This has been an emotional week for me. I am marking my birthday and I am remembering my excitement and sadness twenty years ago, this week, when I closed my established teaching and coaching studio to move to Charleston South Carolina. I was expecting to come into a tenured voice position which was, unexplainably, no longer available upon my arrival. I felt lost and confused, but I knew I didn't have time to sit still and lick my wounds.
Charleston, in fact South Carolina, was not on my radar for relocation. I had made a list of locations I could consider that resonated with my education and experience. I was focused on a position in higher education and being close to large local chapters affiliated with NFMC, NATS, and the Piano Guild. Deciding against California, and New Mexico, and turning down a position with a university in Georgia that wasn't a good fit, I was still sending out resumes and CVs. I almost headed toward Gilbert Arizona but then, for reasons still unknown to me, Charleston is where God directed my path. I packed up my cat, music instruments, film photography equipment, and art supplies and made the move. These twenty years have been, perhaps, the most challenging years of my life. I have moments when I wish I was still coaching professionals. However, I know the Lord always leads you where he needs you and through it all, God has always provided and cared for me. Living in Charleston I have met some lovely families and hard working students whom I admire for their dedication to music. And, I have learned a lot about myself, the struggle of finding your musical family outside of a major city, and the unique lowcountry culture.
As I enter this new business decade in the lowcountry, I am extremely grateful to all of the supportive people I have met through music and visual art in this town. I am especially grateful to those Charlestonian elders who have since gone on to their reward. They warmly welcomed me here with love, quickly became supporters of my work, and inspired me to plant seeds in this town. I truly miss those rich, knowledgeable conversations about the arts and travel, their love, and their bright energy.
I am still here and there is still much work to be done.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for being a part of this journey.
