studio site

Hello! If you've ended up here in an attempt to get over to the Sweet Orange Studio website to hear voice demo tracks, I hope you'll enjoy this temporary diversion. We had ethical differences with our website company and it was time to renew, so we've pointed you to this blog for now, while we whip up an interesting new business site. You can drop us a line at sweetorangestudio at gmail to have mp3's sent directly.

Update 6 May 2012: something new for Sweet Orange Studio is brewing over at http://sweetorangestudio.wordpress.com/

like you wrote it

Playing and singing with Mara Cooper at Radiance Yoga last week was great fun. She has this powerful classically trained voice and can really rock a Joni Mitchell song! I may follow her lead and try singing "Carey" for my final song in voice class this term. It'll definitely expand my range.

"Know it like you wrote it" says Dr. Chagnon. Know it like you wrote it. Fabulous advice for any performer, and this applies to all of life, no? Live it like you wrote it, because you did, or you are writing it now, or the big consciousness that connects us all holds the truth, so connect to that eternal thread and be present. My second song "Sunshine Again" allowed me to hit the higher notes with more confidence. I wonder what song number three will reveal?

Now it's time to get back to being measured for costumes and running through the script for the performance Jeff and I will be participating in, to launch Laurel Corona's latest novel "Finding Emelie."

moments of joy

1. flying down Presidio hill on my bike
2. practicing yoga that connects me deeply to Mother Earth
3. meaningful work for a new client
4. becoming a neighborhood CSA hub for Suzie's Farm
5. hearing about a childhood friend's aspiration to become a priest
6. seeing the return of Barn Owls to our canyon

small beginning

In July, this groundbreaking performance with the Mission Hills Artists was the first time I played and sang for an audience. Making music is a really interesting process. Once I have the words down, plus whatever instrument I might be adding in for texture, it's all about telling a story. I have an enormous amount of freedom to explore because my husband is carrying the melody, and he's super-flexible and spontaneous on stage.

My voice teacher Dr. Chagnon is encouraging me to write out every song like a poem, so I can see the story in front of me. Then I create a fictional story about what series of events led to the moment in time expressed by the song, and a backstory for the character, bringing singing into the realm of acting where I have much more ease.

For my first solo in class last week, I sang the old Irish tune "Down by the Salley Gardens" with my lovely accompanist Woan Rong. Neither of these were tight performances, but they mark the beginning of a journey. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, "There is no beginning too small."

jardin de la vida

Venture over to the Sophia Circle for my guest post on the La Maestra garden today. My, how it has grown!

BBQ tempeh

Vida Vegan Con in Portland was in a word, fantastic! I came home a more committed vegan, a better writer, and a slightly better photographer. I'm still a work in progress.

The Vegan Vagrant created a great photo gallery of the abundant buffet tables, with meal-after-meal of vibrant dishes, coordinated by the dynamic organizing team: Jess, Janessa and Michele.

Tempeh has been a bit of a digestive challenge for me in the past, so based on a tip from a fellow vegan, I gave it a long steam (30+ minutes). Broiled with Annie's smoky BBQ sauce, and paired with pan fried potatoes and freshly snipped chives from the garden, my tempeh and I had a satisfying VVC moment.

cactus blooming this morning...

There's a whole miniature world inside.