OK -- my turn to feel just a *smidge* insulted ;-)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lea Ann Martin" <LeaAnn@k...>
To: <vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 8:35 AM
Subject: Re: [vocalist] to Lea Ann, connecting threads..
<< snip >>
> Deanna, I am sorry you think about that...just remember I live in
Topeka,
> Kansas....a yucky dirty gross place...and home of Fred (evil)
Phelps...world
> renowned for his hate signs and nastiness.
I'm originally from Fort Scott, KS, grew up in Kansas City, MO
(1953-1972), lived in Lawrence (1972-1976), and I still have a lot of
friends from college and high school in the area. I visit there at
least every 2-4 years, and know a number of folks involved in music
and dance. While living in Lawrence, I spent a LOT of time in Topeka,
driving US-40 a couple of times a month, and working in Leavenworth
(driving a lot of back roads), so I know the area very well. I was
last in Topeka .. let's see ... the year of my 30-year high school
reunion, so that was 1999. Yes, Phelps is a pig, but he doesn't
represent Topeka, and no one with two brain cells would consider him
"typical" of the mindset there. Topeka's a fairly typical midwestern
state capital, with a pretty good university (Washburn), and a
wonderful zoo (I was a volunteer there while I lived in Lawrence). I
auditioned at Washburn on piano and won a scholarship, but ended up
going to William Woods College in Fulton, MO (also on a scholarship --
big mistake, that).
> I can only speak for the going
> rate here....PhD's here make 45.00 an hour. In Kansas City 60 miles
down
> the road....voice teachers start at 45.00 a half hour (from what I
can tell
> from calling around)
I think that someone is pulling your leg. According to a couple of
folks I know in KC, the average rate is probably closer to $45 per
HOUR, with a range from about $35 to around $60. (In fact, one of my
friends, who teaches guitar in Westport, wants to know who is charging
$90/hour, since he's never heard of *ANYONE* charging that much for
lessons, voice or otherwise). By the way, at the UMKC Conservatory's
Community Music and Dance Academy, the fees are $220 for 9 one-hour
private voice lessons.
Closer to Topeka, though, have you looked at the University of Kansas
in Lawrence? It's only 20 miles from you, and I know for a fact that
it has a marvelous music program. It's also a culturally and
politically diverse community (I remember when I lived there you could
join the American Communist Party or the John Birch Society, and
everything else in between if you so desired.) If you decide to
change teachers, I'd probably start there. If you find the professors
too expensive (or unable to take on private students), I'm sure they
have graduate vocal pedagogy students who might jump at the chance to
get some practical experience.
> I hope that makes you feel better....when you think
> about me saying that...just add in "well she lives in a dirty gross
city in
> the middle of nowhere"
I'm sorry you so dislike living in Topeka, but ... you're 20 miles
from KU in Lawrence (and the nearly-new Lied Center), 55 miles from
UMKC Conservatory (not to mention Kansas City Lyric Opera, Kansas City
Symphony, etc.), 50 miles from Kansas State University in Manhattan,
40 miles from Baker University in Baldwin, and 50 miles from Emporia
State University in Emporia. Let me know when you move to someplace
like Havre, Montana, and we'll talk "middle of nowhere." :-) OK, so
Topeka isn't NYC or San Francisco, but it's hardly a cultural
wasteland. I'd move back to Lawrence in a heartbeat if it weren't for
the weather there. Your mileage, of course, may vary.
Cheers!
Lana Mountford
(UMKC Conservatory 1960-1969, 1970-1972 -- piano scholarship student
(with Walter Cook))
(KU 1972-1976 -- piano performance (with Richard Angeletti),
composition/conducting, theater)
A A
/ \_---_/ \ Lana Mountford
{ } Kenmore, WA USA
( O O ) l.s.mountford@a...
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