Think Outside Your Box

Welcome to my "Voice Box"
#ThinkOutsideYourBox

Playing Catchup! Can't believe I haven't posted since March- Whew... 5 pretty neat things! Okay, let's not kid ourselves, #5 is the KICKER!

5/20/2016

1. Recorded wonderful baroque arias with the insanely talented Jory Vinikour!

The lovely space we recorded in, Jory Vinikour at harpsichord

These two Handel arias were a joy to record with the amazing Grammy award-winning talent that is Jory Vinikour. He is such a wonderful joy to work with! Thank you Jory!

2. Will be singing the Queen of the Night, this summer with The Savannah Voice Festival, and studying with Sherrill Milnes!

I am THRILLED to head back to Savannah this summer - and even more thrilled to get to work with the legend operatic superstar - Baritone- Sherrill Milnes!

Sherrill and his wife, Maria Zouves run a marvelous program and festival opera in Savannah every year, and every year they choose singers from all over the country to play roles in their festival operas.

Sherrill Milnes, and my dear mentor & Opera Director from Northwestern University Michael Ehrman - At Opera Idol Finals -April 2016

Through the Opera Idol competition - I was honored to have been offered the role of Queen of the Night, and to attend their wonderful program on scholarship this August, taking voice lessons with Sherrill and working with the renowned stage director Joachim Shamberger!

3. Bella Voce & Bravo Awards at Bel Canto Competition 2016

This was such a lovely competition to be a part of- The audience was so fun! Both evenings were a blast. Thank You Bel Canto Foundation! You can't really tell very well in the video--- but, I was just a bit flirty (spoon feeding...among other things) to get my supper and award. Typical flighty-Italian Shepherdess. (Rossini Art Song: La Pastorella delle Alpi). The night I received the Bella Voce Award, my teacher was in the audience, so we got to snap a photo together! I love you Pam!

With my MARVELOUS teacher, Pamela Hinchman

4. Had a fantastic photo shoot with Liz Hansen, photographer extraordinaire!

We woke at dawn to get just the right light - for these beautiful shots of Lake Michigan. It was cold! But so worth it. Here are a few of our favorites... Thank you Liz Hansen! I will post entire album soon for the Gallery page, and we will be using some of these shots for future promotional materials.

5. DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

SO-------- AGHHHHHH!!!!

WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!

In case you haven't put the two together...
singing Queen of the Night - at 26 weeks pregnant....
is now a new item for my bucket list! Bring it! :-)

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Author

Rachel Sparrow is a professional singer, musician,(violin, piano, ukulele) actor, teacher, arranger, writer, and most importantly: a wife and a mommy of two littles. She loves to help parents make everyday life musical with their kids as well as share backstage stories, and performance experiences here. She earned her Master's degree in Voice Performance from Northwestern University, and also holds two Bachelor's degrees in Voice, and Music Education (certified to teach k-12 vocal & instrumental music) from Idaho State University. She is also a certified Music Together Director (music class for birth-5 yrs). See about Rachel.

"Think Outside Your Box" means 3 things:

1. Be Selfless - think beyond your own "box". (and for singers, there's more to life than your voice box!) You're capable of helping and healing others.

2. Feel Empowered to bust out of the proverbial
"box" made of societally-induced-parameters.

3. Be Bold. Innovate. Stretch yourself. You can do anything if you set your mind to it.