Welcome, reader!
My name is Thera (pronounced like "therapeutic"), and I am yet another soprano trying to "make it" (whatever that means) in this crazy world. Perhaps you know me already, perhaps I've aggressively cold-emailed you with my website link, or perhaps you've stumbled upon this website completely by mistake (if you're looking for a TheraBand, TheraGun, or TheraTears, I'm sorry to inform you that you can't purchase those here, although I will gladly accept any product royalties), but, regardless, here I am, here's my blog, and here's my first post!
A little bit about me: I've done way too much school, and loved, well...not quite every minute of it, but a good chunk of my time, for sure. I hold an Honours Bachelor of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, ON), a Master of Music degree in Opera from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC), and an Artist Diploma in Voice from The Glenn Gould School (Toronto, ON).
Things were going well enough until that tiny hiccup by the name of COVID-19 occurred, and now I'm just trying to cobble together the makings of a professional singing career now that I'm out of school, which has obviously been a super easy endeavour now that life as we know it has changed forever since the start of the pandemic (note the sarcasm). That being said, the last two-or-so years have given me a lot of time to reflect upon the music industry as a whole, the field of vocal pedagogy (namely vocal instruction at a post-secondary level), and of course, my own journey as an artist. I hope to update some of my thoughts here occasionally, as I continue to learn and grow as someone who has the occasional privilege of screaming on pitch in front of an audience.
Some of the topics I hope to explore include:
Inclusion and Diversity in the operatic sphere (as a mixed-race woman, the amplification of BIPOC artists is an interest of mine, but I'm also keen to discuss representation across different demographics, such as LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and differently-abled communities).
Vocal Hygiene and Injuries (and the stigma thereof!) I love voice science and feel like I am just beginning my journey in exploring the many ways it can inform and fuel my artistry.
Anything that inspires/fuels/derails/challenges me on my artistic journey (there will likely be mentions of cats, craft beer, curry, and curly hair references).
If any of the above interests you, I'd love to have your company on this wild journey! Best wishes, and stay safe!
TB