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TEPPEI

I am here for Friends and Networking

About Me

I am originally from Japan and lived there for 11 years. Then I moved to Guam with my family. Since then I have been living in many different places. For the last 7 years I lived in Cleveland, Oh., went to a music conservatory to study singing. Now, I live in Chicago to attend and work for Chicago Opera Theater, which is coming to a close this May and I am happy to say that. I am so used to being the foreigner that have been here so long. This April I mark my 17th year of living outside of Japan. After all the places that my parents lived, Mexico City, Jakarta, Taipei, New Delhi, and now back in Jakarta. It is getting to a point where I feel like I need to be out there doing my thing as an opera singer. It is really tough, especially for a foreigner like myself. But I say, take things one day at a time. I can't worry about things in the future where there are things to take care of right in front of my nose. I am very easy going, I never have problem getting along with people and if there are some that think otherwise, well, they can kiss my A**! That also depends on if I like the person as well. I give everyone a chance. I give them respects and trusts as long as I get the same back, but if that is broken then I won't be around that person any more. Keep things simple make my life quite easy. I might sound like an A-hole but hey you don't like it then well that's just your loss, you won't know until you actually give a chance to get to know me. Well, I guess that's a bit about me.

My Interests

I am up for anything most of the time, as long as it has nothing to do with rollercoasters and other things that have to do with height, motion sickness. I hate amusement park, I think it is a biggest waste of time. I do like karaoke, after all we invented, but more on watching others sing. Contrary to popular opinion just because I am a singer does not mean that I am good at singing pop music. Of course there is always going out to a bar drinking with friends.

Music:

I listen to any kind of music. Being an opera singer does NOT mean that opera and classical music is all I listen to. In fact, I don't even like listening to opera all the time. I rather listen to any other types of music. To name a few;Kanye West, Missy Elliott, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Beastie Boys, Avenged Sevenfolds, My Chmical Romance, Fall Out Boys, System of the dawn, Evanescence, Alien Ant Farm, Metalica, Linkin Park, JoJo, Aerosmith, Smashing Pumpkins, etc., etc. Can't remember all of them. I used to listen to a lot of radio but since I got my iRiver, I download their music and listen to them on my mp3 player. I do listen to all sorts of music, from rock to rap, R&B, techno. I even got use to a very small dose of country but I really can't say that I like country. No offense, I just can't get into it. As for my classical side of my music, you have to listen to some Franco Corelli, Mario del Monaco, Giuseppe Giacomini, Gundala Janowitz, Teresa Berganza, Giuseppe Taddeo, Herman Prey, James King, George London, Ettore Bastianini, Giorgio Zancanaro, Natalie Dessay, Anna Netrebko(she is hot!), Renee Fleming, Placido Domingo, Robert Merrill, Leonard Warren, so on and so forth. Hey, I like the old singers from the golden ages...

Movies:

I am a big Kevin Smith fan. I usually like the stupid comedy or action movies. Every once in a while I watch serious movies but I really got to be in a mood. Haven't seen any good movies lately though... It does help if I actually went out and see it. Oh, I love vampire movies too, especially the last few movies that came out with Kate Beckinsale. God.... She is HOT! Speaking of hot actress, Charlize Theron with anything that she was in. Italian Job was good. Ocean's Eleven. The Transportor. Oh, can't forget the kung-fu movies. I have been watching Jackie Chan movie since I was 6. I even met him in Japan when he came to do a premier. It's too bad he is doing all these movies in US. Gotta watch the old movies that he made in Hong Kong. There are so many awesome movies in Asia. Mainly in Japan and China. Mostly because those are the only movies that I have seen. Hate horror movies. Got a nightmare from my cousin made me watch Friday the 13th when I was 7. What a sick bastard... He was like 8 or 9. He loved watching those movies. I know it's stupid but because of that horrific experience I can't watch even the stupid horror movies.

Television:

I watch a lot of TV when I have a day off. Grey's Anatomy, TLC's Little Poeple, Big World. Also, many of the shows on Comedy Central(Dave Chappel, South Park) and some Cartoon Network(FAMILY GUY). Hey, gotta love the cartoons, I grew up in Japan, I practically was raised with cartoons infront of my face.

Books:

I claim that I don't read. But I do have a few. Everyone reads the Harry Potter series and so do I. I do also like other books as well. Dan Brown(I am so into the whole Da Vinci Code and it's prequel. Can't wait for the movie to come out), John Grisham, Oscar Wilde, Franz Kafka, Sir Auther Conan Doyle, Ayn Rand, Anne Rice, C.S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, J. D. Salinger, Mitch Albom, R. L. Stevenson, Beaumarchais, anything about mythology. I've been reading the Sidney Poitier book. It's great, y'all should go check it out. He has lead the artist's life.

My Blog

Addio Luciano

..> So this is a bit of a late post but as most of us opera folks and musicians know that we have lost one of the greatest tenors this week. Now, I was not a fanatic of Luciano Pavalotti but he ...
Posted by TEPPEI on Sat, 08 Sep 2007 04:40:00 PST

Don Giovanni

I have been in a rehearsal for my upcoming production of Don Giovanni with American Opera Group. It's a company out in Oak Park, IL. The production has been going through some ups and downs from the b...
Posted by TEPPEI on Sun, 06 May 2007 10:01:00 PST

It's April, what's up with the freezing weather?

I shouldn't be surprised with how the weather is going so far.  Being in Chicago for the past two years and on top of that in Cleveland for the 7 years before that, being in a lake effect area co...
Posted by TEPPEI on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:46:00 PST

Back from the land of Rising Sun

My trip to Jakarta, Indonesia and Tokyo, Japan ended before I even realized... I am back in the grind of memorizing my next gig which is Mozart's Don Giovanni(I'm doing the title role!) This trip act...
Posted by TEPPEI on Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:43:00 PST

At home...

It has been a day over a week since I got into Jakarta. It has been rather relaxing visiting my parents and at the same time a bit productive since I have been working on my music while I sit around i...
Posted by TEPPEI on Sun, 28 Jan 2007 07:09:00 PST

Off to Jakarta then to Japan

I am off to visit my parents in Jakarta from tomorrow until the end of the month.  Then after that I will be off to Tokyo with my mother and we get to spend the following 10 days in Japan TOGETHE...
Posted by TEPPEI on Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:16:00 PST

I guess I spoke too soon...

As I stated on my last blog, of how mild and cool weather we have been having here in Chicago. Well not anymore~!We are looking at some snow/slush fall this coming weekend. I am planning to go to Clev...
Posted by TEPPEI on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:56:00 PST

Blog 2007

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday and brought on a New Year with your family and love ones. I had a great time visiting Ashlee's family in Arkansas. Which at first, I was expecting a rather warm So...
Posted by TEPPEI on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:54:00 PST

Season's Greeting and looking back 2006

Before I start, I wish all of my friends and colleagues a merry Christmas, Chanukah, or any other holiday celebrations that you celebrate. I'm off to Arkansas with Ashlee to enjoy my Christmas in a go...
Posted by TEPPEI on Sat, 23 Dec 2006 12:19:00 PST

Back to Chicago

Finally my two and a half week stint of Audition tour here in New York ended... My final audition was this past Monday, 11th for Ash Lawn Festival. I must say overall the trip was a success. I did not...
Posted by TEPPEI on Wed, 13 Dec 2006 03:06:00 PST