StoryTelling for Life – Book Blog - July 29/10

StoryTelling for Life, Holistic Use of Story for Education, Healing and Helping, Cultural Connections and Community Building – Book Blog
 

Well, a lot has happened since I last sat down to write in this blog. Shortly after I last wrote, I left for the Banff Centre where I was attending a vocal intensive. I had attended the same intensive last year and really got a lot out of it and I was hoping for more of the same.
 
There was a new teacher and new participants and so of course, nothing was the same. We did have Lyz Jaakola, a mixed Ojibwe woman with great vocal and teaching skills return from the year before, which was super. I learned a lot about diaphragmatic breathing for her last year and was looking forward to more.
 
The other teacher was Micah Barnes, of “The Nylons” fame, who engaged us in a vocal Master class which was nothing short of amazing. He took 12 singers with various fears and issues and brought us much closer to where we each wanted to go with our voices.
 
For me it was all about the blues. I have a project in mind for after the book is complete. It is to be a CD of stories and songs about the blues. I plan to do the singing myself, but have never sung the blues so I really needed validation that I could do it well. After the Master Class where I was the focal point, I am sure that I can. AND it feels really good!
 
That was amazing, however for me what happened next was even more validating, regarding this book. The culmination of the vocal intensive is for our group to perform with talented professionals in 2 sold out concerts at the Banff Centre. Last year it was an wonderful experience.
 
This year, once I had completed the Master class with Micah, I knew that I wanted to leave. I argued with myself about the performance opportunities I would be missing, but I was clear, inside myself, that I needed to be working on my book, not rehearsing, and so I left beautiful Banff in the Rocky Mountains and came home.
 
I chose my own goals as the priority. It felt empowered and scary. (What an opportunity I’m walking away from!)
It felt right.