SPRING 2014 L A R E E S I M O N N E W S L E T T E R : I N A U G U R A L I S S U E VOL. 1.

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Yeah...its me, Tonya. Since my initial
outreach to you and many others
regarding fundraising efforts for
summer study in Europe through the
AIMS program, I have been relatively
quiet about whats going on (and not...),
my continued efforts and new goals.
Well, the time for an update has come,
and Im happy to share some news with
you!
As briey, but as interestingly as
possible, I will share what Ive
experienced since you sent me to
Europe and what I have seen come to
pass in the time after. Ill tell you now,
its been a rough and sobering
enterprise trying to discern exactly how
to carve out my personal road to
success (whatever that really means),
in order to fulll my calling, if you will.
Nonetheless, God has graciously shared
this peculiar gift with me. Through
faithful persistence, I will do my best to
share the journey and this special
endowment with you!
Warmly,
Tonya aka Laree
I think I know that girl...what is she doing now?
PICTURES FROM GRAZ, AUSTRIA
(SCHLOSSBERG-ABOVE;
DEVON CASS PHOTOGRAPHY-LEFT)
REBIRTH & ASPIRATIONS
CONCERTS DEBUTS
LAREE SI NGS!
Around March of last year, I reached out to
you to let you know that I had received a
scholarship, the Nora Sands Memorial
Scholarship to be exact, to facilitate my
attendance in a comprehensive and highly
intensive international study program for
classical musicians in Graz, Austria. I wrote
extensively about my daily life and brief
travel there in my churchs newsletter.
(Please request one! :-)) What I didnt
report, however, was how the actual study
of the voice, the technical work I did with
my now current teacher, Elizabeth
Hagedorn, polished my sound and renewed
my singing mind. You see, life interrupted
my personal and musical growth many
times in a most inconvenient way; the
effect on my singing and career progress
was damaging. Sure. I had recouped much
of my ability via old lesson recordings and
work with local coach, Michael Crabill.
However, your willingness to dig into your
pockets helped introduce me to a woman,
who was not only a positive person, but
who quickly diagnosed the minute
hinderances to acquiring a more
professional, polished classical sound.
Therefore, I now boast engagements in this
newsletter which, include a contract with
the Washington National Opera Chorus!
(Come to nd out, my making the chorus
master smile in an audition was as rare as a
solar eclipse. Ha! Naturally, I feel honored
by the invitation to perform with them
next season.) Since last summer at AIMS, I
have made three wonderful debuts and
have connected with performing resources
in both DC and NYC. I feel re-born in a
way... My new sound, colleagues and
opportunities all come with a new sense of
hope -and a new name, by the way. Well,
actually not; my mother gave the name to
me at birth. But the other stuff, I have the
good Lord and YOU to thank for that!
Rebirth at the American Institute of Musical Studies
(AIMS) in Graz, Austria by Laree Simon
A PEEK AT GRAZ!
GRAZ OPERA HOUSE ( OR OPERN
HAUS) , DESI GNED I N THE BAROQUE
STYLE, WAS I NAUGURATED I N 1899
ELI ZABETH HAGEDORN, TEACHER,
WHO PRESCRI BED MY NEW VOCAL
EXERCI SES ( BELOW, LEFT)
SEXY & I KNOW I T URBAN ART
SEEN ON CI TY WELCOME TOUR
HI STORI C RED CLAY TI LES AS SEEN
FROM ATOP THE FAMOUS K& DEPT.
STORE OFF THE MAI N SQUARE
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DIG
INTO YOUR POCKETS HELPED
INTRODUCE ME TO...A
PROFESSIONAL POLISHED
CLASSICAL SOUND.
Christmas and the Gift of
Making Debuts by Laree Simon
Singing for a Season
St. Marys Episcopal Church at Foggy Bottom
generously provided a concert space for friends
and I to share traditional and not so traditional
songs in celebration of Advent and Christmas.
Not even a bomb threat in nearby Georgetown
could hold back the entire audience. Soprano,
Angeli Ferrette, Organ Master, Julius Tilghman
and I presented to a healthy crowd, who joined
us afterward for refreshments and
conversation. The free will offering collected
was applied to my February audition fees in
NYC.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS:
NEW THEATER ROLE & CREDIT;
NEW OPERA ROLES; NOTABLE VENUE
& NEW OPERA COMPANY
Watch out, kids! She can sing AND act!
Tom Minter, playwright, has been active on the
national theater scene for over twenty years.
