Stephen's "Bachelor" Party

Well, my brother graduated from BYU on Friday. He received his Bachelor's degree in animation and I couldn't be more excited and proud of him! I felt really bad that I couldn't be there at the graduation itself (seeing as I was conducting the Collegiate Singer's at 12:45 in Idaho and Stephen's graduation was at 11:00 in Utah). When I went in to get things ready for class I felt my phone vibrate and I looked down and saw that it was Stephen! I was ecstatic! I spoke to him for a few minutes before I began class; but I was so excited to speak to him right after he graduated.

Stephen calling me after graduation

However, I didn't miss Stephen's graduation all together! I had the opportunity to drive my Dad's car up here when I came back last week and I drove it back down after choir on Friday. I was able to see Stephen and the rest of the family and celebrate Stephen's successful education experience thus far. We went and saw the movie "The Great and Powerful Oz" The movie was alright. I'm not a huge fan of James Franco, but all the same it was good. I just really enjoyed being with my family and being there for Stephen.

Image via

I felt so terribly a few weeks ago when I found out that I had a conflict and might not be able to make it to his graduation--and Stephen felt terribly too. So, I'm grateful that I was able to spend some time with him! He's a great big brother! He's always been there for me and has been such a wonderful support in my life! I love you Brodre!! :D

This is one of my favorite pictures of my brother and I. This is from 1995 (ish)

And this is just a picture of Stephen and I at his high school graduation.
We have both grown and changed a lot!

First Week of My Last Semester: CHECK

Wow, this week has been quite a growing experience for me! This week has been different than most first weeks because in two different classes I was coming to class as a teacher instead of a student. I mentor for a Basic Musicianship class (just like I did last semester) and I've been conducting the Collegiate Singers since Wednesday! I can't tell you how much the Lord has blessed me in those classes. I'm not normally a very out-going person (which would surprise many people). But when I teach, a different person comes out! I reach out to people, include them, and strive to get everybody thinking and doing.

My first day in Collegiate I felt a sense that I was being guided as what things I needed to help them understand. It was an excellent experience! I was able to keep them moving, we worked on getting the notes down, a little bit of diction, and just singing together instead of just one person. After Collegiate rehearsal I helped conduct the Women's Choir in their callbacks. That was enjoyable as well! I learned so much about how to listen for specific voices, but also how nerves can affect the sound. Along with the nerves, I learned something about myself: I'm able to recognize if it's nerves or if it's just their voice! It was cool! I saw Brother Brower (conductor of Men's Choir) a little later and he asked me how Collegiate went (he knew I was nervous about teaching them). I told him how I felt it went and he seemed very happy that things went well.

Yesterday's Collegiate rehearsal went really well too! We did a lot of talking about what the pieces are about because of something Brother Brower mentioned in Men's Choir (I sat in on their rehearsal). He gave three "keys" to help with memorization:

1. Repetition: repeating the words
2. Connection: making sure that you somehow connect the music to yourself. It could be abstract or relative.
3. Inflection: putting emphasis on the proper words and syllables. Singing it how you would say it.

I shared this with my wonderful new friends yesterday and asked them all throughout class to sing how they would say these phrases. It's different for everybody; but for the most part everybody emphasizes the same words and grows and what-not. It was amazing when they would do that! Today is my last day as the Collegiate director and I feel . . . well, I'm not sure how I feel. I've enjoyed so much being the teacher of a class and running rehearsals and having the students teach along side me. It's been an amazing experience. However, I'm excited to be able to focus on my studies too (*note: I haven't been neglecting my studies; but I have focused more on getting the Collegiate Singers ready for their callback on Monday). I'm so grateful for the opportunity Brother Kempton gave me to conduct Collegiate while he was away; it was definitely a learning and growing experience for me.

Other things that happened this week . . . not much! All of my classes are fantastic, but I can tell that it's going to be really demanding of my time. Which, I'm okay with! I love having things to do! Especially with this being my last semester, I don't want to waste my time. I want to make the most of it! Well, on to week two! :D

The Beginning of the End

Okay, so that sounded so dramatic . . . but I liked it! Tomorrow is my first day of my last semester here in Rexburg. It's really bitter-sweet, but I'm excited to move on in my life! I drove up here yesterday to help with choir auditions and they were slow! We think there are a few contributing factors to this:

1. Spring semester; we usually don't have as many people in the spring in general.
2. Missionary age change; students that normally would be coming back are heading out on missions (not all, but a lot of them). I was talking to Sister Ashby about it yesterday and it was funny how we both stated that we're so grateful for these students going out on missions! They are going to be incredible missionaries; but, we're going to miss their voices here at BYU-Idaho.

Anyway, while we were waiting for people to come audition I had a chance to speak with Brother Olsen, Brother Brower, Sister Ashby, Sister Coates, and Neil White. I don't think I'd ever laughed so hard before! It was a riot! We heard stories from Brother Brower about what he was like when he was a student here at Y-I (or Rick's when he was here) and then about what it was like being the Collegiate Singer's director. One of the things he said he didn't miss was "dealing with the women's fashion, men are so much easier to clothe!" Ha, it was hilarious!

Well, I'm all moved into my apartment again and I think it's going to be an awesome semester! There are only four of us in here (instead of the usual six). You know what that means? Yes, I have my own room!! Ha, I'm not sure why I'm so excited about that, but I am. My two new roommates, Kaylyn and Kaley, are super cool. I know I'm going to have a hard time keeping their names straight, but it's okay! We all seem to get along really well, so I'm excited to see what it's like this semester!

