The New Year

2017 has been a fantastic year!

I have had many wonderful touring opportunities with my solo concerts. I’ve performed concerts in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Florida. I also had another wonderful opportunity that stands out in my mind. I traveled to Washington D.C. to solo at The Kennedy Center with choral group Le Cantanti di Chicago for the 2017 Serenade! Choral Festival. This Festival celebrated John F. Kennedy’s 100th Birthday and was quite a cultural experience. There were choral groups from Latvia, Botswana, China, France and Canada, to mention a few Countries. While at the Festival, we got to know members of these superb choral groups from around the world as we learned about their music and cultures. In addition to the fantastic opportunity to solo at The Kennedy Center, I sang an improvised solo with the Mongolian Throat Singers. This was a spectacular cultural exchange!

I am now in my fifth year as an adjunct teaching artist in the Music Conservatory at the Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts). I absolutely love it and am so grateful for this opportunity to interact with exceptional students. I teach Keyboard Skills, Vocal Technique/Repertoire, Music Theory, along with Professional Development for Vocalists and Instrumentalists. I also teach Private Voice Lessons. This broad range of classes gives me a chance to get to know many students in the ChiArts Music Conservatory.

I have the daily pleasure of working with these exceptionally talented students, many of whom have won vocal/instrumental accolades. I am so proud of them. Lauryn has sung background for famed R&B artist Fantasia. Maya did a beautiful job performing excerpts from the role of Despina in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte. Elisha, Joshlyn and Jillian were featured in performances and interviews on WVON Radio. Chrisjovan has been named principal tuba chair for Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra’s 2017-2018 season. Sean is becoming quite the pop singer/songwriter and Ravyn is an Atlantic Records artist, touring America.

Students from my Professional Development classes (instrumental and vocal) did three outstanding performances for The Art Institute of Chicago Holiday Tea and Treasure Hunt. What a thrill that was! The assignment challenged students to select repertoire for the performances, create arrangements for their solos, duets and group numbers, work together collaboratively and present a professional concert. The students all did an outstanding job and the audiences absolutely loved their performances.

It is so fulfilling to see students pursuing their dreams and finding success.

In addition to a thriving professional career, I am grateful for many things in my personal life. I enjoy the love and companionship of my dear husband, Ed. We have a wonderful son Edward, who completed his Bachelor’s Degree in 2012 (Business major with a minor in Political Science). He completed his M.B.A. in 2014 and is currently in his last semester of Law School. We are so proud of Edward’s accomplishments. We are also very proud and delighted with a 2017 event in Edward’s personal life. Edward and Blythe are now the parents of Edward Christopher Wimp a.k.a. “E5.” This darling little guy is the fifth generation Edward Wimp in our family. Ed and I are very proud grandparents. Such a blessing!

As we embark upon 2018, I look forward to the many exciting experiences that this New Year has in store. I wish you and your family a fantastic year filled with great health, boundless happiness and love overflowing.