Tweet tweet. Tweedle-y tweet.
You can find me now on Twitter. That's @smbeaudoin, 64 brave followers and counting.
Yes, I needed one other thing to do with my time, thanks.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New year visitors
In the first 40 hours of the new year, I welcomed guests to From Every Corner from disparate places like...
Arlington, Massachusetts; Austin, Texas; Bayern, Gunzenhausen, Germany: Eugene, Oregon; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Newport News, Virginia; North Hollywood, California; Paris, France; Rapid City, South Dakota; Staten Island, New York; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Wahkiacus, Washington.
And, as always, all of my loyal Portland metro readers and friends. New year's love to all of you - 2010 is going to be something special, can you feel it?
Arlington, Massachusetts; Austin, Texas; Bayern, Gunzenhausen, Germany: Eugene, Oregon; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Newport News, Virginia; North Hollywood, California; Paris, France; Rapid City, South Dakota; Staten Island, New York; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Wahkiacus, Washington.
And, as always, all of my loyal Portland metro readers and friends. New year's love to all of you - 2010 is going to be something special, can you feel it?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
SMB's 2009 in review
Here we are, hours away from a new year, and a new decade. Yowzas.
In brief bullet-like points, here's my year-in-review in performance and writing. Did all of this really happen?
* * * * *
January 2009: Opened the new year as ensemble member with Cappella Romana, singing the premiere of "Kontakion" in Portland and Seattle (the recording, on which I also sing, was released in tandem with these performances); FourScore performances at Doug Fir Lounge and First Presbyterian Church ("Shut up and Sing!"), garnering nice critical notices.
February 2009: left Just Out newsmag after 13 months of work, began new job with higher education student coaching company; asked to pose (and did) for photographer Jeffrey Horvitz's "meditation project;" Michael Herrman and I begin work in earnest on "The Beggar's Opera."
March 2009: began contributing criticism and journalism to the Portland Mercury; additionally, had my first article (a Living cover story on the new BodyVox dance center) published in the Oregonian; FourScore opened for Holcombe Waller on his new show, "Into the Dark Unknown" at Imago Theatre.
April 2009: sang in some concerts with Portland Vocal Consort. Fun.
May 2009: recorded a new song - "Bitty Boppy Betty" - as part of Pink Martini's newest album, "Splendor in the Grass."
June 2009: edited Portland Mercury's 2009 Queer Guide, which was a ton of work and great fun.
July 2009: lots of interesting arts and news pieces for the Mercury; lots of work on "Beggar's Opera."
August 2009: Beaudoin family reunion! Also featured in Willamette Week's cover story on outstanding fall arts events.
September 2009: Umm... working on "Beggar's Opera," which composer Michael Herrman and I officially finished right around September 20th. Rehearsals began at the end of the month.
October 2009: "The Beggar's Opera" premiered, causing a minor clusterfuck flurry of media attention; I sang on Pink Martini's CD release party at the Crystal Ballroom.
November 2009: "Beggar's Opera" picked up a 2010 Portland Music Award nomination; I spent some time recovering and reorienting myself in advance of the next spate of projects.
December 2009: Sang with Trinity Choir as part of their "Christmas at Trinity" concerts; performed with Pink Martini in their popular annual New Year's Eve concerts at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
* * * *
And what's ahead in 2010? A hell of a lot, and some pretty exciting stuff to boot. Thanks for continuing to read, to support, to love and ask tough questions and work hard. Let's all make lots more live performance together this year.
In brief bullet-like points, here's my year-in-review in performance and writing. Did all of this really happen?
* * * * *
January 2009: Opened the new year as ensemble member with Cappella Romana, singing the premiere of "Kontakion" in Portland and Seattle (the recording, on which I also sing, was released in tandem with these performances); FourScore performances at Doug Fir Lounge and First Presbyterian Church ("Shut up and Sing!"), garnering nice critical notices.
February 2009: left Just Out newsmag after 13 months of work, began new job with higher education student coaching company; asked to pose (and did) for photographer Jeffrey Horvitz's "meditation project;" Michael Herrman and I begin work in earnest on "The Beggar's Opera."
March 2009: began contributing criticism and journalism to the Portland Mercury; additionally, had my first article (a Living cover story on the new BodyVox dance center) published in the Oregonian; FourScore opened for Holcombe Waller on his new show, "Into the Dark Unknown" at Imago Theatre.
April 2009: sang in some concerts with Portland Vocal Consort. Fun.
May 2009: recorded a new song - "Bitty Boppy Betty" - as part of Pink Martini's newest album, "Splendor in the Grass."
