Karen profile picture

Karen

I am here for Friends and Networking

About Me



Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor - Image Hosting

"We all get intimidated by showing ourselves, for whatever reason, we think, If I really show who I am, and someone goes [pfftt] then it's gonna crush me. Well, it's not gonna crush me. It doesn't crush you if somebody does that- somebody will do that. Many times. And once you accept that that's not why you're doing it, you're doing it because that's your form of expression." -Tori Amos

Coffee junkie? Probably. Choral geek? Maybe. Really eclectic musical taste? Most definitely. Likely to go from introvert to extrovert in under 10 seconds a) in a choir rehearsal and b) at a Lord of the Rings fan gathering? Absolutely. Other likely and slightly strange behaviors include gardening, making jewelry, obsessing over whole/organic foods (while probably eating something totally heinous), cooking, and writing music. My musical taste ranges from NIN and Radiohead to Celtic/folk and all the way to classical music of the Medieval and Renaissance periods.

These are a few choral pieces and songs that I wrote: my first stab at Celtic Folksong-writing ("He Sings In My Sleep"), a song called "Home," an arrangement of "Danny Boy," a rehearsal of my newest piece "Rise Up My Love, My Fair One," and "Set Me As A Seal." "Rise Up" is my favorite at this moment because I really related to the text and it reflects where I am in my life journey at this moment. Also, please support the TAYLOR FESTIVAL CHOIR who so beautifully performed the arrangement of "Danny Boy."


I've been a Residence Life professional, a high school music teacher, and now I am beginning my new role... as a student again, this time pursuing my doctorate at Louisiana State University. I am moving from the greatest city ever- Charleston, SC- so my feelings about this step are mixed. During my seven years in Charleston, in addition to my full time work, I assisted with some of the cooler choirs in the Holy City- the Grace Church choir and the Symphony Chorus, which means, in a nutshell, that I served as the "conductor-on-call." I also started my own chamber chorus called Lux Aeterna ("eternal light") and we like to sing more philanthropic-oriented concerts. Our myspace page is located here.


Because of unique experiences in my life I started an annual candlelight concert for child abuse awareness month in April and Lux Aeterna sings choral numbers between readings of poetry written by abuse survivors. I recently discovered these verses and felt that they, while intended for the general population, perfectly reflected the ultimate charge to suvivors of all forms of abuse:

..+2 "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love


This is your moment of Zen.


Tune in tokyo
..

My Interests

Jewelry making, kayaking, gardening, child abuse prevention programming, walking, going to LOTR conventions and acting like a loon. I have a coffee problem and am disturbingly fascinated with Whole Foods Market.

I'd like to meet:

Cool people. Long lost people from WCC.


Myspace Icons

"Oh the Places You'll Go..."

Where I live, where I've been, cool people I've tripped over....

Music:

Radiohead, Beecake, Tori Amos, Beatles, George Harrison, Smashing Pumpkins, Death Cab for Cutie, NIN, Classical, Choral Music, Celtic Music, Early Music. The Beatles will always be my favorite rock band and George Harrison was just the best with his raga and blues infused compositions. My first musical memory is of hearing "Something." I'm also a huge fan of Radiohead ("Karma Police" and "Pyramid Song" are big favorites).

EMERALD ROSE is a Celtic Folk/Rock band with a page on myspace. Please support them. They write great songs, do clever arrangements of celtic folk tunes, and are just really quality human beings. Plus they have these really cool Emerald Rose ring-flashy-thingies. You can't go wrong.

Also, most recently in love with the new band BEECAKE. They have a page on myspace, so go support them. Why?

1. Billy Boyd is their frontman, and (right now) featured songwriter, and that's just cool.

2. They're Scottish, and we all know that all things Scottish and/or Irish are just better.

3. Their original name was The Angels Share, named after a favorite brand of scotch. Any band who names themselves after whisky is a bunch of smart guys.

