Happy birthday to Tyler, the Creator! 🎤

guys my band director...

I directed a chorus today. Like, at a performance the chorus was getting paid to perform at.

I don’t usually direct a chorus.

I did direct a (very small) school chorus when I was in high school and college. That was roughly a decade ago.

I haven’t had ANY formal training in music ensemble conducting, but I did learn some things by being in choirs (like, really good ones) as a kid. I also learned a little by being the “lab rat” for a choir director’s workshop that my childhood director ran and taught every year.

But again, nothing where I was the intended student.

Despite all that, today went really well. And I was really nervous about it.

Yay small wins!

suggestive oc ink work I’ve experimented :-) I miss this story a lot, I’m unsure whether to talk about them !

This week I'm starting training for fashion week (there might be something special involved 😇), producing a live event, MD'ing, meeting with a respected music manager, and recording 🎻 where Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Madonna, Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Bob Dylan, and the cast of Hamilton have recorded. It's even more lovely that recording will be with a friend I've collaborated with for ~10 years. 🥰

Feeling thankful for the "lucky" breaks 🙏🏼 for work, and to be able-bodied etc. to work all this time 🏃🏻‍♀️ I'm just, like, confused how we all did this prior to the pandemonium?! Reflection time later, I guess, along with all the chores. 🤷🏻‍♀️

______ 📷: Chesher Cat/Deborah Chesher

Sisters Verna M. Woolfolk-Sloan and Elizabeth Eloise Wells nee Woolfolk

Verna B. December 16th 1925 and Eloise B. December 21st 1924 in Providence, Kentucky

Their paternal grandparents, both former slaves, established the Woolfolk School after the Civil war, the first Black secondary school in Kentucky for children of former slaves.

Verna worked as director of equal opportunities at Ford Ord and Fort McArthur. In 1956, she began her career in civil service as a clerk typist in a typing pool, previously working at the Ford Ord Laundry with Eloise. She attended Monterey Peninsula College, received her B.A and Masters in Business Admin. at Golden State U, and completed her Ph.D in Organizational Psychology at International U. She was deeply involved in her community and dedicated to equal opportunity.

Eloise worked as an agent then District Manager for Mammoth Life Insurance Company, one of USA’s first Black insurance companies. She was a child prodigy pianist, playing songs she heard on the radio at three-years old, with no piano lessons. She later became a pianist and music director for several churches. The sisters were long-time residents of the Monterey Peninsula, California settling first in Seaside in 1956 and later Marina.

Seaside, California

Arturo Toscanini arrives in USA w/Italy's La Scala orchestra (1926)

Been Gone for a while but I'm back with Photography and videography 😊 DM for Inquiries. I'm based in Gainesville Florida, but I'm willing to travel around the entire state for the right Shoot.

The Director

Over the course of the past 6 months I've routed and booked this tour for my friends from Jaly UK "No Strings Attached Events"

I will be serving as the Music Dierector and Drummer on this run. Ive assembled an A1 cast and the show is going to be very unique. Come see us !

New Reyna Tropical album is 🔥🔥