journey!!