So, it's up, it's online, it's being broadcast into a home near you - why not yours?!?
Of course, I'm talking about the story I recently narrated for my friend Tony's podcast "StarShipSofa" - click on the title to go straight to the website. After this week you can find it under the Audio section of the website. Or subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, you'll get the weekly audio short story (and I'll be narrating more in the future!) and also the weekendly podcast proper on various Science Fiction authors or themes. It's great fun! Hope you enjoy!
Also, check out Laurel Winter's website: http://www.laurelwinter.com
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Diane - Narrator!
I recently completed my first audio recording of a short story narration!
When I mentioned to Tony of StarShipSofa that I read aloud to my husband every night before we go to bed, he asked if I'd be interested in narrating a story for his short fiction series. I've always wanted to try my hand at this, but since he asked, I felt motivated to really do something about it. I had fooled around with Audacity software, a couple of months ago, when I was toying with the idea of doing a podcast (but I never could come up with an interesting theme), so I had that. We have a bluetooth headset I used when I chatted with MA on her podcast "Better Late Than Never" . So when Tony sent me a story to narrate, I did a sample. He wrote back and very politely said that the microphone was cr*p - but my reading was fantastic. I was pleased with his compliment, but what should I do about the mic? He suggested a couple and I did some research myself on what is available here in Germany and got hold of one very quickly. A couple of days later I had my first draft finished and sent to Tony. He gave me some feedback, which I incorporated and now I've submitted the finished product! I'm not sure when he's going to put it out into the ether, but I'll be sure to let you know!
When I mentioned to Tony of StarShipSofa that I read aloud to my husband every night before we go to bed, he asked if I'd be interested in narrating a story for his short fiction series. I've always wanted to try my hand at this, but since he asked, I felt motivated to really do something about it. I had fooled around with Audacity software, a couple of months ago, when I was toying with the idea of doing a podcast (but I never could come up with an interesting theme), so I had that. We have a bluetooth headset I used when I chatted with MA on her podcast "Better Late Than Never" . So when Tony sent me a story to narrate, I did a sample. He wrote back and very politely said that the microphone was cr*p - but my reading was fantastic. I was pleased with his compliment, but what should I do about the mic? He suggested a couple and I did some research myself on what is available here in Germany and got hold of one very quickly. A couple of days later I had my first draft finished and sent to Tony. He gave me some feedback, which I incorporated and now I've submitted the finished product! I'm not sure when he's going to put it out into the ether, but I'll be sure to let you know!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sad News
On Sunday 3 February 2008 my beloved teacher and mentor, Cornelius L. Reid, passed away just short of his 97th birthday.
Of course, one knows that it is inevitable, but in a way, he seemed immortal to me. Afterall, I met him when he 86 - already a ripe age! But in the heart of my heart I think I'd always hoped he would live on forever. I was never able to work with him as much as I wanted to. It was made difficult by the very fact that we lived on different continents. At the beginning though, he came to Frankfurt, where I was living, on a yearly basis, and I made that into an opportunity for intense study. I took several lessons from him myself and listened to his teaching all day, every day for 2 weeks. In addition, I had work in Philadelphia on a yearly basis, which allowed me to travel to NYC for lessons, which I otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford.
Nevertheless, I learned more from this great man (and not just about the voice and music!) than I learned from any one person - save perhaps Robert Fountain at the UW-Madison. His ideas are so unique and yet so sound, I don't know how anyone can doubt the truth of what he re-discovered!
I consider myself blessed for having known him and hope, with all my soul, that I will prove a worthy "disciple" in carrying on in the spirit of his work.
Luckily, I began working with Carol Baggott-Forte, one of Cornelius' long-time students and a fearless teacher of singing herself. She is much younger than Cornelius and very fit and comes to Europe several times a year. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem likely that I'll ever be able to take advantage of proximity and take lessons from her in Canada, but one never knows.
I miss you Cornelius!
Of course, one knows that it is inevitable, but in a way, he seemed immortal to me. Afterall, I met him when he 86 - already a ripe age! But in the heart of my heart I think I'd always hoped he would live on forever. I was never able to work with him as much as I wanted to. It was made difficult by the very fact that we lived on different continents. At the beginning though, he came to Frankfurt, where I was living, on a yearly basis, and I made that into an opportunity for intense study. I took several lessons from him myself and listened to his teaching all day, every day for 2 weeks. In addition, I had work in Philadelphia on a yearly basis, which allowed me to travel to NYC for lessons, which I otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford.
Nevertheless, I learned more from this great man (and not just about the voice and music!) than I learned from any one person - save perhaps Robert Fountain at the UW-Madison. His ideas are so unique and yet so sound, I don't know how anyone can doubt the truth of what he re-discovered!
I consider myself blessed for having known him and hope, with all my soul, that I will prove a worthy "disciple" in carrying on in the spirit of his work.
Luckily, I began working with Carol Baggott-Forte, one of Cornelius' long-time students and a fearless teacher of singing herself. She is much younger than Cornelius and very fit and comes to Europe several times a year. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem likely that I'll ever be able to take advantage of proximity and take lessons from her in Canada, but one never knows.
I miss you Cornelius!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Things are getting serious around here! The movers are here packing up all our belongings! They are being very kind and waiting to separate me from my Mac! :-)
Hopefully I'll have something interesting about music or my singing to write before too long, once in Hanover.
