It is a surreal time, folks, but you know what? Like my mom used to say, "This too shall pass." It certainly feels like it won't, but it will. It has to, gosh darnit. Even the Spanish Flu passed. (But let's not talk about how long that took; particularly when we have states opening up too early and all that.) So, what do we do in the meantime? We learn new skills (how're your Zoom skills coming along?), honing old ones (hey, I'll actually practice my drums now!), and figure out how to be social during a time of social distancing. We are resilient, and we will get through all this. One of the ways I've been getting through it all is continuing to sing with the Madison Avenue Baptist Church. Our virtual services not only provide spritiua nourishment, but also wonderful music, thanks to Music Director extraordinaire, Paul Stephan. We're upping our production skills, so check us out on Sunday mornings, 11am, HERE. I've also been singing with Singers Without Borders, founded by Anne Pell. While presently based in Italy, through the power of YouTube and email, she has gathered friends from around the world to sing various pieces as a virtual choir. Check us out HERE. The Rigano Brothers weren't going to let a pandemic stop their concert: The Ides of March Extravaganza. Now, it's more The Ides...of Corona, but videos are going up regularly. See the premiere of one of their earliest songs, a duet they asked me to perform with Jody Smith-Harper HERE. Thanks to our administration being...who they are, I've had too much material for my satire series on Facebook, Reince Priebus Tried...And Other Tales From the White House. What started as a way for me to express my thoughts about the 2016 campaign, has grown into a regular thing that has even garnered some fans. Last year I did a staged reading of some of the material from the series as a fundraiser for furloughed workers during the shutdown, and now, I'm using the series to raise money for charities helping folks during the pandemic. I can't sew, so this is how I'm doing my part for the time being. That, and sharing kitten photos. (We have kittens!) I'm continuing voice lessons, virtually, with the fantastic James Wordsworth, coaching with James Beaman, and working on those self tape skills. In the meantime, if you could use this tall, mixed, mezzo for your virtual project, feel free to contact me! Peace through the Pandemic ✌🏽.
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When not pandemibaking...
I have finally started a website! I just got these beautiful new headshots done by L Morgan Lee of BLUEphotography, and at last have a place to display them. I've also been getting this self-tape thing DOWN. Madison Avenue Baptist Church, with whom I've been the alto for going on twelve years, like most churches, has gone virtual, so we are making videos of solos and hymns for the time being. (Someday, I'll release an outtake reel.) There've been other opportunities, as well, for practicing this process: virtual choir and concert videos. I've been lucky enough to work with Prospect Theatre Company and, thus, was asked to be part of their lovely video featuring Peter Mills' tune "Two Buoys". (I come in with the alto part and drums>) Two Buoys Next, a dear friend - a jazz musician and choir director, presently living in Italy - started up Singers Without Borders and asked me to be part of this uplifting number: How Can I Keep From Singing? Lastly, The Rigano Songbook asked 42(!) of their closest friends to help out with this wonderful song about an all too relevant and growing segment of our lives as we try to communicate with proper social distancing: Screen To Screen The Rigano has a concert planned for 3/13...and then the world shut down. But far be it for them to not have a show. Yes, the Ides of March Extravaganza is now the Ides of APRIL and will be in virtual form. When those videos go up, I'll be sure to share here. In the meantime, contact me here if you would like me to be part of YOUR virtual - and/or, eventually, LIVE - project. Peace ✌️ AuthorAlexandra de Suze is a singer, actor, drummer who also writes a bit and occasionally makes silly videos Archives
August 2024
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