Carnegie Bound Tara Troiano

It is often thought that the fastest route to Carnegie Hall is practice. I would never discredit the importance of practice, knowing its vitality in my own vocal development, but I believe confidence is equally important to success for any performer.

My journey to Carnegie Hall began in my star-spangled dress at my first-grade talent show. After persistent encouragement from my mother and grandmother, I had prepared my own rendition of “The Prayer”, to audition for a spot in the annual show. An introvert by nature, public communication had never come easily to me and my tendency to remain silent had become an identity. Nothing compared to my peers’ shocked faces when I cautiously approached the dimly lit stage. Despite my thorough practice, I skipped a verse, feeling utterly defeated as I exited the stage.

For a long time after that first performance, I routinely became petrified when onstage. Because of my lack of confidence, despite my training, my voice’s quality rarely translated to live performance, and to save myself from future embarrassment I settled for private lessons and putting on never publicly enjoyed shower performances.

It wasn't until my freshman year of high school that I began to emerge from my musical...