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Latest Singer Stories 2012  Please Keep them coming in .

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( Val Symonds ) I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii almost six decades ago, have a BA in Fine Art, a BA in Theatre and a masters degree in Special Ed. As a child, I told my mother I wanted to sing. I learned years later that “projection” can mean you make judgments from your own perspective. My mother used to say, how can you be an artist? I can’t draw a stick figure. (projection). How can you be so funny and act on stage? I am too afraid to stand before a crowd. (projection). “Mom, I want to sing”. Well, that was the last straw I guess. Her response? “You can’t sing”. I believed her down to when I had a chance to sing in a cabaret at the theatre I was serving an apprenticeship to get in to the actor’s union and I refused to even try. Why? Because I couldn’t sing; my mom told me so. I now teach elementary school students with severe behavior disorders with not much of a creative release to say the least. One of the teachers on my staff that was already in Sing Live USA said, “Val, you must come to one rehearsal of Sing Live USA, you’d be perfect for this”. And I’m thinking, did your cheese just slide off your cracker? I can’t sing…until I listened to John Morris. Mind you, I had already sung for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and totally believed, I could NOT sing. After all, those churchy folks will let any one “sing”. In such an honest, open, kind manner, there stood John Morris…THE John Morris who turned England in to a place that finally allowed all voices to be raised. Because he believed in the average Joe? Yes. Because he has such a love for spreading joy, love, and music across the world? Yes. Because he was such a pioneer that he came to America, loved and accepted us (for our jazz hands mind you) and gave anyone a chance to live a dream of singing? In fabulous unimaginable places? YES! 

Can you even believe that I, the “I can’t sing” gal actually sang during a church service IN THE VATICAN? I am most certain my grandfather, born in Naples, was there. THANKS TO MR. JOHN MORRIS! All I can promise you is that if you have a heart’s desire to sing and be with a group that will become a second family? Join SingLiveUSA TODAY….Don’t think about it….just do it and you will be doing extraordinary things in extraordinary places with one of God’s gift’s to this world Mr. John Morris the founder of Sing Live UK and now Sing Live USA! 

[Marcia Dawson]One of the first and major bonding experiences that we have in Sing Live is the rehearsal.  We have a chance to chat before and after but we fill the 'middle' with lots of fun singing.  One rehearsal, however, became forever engraved in the memory of about 10 of us! 

 

We were going to be flying to the UK to sing in The Night Of A 1000 Voices in the Royal Albert Hall.  Since there were only 10 of us, we decided that we would meet at John's condo to rehearse. 

We met John at 'Teak' to carpool to his condo so we wouldn't have any parking problems.  We all ended up on the soft couches (not the best posture for singing but we were certainly comfortable) and had a fun rehearsal and then decided that we would have dinner together at 'Teak' before we scattered for home.  We left John's condo and headed for the elevators/stairs.  We all decided to take the elevator so in we go and the door closes.  We pushed the button for the ground floor, moved just a few feet and then the elevator stopped!  We all looked at each other, waited patiently for the elevator to go again, started pushing the button again and finally agreed that we were stuck in the elevator.  We tried pulling open the door but that doesn't work well from the inside or the outside so we tried the emergency telephone.  We did get an answer but it came from a monitoring station somewhere in Florida (or maybe India) and they told us that they would send a crew to rescue us.  When we asked how long this would take we got various answers, all of them meaning 'too long!'  

Needless to say, no one was thrilled with this situation but we had various levels of reactions:  Hysterical laughter, smart comments, panic looks, worries about air and temperature, etc.  Cellphones were busy trying to contact the outside world - text messages were flying out.  We were knocking on the doors hoping that someone would hear us but the time ticked on.  Finally we heard footsteps and started banging on the doors.  A man asked us if we were having trouble (duh) and we asked him if he could help us get out.  He told us he would check with the management (this was on a Saturday) and then said, "Don't go anywhere!"  This set off another round of hysterics, laughter or otherwise, in the car; like would we still be there if we could go?!?!

 

It took about 3 calls on the emergency telephone and 50 minutes before we heard the cranking of the door opening. 

You can just imagine how quickly we evacuated that car!  We all are now card carrying members of "The Elevator Gang" (we do have cards) and we have decided that if we go to John's we will walk the stairs or ride 1-2 at a time so there will be no overloading of the elevator and someone left outside to call for help!

( Danny Watson ) My relationships with SingLive USA and my (now) wife both started around the same time. Melissa knew how much music meant to me and always supported me as I went to rehearsals and listened to my learning CD with her in the car.