The fact that he pegged me to create his
version of a young Ethel Waters still humbles
me, even now. I had the distinct honor of
debuting along side exceptional professional
actors in BLUES FOR A ROYAL FLUSH, a
poignant commentary on entertainment, social
and inner-cultural relationships of Black history
through the eyes of Jazz greats such as Duke
Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Ella Fitzgerald and
Ethel Waters. This commissioned work by the
Stanford School in Washington was presented as
a closed event in January, but will be reprised at
the National Portrait Gallery of Art this fall.
Carnegie Hall & Company Debut
Although more about this exciting milestone in
my life and artistic journey will be expounded
upon in the next church newsletter -yes, I am
loyal to St. Marys readership!- I must at least
say that performing on such an historic and
prestigious stage gave me a rush Ive never
known! My role debuts as Konstanza and
Countess Almaviva in my NY Lyric Opera
Theater debut for their opera showcase was
invigorating to say the least. I had a blast!
SONGS OF
CHRI STMASTI DE
December 19, 2014
ACTION SHOT INDICA HARVEY,
CAPTURED MY PARTICIPATION IN
A CONGREGATIONAL HYMN/CAROL
DURING THAT EVENINGS
PERFORMANCE. SHES GOT A GOOD
EYE AND GREAT INSTINCTS. YOULL
BE SEEING MORE OF HER WORK IN
THE FUTURE!
BLUES FOR A ROYAL
FLUSH
January, 25 2014 & September 22, 2014
BEHIND THE SCENES ACTRESS,
JOY JONES, HAS BEEN ON TV AND
THE WEB, BUT SAYS SHE LOVES
THE THEATER. HERE WE ARE BACK
STAGE DURING A DRESS
REHEARSAL OF BLUES. SHE WAS A
MESMERIZING ELLA FITZGERALD--
YOU SIMPLY BELIEVED
EVERYTHING SHE SAID AND DID.
CARNEGI E HALL
May 3, 2014
HOW DO YOU GET TO CARNEGIE
HALL?... PRACTICE, PRACTICE,
PRACTICE, OF COURSE! UPON
ENGAGEMENT, I HAD JUST UNDER
THREE WEEKS TO BE COACHED AND
MEMORIZE ONE OF THE MOST
DIFFICULT ARIAS MOZART EVER
WROTE, MARTERN ALLER ARTEN.
YOUTUBE IT (EVA MEI VERSION)
SOMETIME...THE PRACTICE CAME IN
VERY, VERY HANDY!!!
SNAPSHOTS FROM THI S YEAR
The peacock pictured above was one of
many prancing around the grounds of a
castle we AIMSers visited. It is said that
the peacock is symbolic of integrity,
immortality, nobility and beauty when a
person walks in the truth of themselves.
And walk about this earth before each of
you, while under the eye of my Savior in
those attractive ways, is what I intend to
do. Yes. Ive had some really outstanding
reasons to strut this year, but they do not
amount to much in the scheme of things.
In a very practical sense, Ive yet to earn
enough compensation from all this
singing stuff to just break even! Its hard
to see your mate (my Cedric) working
their buns off to help make a dream
come true when all you can do is try
follow leads and stay prepared. (Getting
back into a day job is imminent, unless I
nd some protable side hustles- or a
group of benefactors. Pshh! I am so not
holding my breath.) Ultimately, I focus on
consistency and must employ no little
amount of grit to actively live out this
life, which by the way, I dont quite
understand. All I know is God put this
passion in me. His way is perfect. It never
dies, never fades. Therefore, my duty is to
pursue this dream with great intent and
abandon. The ensuing ups and downs,
even plateaus that will accompany me are
nothing more than the colorful plumes I
fan before you and all of heaven as I sing!
Reections on a Peacock
and Divine Drive by Laree Simon
UPCOMING &
RECENT GIGS...
1. BLUES FOR A ROYAL FLUSH,
NATIONAL PORTRAIT
GALLERY OF ART, SEPT22ND
2. CAAPA 10TH ANNIVERSARY
GALA EVENT, BUSBOYS &
POETS (U STREET
LOCATION), APR 2013
3. COLORED FOLKS SONGS:
BLACK COMPOSITIONS &
POEMS, ST. MARYS CHURCH,
FEB 2014
4. LAUNCHING SOON!!
@LAREESINGS/TWITTER
@LAREESINGS/INSTAGRAM
Mariatrost Kirche
Peacock of Eggenberg Kastle
Jackie Armstrong Photography (Upper R;
Lower L); Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall (Below)