Brand New

What an exciting day!  I have been refining my brand, discovering my voice, and building a new website for several months now (translation: I now know waaaay more about HTML code, RSS feeds, and Wordpress than I ever thought I would need to know!).  I am so excited to finally share all of that with you today!

This is a reflection of who I am: my passions, my experiences, my personality, and my aspirations.  Thanks so much to my brother, Nicholas Garofalo for all of my new headshots and for Lara and Emily at Making Brands Happen for all of the business and branding advice!  Also, a huge thank you to Steve for the months of support, proofreading, web hosting assistance, and so much more.

Among these pages, you'll find stories about me and the work I love, details of my current and recent music projects, my philosophy of teaching, and this blog, which will focus on my work and teaching experiences.

Discovering and refining my authentic core has been a soul-searching experience and I'm so thankful for each step I've taken during the process.  Thank you for being a part of this journey and for taking the time to visit!  I hope you stay awhile!

2012 WCMW: Recap II

I’m back with part II of our 2012 WCMW Recap!  In case you missed it, our first two events of this season can be found in our 2012 WCMW: Recap I.  Picking up right where we left off last week, here is a glimpse of our third and fourth events of the season.  Enjoy! WEEK 3: Saxophone Quartet Directed by Lynn Klock Jeff Soffer, soprano saxophone Aaron Stewart, alto saxophone Anthony Cincotta, tenor saxophone Lynn Klock, baritone saxophone

WEEK 4: The Copernicus Duo Jamecyn Morey, violin David Bebe, cello

June: Getting Organized

Let me preface this first item by saying I may or may not be the girl who adds things she’s already done to her to-do list just so she can cross them off.  Even though both of these events are already over, they both happened in June so they count! Studio recital + choir program.  Steve and I had our joint studio recital on Saturday morning and everyone did such a wonderful job!  It was a cold, rainy morning in MA – perfect weather for gathering inside to hear some great music!  On Sunday afternoon, the Sanctuary Choir (my adult group) had their spring program (read more here).  Though we were missing a few of our members, it was a wonderful way to finish the choir year and it was a beautiful reflection of the “reason we sing.”

Now, to continue with the things left to do this month:

Insurance.  This is one of those “it’s so much fun being a grown-up” items.  This month, we need to meet with an agent to determine whether or not we can keep our car insurance as it is when we move, research new health plans, and figure out how to cancel our current plans.

Schedule lessons for summer term.  We have a crazy travel schedule this month so I’m taking a break between my spring and summer terms and just offering lessons during the month of July.  I’d like to have this schedule set in the next week or two so that I can be ready to start when we get back into town.

Catch up on paperwork.  There’s a stack of papers on my desk… tax documents, paycheck stubs, orientation papers for Eastman, things to be filed, things to be mailed at some point, etc.  Time to clear the clutter, get things organized, and get caught up on paperwork!

Find a new apartment.  I am so excited about this!  If you missed my post last week, Steve and I are moving back to Rochester, NY this summer so I can begin work on my PhD (yay!!).  We’ve been doing some research via Craigslist, Trulia, Apartments.com, Zillow, etc., etc. but I can’t wait to see some of these places in person in a few weeks!  This is Part I of our crazy travel plan and…

Music and Arts Week is Part II!  After a hopefully successful apartment search, we’re flying down south to spend a few days with my family and attend a week-long sacred music conference in NC.  Good music, good friends, beautiful lake, and Granny’s Chicken Palace, here we come!

Previously: May: Getting Organized April: Getting Organized March: Getting Organized

Image Credit: one of my choir members, personal, personal

Choir Concert: The Reason We Sing

Yesterday afternoon, the choir had their spring program—nine of their very favorite anthems from the past year (yes, we voted).

This year, I decided to turn it into more of a program, with narration tying everything together. It worked out perfectly—a beautiful celebration of the reasons why we sing.  Enjoy!

*Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

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The Reason We Sing

Choir Program, June 2012

Narration: Each week, we gather in this place – just a room with four walls and a few doors and windows. We find rest, we learn, we encourage, and we love one another. You see, it’s not the place, it’s the people that matter. It’s not the words that are spoken or the songs that are sung, it’s the hearts that are shared in the process. Within these walls, we share, we pray, we sing, and we listen.

Anthem: “Within These Walls” (Choplin)

Narration: There comes a time for each of us when we put childish things behind us and take on the responsibilities of adulthood. However, there are moments of our lives when we find ourselves so humbled that we become filled with that childlike sense of awe and wonder. Have you been there? It’s in those moments of sweet innocence that we rediscover the simplicity of faith itself. 

