Babelfish Hostel

entrance to Babelfish Hostel

Tonight is my first time staying in a youth hostel.  This one is called "Babelfish" and it's located directly across the street from the train station in Würzburg (no, I cannot hear the trains).  It has a common area and a kitchen, so I was able to get groceries and keep my yogurt in the fridge.

I chose to stay in a 4-person room, which has two Asian gals traveling together and one German guy sleeping in the bunk below me.  We have a bathroom and shower for the 4 of us to share.  Since this is my first time staying in a hostel, I really have no idea was the proper etiquette is.  I smile and say "hello" or "goodbye" when I enter or leave the room, and I asked the guy a few questions when I first arrived.  Other than that, I guess it's like camp, except we're not friends.

I always feel bad when I'm on the top bunk, because I move around a lot in the middle of the night.  Hopefully this guy doesn't get mad at me and break my laptop or something.  But, he just came back from his final smoke for the night, so I think we're even.

I had my first lesson in Würzburg tonight with a German professor.  Her English is really good, so that was helpful.  Same old story, though...I didn't get a proper warm-up before the lesson, which meant that I butchered the first aria, which meant that we worked on vocal exercises.  The vocal exercises is key, because that's when voice teachers can really get a sense for my capabilities.  The problem is that everyone has their own idea of what I should be singing.  As you may know, I have been working on a little bit of everything over the past few years, but focusing on full lyric soprano or borderline dramatic soprano repertoire.  Then this summer I had a break-through and started singing light lyric or borderline coloratura.  The high range I used to have several years ago returned to me, and I've been feeling like I'm finally singing what I should be singing.  Well, according to this teacher here in Würzburg, I am a mezzo soprano... I wonder if she may be partial, because she is a mezzo herself.  But regardless, she really helped me loosen some neck and throat tension.

It's frustrating to feel like I'm not gaining any ground with my voice.  If I want to audition in December to begin a master's program next spring (which I do!), I need to know what I should be singing!  Tomorrow I have a voice lesson with an American professor, so we'll see what she has to say.