June 2009: edited Portland Mercury's 2009 Queer Guide, which was a ton of work and great fun.
July 2009: lots of interesting arts and news pieces for the Mercury; lots of work on "Beggar's Opera."
August 2009: Beaudoin family reunion! Also featured in Willamette Week's cover story on outstanding fall arts events.
September 2009: Umm... working on "Beggar's Opera," which composer Michael Herrman and I officially finished right around September 20th. Rehearsals began at the end of the month.
October 2009: "The Beggar's Opera" premiered, causing a minor clusterfuck flurry of media attention; I sang on Pink Martini's CD release party at the Crystal Ballroom.
November 2009: "Beggar's Opera" picked up a 2010 Portland Music Award nomination; I spent some time recovering and reorienting myself in advance of the next spate of projects.
December 2009: Sang with Trinity Choir as part of their "Christmas at Trinity" concerts; performed with Pink Martini in their popular annual New Year's Eve concerts at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
* * * *
And what's ahead in 2010? A hell of a lot, and some pretty exciting stuff to boot. Thanks for continuing to read, to support, to love and ask tough questions and work hard. Let's all make lots more live performance together this year.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Harlem Boys Choir - gone
This is about the saddest thing I've read all month... the globe-trotting, genre-busting Harlem Boys Choir - such a ray of light and inimitable presence in my own young musical urgings - has closed up shop, quietly. And it appears, for now anyway, to not be returning any time soon.
My own musical development was impacted profoundly, unequivocally, by singing in my hometown's local youth choir: the Kansas City Children's Chorus. I was a founding member of this chorus back in 199(2? - I think), which emerged from a local community opera company's production of the Bizet classic, Carmen. The choir was directed by an abundantly enthusiastic Spanish woman whose name I won't ever soon forget - Glaucia Vasconcelos-Wilkey.
We sang as the resident children's chorus for that civic opera company for several seasons; performed with John Denver and other touring music luminaries; and offered our own annual concerts. How sad to think that other kids - in New York, of all damn places - might not have that very same opportunity.
My own musical development was impacted profoundly, unequivocally, by singing in my hometown's local youth choir: the Kansas City Children's Chorus. I was a founding member of this chorus back in 199(2? - I think), which emerged from a local community opera company's production of the Bizet classic, Carmen. The choir was directed by an abundantly enthusiastic Spanish woman whose name I won't ever soon forget - Glaucia Vasconcelos-Wilkey.
We sang as the resident children's chorus for that civic opera company for several seasons; performed with John Denver and other touring music luminaries; and offered our own annual concerts. How sad to think that other kids - in New York, of all damn places - might not have that very same opportunity.
Monday, December 21, 2009
You betta think
I'm entering a period of consideration and mindfulness, in which I may (as these last few months have shown) continue to blog sporadically.
The holidays are here, too, which is exciting and draining and marvelous.
The holidays are here, too, which is exciting and draining and marvelous.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
On the street where I live
I ran into someone on the street two nights ago, a colleague and quasi-mentor who writes about the arts here in Portland.
We made small talk, caught up in an informal way, gestured and smiled.
He said things, several things, that have since stuck in my head. Resonant and loud.
Also: I bought 45 holiday cards this afternoon at Powell's, with the ambition of personally writing and sending each of these to family, friends, colleagues. I see the stack of blank cards before me, and tremble (slightly).
Also, also: the holidays tend to make me wistful and sad. You?
We made small talk, caught up in an informal way, gestured and smiled.
He said things, several things, that have since stuck in my head. Resonant and loud.
Also: I bought 45 holiday cards this afternoon at Powell's, with the ambition of personally writing and sending each of these to family, friends, colleagues. I see the stack of blank cards before me, and tremble (slightly).
Also, also: the holidays tend to make me wistful and sad. You?
Monday, December 7, 2009
Frightful / delightful
It's freaking cold out here in PDX.
But - that doesn't mean our collective fashion sense should suffer! Oh no. Two examples of fine winter-appropriate couture I'd like to bring to your attention:
Example 1: cute bundled woman on street.
Example 2: cute bundled co-worker in office.
... check out that detail work!
... and - wait for it! -
Awesome. That is all, for tonight.
But - that doesn't mean our collective fashion sense should suffer! Oh no. Two examples of fine winter-appropriate couture I'd like to bring to your attention:
Example 1: cute bundled woman on street.
Example 2: cute bundled co-worker in office.
... check out that detail work!
... and - wait for it! -
Awesome. That is all, for tonight.
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