Jesus loves me.

The words seem so ordinary at first but the depth and richness of this promise fill our very beings with uncompromising hope and assurance.

Jesus loves me.

This simple statement may call to mind that beloved children’s song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.”

Anthem: “Yes, My Jesus Loves Me” (McDonald)

Narration: Can you imagine what it would have been like to meet Jesus during His time here on earth?  Perhaps you would run up to greet Him and savor every moment you could be with Him. Or perhaps you would feel overwhelmed by His presence and instead would observe things from a distance. Would you shout, “Hosanna!” or would you let others speak for you? The Scriptures tell us “If the people don’t shout, the rocks will cry out!” Let your voice be heard!

Anthem: “Ain’t No Rock Gonna Shout For Me” (Larson)

Narration: There’s something about water: calm and refreshing, powerful and strong. Spiritually speaking, water cleanses and renews us and makes us whole again. Are you weary? Are you burdened with the cares of the world? “I will give you rest,” God says. Come as you are without expectation or money or price. Just come.

Anthem: “Come to the Water” (arr. Hasseler)

Narration: Some things bring us together and some set us apart. We each have hearts that beat and hands that serve and voices with which to sing. We have eyes and ears to see and hear and communicate with one another. But what sets us apart—those things that make each of us unique—are just as important. We come from many places and backgrounds. We’ve shared a unique set of experiences. We are part of different generations and we each have varying strengths and weaknesses. Despite these things which might divide and separate us, we share a common bond of unity in Christ. United in Your spirit, Lord, we are one.

Anthem: “We Are One, Lord” (Pethel)

Narration: “I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining; and I believe in love, even when there’s no one there.  And I believe in God, even when He is silent; I believe through any trial, there is always a way.” 

These words, believed to have been written by a Jew during the Holocaust were found inscribed on a cellar wall in Cologne, Germany during World War II. Though almost 70 years old, the words still resonate with us. 

It’s a powerful statement of faith. 

Sometimes, all we can do is hope: hope for clarity, hope for resolution, hope for a better tomorrow. “May there someday be sunshine. May there someday be happiness. May there someday be love. May there someday be peace.”

Anthem: “Inscription of Hope” (Stroope), Women’s Choir

Narration: God often speaks to us in words of assurance. “I am love. I will be your strength. I am light in the darkness. I am with you always.” He comforts us when we are upset. He listens when we speak. He comes to us when we feel alone. He loves us unconditionally. He carries us when we are too weak to walk. He lights the path before us, giving us wisdom and clarity in our decision-making. 

Listen to the voice of God speaking to your heart: “I love you and you are mine.”

Anthem: “You Are Mine” (Haas)

Narration: Music. That thing which engages us, inspires us, connects us, empowers us, soothes us, and fills our spirits to the very brim, music lies within us and surrounds us in our everyday culture. The songs of the earth echo in our souls—we carry them in our hearts. In this way, music becomes a part of us. It’s a form of expression, a language that knows no bounds. When words fail, music speaks. We cannot keep it silent. And so we sing. We sing about faith and love and experiences. We sing about summer time. We sing about singing. How can we not?

Anthem: “How Can I Keep From Singing?” (arr. Courtney)

Narration: Life is not about the destination, it’s about the journey. It’s about the experiences, the joy, the sorrow, the lessons, and the people with whom we share all of these things. And so, we help those in need. We give as much as we are able. We accept help from those who care. We love one another as much as we love ourselves. Called to live as brothers and sisters in Christ, we know that true joy lies in the journey.

Anthem: “Climbin’ Up the Mountain, Children” (Shackley)

Narration written by Ashley Danyew, Copyright 2012

2012 WCMW: Recap I

Y’all, we have had SUCH a fun time planning and organizing the second season of the WCMW!  With four diverse concerts (one every weekend in May), we had a whole month of exciting chamber music right here in Westminster.  The great thing about chamber music is that it’s intimate.  It breaks down some of the barriers between performer and audience that traditional venues (auditoriums, halls) often have in place.  It allows for better communication.  In fact, the Q&A conversations with the musicians each week were some of our favorite moments! Here’s a look at the 2012 WCMW:

WEEK 1: The Samirah Evans Jazz Trio Samirah Evans, vocals Miro Sprague, piano Wayne Roberts, bass

Watch a video clip here.

WEEK 2: Community Sing Led by Dr. Susan Conkling

Watch a video clip here.

