INSTRUMENT: VOCALS/PIANO/KEYBOARD

WHY: I'D SAY MY MUSICAL ABILITY CAME FROM BEING THE YOUNGEST OF SEVEN AND LISTENING TO ALL MY SIBLINGS PRACTICE THEIR INSTRUMENTS GROWING UP. I STARTED PLAYING THE PIANO AT 5 YEARS OLD WHEN MY OLDER BROTHER JOE TAUGHT ME "JINGLE BELLS" TO PLAY WITH HIM AS A DUET FOR A PIANO RECITAL. I TOOK FORMAL LESSONS UNTIL COLLEGE AND THEN DECIDED TO PURSUE A MUSIC EDUCATION DEGREE.

MOST OF MY VOCAL TRAINING CAME FROM SITTING NEXT TO MY MOM IN CHURCH AND SINGING ALTO HARMONY WITH HER (UNTIL MY VOICE CHANGED, OF COURSE). IN COLLEGE, I HAVE TAKEN FORMAL VOICE INSTRUCTION AND HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE TOP CHAMBER CHOIR GROUP AT MY SCHOOL. I PLAYED A LITTLE GUITAR IN GRADE SCHOOL (STILL TRYING TO COPY JOE) BUT IRONICALLY GAVE IT UP IN FEAR OF HAVING TO SING AND PLAY AT CHURCH (LIKE JOE DID), SINCE SINGING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR.

FAVORITE SONG ON THE CD: AT THIS MOMENT: I GOT SHIVERS THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THIS SONG. THIS IS A SONG THAT CAN ONLY BE SUNG FROM THE HEART. IT'S A SONG THAT IN THE MOMENT OF SINGING IT, YOU'RE GIVING YOUR HEART TO GOD. IT DOES MORE FOR ME WHEN I SING IT THAN WHEN LISTENING TO IT BECAUSE JUST AS THE SONG SAYS "AT THIS MOMENT, I AM YOURS" AND THE WORLD CAN'T 'STEAL' THAT AWAY FROM ME. NO MATTER WHAT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD HAS BEEN LIKE LATELY, THE MOMENT I SING IT, I KNOW WHO I BELONG TO.