So it seemed logical to me that SingLive should play some role in our nuptials. When I proposed (another musical event!) and Melissa accepted we immediately began talking about dates and I threw out the fact that SingLive was going to be performing in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy on 4/10/10.

From that point on it was a foregone conclusion that we would wed on 4/3 and honeymoon in Italy, culminating in the performance with so many of my friends. It was absolutely AMAZING and everyone involved from John, Linda, Steve, EVERYONE was so positive and excited about our big event.

I love this group and it will forever be a part of my life, my memory, and my marriage.

ARLENE COLBERT SINGING IN MEMORY OF MY SON, DARIO

At the suggestion of my friend and soprano, Martha Haynie, I became the 171st member of Sing Live USA. I joined on the final night of registration.

Whew!

I am truly grateful for this amazing opportunity of being part of history in

Orlando. I love singing, and do so quite often at my church, St. Mary of

The Angels Episcopal in Orlando. However, I have recently struggled to find comfort and peace of mind.

A few months ago, my 23-year son, Dario, who lived with me all his life, was killed in a motorcycle accident. Dario had always been my biggest fan, who encouraged me to sing in our church choir and as a soloist. He was responsible for my singing the American and Canadian national anthems, on two occasions, at the Orlando Arena, prior to hockey games. His passing has left an incredibly huge hole in my heart, for he was my best friend, as well.

My friends and family have been a tremendous support system for me. I now have an additional source of strength and a new sense of purpose with the many warm and friendly people I have met. Thank you, John Morris and Sing Live USA for bringing joy and happiness to my life.

I thank Sing Live USA for doing this special tribute to him. He is truly my inspiration.

FROM BELLY DANCING TO SING LIVE!

“I am Christine Wells, 61 years young, and I live in Orlando.

Way back, I sang in my high school chorus as a first soprano.  In my senior year I was in the chorus when we did ‘Carousel’. I had no confidence in myself to go for a solo part.

In my late 40’s (and as a grandmother of 5) I started taking belly dancing lessons.  After making masters, sewing my own costumes, and performing twice in front of family and friends (and once at a restaurant), I had to quit for physical reasons. 

My grandkids loved that I could belly dance...they thought it was so cool. I was sad about having to quit, but it wasn’t until I started to sing karaoke that I felt my confidence start to return.

I read about Sing Live USA, and the opportunity to sing the musicals at the Bob Carr Auditorium. I told everyone I know about this new musical chorus that was started here in the states and about John Morris and the original groups in the UK.  My daughter in Chicago said, ‘you know, Mom, if I was there, I would be singing with you’. I told her to have patience. There will be other choruses starting up all over the other states.

Since I joined, my younger sister, Judy Holcomb has also joined.  She also brought 2 friends to join.  The whole chorus has blossomed so much since my first introduction to Sing Live USA.  I feel like I am part of a family that just loves to sing.  I have learned how to hold my notes longer, and concentrate on my diaphragm.  All my family is excited about this for me, and they all came to the concert.  I am not ready yet to try out for a solo, but I do hope to some day.”

THE TWO MARCIAS - FRIENDS SINGING LIVE!

Marcia Sterner and Marcia Piersall share more than a name.  
Meet Marcia Sterner:

“On our way to see ‘Wicked’ in Tampa, my friend Marcia told me about this musical activity she had signed up to participate in: singing songs from musicals on stage at the Bob Carr in Orlando (and you didn’t have to audition). As she described it I couldn’t help thinking that I would love to do it too! I haven’t sung on stage since my college days and this sounded like a great opportunity.

The rehearsals had already started but she would call to see if I could still sign on. Luckily they said I could.

For the last 25 years I have been the major spectator in my family. I figured after attending hundreds of basketball games (my husband is an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic), and another hundred soccer games, as well as a myriad of chorus and band concerts, and cheerleading competitions, it’s my family’s turn to come and see me perform.
It’s great to be a part of a group that is accomplishing something special.

We have felt the energy and excitement growing with each rehearsal. I can’t wait for the performancs!

So now my friend Marcia and I not only share a name and a job…we share Sing Live USA!”

And Marcia Piersall says:

“I suppose that I’m a Broadway performer ‘wanna be’.  I can carry a tune, but I don’t have the trained beautiful voice that many Sing Live participants have.  This makes this community perfect for me.    I love it when all the harmony parts come together with the melody in the songs during rehearsals.  With 170 other voices, I really do sound pretty good!

Just hearing the songs with piano accompaniment, I could tell that the performance would be wonderful – and it sure was.  When the orchestra was added, it was simply amazing.  I learn so much from all of the vocal coaches who lead our rehearsals.  I’m having a great time; the rehearsals go by so fast.  It was an incredible show and experience and can’t wait for the next one!