Stay tuned for part II with recaps of weeks 3 and 4!

Real Rest

Life is a balancing act – work and play, go time and sleep, time with others and time alone, etc.  Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to rest.  You know, really rest.

Sundays mornings are busy for us.  After warming up, double-checking all of my music, rehearsing with the choir, playing a service, saying hello to folks afterward, and putting everything away, I am ready to rest.  However, most of the time, I spend a few hours perusing Facebook, catching up on TV shows, checking Pinterest, and relishing the time to sit quietly at home.  After a little time passes, guess what?  I still feel just as ready for rest as I did when I started.  How can this be?  None of these things are really restful.  They pass the time, they’re fairly mindless, and I can sit quietly by myself while doing them but I’m fooling myself by thinking that I’m resting.

Here’s why: Real rest requires spending time on the right things – things that fill me up, inspire me, refresh me.  Less TV, more books.  Less Facebook, more time with SD.  Less time spent surfing Pinterest, more time spent seeking true inspiration.  Less time on the couch, more time outside.

Real rest is essential.  Make those moments count.

Image Credit: personal

The Next Chapter

I am so excited to finally write this post! Sometimes, it’s difficult to know where to start and so I’ve been writing and rewriting these opening sentences for longer than I care to admit.  Done is better than perfect.  It’s time to acknowledge the hard work and celebrate the successes.  It’s time to share this exciting new venture.  This is my next chapter.

I will be beginning my Ph.D. in Music Education at the Eastman School of Music this fall and I could not be more excited!!

When I graduated from Eastman with my master’s degree in 2010, I thought I was done with school forever.  Who needs a doctorate?  I have enough skills to get out there, teach, perform, create opportunities, build programs, and make a living for myself in music. 

For the last two years, I’ve done just that. 

Being the young, fiery, go-getter that I am, I had high expectations.  I thought teaching would be rewarding and I thought I’d learn a lot about myself in the process.  It is and I did.  But here’s what I didn’t expect: These experiences lit a fire in my core – a desire to learn more and a passion for not settling but actively trying to be the best I can be.

After nine months out in the “real world,” Steve and I had a heart-to-heart over a bottle of red wine and a box of chocolates.  “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about going back,” I said.  I hardly recognized the words as they came out of my mouth.  “But that’s normal, right?  Everyone thinks like that after graduating.  It’s all we know,” I quantified.  “I don’t think like that,” he said, smiling.  “But you should do it,” he said after a moment.  From then on, I knew this was the point of no return.  I knew what I had to do.

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Over the next few months, I spoke with a few close friends and several of my professors to gauge their reaction. 

Everyone was extremely supportive.  “I told you you’d be back,” one professor said.  Eastman was my top choice but I did my research and compared programs at a few different schools to increase my awareness of what’s out there.  Amidst wedding planning, preparing for the choir year, and lesson planning for school, I compiled a teaching portfolio, wrote personal statements, and requested letters of recommendation and transcripts.  Two weeks after returning from our honeymoon, I submitted my first application. 

I visited Teachers College at Columbia University, my other top choice, just before Thanksgiving and had a great day meeting with a few of the faculty and observing a graduate class.  It felt so right.

Just after the New Year, I received an invitation to interview at Eastman at the end of the month. 

It was a full 12-hour day: convocation, five one-on-one interviews with the faculty, three research presentations by current students, cocktail party, and dinner.  I gave 110% of myself through the entire process and I was exhausted afterward.  I felt like things had gone well but after meeting the other candidates, I began to doubt whether or not my best, my 110% was enough.  Do I have enough experience?  Do the faculty think I would be a good fit?  Did I make a good impression?  What if all of that is just not good enough?

February felt like the longest month of my life.

I kept my phone in sight at all times in case a call came in.  I skipped to the post office every day to check for the obligatory “thick envelope.”  I checked the school websites for updates from the Admission Offices.  Finally, on March 1, I received a call from one of my former professors at Eastman. 

“Consider this your unofficial acceptance,” he said.  I couldn’t wipe the silly grin off my face.  I was over the moon!  The formal paperwork followed a few weeks later and after several weeks of negotiating, I signed my name on the dotted line and sent everything in on the very last day.  Since then, I have received many warm, congratulatory notes from Eastman teachers and friends.  I am so very thankful to be returning to such a wonderful community!

