Tag: family

Prime Time – It’s my 47th Birthday!

A quick Google search yields many fascinating points about the cultural and scientific significance of prime number 47. One of my favorite factoids is that it was often used as running gag or an easter egg found in dialogue, on tech displays, and in shield percentages in Star Trek episodes. Here I am, referencing Star Trek (TNG, always)! I mean, this is full-on middle age.

Turning 47 feels like entering a new era of life.  It feels like a new beginning, like starting from scratch. As I refine and redefine myself and my purpose, I feel like a child in a big scary world. And yet, I can feel myself growing. 46 was one of the most difficult years of my life. Disappointment, loss, and despair seemed to increase around me daily. But I’m entering my 47th year with the knowledge and experience to weather storms like never before.

As the songs says, “the clouds grow thickest when the summit’s nigh.”

Conducting

Carnegie Hall, March 12-15, 2027

Carnegie Hall, 2019 – Midtown Manhattan, NYC

Become a ZSR Singer, and join me, along with other outstanding choruses from both school and community programs, for rehearsals and an unforgettable performance of Shawn Kirchner’s SONGS OF ASCENT, accompanied by professional orchestra and enhanced by stunning artistic projection.

Under the direction and artistic vision of yours truly, participating singers will take the stage at world-renowned Carnegie Hall (pictured) in New York City – an inspiring milestone that builds confidence, and strengthens musicianship. 

READY TO SIGN UP TO SING WITH ME IN NEW YORK? 

Register here

2027 ZSR SINGERS SUMMER INTENSIVE – ALMOST TIME!

We have a location! We’ll be hosted by Church of the Good Shepherd in Arcadia, and registration opens June 1. Here’s the updated flyer:

Singing

Here’s a snap shot of what it can be like to sing choir music together for fun with people you love!

For Fun

Happy May!

Shawn Kirchner and Zanaida Robles singing together in a home studio
Sing with Shawn and Zanaida at Carnegie Hall… (see above)
Guava flowers on our miracle tree mean lots of guavas this fall.
Biking along the river across the street.
I got an award from my alma mater! CSULB’s “49 Under 49” Award for Distinguished Alumni
Archie, the weird and lovable
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Singers are athletes (and gamers)!

I live with a family of gamers. Therefore, I too am a gamer. Video games don’t come naturally to me, but I can get by and have fun. I also like watching my family members play video games from time to time because I love to see the excitement and joy it brings them. I play and watch video games with my family to show them that I appreciate the value and meaning in the games they play. But recently, my husband got me into a game I love to play myself. 

I love Doom!
I mean, I love playing the XBox oneX version of the 2016 reboot of Doom. The first time I ripped off a demon’s arm from it’s socket and used it to pulverize that same demon’s skull into a million bloody pieces, thereby increasing my health meter, I was hooked! The music is epic and the graphics are incredible. Here are all the lessons I’m learning from Doom that are applicable to my life as a parent, musician, and teacher:

  1. Chores and projects are like demons coming to reduce your health meter.
  2. Slaying demons increases your health meter.
  3. Sometimes you don’t have enough energy in your health meter to slay the big demons.
  4. Sometimes you have to slay a few lesser demons to build up your health meter so you can take on the bigger demons with full health.
  5. When the demons are upon you, keep moving! Never stop moving!
  6. You can’t jump to a higher ledge if you’re not looking up!
  7. When the pace slows down and the demons are at bay, take time to reorient yourself and enjoy the beauty of the martian surface around you.
  8. Take time to search for hidden pathways and find secret treasures like keys and weapons upgrades that can help you slay demons more efficiently.
  9. As you advance, the demons get, bigger, uglier, and harder to slay.
  10. Sometimes you just want to shoot some random inanimate objects. It doesn’t advance your mission, but it’s entertaining and enables you to practice your aim.
  11. As the demons get harder to slay, your weapons become more potent and your health meter lasts longer.
  12. When the game ends and the credits roll, you won’t remember all times you died. You’ll think back on the good ol’ times you had slaying all those demons with your mad skills and cool weapons. 

Many thanks to my husband for enabling my discovery of the art of video games. It’s amazing how well concepts and skills used in video games can translate to our everyday life and work. I’m glad my kids get to play so much – they’re learning a lot!

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