And the award goes to...

I’m on a stage. Lights are blinding me. The ball gown costume I’m wearing is squeezing my stomach and I can barely breathe. My legs are shaking with nerves and I suddenly can’t remember why I’m even standing here in the first place. The music swells. I begin singing the first phrase. I now remember. All of the nerves are gone, and nothing but the music matters now. This is where I belong. 


My dream career to sing on a professional stage. I want to sing in as many operas as I can. I want to make opera appealing to the younger demographic. I want to use my income to build a Performing Arts high school in the south eastern area, Charleston, in specific.  My career will be built around performing and teaching others to follow the same dream. I would be singing for a living. I would be spending my time doing what I love to do. Famous opera singers get to live a glamorous life and travel the world to perform. 


However, nothing is perfect, and therefore even the most incredible career will have some faults. Any career that is based around performing is highly subjective. One’s entire income is based on others opinion’s of the performer and what is “in” at that point in time. The economy also can put a damper on this kind of career. The less money people have, they are less willing to pay large amounts of money to go see an opera.  Also, a simple cold can bring down an entire show. A case of laryngitis can put a singer out of work and practice for weeks at a time, which could be detrimental to this career.  But the truly great performers and musicians come back from these set backs. 


In order to fulfill this dream and become the best singer I can be I have to focus from now on. I have to devote at least an hour a day to practicing and learning new repertoire. Even though my major is Music Education, I can still take any chance I get to perform and audition for as much as possible to get my name, face, and talent known. I chose to major in Music Education for job security, but my true passion is in both teaching and performing. For the rest of my college career and beyond I must engage myself in every possible musical event and opportunity. Getting involved and making contacts is a major advantage in this kind of career and will also help me when I make my Performing Arts High School happen. But most importantly, practice makes perfect, and constant exposure will stretch my talent so I can eventually feel those lights on my face, and not just the ones in Daniel.