Countdown!

Okay. This year has been an incredible one and I have taken the time to recount what I think are the top ten moments of 2010. They range from fun to meaningful to defining and everything in between. Enjoy!

10. The Deadliest Catch! This might have been the single sweetest moment of this year. I was in Seattle with the Luther College Nordic Choir on our West Coast Tour and this was our first stop on tour after leaving Minneapolis. After our concert, my quadmates Ari, Matt, Ben and I were picked up by our host family. They drove us out to the scariest, most deserted area of Seattle (I'm totally making that up because I don't know Seattle that well beyond what they show on Grey's Anatomy) and asked us if any of us got seasick. At this point, I had my cell phone out and was about to text our tour manager to say that I was pretty sure we were about to be sold into human trafficking. Then we pulled up to a giant crab fishing boat called the North American and proceeded to meet the crew that has been featured on the TV series Deadliest Catch. They made us clam fettuccine and left us BY OURSELVES on the boat overnight. Best homestay ever. EVER.

9. Re-introduction to the business with Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. In May (still going to school in Iowa) I woke up at 4:00am to drive up to the cities to audition for Chan. And then I did it again the next week for the call back. My sleep schedule still hasn't recovered. It was one of the most humbling experiences in my career. I had the honor of auditioning alongside some of the most talented people I have ever seen....and the best part is that I grew up watching them on stage since I was very young. After having walked away from consistent performing for almost 4 years, it was so invigorating to see the first-rate talent alive and well in Minneapolis! So proud to be a part of this community!

8. Michigan. 'Nuff said. Not is it one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, but this summer. I got to spend time there with two of my favorite people, Ben and Laura. Not only was the time we spent together wonderful, but it was my first experience trying out my "school relationships" post-graduation. It was fantastic because with both of these people, every time we reconnect, we are able to pick up as if nothing has changed. Granted, the circumstances are very different now that we don't live within five minutes of each other anymore and we don't spend countless hours together each day, but its comforting to know that these relationships that were built over four years were not left behind in Decorah, IA.

7. I guess I should put graduating from college on here.....even though it really wasn't that big of an event for me. I remember it being very hot and very sweaty and being a little panicked because I hadn't finished packing my room yet. Oops. If anything, it was more a place mark for a new chapter in everyone's life. We were all going out into the world to do very different things in very different places after having spent four remarkable years in a very special place. But it was bigger than just me. It was a collective accomplishment for everyone that had helped guide me and protect me along the way. And for that, I am truly grateful.

6. Last Nordic concert with DCA. This could very easily have been nicknamed "Weepfest Twenty-Ten," but through some miracle, we pulled through in a big way. This last concert of the year is usually one that is especially heartfelt because of the graduating seniors, but it was compounded because our conductor, Dr. Craig Arnold, was leaving his position at Luther to resume his work in New York. This was nothing less than devastating for many that knew him because he is not only a brilliantly talented musician and conductor and an immeasurable asset to the school, but more importantly, a stand-up human who taught his students to live their lives with compassion for those around them. So this concert was also honoring him as well, and we chose to sing some of his trademark pieces from the last 5 years. I don't think I've ever felt so connected to a group of people, and I don't see a comparable opportunity anywhere in the near future. I am forever changed because of him and this experience. No beige.

5. San Diego. Weirdly, the most perfect day ever. On tour with amazing people. An afternoon at one of the most amazing zoos in the world. Swimming in the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla beach. A great catered dinner. An epic sunset. An amazing hotel. Drinks with best friends. Couldn't have been more perfect.

4. Senior Recital. I broke down barriers.....and probably some of the voice faculty's eardrums/hearts/spirits. THAT, my friends is the power of musical theater! Ha. Anywho, because Luther is a school that "values the aesthetic values of classical, Bel Canto singing," musical theater is outlawed in our senior recital performance space. I did it anyway. The first half an hour was R.V. Williams' Songs of Travel and the second half was a collection of some of my favorite new theater pieces, accompanied by the incomparable, Laura and a group of some fantastic and brave friends. I'm sure I offended some people (the purists), but they also got to see me do something that I was truly, TRULY passionate about. It is one thing to be a technically proficient musician. It is quite another to attempt to breathe life into a performance. That was my goal. And I probably owe my voice teacher a lot of money for the therapy he needed after dealing with the backlash that I assume ensued....and for that I am almost sorry.

3. Here's to high school, how it flies. Oh, Zombie Prom, how I thought I would loathe you. This MD gig was my first real job after college. I know I've written entire posts about this before, so I'll keep it brief, but these kids are the real deal. I learned much more from them than they could ever learn from me and it will take some doing for me to forget those 4 months. ALSO! I am super pumped to go back and work there this spring! A true blessing to know these individuals.

2. Arizona. Good lord. Spring break 2010 was my first official vacation in a very long time and I am so glad I could do it with such amazing friends! Clara, Ben, Julia and Joe made this trip something that was not only bearable, but an experience that was a great cap to my college career. It was like days and days of driving, but some fantastic memories were made and I survived sleeping in a tent for like a week. And if you know me, you know that doing THAT is a feat in itself. Gah. So fun!

1. Because really what's the point if you're just coasting on the surface? EDGES 2010. Very obviously a defining moment for me as a performer, teacher, director, and most importantly, as a friend and a person. This kind of goes hand in hand with my senior recital. My senior thesis was about the ever-changing pedagogy of musical theater and part of my plan was to put on a show to demonstrate my findings. The result was one of the most beautiful and rewarding collaborations I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. I truly believe in the effect of the arts on humanity and because of that, this might have been my proudest moment at Luther. To Carah, Laura, Alex, Matt, Joe, Kara and Ben: I am forever indebted to you for your contributions to this project and your willingness to join hands with me and venture into unknown territory. Because, "if you take a moment you'll begin to find and say and feel. You can discover something real if you are willing to reflect." A quote that will forever play a role in how I choose to move forward in my life.


So there you have it. A year full of many blessings, happy memories, life milestones and valuable lessons. The one thing that I find consistently in each event is the people. My people. These people are what makes these events special. Without them, I would be, well....not me. So I am more than excited to start 2011 with these comrades. Lets make this next one even better!

Love and gratitude,
A