67 Degrees!

Is it possible? Has winter really made its final, dramatic exit?

Today, the forecasters are claiming it will reach 67 degrees...and tomorrow, a whopping 73. People, it is time to rip off that bulky parka, store the boots for good this time, uncork the champagne, y celebrar!

I am actually considering removing the dust bunnies from my running shoes (hmmm...i think I still know where to find those suckers) and engaging in something that (gasp!) resembles physical activity. Although I may huff, puff and wheeze my way through any sort of exercise considering my current physical state, I am willing to take the risk to feel a bit of sunshine on my Vitamin D-deprived skin.

I'm looking forward to this weekend (aren't we all?) for many reasons but mostly because...

On Sunday, I am going to a "pseudo" audition for this guy named Bernard Lachance. I say pseudo because while I will have to sing for him, most likely he will not be too particular since he needs close to 400-500 singers for his show. You may have already heard about him from YouTube. He is this guy from Canada who buys out huge theaters and then literally stands out on the street and sells tickets to his show. He lets pedestrians listen to his voice on a set of headphones and then if they like what he hears, he sells them tickets to his show. Essentially, the definition of an entrepreneur.

He has had much success in Canada and now has chosen Chicago to be the location for his first American concert. He has bought out the historic Chicago theater and has asked for singers to audition to be a part of a huge choir to sing with him during the performances. For me (as I'm sure it is for most), it is the allure of singing/performing in the Chicago Theater that is the attraction. For Lachance, it's a smart marketing decision since each member of his 400 voice choir will undeniably have his family and friends buy tickets to the show.

The last time I sang in such a big production was when I sang Mahler's "Symphony of a Thousand" with the Houston Symphony Chorus and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. That experience could only be described as soul-stirringly extraordinary, and it never leaves you. It was definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my life and I look forward to experiencing that magic again. When you are surrounded by amazing musicians, all singing with so much passion and depth, you feel like you are painting a work of art...and dare i say, a masterpiece at that.

So, I'll definitely let you know how that first audition/practice turns out. I look forward to singing again with a group of people who are as passionate about music as I am.

Gotta go...my running shoes are calling me.