New Year’s Resolutions from Staff and Music Unites Artists

For the New Year we thought we’d ask our staff and Music Unites Artists to share their New Year’s Resolutions. A new year is always a good time to take a fresh look at life, what are you hoping to accomplish in 2018?

New Year’s Resolutions from Staff and Music Unites Artists

Leilah Smith

Leilah Smith is a freelance cellist who plays with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra and runs her own private studio. Leilah has performed many times with Classical Music Indy as an AfterSchool Indy, Senior Concert Series, and #RandomActsofMusic performer.

Every year I try to pick one word to meditate on it. 2018’s word will be “balance”.

I am going to focus on finding balance with how I spend my time. Less social media, more health (diet & exercise), teaching, practicing, performing for work, playing just for the love of it, personal time, and hopefully more time for the people closest to me. [I know… it’s a lofty one!]

Eric Salazar

Eric has been the Community Programs Manager at Classical Music Indy since 2016. He holds a B.M. in Clarinet Performance from Ball State University and an M.M. in Clarinet Performance from Bowling Green State University. He teaches music, performs, and composes, and can be heard on iTunes, Spotify, and other major music platforms. Eric actively writes, commissions, and premieres new works for himself and classical chamber ensembles.

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. I make New Year’s promises. My promise in 2017 was to position my ensemble, Forward Motion, in a place that ensured a successful future. I’ve kept good on that promise. Now, my 2018 promise is to build revenue for the ensemble to the point that its operations become sustainable.

My other promise is to take joy in all the little things in life. I want to appreciate every moment, because we’ll only get one 2018. I hope to spend a lot of time with family and friends and make an even greater impact in my community with music.

Tierney McGuire Wilson

Tierney is the Operations Manager for Classical Music Indy, and is responsible for all social media channels, ensuring workplace excellence, enhancing internal organization processes in the areas of finance, fundraising, development, internal operations, and supports community programs.

I’m not one for making resolutions, but in 2018 I hope to continue on the path I started in 2017 to be healthier. I want to be more active and ride my bike more. Because I run Classical Music Indy’s social media I have to be on Facebook daily, but I hope to also disengage from social media on a personal level some. I also want to attend more events downtown now that I live so close to Mass Ave.

Ingrid Rodriguez

Ingrid Rodriguez, Indy’s Classical Singing Virtuoso, performs classical concert arias, musical theater favorites, and American standards throughout Indianapolis. Ingrid has performed with Classical Music Indy as a Senior Concert Series and #RandomActsofMusic performer.

Ingrid has big plans for 2018. Her professional and personal goals include, finding some new Indy musicians to collaborate with, booking more performance gigs, mastering how to truly work a microphone, and visiting Italy for the first time.

Michael Toulouse

Michael is the Program Director and the host of Classical Music Indy’s signature program, Classical Music with Michael Toulouse. He has a B.A. in music from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, MN and continues to play piano and study foreign languages for his own pleasure and artistic growth. Michael was appointed Classical Music Indy’s program director and primary host in 2008.

I plan to put a little more time in at the piano. Although it will likely require more practice time to reach my goal, it’s not really a matter of hours and minutes. Instead, I’ll focus on output: two short pieces, played from memory, every month.

Anna Pranger Sleppy

Anna has been both an announcer and producer at Classical Music Indy, and is passionate about being part of an organization that is making a significant impact in the musical and greater community. In addition to a library science degree, she holds a Master’s in Music History and Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance.

I’m resolving for next year to commit myself more to yoga. I started doing it in 2017 and I’ve found it quite rewarding. Now that the holiday season is upon us, it’s kind of fallen by the wayside, but I want to make a conscious choice next year to make time for it.