From Lisa – Fresh Voices, Apprentices, and… Taxes?

Which one of these is not like the other one? Taxes!

This year’s FRESH VOICES, entitled “ReEvolution”

The annual Fresh Voices show is one of my favorites every season.  After getting to know the current season’s apprentices, it’s so much fun to see what they create, what subject they choose to tackle, and how. Sometimes it’s a predictable choice, other times it’s a complete surprise.

Every year, in the months and weeks leading up to Fresh Voices, I hear snippets of conversations about their solo and ensemble works-in-progress as they pass by my office to theirs. Until the first sharing (when the apprentices share what they’ve created so far to the ensemble and we offer feedback), I’m left speculating as to what this year will hold. Today marks our first sharing – can’t wait!

Last year’s apprentices, after their FRESH VOICES.

Today also marks the deadline to get the 1099’s out the door to last season’s apprentices. So this week I sent off messages to the 2011-12 apprentices who’ve all moved, some just a few miles away, others across the country or state. Amidst the address confirmations was the inevitable catching up– “I saw on facebook your show just opened, how’s it going?” or “how’s the rehearsal you just started?” or “how’s teaching been going?” etc., followed by the “what’s going at Touchstone, how’s Fresh Voices?” Most of them had kept up with Fresh Voices via facebook and sent their support to this year’s group, remembering probably all too well this time in the process split between the joy and stress of a creating new work. The ones too far away wishing they could come back and see the show and the company.

The timing has never worked like this before, but I had so much fun catching up with the “old” and sharing the “new” swirled around taxes and Fresh Voices. I hope the timing works out like this next year too.

The 2012-13 apprentices. We’ll see their FRESH VOICES in just under a month!