Of course, rejoining the Eastman community means leaving the community we’ve been a part of for the last two years: The community where we’ve had so many great opportunities to grow as teachers and musicians.  The community that celebrated with us when we got engaged and when we got married last year.  The community where we built the Westminster Chamber Music Workshop. 

I’ve learned so much about myself since moving here.  I grew as a teacher.  I found my authentic voice in writing.  I developed a passion for community music education.  Though bittersweet for sure, I know that this new adventure is the right decision for me and for us.

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What does this new future hold?  Well, the Ph.D. is a 3-year degree program and I’ll be enrolled full time.  Because I recently completed my master’s degree at Eastman, I’ve already taken many of the required courses for the Ph.D. program, meaning I have a lot of flexibility in really tailoring the program to my research interests.  I know I am a complete nerd but I can’t wait for my first week at school when I’ll have the chance to sit down with my advisor and plan out my course schedule for the next three years! 

In addition to classwork, I’ll also be working at the school as a teaching assistant (TA) for a few music education classes and as an administrative assistant in the Music Education Office and the Institute for Music Leadership.  I’m excited for these opportunities because they combine so many of my interests – so grateful to do what I love!

The journey continues.  Let the games begin!

Reality Check

"i love you much (most beautiful darling) more than anyone on the earth and i like you better than everything in the sky." - e.e. cummings It was a typical Tuesday evening.  We ate a late supper, worked for a little while, exercised, and watched a TV episode to unwind.  At this point, 11:00 p.m., SD got up to get ready for bed.  I opened up WordPress to finish a post I had in progress.

“Time for bed,” he said rather sternly.  “Why are you acting like a Nazi?” I responded, defensively.  “I’m just trying to keep you from working 24/7,” he said.  The words stung a little and stopped me dead in my tracks.

I work hard.  We both do.  But there’s a difference between living to work and working to live.  I love what I do but that doesn’t mean it’s my top priority 100% of the time.  Life is made up of priorities that we set and boundaries we establish to protect the things that are most important to us.  No else can set those boundaries for us.  Tuesday’s late-night exchange made me question what I really value and how I show that with my time and my actions.

When I bring my computer down to the kitchen to continue working on emails while SD cooks dinner, I may be keeping him company and yes, I offer to help but I’m also showing that I can’t set my work aside.  I don’t have time to just be there, fully present.  When SD drives and I take out my iPhone to skim Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc., I may be able to carry on a conversation with him but I’m showing that I can’t focus on just him.

And, since I’m on a roll, I have another confession to make.  Part of me feels like I thrive on multitasking.  It’s almost like I’m competing with myself: setting the bar higher and higher, challenging myself to balance more things at once and not crack under the pressure.  Is that bad?  I whole-heartedly believe in challenging oneself, setting goals, and not settling for adequate when you can do and be so much more.  However, there is a time and a place for Wonder Woman and it’s not when we’re trying to unwind at the end of the day.  You see, I have this bad habit during commercial breaks.  I open up a new browser window and work on that blog post I started earlier or I begin editing my to-do list for tomorrow.  Terrible, I know!

Here’s the lesson I need to teach myself: Learn to just be.  Sometimes, we all need time to just sit a spell and be fully present, don’t you think?

Fast forward to Wednesday night at 5:00 p.m.  I stepped away from my computer, left my phone on the coffee table upstairs, and made a vegetable lasagna (from scratch!) with SD.  It felt like such a luxury, I thought it was the weekend!  At 7:30 p.m., I sat back down to work for a few hours but I was refocused and driven and I powered right through my to-do list.  No time for distractions – just clear, focused work.  What an incredible feeling!

Here’s to reality checks, to refocusing, to being fully present, and to treating every day like the weekend.

Around the World: The Party

Remember those “around the world” party inspiration posts I wrote a few weeks ago?  Well, we had our end-of-the-year children’s choir party (international theme) last week and it was so much fun!  First of all, here’s how the invitation turned out.  Isn’t it adorable?!

I created flags as visuals for each of the countries we “visited” this year so I decided to string them together and use them as part of the decorations.  So colorful!

Dinner was homemade pizza made to look like flags from around the world.  Each family brought colorful toppings: onion, pineapple, banana peppers, basil, spinach, green peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, pepperoni, red pepper, and olives.

The finished products (of nine pizzas total): Italy, Ghana, and Canada!

We played a team game where all attendees (age 4 to adult!) could participate (a spin-off of a marble game from Israel).  I had a few musical games prepared but we ran out of time – we were having that much fun!

Previously: Around the World: The Food Around the World: The Decorations Around the World: The Invitations