4. The guys in the band seem to be really swell.


5. The music's freakin' awesome.
My favorite composers are Ralph Vaughan Williams, Eric Whitacre, Michael McGlynn, Josquin, Morten Lauridsen, Brahms, and Marrolli! Some really cool choral pieces are "Sleep" (Whitacre), "Elizabeth, Full of Grace," (Tavener), War Requiem (Britten)and Carissimi's "Plorate Filii" from Jephte.

Movies:

Lord of the Rings!!!! Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Master and Commander, Beatles movies, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Amadeus, Philadelphia, Glory, The Princess Bride, Rudy, On a Clear Day, Mars Attacks!, The Godfather movies, Philadelphia.....

Television:

Which Will and Grace Character Are You?
You're Grace Adler! You're quirky and energetic, and you have soft spot for gay men. You're ultra-creative and you have a funky, crazy fashion sense.
Take this quiz !

Quizilla | Join| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab CodeOh, things that have been off the air and/or in syndication for way too long- X-Files, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Sex and the City.

I also enjoy a little Will and Grace. :-) Actually, it's my new favorite show of recent years, but has (unfortunately) gone off air. This is the scene in the series finale where Jack and Karen sing "Unforgettable." P.S. Sean Hayes kicks some serious ass.

....

Books:

Lord of the Rings, Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About (no really) I enjoyed Tori Amos's book and Sean Astin's book. I'm more of a poetry person.

Heroes:

Karen Walker. :-)))) (Will & Grace)Fictional: Frodo Baggins, AragornReal Life: Anyone who has done business with life and has come through it stronger. People who don't give up and understand that life is a journey.
Click to zoom in on my visitor map!

My Blog

Its funny cause its true...

I ran across this online and found it to be quite insightful and incredibly accurate regarding the typical practices of choral singers (especially 3, 6, 8, 9, and 11)...A CHORISTERS' GUIDE TO KEEPING...
Posted by Karen on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:04:00 PST

Awesome Beecake video: Catch you when you fall

This song makes me happy.Catch you when you fall
Posted by Karen on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:14:00 PST

Soul Swimming... revisited...

"All the water in the world cannot sink a ship... unless it gets inside."I've been hearing a lot of words, quotes, and statements lately that seem strangely appropriate. I've been experiencing a lot o...
Posted by Karen on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 02:42:00 PST

Food for thought...

So yeah... every once in a while it pays to listen to the sermon in church. I was very struck by a phrase the rector used today: "We must give comfort to the afflicted. But in doing so, we will affli...
Posted by Karen on Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:08:00 PST

Will & Grace video: Jack on Caffeine

Too much seriousness right now- bring on the Will & Grace! This is me during 1st period...Jack on Caffeine Add to My Profile | More Videos...
Posted by Karen on Fri, 19 Jan 2007 08:33:00 PST

By request, lyrics for "Home"...

These are the lyrics to the song I wrote this weekend, which has apparently named itself "Home" and is currently playing on my profile as "Untitled by unknown artist" or some such crap. It's a bit of...
Posted by Karen on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 07:44:00 PST

No dating zone, people!

God bless 'em for trying. They say that the majority of people are on myspace trying to hook up. I don't know if that's true, but I'm here to tell everyone I'M NOT. Thanks. No thanks. Even though it s...
Posted by Karen on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 01:58:00 PST

Excitement/Must take a moment to fully endorse...

http://www.myspace.com/115089648  ...Where you'll find Beecake, a most extraordinary band. Check it out. Note to self... Must pimp to Songwriting students and anyone who'll listen... In other new...
Posted by Karen on Mon, 20 Nov 2006 05:24:00 PST

Things that make you go "$%.&**&^!!!!"

I, as a general rule, am clueless. I am a strong, intelligent, competent, visionary, clueless woman. It's pretty frustrating at times, especially when you ask questions about things that need to be do...
Posted by Karen on Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:35:00 PST

PT, poor, & loving it

Despite Hurricane season's best efforts, we've been in school for about three weeks now. In that time I've learned a few things. 1. Everyone would be a better teacher if they could get some sleep. Hel...
Posted by Karen on Fri, 08 Sep 2006 01:51:00 PST