蜜糖直播

蜜糖直播 Boulder alum鈥攁 New York-based singer, actor and teacher鈥攊s equally at home performing in both opera and rock musicals. Indeed, she credits her undergrad in opera from the College of Music (BM 鈥�07)鈥攁s well as additional opera training in grad school at Roosevelt University in Chicago鈥攆or garnering such praise as 鈥渟weet-toned singing鈥� from the New York Post for her performance in 鈥溌�Figaro! (90210).鈥�

Specifically, Stewart recalls how鈥攊n her sophomore year at 蜜糖直播鈥攕he was cast as an understudy in Maurice Ravel鈥檚 鈥淟鈥檈nfant et les sortil猫ges: Fantaisie lyrique en deux parties,鈥� which taught her an important lesson. 鈥淏eing cast as an understudy in the principal role of the child was one of my most valuable learning experiences because it taught me the power of preparation,鈥� says Stewart, who was most recently seen in 鈥淪ondheim on Sondheim鈥� at FreeFall Theatre in a cast that included Ann Morrison (the original Mary in 鈥淢errily We Roll Along鈥�) and Kissy Simmons, who played Nala in 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� on Broadway. 鈥淚 had to go on for the last performance at Macky Auditorium, which was a huge shock to me.

鈥淚t was an even bigger shock for [former] Director of Opera Studies Bill Gustafson. He pulled me aside, put his hands on my shoulders and asked me if I was up for it. I said 鈥榶es鈥� and he said 鈥榶ou鈥檙e on, kid.鈥� I had fully prepared myself, and it went really well. Opera Music Director Nick Carthy gave me every single cue鈥攁nd a huge hug afterward.

鈥淣ow as a professional, I look back and recall how鈥攚hen you鈥檙e 18 years old or so鈥攎ost of us think it鈥檚 talent that will ultimately set us apart from our colleagues, but it鈥檚 not. It鈥檚 preparation that sets us apart. The more prepared you are, the more likely you are to find work.鈥�

Alongside her love of classical music by 鈥渁ngsty Germans鈥� and her work as an actor and voice teacher, Stewart moonlights as a front man in the Brooklyn yacht rock cover band 鈥淭hat Feeling When.鈥� She also founded and launched in 2017, comprising online modules that teach music theory to singing actors.

鈥淲hat set me on that path is that鈥攁t 18 years old and despite years of playing piano鈥擨 didn鈥檛 read sheet music well at all, having learned most of my pieces by ear,鈥� explains Stewart. 鈥淚 was in remedial theory my first year, five days a week.

鈥淭hat process of having to learn music theory from scratch as an adult, not as a kid, is what eventually led to my becoming a theory TA at Roosevelt University and then founding TheoryWorks to help others become more fluent in music theory.

As word of TheoryWorks gets around New York City, Stewart says it鈥檚 helping buoy her reputation as a professional musician and actor. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the result of what I call a 鈥榩arallel career鈥� approach that not only provides greater financial stability and peace of mind that comes from having multiple revenue streams, but also allows you to continue to pursue what you most love to do while maintaining a level of sanity and control over your life.鈥�

Put another way, Stewart adds: 鈥淭here are three veins to my career. I鈥檓 a performer, including debuting new works in the classical realm and collaborating with other singers, musicians and composers in the city. Most days, I鈥檓 also auditioning for musical theatre 鈥� and then there鈥檚 TheoryWorks.

鈥淓verything works together as a kind of cross-training for everything else. The more flexible and well-versed you can be鈥攕inging in different styles, performing in different genres and working with students, for example鈥攖he more you stand out as someone who can capably hit the ground running in a variety of roles and situations.鈥�

Stewart鈥檚 final bit of advice for current students? Don鈥檛 let anyone tell you that you can鈥檛 have your professional cake and eat it, too. 鈥淭he way I see it, the days of ditching your day job in order to pursue your dream job are over, in favor of creating parallel and complementary career tracks that are sustainable over time,鈥� she says. 鈥淚nstead of surviving on minimum wage to pursue your dream, I believe in finding the things in which you鈥檙e an expert鈥攐r can become an expert鈥攁nd making your way with diligence, perseverance 鈥� and preparation.鈥