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I have always thought of myself as a thoughtful, soulful, and inquisitive person who hungers to broaden her horizons. I thrive on cultural experiences and am at ease with individuals from different countries. My curiosity into the cultural and lifestyle differences of people around the world has led me to visit various places in the world. I find the experiences I have gained to be enriching for me personally as well as professionally. I enjoy the growth that I feel, every time I take the risk of looking into other perspectives besides my own. I am open to new ideas and take into account the opinions, feelings, and beliefs of others. Raised on the outskirts of a small university town, I grew up in an academic community of professors and researchers. Through the university, I was exposed to many opportunities for growth and development. I engaged myself in international festivals, art fairs, and performing opportunities at the University of Illinois and its surrounding community. My participation in such diverse events paved the way for my interest in folkloric music. I was exposed to folkloric music at home while growing up. I sang often and joined many choirs (community, church, school, etc.), and I continued to sing folkloric music at home, developing a deep and passionate love for the genre. Many musicians and performers have had a significant influence on my life and development as an artist. As a child of the 70’s and 80’s, I listened to the radio and found Pop, Rock-n-Roll, and top-40 music to be lively and carefree. In addition, my father played the “Standards” of the 50’s and 60’s on our old record player. Evenings listening to the sounds of Doris Day, Edie Gorme and Ray Coniff whisked me away to places I’d only dreamt of. My family also enjoyed the “standards” of Latin America. The voices of Julio Iglesias, Juan Gabrial and Lola Beltran echoed throughout the house. These performers served as role models as I worked toward building a career in the performing arts. My development as a performer was rounded out by a mixture of several worlds. I was always active as a singer for private family functions, solos at church, or for special events such as weddings or birthdays. In my family, I was called upon to sing whenever it was necessary, and I was glad to oblige. I believe that my curiosity in other cultures came about through my exposure to different styles of music. I know that my search into styles of music foreign to my own experiences will expand my horizons, increase my understanding of the world, and enhance my friendships as well. With the information gained through open-minded searching and learning, I hope to teach others how music truly connects us to one another, and how similar all of us really are. I was blessed to have parents who valued education quite strongly. I was always told to push myself, and this advice, I try to follow every day. My high school, college, and university life helped me to develop intellectually and stimulated my interest in other fields such as history, biology, and foreign languages. My interest in such diverse fields has helped make me a more whole person. Whenever I am not performing, practicing, or working on music, I enjoy getting lost in a book. A novel or horror tale usually does the trick. I enjoy cooking, particularly when I can be creative, or when I follow an ancient or folk recipe. My goals for the future include teaching, performing, and sharing my knowledge of vocal pedagogy. I truly feel blessed when I can share some of my knowledge with others. In the performing arts, it is a joy to touch other lives with music and singing. |
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