Notes from the Past

Now I should preface this by explaining that I had always done pretty well in auditions at my old school – I always got to at least the callbacks stage of the process. What my little elementary-school self did not grasp at the time was that I was a bit of a big fish in a small pond, if you know what I mean.

So I showed up to audition for The Wizard of Oz and was a bit blown away by the number of students auditioning. Students at my last school had not had quite this much interest in the musical arts. It began to dawn on me that my small pond had turned into an ocean.

I sat in my seat, watching the students auditioning before me. As their beautiful melodies filled the room, it quickly became clear that the competition for main parts was going to much fiercer here than what I was used to. My confidence began to evaporate into thin air like water on a hot sidewalk.

I sat, frozen in my seat, unsure of whether to make a run for it or stay and make an attempt at auditioning. While I was fighting this inner battle, a classmate took the stage and began to sing. Everyone stopped to listen as her strong but gentle voice filled the auditorium.

It was clear to everyone that she possessed talent way beyond her years. While other auditioners were clearly shaking in their shoes (me included), she held herself in the kind of confidence you rarely see in a ten-year-old.

I’m sure you can guess how this chapter ended – she won a lead role (which she very much deserved!) and I survived the audition process and was cast as a munchkin or some other supporting role.

As the year went on, I got to know Sarah, the girl with the amazing voice. She was as sweet and lovely as her voice, and carried over that confidence to her everyday life as well. During a time when most girls were trying on different personalities and finding where they fit in, Sarah seemed to already know exactly who she was. We became friends and I enjoyed her company and sense of humor.

After a while, we all went our separate ways and continued our educations at different schools. I lost track of Sarah, as often happens with friendships at that age, but always remembered her amazing talent.

Fast forward to a little over a year ago when I was paging through an online auction for charity. One of the items caught my eye – it was a jazz album by Sarah DeLeo. Could it be the same Sarah? I clicked on the cover to enlarge it and there she was looking back at me! A quick Google search showed that she was indeed the same Sarah and now had a recording career in New York.

I shot off a quick e-mail and was thrilled to reconnect with this long lost friend when she answered back! As I had the opportunity to listen to her recordings, I could see that my memory of her talent had not been exaggerated by time as many childhood recollections are.

If you are looking for some new music to add to your collection, I highly recommend you check out Sarah DeLeo’s work! She has developed a style that is all her own and uses it to put a fresh twist on many old classics.

You can become a fan of Sarah’s on Facebook or check out her website (which has some great samples of her work, so turn on your speakers!) for more information about her.