Reunion Recitals, Pretty premiere, NATS in Nevada, and Last minute Lord Nelson

April has been a busy month musically. I returned to Indiana to hear my former student Ali Wregglesworth sing some of my songs (When With You Asleep & Penitent) at her senior recital at the University of Evansville. I also got the chance to present a recital with my former student, singer/pianist/composer Josh Kight. He wrote a song for me ("Les roses de Saadi") that I had the pleasure of premiering, despite its taxing tessitura! Back in Vegas at UNLV Opera Workshop's "I Feel Pretty," coloratura soprano Isabella Ivy premiered a piece I wrote based on the opening of the play Steel Magonlias: "There is no such thing as a natural beauty." The next day UNLV hosted the first Cal-Western Regional NATS Auditions, and the next morning/today I was called to step in for an ailing soprano at the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society concert. Luckily I had sung both the Lord Nelson Mass and the Mozart Alleluja before, but it had been a while and there was no time to rehearse with the orchestra. It goes to show, always be ready, and seize the opportunity to sing!