| Drina & Her Omnichord |
Watercolor - 21.5 X 29"
When I tried to be a professional singer, I finally found out that I needed to play an instrument to
accompany myself if I was going to have even a chance. I'd taken piano lessons as a child, but
that wasn't going to work for me. I bought a cello, took lessons, and when my double jointed pinky
finger locked when I pressed the strings, I gave that up too. Then Suzuki invented the
Omnichord. It came with a lesson book, and I learned how to transcribe the keys for my alto voice
when the music I used was too high for me. While the omnichord is a rather forgiving instrument,
it didn't have the versatility of more conventional instruments, i.e. it doesn't sound all that good
when I played it. However I plugged along, practicing and singing. I even got a couple of gigs.
Yes, two paying jobs. One in a dinner restaurant, in Bakersfield,....for 2 weeks, and another I don't
remember where. AND, I wrote music for my psychology lectures. I parlayed this into stress
reduction lectures on cruise ships. I went on a 2 week trip for two to the Mediterranean, and
another for a week in the Caribbean. There were often donation gigs- retirement and Christmas
parties to be exact.
By the time I reached menopause....my singing days were kaput. I still have this watercolor I did
of me holding my Omnichord to remember those days.
When I tried to be a professional singer, I finally found out that I needed to play an instrument to
accompany myself if I was going to have even a chance. I'd taken piano lessons as a child, but
that wasn't going to work for me. I bought a cello, took lessons, and when my double jointed pinky
finger locked when I pressed the strings, I gave that up too. Then Suzuki invented the
Omnichord. It came with a lesson book, and I learned how to transcribe the keys for my alto voice
when the music I used was too high for me. While the omnichord is a rather forgiving instrument,
it didn't have the versatility of more conventional instruments, i.e. it doesn't sound all that good
when I played it. However I plugged along, practicing and singing. I even got a couple of gigs.
Yes, two paying jobs. One in a dinner restaurant, in Bakersfield,....for 2 weeks, and another I don't
remember where. AND, I wrote music for my psychology lectures. I parlayed this into stress
reduction lectures on cruise ships. I went on a 2 week trip for two to the Mediterranean, and
another for a week in the Caribbean. There were often donation gigs- retirement and Christmas
parties to be exact.
By the time I reached menopause....my singing days were kaput. I still have this watercolor I did
of me holding my Omnichord to remember those days.