This afternoon, I drove to Roswell to audition for the Michel O'Neal singers. It was a LOVELY experience! He had exercises I had never seen before to test my volume control, and he used the typical "my country 'tis of thee" to tell what voice type I am, but he tested that in different keys. He thinks I'm a second soprano. He's the first to think that. I got to sight read some beautiful stuff, then we talked over what type of music they would be singing next year and he said that the official letters of acceptance wouldn't go out until the middle of next week, but he was certain he wanted me in the group. Then he put a little plug saying that this would be a great place for me right now b/c I'm just out of college and need to continue training my voice and he focuses on that more than most conductors. He's right. I do want to sing for people who know how to nurture voices, and he seemed like such a person.
This is a community choir, but there is a small group of singers that get to travel and sing and they get a small amount of money. Just imagine, traveling and singing! Yeay!
I didn't commit to that though b/c I didn't know about this musical audition. He half heartedly wished me luck and I drove through Atl to get to the theatre. Surprisingly, the traffic flowed the whole time, I looked at the cars practically parked going north and contemplated if the lack of traffic going south due to the small number of people made it worth staying there w/ less culture. I decided I prefer culture and therefore traffic.
After meeting up with my friend, I headed over the the theatre. When I got there, everyone was reading over scripts rather furiously they had been given more lines than I had. Right after I made that observation, the director spotted me and came over to shake my hand and ask if I could go sing some more for him and the musical director. He wanted to know how high I can belt. I don't know how high I can belt b/c I blend it so I'm not sure where someone else would say "that's not belting" anyway, he had me sight read a sad waltz from the show (I LOVE waltzs!!!!) and then he asked if I knew the song "I'm a survivor" which I kind of did, so he played the chords and I sang what I knew of that. Throughout this second examanation, he let me know that he was a UGA grad in piano before he hit Broadway. After I learned that about him I REALLY wanted to work with him!
Then he decided he had heard enough and we walked back out to where every one else was, and he called them all back for reading. He didn't have me read the whiny wife, instead, I got to read the country singer wanna be. After the first time going through the lines, he said he didn't want anything like Scarlett O'Hara. Great! I spent the rest of the time trying to figure out how to sound "genuinely southern" this time with out a whine. After a few scenes he said he had heard enough from me and told me he would call me either way in a couple days. On my way out he said "go UGA."
So I left. I haven't wanted anything this much in 10 years. Really. I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to be in a production put on by this person, and I like where it is, and it is near my church that I love being on the worship team at and I have people I can stay with. Everything seems Perfect! Except, well, I don't know what he has to consider because I was the only one reading for the role!
I texted a friend who does a lot of this sort of thing to see if that was code for "you didn't make it" or "yes, it's yours" and he said it just means that they were impressed and are seriously considering me. I don't care how much they consider me as long as I get to end up here!
I've spent all of my thoughts and all of my extra time since the audition begging God in proportion to how much I want this role. I keep thinking of the parable of the woman knocking, and knocking, and knocking, and knocking, and knocking, etc. until her neighbor comes out and gives her bread b/c she's getting annoying.
We shall see what happens.
Also, I'm grateful for this audition because I want to believe that "all things work out for the good of those that love him" but I haven't really been living like I believe it. So, coming from the same school as this director is a good thing. I did get connections from UGA after all. I wonder what else good is working out right now.
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