4/1/2011

INTRODUCING THE OTHER SIDE INSPIRATA

WOW, FIRST INSPIRATA BLOG!

My first instinct was to leave this paragraph to last, but I know everyone will be wondering (at least if they read any further) who wrote this blog? And the answer is you’re hearing from INSPIRATA’s co-founder, agent and manager, Jillian Leigh. Don’t be too disappointed, I may not sing, but I can write, which obviously is a good thing for a blogger. You’ll find from the name of INSPIRATA to basically everything you see or read about the group, it most likely came from my “pen" and desktop.

And yes, before we go any further, this is a musical blog and I confess that I would rather be singing than writing. But I was blessed with the voice of a bullfrog so my talents lie in a different direction. I fit the old singer joke, “I sing solo….so low you don’t hear me.” And count your blessings that I despondently realize that is a good thing. My whole vocal repertoire consists of the song my tuneless father taught all his children when we were growing up as his captive audience on interminably long (probably an hour or so) road trips. The ignominious “There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea.” If you don’t know it, trust me, you have not missed out. If you do, you have a pretty good idea of my vocal talent level and why I’m sitting here writing instead.

Back to INSPIRATA….So blogging, at least in this instance, is going to be about hearing from behind the scenes. Behind the public face of INSPIRATA and addressing thoughts, issues and ideas that arise through the elation and frustration of creating something from….well, an idea.

INSPIRATA started with just a simple thought that it would be great to put together a group of the top classical voices: soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor and baritone and then sing music that suited all four. Sounds simple, but it wasn’t and isn’t.

As this blog progresses, I’m sure there will be plenty of regresses into the moments that brought us to the point of actually having a blog. No lack of blog fodder (flogder? Can I lay claim to a new internet term?) on that end. So if you decide to follow this thread you’ll go through a lot of things we did getting to this point. A vicarious thrill at best, but what the heck, when you can’t sing, you write…..and hope someone is out there is reading, and will continue to do so.

And the good news is you are not just stuck with me. Oh no, the rest of the gang here are going to guest blog. They have no choice. They have been invited to contribute. Let’s just say it is “an invitation they can’t refuse”. Management does have some dubious perks. So here’s the guest line-up.

You’ll be hearing from the other half of my “co-”, my business partner and INSPIRATA’s other founder, manager and agent, Sonia Lewis. Sonia came up with the idea of the group, and she’s the musical end of this partnership. She works directly with our musical director Ben Blozan and does most of the initial arranging of the music the group ends up singing. And that’s not all. Sonia and I equally divide the work, even though we often do different jobs. And yes, Sonia can sing, that’s why she’s the musical end of this business and I’m not.

Next, INSPIRATA. All five of you, I know you are reading this, so your turns are coming. Our musical director, Ben Blozan, is usually very quiet; except when he is raising his voice or tapping his baton to get everyone back to work. He is a musical genius and I don’t say that lightly or without some knowledge of what that entails. But when you are with him it’s a lot like being in the classroom with your favorite professor. I am really looking forward to hearing about the group from his perspective.

Our mezzo soprano Cheryse McLeod Lewis (no relation to Sonia, except if you can count spending so much time working together that they are like family) is so many things in INSPIRATA. I readily confess; she is my editor. Her grammar and eagle eye are as impeccable as her gorgeous singing. I don’t know what I would do without her. Sonia and I serve as each other’s editors, but Cheryse serves as both of ours, and no one could do a better job. She was the very first one to join INSPIRATA, and is instrumental in so many ways. She is the one singer who knows the real inside story as well as from the singers’ side.

Soprano Elizabeth Claxton is one of the happiest and sunniest people I know. I can’t remember ever seeing Elizabeth get mad at anyone. She not only sings like an angel but she is a true down to earth version of one. Elizabeth grew up in a musical family and was blessed with a voice and knowing what she wanted to do with it from a very early age. Last year she got married and we joke that her service was actually a symphonic-choral-guest artist concert with a wedding tacked on at the end. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard Elizabeth tell a story without music fitting in somewhere, which means anything she says will fit in perfectly here.

Steven Jepson, besides his deep plumy baritone voice, is our real story man. He is a prolific entertainer and has some of the best insider entertainment stories around. If we’re sitting around, it’s more than likely that Steven will be regaling us with one of his tales. And they’re not just about music, Steven knows how to suss out the best of everything and so his accounts are chock full of local color and details. I love what I learn from him and bet you will too.

Duane Moody, our newest INSPIRATA member and amazingly versatile tenor, is an easy mark for this. He is already an accomplished writer. Plus he spent years performing all over the world with “Three Mo’Tenors”. So he’s not only got lots of interesting experiences, he also knows how to get them across on paper. Duane is the most philosophical of our group, so I know there will always be a valuable point to whatever he says.

Well that’s the lot. But I’ll be on the look-out for additional guest bloggers who I can wrangle to give us their viewpoint on knowing and working with INSPIRATA. Of course, you’ll hear mostly from me. I might be persuasive, but not to the point that I actually can convince everyone else to write my blog. Besides, this is my way of singing.

Next topic – What Kind of Group Are You? A question we often get asked. There actually is an answer, and it might surprise you.