But in the meantime I have something that will keep you busy (as if you needed that, right?): Go right now to http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com !!! Do not pass go! This is a multimedia podcast novel by a very talented writer and podcaster - Mur Lafferty. She came up with the idea for this novel years ago - long before the TV show Heroes - and has been working on it ever since. Now, you can read the novel or you can listen to it as a podcast, narrated by Mur Lafferty herself. It's all completely free, too! I would recommend subscribing to the Playing for Keeps Experience through iTunes directly from the site. It's fun! There are little surprises in the form of "Easter Eggs" in the pdf files, so if you decide to listen to it, be sure to download the pdf too and click on the link embedded in the text.
Enjoy! And see you in Germany!
Hopefully I'll have something interesting about music or my singing to write before too long, once in Hanover.
But in the meantime I have something that will keep you busy (as if you needed that, right?): Go right now to http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com !!! Do not pass go! This is a multimedia podcast novel by a very talented writer and podcaster - Mur Lafferty. She came up with the idea for this novel years ago - long before the TV show Heroes - and has been working on it ever since. Now, you can read the novel or you can listen to it as a podcast, narrated by Mur Lafferty herself. It's all completely free, too! I would recommend subscribing to the Playing for Keeps Experience through iTunes directly from the site. It's fun! There are little surprises in the form of "Easter Eggs" in the pdf files, so if you decide to listen to it, be sure to download the pdf too and click on the link embedded in the text.
Enjoy! And see you in Germany!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Hello! Sorry about the radio silence here! I've been very busy with other things, not least with moving back to Germany!!!!
Yes, that's right. Magnus was offered a very good job with E.on (a huge utility company) in Hanover and we decided to accept! We have a one-way ticket to Hanover on 26 Jan! It's so soon! And we only got final word just over a month ago! Arrgh!
We've had fun in London, but it's been quite frustrating for me professionally as you might have noticed from the decided lack of postings on performances. I've tried to keep myself busy doing stuff, but I'm a singer - darn it! I have to sing!
So, I'm confident I can get back into things back in Germany, where I know how it works and have a lot of contacts already. Let's hope I'm right! I'm also planning on taking up teaching again. I'm moderating a Yahoo!Group for teachers who use function as their basis for teaching voice, which is extremely valuable. I'm also looking forward to being closer to 2 of my fellow Elysiae, Allegra and Amy, who live in Berlin. And there are some things in the works with Elysium as well!
So, please stay tuned, subscribe to my Blog on this (or the main) page and you'll get a notification when I've posted. How cool is that? You only have to come by when you know I've written something!
Onward Ho!
Yes, that's right. Magnus was offered a very good job with E.on (a huge utility company) in Hanover and we decided to accept! We have a one-way ticket to Hanover on 26 Jan! It's so soon! And we only got final word just over a month ago! Arrgh!
We've had fun in London, but it's been quite frustrating for me professionally as you might have noticed from the decided lack of postings on performances. I've tried to keep myself busy doing stuff, but I'm a singer - darn it! I have to sing!
So, I'm confident I can get back into things back in Germany, where I know how it works and have a lot of contacts already. Let's hope I'm right! I'm also planning on taking up teaching again. I'm moderating a Yahoo!Group for teachers who use function as their basis for teaching voice, which is extremely valuable. I'm also looking forward to being closer to 2 of my fellow Elysiae, Allegra and Amy, who live in Berlin. And there are some things in the works with Elysium as well!
So, please stay tuned, subscribe to my Blog on this (or the main) page and you'll get a notification when I've posted. How cool is that? You only have to come by when you know I've written something!
Onward Ho!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Liberated Voice - Carol Baggott-Forte
Last week I flew to Lyon, France for a couple of lessons with Carol Baggott-Forte. She is Cornelius' successor and she is just a fabulous voice teacher. I was only able to stay for 2 days and take 2 lessons, but they were very worth it. I wish I could've had more...The level of singing at this seminar was very high. There were several teachers from the Centre de la Voix (Center for the Voice) where the seminar was held. And I think she might have been able to "convert" a couple of them over to functional voice training. I also saw my old friend and fellow Academy Alumna Imma in Lyon. It was wonderful to see her again and spend some time with her. Meeting Thomas Maxeiner, a tenor from Hamburg and getting to know Ignacio Jarquin, the organiser of the seminars in Lyon, Paris and Brighton were other highlights of the trip.
At the seminar in Brighton in February I met another student of Carol's who lives in London - Sarah. She had asked if I teach as well and we made tentative plans for her to come by for a lesson. For whatever reason, we didn't manage until yesterday!!! But, it went very well, I think we will work well together, and that I can help her become more comfortable with her powerful singing voice.
At the seminar in Brighton in February I met another student of Carol's who lives in London - Sarah. She had asked if I teach as well and we made tentative plans for her to come by for a lesson. For whatever reason, we didn't manage until yesterday!!! But, it went very well, I think we will work well together, and that I can help her become more comfortable with her powerful singing voice.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Nothing Much
So, now I've been back from traveling for a while. After Brussels we went to Vienna which was lovely - the highlights being lunch on one day and a special Fugu (Japanese Blowfish) dinner at our favorite restaurant "Kokoro" and seeing the Magic Flute at the Volksoper for M's birthday. From Vienna we went to Bussolengo and visited family for a long weekend. Friends of M came for lunch with their kids on Saturday, which we had at a great country restaurant. It was quiet (we were also the only ones there!) and there is a large field where the children could roam. M and I were home for about 4 days, but first he was ill and then I was a couple of days later with some strange stomach bug or food poisoning. We headed back to Italy for a long weekend, stayed with friends in Milan for a night and then headed to Turin where M had business on Monday. We stayed with Michele and Eva and their 3 young children. It was very lively! We ate way too much fantastic food over the course of the weekend. We skipped a couple meals even, but should have skipped more! I flew home and M stayed on traveling around Italy doing business and giving lectures in Turin, Genua, Pisa and Rome.
That's all folks!
That's all folks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)