I'm really excited about my classes this semester as well! I'm taking:
Brass Methods (it's a class where I learn how to play all of the brass instruments),
Teaching of the Living Prophets (a class where I study what has been said by our modern day prophets and apostles),
Teaching Strategies (a class about how to teach a class),
SPED360 (a class where I learn about exceptional students and how to include them in my teaching),
Junior Voice Recital (this is my voice lesson class this semester, I'm planning on doing my recital June 29)
Collegiate Singers (huzzah for choir!!!)

I'm so excited about this semester, it's going to be great!! I can already feel and see God blessing me and giving me strength for this semester. I have some goals for this semester in particular that I really want to keep up on:

1. I want to Blog at least once a week (every Sunday). I need to become a better writer, but also a better history keeper.
2. Continue to eat healthy and exercise. While I was home I didn't really exercise or eat very healthy and I literally felt sick. I've learned the importance of keeping my temple clean emotionally and mentally, now I need to work on the physically. One of the things I'm doing to help with the eating healthy is that I've started keeping a food journal (just started this morning).
3. Go to the temple once a week (Saturday mornings). I remember last year when I was doing that and it totally changed my life. Well, my life needs changing again! ;)

These are just three goals out of many, but these are the three that I'm really working on right now. A preview of my first week of classes: on Wednesday-Friday I'm actually conducting those that are currently here in the Collegiate Singers for our call back next Monday (April 29). Devotional starts this Tuesday too! Also, I'll be driving back down to Heber for the weekend to see my older brother, Stephen, graduate from BYU! Until next week, God bless!

"Do You Like Monet?"

Well, I'm officially done with my finals, clean checks, and ninth semester of school! I almost can't believe it! I will be walking in July and I couldn't be more excited about it! However, I'd like to take a second and recall my jury! I was incredibly nervous--as always--but my voice teacher, Brother Peck, comforted me a lot the weeks prior to my jury.

The morning of (which was yesterday, April 11) I decided that I wouldn't go to the gym because I wanted to make sure I had plenty of rest so that I could sing my best. I still got up a bit early so that I wouldn't feel rushed at all. My jury was at 10:30 am and I was nervous, but excited! As I went in to sing I made sure that I looked over at Sister Broadbent and Brother Olsen so that we could start a small conversation (it eases my mind when we start talking). So, we cracked a couple of jokes and then I began to sing. I knew that I was flat and sharp on some notes, but I felt that I did really well. I could feel my sound echo all around the Barrus Concert Hall . . . I had completely filled it! After I sang Brother Peck gave me a thumbs up to encourage me!

Brother Olsen was then asked to pick the second piece I would sing . . . he picked "Recordare" from Verid's Requiem. That's a duet that I'm singing with the incredibly talented Sydney Bentley. We had practiced a little bit earlier and she felt kind of nervous about singing it (singing it the morning doesn't agree with her is what she says). I felt really good about it! I, again, knew there were some trouble spots, but overall it was really good! I gave Sydney a pat on the back when we finished to thank her and tell her good job.

Now, the next part is the part I was really nervous about! At the end of our juries they typically ask us about a specific story line or what the translation is for a specific piece. I knew all of the translations and stories for my pieces, but that didn't mean that I was ready for any question! Immediately after we finished singing Brother Olsen said "Now Sarah, I just have one question for you. I was glancing over your recital paper and it says that 'Debussy is the Monet of music'." I immediately felt my stomach drop . . . what if he asked me about a detail from those pieces? I didn't study those as well as I could have so that I could recall it from memory! I had the pieces in front of me while I was writing the paper!

Brother Olsen continued, "So here's my question for you Sarah; do you like Monet?" It took me a moment to process that he had just asked me if I liked Monet! Then I started over-thinking: Is he asking if I like the painter or "money"? So, I figured I would be safe and I responded "I love Monet!" Brother Olsen smiled and replied, "That is the correct answer!" He then went on to quote Brian Regan's routine about Art: "Do you like Monet? I love Money! I spent a lot of Money when I was in Paris!" I died! It was the best jury I've ever had!

A few hours after my jury I went in and found out that Brother Kempton wants me to conduct the Collegiate Singers for the first week of classes while he's in Ghana. I am so excited!!! We get to learn two pieces in three days before Brother Kempton gets back! We're singing in the CES Fireside on May 5 so we have to get to work! Again, I'm so excited!!

After I spoke to him I went in and I spoke to Brother Peck (I really wanted to know what the jury thought of my singing). He told me "They were floored! Brother Olsen leaned forward and said to me that he didn't know somebody could make so much progress in one semester!" He then proceeded to tell me that I "passed with flying colors!" Yesterday was such a stupendous day! I'm so grateful for all of the experiences that I've had this semester and the opportunity that I've had to grow! Semester nine . . . DONE!! Now I begin my tenth--and final--semester here at BYU-Idaho! To life! :D

Final Weeks :)

The finals week(s) are upon us!!! I'm really excited actually! Most of my finals aren't in the testing center, and I'll be finished with most of them by the end of this week! I don't really have a final in my Educational Psychology class, I've done the presentation final for my Reading in the Content class, my Capstone class has its final due on Saturday . . . really the only final I have is in my American Epidemic class and my Juries! However, in American Epidemic I have a test this week and then the final next week; so, that kind of stinks . . . but it's okay!

I signed up for my juries; next Thursday at 10:30am. I am incredibly nervous seeing as I don't have them really memorized (out of six I have maybe 3 really memorized) and I still need to write the paper for that too (10-15 pages on my Debussy set for my recital). My voice has grown a lot this semester--so I'm told--so I'm excited for the jury to hear my progress. However, I just hope I'm ready. I've been working really hard and it would be horrible to, yet again, fail a jury! However, I'm learning more to trust in the Lord and let Him take care of everything.

Now, I'm still striving to do my best and to work really hard; but I need to trust in the Lord with all my heart! Whatever happens the Lord's hand is in it! :D