"I am glad you enjoyed reading my blog. I didn't start it thinking that anyone would really read it.
I used to keep a diary every day for many years when I was growing up. I have a box of old journals in my bedroom at my parents' house. So I really like putting stuff in my head into words. Kind of like therapy in a way.
I think I stopped writing a diary at around the age of 18 when work and going out became more important. Then last year, I had to keep a blog about my travels when I won a trip to Brazil for a month. I really enjoyed writing that. But the company BIC (who the competition was through) deleted my blog after several months. So then nothing happened.
Then this year I have been doing more research into business and marketing tools. One of the things said was to keep a blog because you are more likely to come up on google searches (more content being searchable). Also then clients can read about me and see that I am credible, actually working on other projects and get a taste for my personality.
So writing a blog ticks all those boxes for me. I enjoy doing it, it makes me more searchable on google, I can use it as a marketing tool, but mostly I am quite forgetful, so I want to keep it as a documentation of my journey.

I have lots of  blog topics in my head. But I'm not really sure what a reader is looking for when they come to my site. Any suggestions for what I should write about?"

What would you want to read on a blog?

Best wishes,

JC

It seems like I am doing lots of recording at the moment.

Firstly I have been recording with the 3 sopranos on Victor Michael's new album. This has been lots of fun as he has some original tracks that we have had to learn too. I have a feeling in my gut about this one. I don't want to jinx it, but I think it is going to be a great album once it is finished. Just listening to the rough recorded version was exciting. And that's pre-production. Plus it was so easy to record. We recorded most of our vocals in one take. That doesn't happen very often!

I have also been asked to travel to Gloucester to record the Composer Christopher Boodle's Christmas Carol "Christe Salve" as a solo Soprano. He has asked that I dress up glamorously and we are going to make a music video to go with the track also. That could be fun! It seems that Christmas arrives earlier and earlier every year. But I don't mind. I love singing carols in churches. It reminds me of crooning "Away in a Manger" at the age of 6 with my sisters at my Mum's annual Charity Christmas Choir Concert. Who'd have thought that from such humble beginnings I would have got such a thirst for singing!

But most exciting of all (well for me atleast) is my new secret project. I don't want to give away too much at these early stages, but it's something I have been thinking about for a long time. And it is finally going to happen. I will reveal all in time. Be patient!

Keep smiling!

JC

So it has been about 2 months since I returned from New York. I have been meaning to write this blog for ages - I just haven't had the mental capacity to put into words all of the amazing things that I got up to. But now I am just going to give it a go.

I was in the USA for 3.5 weeks. Much of this time was spent with some family over there visiting vineyards on Long Island, eating plates of food that make a British Sunday Roast look like an appetiser, and taking in lots of the history and culture of the country.

So this summer I planned my trip to NYC to work with Jim Lahti and put on a recital in the city. 
We decided to focus upon a programme of English and American Art Songs. We spent months scanning sheet music and emailing pdf copies to each other. Learning various songs and suggestions, rehearsing and preparing to meet, making the most of the limited time we would have to put a programme together. When we did finally meet and start working together, we discovered that we worked quite well as a team. 
Then we put together a performance called "Berkshire meets the Bronx" - (Jim is quite witty with words). Jim invited some select gueststo attend the recital - all music and theatre professionals. And this is what we performed:
Ned Rorem: Early in the Morning
Ned Rorem: Alleluia
Jonathan Dove: 5 Am'rous Sighs
1. Between your sheets 2. Finish! 3. My heart still hovering round about you 4. All these dismall looks and fretting 5. Venus
Leonard Bernstein: I hate music!
1. My name is Barbara 2. Jupiter has Seven Moons 3. I hate Music! 4. A big Indian and a little Indian 5. I'm a person too
Douglas Moore: Dearest Mama (The Ballad of Baby Doe)
Jim Lahti: The Broken Tower
Roger Quilter: Seven Elizabethan Lyrics
1. Weep you no more 2. My life's delight 3. Damask Roses 4. The Faithless Shepherdess 5. Brown is my love 6. By a Fountainside 7. Fair House of Joy
Rogers & Hammerstein: What's the use of Wondrin' (Carousel)
Gershwin: Summertime (Porgy and Bess)


A couple of these were filmed and you can watch them here:

I hope to return to the USA again soon to work with Jim again. This trip has given me a great momentum to go out and focus on different musical projects. Uhoh... Jenny is inspired, motivated and determined.
Watch this space. Anything could happen.

JC

P.S.
No I didn't spell the title of this post wrong. I know that the composer is called Leonard Bernstein. I am in fact referring to the stuffed musical mascot you can see in the top right hand corner of these videos (named in honour of the great composer). His name is Leonard Bearstein and he is a rather adorable teddy bear with a piano key scarf.