Last weekend, after I finished singing one of my masses (I’m a cantor at a church in Sunnyside), two sisters of mercy from Ireland came up to me and asked,
“Do you know you have a gift?”
No one had ever asked me such a question before. I was rendered speechless for about ten seconds before I could respond that Yes, I do indeed know that I have a gift. God has blessed me with a voice…a voice that can make people happy, make people cry, make people feel. And this weekend, I’m using this gift to heal.
I’m singing in two September 11th memorial services tomorrow. I’ve found myself lately wondering how the world can be so bleak and cruel sometimes, but in the midst of the sorrow, I realized that I can do something to unite people, and to soothe pain. And luckily it’s the one thing I know how to do well.
So if anyone is in the Woodside/Sunnyside area tomorrow, there will be an All Faiths memorial service in Queen of Angels Church in Sunnyside http://queenofangelsnyc.org/. My two choirs that I direct and myself will be singing some songs in this. If you are in the city, I will be part of the choir singing Mozart’s Requiem and other works. This memorial also remembers those lost in the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and features orchestra and choir members from Japan. The choir and orchestra also consists of the unknown species — the Queens College music majors. This service is at Riverside Church http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/.
So for anyone who wasn’t sure how they could remember 9/11 tomorrow, maybe one of these services will help you out.
I have a gift. And I wanna give it out to everyone.
Always,
Nicholle B.
P.S.
For those of you who have wanted to see me in action, here’s a snippet of me doing an aria at the Westchester Summer Vocal Institute in June 2011.
