I Made It To My First Hall of Fame!!!

I got a message today letting me know that I have made it to Berklee College of Music's String Department Hall of Fame.

http://berklee.edu/departments/strings-hall-of-fame.html

WHAT THE!?!?! REALLY!?!?!?! (grinning ear to ear) Shhhh.... Don't tell them that I wasn't actually in the string department at Berklee - I was a voice major. I DID take classes in the string department!!!

You know what is funny? Berklee is where my confidence was destroyed on fiddle. Before college, I had ALWAYS gotten my foot in the door with things for being the "fiddle player that could sing". It's how I originally booked the Opryland gig as a kid. But I auditioned for Singer's Showcase at Berklee - the most prestigious and highly competitive show for the vocalist. The first 3 semesters, I didn't make it. I went in to talk to the judges and watch my audition tape. Want to know what they said? "STOP PLAYING THE FIDDLE. It's hurting your auditions."

I made it every semester after that and never played fiddle in the audition again.

Blessings sure can come in major disguise. That one specific moment - being told NOT to play fiddle - was where I FINALLY took myself seriously as a singer. Before that I never felt like a singer. I did, but I didn't. When I finally made showcase without my fiddle, I knew I was truly a singer and didn't need a "gimmick" to get me in the door.

It took me a while to build up my confidence again on the fiddle. I FINALLY feel like I am starting to get there again and think of myself as a double agent. Fiddle Player/ Singer. One is not dependent upon the other. It's a good feeling. I continue to learn more about my voice and my playing each day - especially on that fiddle. One might say I LOVE the PEACE I finally feel with my FIDDLE. *wink wink*

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie