Dear Editor: Hi. I’m the girl you met on the airplane to New York; you gave me [the April issue] of your magazine. The magazine was a lot of fun to read. I really liked the article “Raising the Bar for Auditioning.” Even though the only auditions I have done were for college [this past year], it gave me a lot of insight about what I did wrong and what to work on for other auditions in the future. I also enjoyed the interviews with different people, like in the article “Know Your Instrument.” That article was really interesting to read and it helps me especially since I don’t really know for sure what I am doing for a career yet. Thank you for the magazine.
—Ariel Chupp, via e-mail
Dear Editor: I didn’t get to officially meet you at the Classical Singer Convention, but I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the experience. It was a great time for networking, development, and just being around other singers.
—Kirsten C. Kunkle, via e-mail
Dear Editor: Just want to send a personal thank you to . . . all who planned and managed the Classical Singer Convention. What a wonderful experience that was for singers and teachers in every possible situation. The thoughtfulness and care that guided the planning was evident in every detail, and the grace, patience, and great good humor of everyone involved was key to developing such a positive atmosphere.
—Kay Payn, Bucknell University, via e-mail
Dear Editor: Thank you for a wonderful experience [at the Classical Singer Convention]. Your event was so well organized. My daughter grew tremendously. We came to San Francisco two years ago, where she sang and got great feedback. She was young then—15. She saw the [High School Competition] winners sing, heard Maria Failla sing “Laurie’s Song,” and she said, “I want to sing that song. I want to do that.” Now, two years later, she sang “Laurie’s Song” for Val Underwood in a masterclass and got to advance through the [High School] Competition to the Final Round. She is so proud to be here and to find a place where she fits in. She has networked, met friends, and learned about colleges. All wonderful. Thank you!
—Sigrid Redpath, via e-mail
