Annalise is going to Italy!

I am so excited to announce that this summer I have been invited back to EPCASO  [The Ezio Pinza Council for American Singers of Opera] for a month-long opera intensive in Italy.  Tonight I will be giving a concert to help raise awareness of my trip and raise funds for my trip this year.  I am so excited to have the opportunity to share some of the music I learned last summer at EPCASO and to give you a preview of some of what I'll be working on this summer. At the end of my post you will find the information about my concert tonight or you can check out my facebook event here.

Going to Italy is an amazing opportunity.  But I couldn't have gotten to this place without the support from my audience or, dare I say, fans.  As a musician, I rely on you - to help me push myself to be a better musician, to always pursue new music and new styles and new opportunities.

I am asking for your help again.  I need to fund-raise $3000 to help cover my tuition and travel expenses for this summer.  Please watch this video to learn more about EPCASO and what you can do to help!  You can also visit my indigogo campaign to donate directly to my cause.

 

Thank you so much for supporting me and my endeavors.  Please feel free to share my indigogo campaign with anyone, anywhere who loves classical music and supporting young artists.  

Concert details:

Mezzo Soprano Annalise Shelmandine will perform a concert of opera arias at the Waterbury Congregational Church on Saturday May 30, 2015 at 7:00pm.

Ms. Shelmandine will be joined by sopranos Meghan McCormack of Johnson and Lillian Bailey-Broderick of Plainfield and accompanied by pianist Mary Jane Austin of Montpelier. The program will feature excepts of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “I Capuleti e i Montecchi” and Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro".

Ms. Shelmandine, a recent graduate of Johnson State College, is one of the eleven emerging artists selected to study opera in Italy.  She will be studying at the renowned opera advanced training program EPASCO [The Ezio Pinza Council for American Singers of Opera].  The program is specifically designed for those singers whose abilities indicate a realistic possibility for a career in opera. Join these young singers for an evening of delightful operatic music.  

Suggested donation:  $20

New adventures

Being a singer in Vermont means having to work multiple jobs. I know most musicians from this beautiful green mountain state can relate  Thankfully (because it is Vermont) I LOVE every single one of my jobs, and boy, do they vary.  From travel organizer, to voice teacher, bookkeeper and now as a model.

While I was studying opera in Italy last summer, I met a fellow opera singer who has become one of my dearest friends.  We spent many a night walking around the tiny town of Oderzo, Italy eating gelato and discussing life goals, dreams and aspirations. After our program in Oderzo ended, I went to visit him in Hamburg, Germany where he is studying music.  One evening we walked along the lake in Hamburg and I told my friend that one of my dreams is to be to model.  Ever since I was a teenager I have tried to be an advocate for women to see their inner beauty and I felt that as a model I could show women that you don't have to be perfect to be confident and beautiful. My friend told me that if I wanted to do it, I could and should follow that dream.

As fate would have it, Catherine Scholze entered into my life.  Soon after I returned home from Europe I met Catherine, a fashion designer from Vermont who had started a clothing line for curvy women.  My sister, Marikje (also a confident, curvy lady like myself) modeled for Catherine's fall line and the pictures, the clothing, and my sister looked AMAZING!  At Catherine's launch party I got to experience her line of clothing and I fell madly in love.  Her pieces are art that feel like you're wearing something tailor made.  At the launch party we discussed our love of curvy women's fashion and I told Catherine I would love to model her pieces if she was ever in need of more models. We started working together last fall and I am so appreciative of the opportunities she has given me.
 
Check out this article she posted about our work together!