Kimberley Bechtold Artist Visa
Donation protected
Hello friends, family, colleagues, and beloved students!
As most of you know, after 10 years of living in New York, I moved to Berlin, Germany. I strongly believe this move is the correct one both for career purposes, as well as for a general quality of life in the long-term. During the past 10 years in New York, I obtained a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance from Brooklyn College Conservatory, started and developed my own Voice and Piano studio where I taught students ages 6-60, produced and performed in 10 variety show productions entitled Les Chanteuses, and had the pleasure of performing various roles including Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Lucy England in The Telephone, Colombina in Giovanni the Fearless (Off Broadway), Fleur de Lys in the world premiere of the opera,Hunchback, Marie in Anne Hutchinson, Brigitta in Iolanta, Mary in G Train the Musical, Ttchervyakov's Wife in Death of an Underling, and Mrs. Jenks in The Tenderland. I also had the pleasure of studying and performing the roles of Beatrice in Beatrice di Tenda, Sandrina in La finta giardiniera, Eternità in La Calisto, and Jouvenot in Adriana Lecouvreur in scenes productions in Urbania, Italy through the program, Si parla, si canta.
Reasons for this move include the immense opportunities offered here in Germany. Currently, Germany has 83 publicly-funded opera houses, many dating back to the country's old patchwork of duchies and principalities, as well as 130 orchestras, 200 privately funded theatres, and 70 music festivals. These opportunities pay (often) a salary and benefits, which is something quite difficult to find in America... There is even special health insurance devoted solely to artists!
I prepared for this move by working as hard as I could for the past year in New York, through teaching, catering, and working as a waitress every weekend for the past year (sorry friends for not having much free time over the past year). I have been hustling here in Germany since I arrived November 16th, and currently have not one, but TWO job offers! One for teaching piano and voice lessons, and the other to perform regularly! The issue is that, although I have worked as hard as I possibly could over the past year, I still am about $4,000 short of what is needed for my Artist Visa, which of course I need in order to begin working these jobs offered to me. I have everything else lined up (countless paperwork and the ever-difficult Anmeldung). I am humbly asking for any donation over these holidays (however small) to help me get my feet on the ground here and reach for my dreams :). I am happy to offer anyone who donates a complimentary voice or piano lesson via Facetime, Whatsapp, or Skype.
Thank you all so much, and Happy New Year from Berlin!
As most of you know, after 10 years of living in New York, I moved to Berlin, Germany. I strongly believe this move is the correct one both for career purposes, as well as for a general quality of life in the long-term. During the past 10 years in New York, I obtained a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance from Brooklyn College Conservatory, started and developed my own Voice and Piano studio where I taught students ages 6-60, produced and performed in 10 variety show productions entitled Les Chanteuses, and had the pleasure of performing various roles including Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Lucy England in The Telephone, Colombina in Giovanni the Fearless (Off Broadway), Fleur de Lys in the world premiere of the opera,Hunchback, Marie in Anne Hutchinson, Brigitta in Iolanta, Mary in G Train the Musical, Ttchervyakov's Wife in Death of an Underling, and Mrs. Jenks in The Tenderland. I also had the pleasure of studying and performing the roles of Beatrice in Beatrice di Tenda, Sandrina in La finta giardiniera, Eternità in La Calisto, and Jouvenot in Adriana Lecouvreur in scenes productions in Urbania, Italy through the program, Si parla, si canta.
Reasons for this move include the immense opportunities offered here in Germany. Currently, Germany has 83 publicly-funded opera houses, many dating back to the country's old patchwork of duchies and principalities, as well as 130 orchestras, 200 privately funded theatres, and 70 music festivals. These opportunities pay (often) a salary and benefits, which is something quite difficult to find in America... There is even special health insurance devoted solely to artists!
I prepared for this move by working as hard as I could for the past year in New York, through teaching, catering, and working as a waitress every weekend for the past year (sorry friends for not having much free time over the past year). I have been hustling here in Germany since I arrived November 16th, and currently have not one, but TWO job offers! One for teaching piano and voice lessons, and the other to perform regularly! The issue is that, although I have worked as hard as I possibly could over the past year, I still am about $4,000 short of what is needed for my Artist Visa, which of course I need in order to begin working these jobs offered to me. I have everything else lined up (countless paperwork and the ever-difficult Anmeldung). I am humbly asking for any donation over these holidays (however small) to help me get my feet on the ground here and reach for my dreams :). I am happy to offer anyone who donates a complimentary voice or piano lesson via Facetime, Whatsapp, or Skype.
Thank you all so much, and Happy New Year from Berlin!
Organizer
Kimberley Bechtold
Organizer