"Ratna is an Opportune! Ratna is an Opportune!"
I would usually be displeased and/or confused waking up and showering at 6:40 on a Sunday morning, but today was an odd sort of exception. My sleep stirred to unimaginably raucous chanting outside my room, of "RATNA IS AN OPPORTUNE! RATNA IS AN OPPORTUNE!" I opened my dormitory door and was at once drenched in champagne and noise.
Back up -- what's an Opportune? I've spent the last week auditioning for various a cappella groups, preparing an excerpt from Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah for my short solo audition the first night, different assigned songs for nights two and three, and finally, after much sleepless deliberation, The Chain for my full-length solo yesterday. At each of these audition nights, we were also taught our parts in a fairly complicated background "block" which we were to spew out again after a moment's practice, leaving my mathematically inept mind in a tizzy (music notes are just numbers!).
The process was at times nerve-wracking, horrendous on occasion, but always exciting. And beautiful. I had at least one moment during each of these auditions when I was left thinking, "Music, man -- this is all we have," or something equally all-encompassing (admittedly, these moments were usually brought on by tenors singing in falsetto).
Final Night yesterday was breathtaking. (Almost literally, as members of the Opportunes urged us auditionees up the endless stairs to Lowell Bell Tower, where we perched in candlelit celebration of song.) I cried at least twice, once upon hearing the seniors' speeches about their time with the group through their college days and once when they sang a beautiful song that was a little too close to home. :)
Imagine my glee, therefore, at my wake-up call this morning! I can only laugh at what the bouncy group saw when they looked back at me as I cracked the door open -- red eyes squinting, slightly crusty retainer grinning, flannel pajamas and Flint Hill Yearbook t-shirt soon to be stickily soaked. They made a great hullabaloo, handed me the champagne bottle and a dozen donuts (presumably to appease hallmates awoken at this hour), and stomped away chanting, "WE'VE GOT BABY OPPORTUNES! WE'VE GOT BABY OPPORTUNES!"
Back up -- what's an Opportune? I've spent the last week auditioning for various a cappella groups, preparing an excerpt from Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah for my short solo audition the first night, different assigned songs for nights two and three, and finally, after much sleepless deliberation, The Chain for my full-length solo yesterday. At each of these audition nights, we were also taught our parts in a fairly complicated background "block" which we were to spew out again after a moment's practice, leaving my mathematically inept mind in a tizzy (music notes are just numbers!).
The process was at times nerve-wracking, horrendous on occasion, but always exciting. And beautiful. I had at least one moment during each of these auditions when I was left thinking, "Music, man -- this is all we have," or something equally all-encompassing (admittedly, these moments were usually brought on by tenors singing in falsetto).
Final Night yesterday was breathtaking. (Almost literally, as members of the Opportunes urged us auditionees up the endless stairs to Lowell Bell Tower, where we perched in candlelit celebration of song.) I cried at least twice, once upon hearing the seniors' speeches about their time with the group through their college days and once when they sang a beautiful song that was a little too close to home. :)
Imagine my glee, therefore, at my wake-up call this morning! I can only laugh at what the bouncy group saw when they looked back at me as I cracked the door open -- red eyes squinting, slightly crusty retainer grinning, flannel pajamas and Flint Hill Yearbook t-shirt soon to be stickily soaked. They made a great hullabaloo, handed me the champagne bottle and a dozen donuts (presumably to appease hallmates awoken at this hour), and stomped away chanting, "WE'VE GOT BABY OPPORTUNES! WE'VE GOT BABY OPPORTUNES!"
Congratulations, Ratna! I can't say I am completely shocked at your success given that your voice is so lovely! Can't wait to hear some of your music with this group :)
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