In 2009 I began writing a blog. I had no idea where it would lead, or what opportunities I would ultimately have. Thanks to that blog, I've written for a number of publications. The blog gave me a platform to host a pillowcase drive for the Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. People from all over the world participated and together we donated 1000 pillowcases that were ultimately given to each child entering the hospital. I've had the opportunity to give inspirational speeches to high school students — an opportunity that I think ultimately meant more to me than to the stud ..read more

When I was a child, there were certain days of the week that I so looked forward to. I would jump off the bus, run to my house, and quickly get my homework finished so that the evening would be free for television. Those days are long gone. I have now embraced the "watch it when it fits into my schedule" way of viewing television. My taste in programming has also changed. PBS is my go-to station. I LOVE Frontline, Independent Lens, Ken Burns documentaries, Finding Your Roots, and American Masters. I am thrilled to share with you that Mezzo-Soprano J'nai Bridges, winner of our 2013 Lola Fletch ..read more

A week from today, instruments and voices alike will be warming up, preparing to audition for one of our awards. It's always a very exciting day. While all who will be auditioning are at the beginning of their careers, years of hard work, devotion, and sacrifice have brought them to this point. Reaching for the stars is never an easy task. Back in December, J'nai Bridges, Mezzo-Soprano and winner of our 2013 Lola Fletcher Award, posted an interesting piece on social media. She was preparing to rent an apartment for a three month engagement. "When I tell people outside of the opera business th ..read more

It's hard to believe, but two years and one month ago we published our very first blog post. It has become a wonderful platform to keep you updated on upcoming events. Our March Symposium will take place in just two short weeks. It will take place on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. This is a new and exciting opportunity for our members. You can read all about it HERE. David Ziven, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Meaghan Stainback Smallwood, Chicago Opera Theater PLUS you’ll have a chance to chat with the scholarship team about our 2023 Scholarship Award Winners — the Auditions are the day before, so you c ..read more

Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati Opera Festival The thought of summer conjures up some of the most delightful memories. As many of you know, I had a southern upbringing. While I had fun, there was work that had to be done. Whenever the crops began to come in, everyone pitched in. The mornings were spent picking, and the afternoons were spent shelling. My favorite crop to harvest was peanuts as it was just a matter of pulling them out of the sandy soil. Butter beans were the worst. I didn't mind picking them, but shelling them, ugh, by the end of the afternoon, my thumb would be raw. On the d ..read more

  There's a brand new Starbucks commercial that has captured my heart. I am a strong believer in speaking good, and thus bringing good into my life. This commercial captures that sentiment perfectly. Our blog is not meant to promote Starbucks, but if you haven't seen the commercial, I think you'll enjoy it. My husband and I drove out to Colorado this past week. Prior to leaving, I always download a book that I think we will both enjoy. It makes for the BEST trip! I absolutely love what's available to us: audio books, SiriusXM, and fabulous podcasts. Did you know that Cedille Records has ..read more

Opera Theatre of St. Louis Festival As much as I love winter, around this time of year I begin to think about summer. Maybe it’s because I purchase my tickets to the opera festival of Opera Theatre of St. Louis! For me, this is the official kickoff to summer. Each year OTSL features four operas, all sung in English. Thankfully, there are projected subtitles! The opera schedule is arranged so that you can go and see all four operas in 3 days. It’s absolutely fabulous! This year’s season will feature Treemonisha, Tosca, Così Fan Tutti, and Susannah.   Laura Wilde, photo credit Gillian Rie ..read more

A few years ago, my husband and I listened to The Diary of Anne Frank while on a road trip to Colorado. The book had never been given to me as a reading assignment, but it was something I very much wanted to read. As we listened, and got further into the story, my mind did the math, and I began to think that maybe, just maybe history was wrong. It looked like the family was going to make it, as I knew the end of the war was within sight. But, as we all know, the story ended so tragically. As I listened, I fell in love with the child, and I was in awe of everyone in the house who somehow manag ..read more

For anyone who chooses to pursue a musical career, auditions will ultimately play a major role in their life. When I was thirteen years old, I auditioned for the DuPage Youth Symphony. I cannot remember walking into the audition, or what I played. I do remember walking out, and experiencing that horrible sinking feeling of failure. A few days later, I found a letter addressed to me in our mailbox. Not only had I not failed as miserably as I thought, I won 1st chair! I remember standing on the road by our mailbox, reading the letter, and having to read it a number of times before the message a ..read more

After a few weeks of dropping hints, I can finally let you in on a wonderful opportunity that we have for you on March 14th. This is so very exciting!!! We have never offered something this special to our members. AOSC will be joining with the near north chapter of Lyric Opera and the Fortnightly opera group to learn about two upcoming world premieres here in Chicago. Our first speaker will be David Ziven, lead writer and editor for Lyric Opera. He will be talking about the upcoming world premiere of Proximity. The opera is a gripping trio of new works that confronts some of the greatest chal ..read more