This past summer I performed four times in Kansas during a three week period. Twice with violinist Maria Im, and twice with mezzo soprano Elizabeth Fildes. It is hard for me to fully describe how overwhelming each of these performances was for me. To feel the genuine appreciation for this craft from the audiences, the support system I've been lucky to have my entire life, was a feeling I will never forget. Those three weeks inspired an idea, a vision, for what is now The American Fusion Project.
This is not a school-initiated project or a class requirement. It is simply because I believe in the arts and feel a certain responsibility to make sure there is a place for the arts in the future. This is my contribution. The exciting, fast-paced world of New York City may seem inaccessible at times when surrounded by the wheat fields of Kansas (however beautiful and golden they may be) and so I am choosing to become the link from New York to Kansas through this project.
I cannot wait to bring this project to Kansas to share my world in New York with the many friends, family members, and students across Kansas. This project is taking me outside of my comfort zone, constantly pushing me to grow, think on my feet, and most importantly, helping to strengthen old ties and create new partnerships.