Gigs: Oktoberfest 2014

Oktoberfest is a great fall event here in Nashville, and I was lucky to get to be a part of it this year! I sang a 45 minute jazz set at Oktoberfest, and I had a blast. It was actually the first jazz gig I have done in quite a while, and I was excited to get to stretch my legs with it again. 

I'm going to give you a run-down of the steps I took to prepare for the gig:

I had about a month of prep time to get ready for the gig. I had a lot of charting to do. So many of the songs I was going to perform were in the wrong keys, so I had to transpose them and re-write the charts. It is a lot of work, but it is always so satisfying when you finally finish. 

Next comes deciding what you want to do with each tune. The great thing about jazz standards is that no one does them exactly alike. The same tune can be done slow or fast. You can make specific phrasing choices or do a melodic variation to make the song your own. I love jazz for that very reason - it is a great feeling to make a song yours. 

Then, you find a great accompanist! Lucky for me, I live in an amazing city with a plethora of talented musicians. I was extremely fortunate to get to do this gig with Hans Nelson (you can find him here: http://www.hansnelson.net/) We got together to rehearse a few days beforehand, and were able to hash out tempo, form, and other such things. A great piano player is something no vocalist should ever take for granted!!

Next, to decide the order of the songs. This was a little bit difficult, as I had never performed all of these songs in a single set before. I decided to go fast-slow-fast-slow...you get the picture. I also placed songs I was most familiar with throughout so that the set would feel more seamless. 

Lots of emailing happened! I had to make sure that I knew where to go, where to park, when to get there, etc. I also had to make sure my accompanist had all of this information as well. Thankfully, I am freakishly organized, so this was pretty natural to me ;) 

Finally, it was the day of! I got dressed, did my hair and makeup, warmed up, drank a TON of water (this is my nervous tick - which is pretty helpful, as far as nervous ticks go), and headed out to the festival. 

The festival was so much fun! I had a blast getting to sing songs that I love, and hopefully entertain some people in the process. We walked around afterwards, had some great food and heard some really awesome music! Congrats to everyone who performed this weekend, y'all are awesome! Also, if you were there, I thank you so much for your support! You mean the world to me :D

If you want to know about any gigs I have in the future, check out the Calendar section on my website, and follow me on my Facebook page! 

With love,

Whitney

Dear Stressed-Out Bride...

Dear Stressed-Out Bride,

I have been right there in your shoes. There are so many things to get done. You have to book a venue, catering, flowers, photographer, music, furniture rental...the list goes on. Not to mention, you also are buying a dress that costs more than the rest of the clothes in your closet combined, and you will only wear it once. Then comes the matter of fitting into the dress. Working out has never seemed so important to your daily routine. You also worry about stray acne popping up on your nose or forehead at just the wrong moment or that you will wake up on your wedding day with a rats nest on your head that not even a chainsaw could cut through.

All of that to say, it's stressful being a bride. This is a day you have been dreaming of your whole life. Or, this could be a day that you have never given a single thought. Either way, you want it to be perfect, or as close to it as possible. The pressure of perfection is weighing on you like a ton of bricks. No wonder you are stressed out!! 

I just want to encourage you today: it's all going to be okay. Seriously. I know that it really doesn't seem like it right now. Right now it feels like the world could spontaneously combust if the flower arrangements aren't just the way you imagined, or if someone doesn't show up when and where they are supposed to. But, contrary to what your over-wrought brain is trying to tell you, it's all going to be okay. 

What you need to focus on instead is simple. Think about what this wedding is ultimately about. Think about that amazing man you are about to marry. After this wedding is over, you get to start on the most wonderful journey together. You will be exploring this great and glorious world together, helping each other along the way as each of you inevitably stumbles and falls. There will be so much laughter that your stomach will get an incredible workout. There will be tears as you work through the tough and trying times that will surely come. There might even be some yelling, as you are both only human. But, you will get through it all together, and you will both be stronger for it. 

This wedding is, ultimately, a celebration of the journey you are about to embark on together. It is the beginning, when everything is new and exciting, and maybe just a little bit scary. But my dear, stressed-out little bride, it is a glorious journey. This day is only the beginning. The days to come are what will knit the fabric of your beautiful and exquisite story. So, take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It's all going to be okay. 

With love,

Whitney