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Esperanza: Old Bank District Artwalk Esperanza  Esperanza is a singer with an amazing range. She blew away the crowds at the two previous Artwalks with her powerful delivery of original songs that originate deep within her heart. Esperanza has had to overcome a lot in order to persue her singing career. This is her story. CLICK HERE for VOICE LESSONS by ESPERANZA Becoming an Artist Esperanza is often asked when she first began singing. This question always surprises her as she has no memory of her first experiences with music. She finds this fact reassuring. For Esperanza, music is a place where other people's expectations cannot exist. Singing gives her joy. It has brought her out of her introspection and into the world. She'd be lost without music. Esperanza grew up in the foothills of Kentucky with the sounds of opera and her sister's rock records. By the time she left home, Esperanza had decided to become an opera singer. She left home for to Indiana University—reputed to have the best opera program in the country. After two frustrating years, she was informed by the faculty that there must be something physically wrong with her vocal cords. They could offer no other explanation as to why her voice was unstable and had less range than when she had started school. Upon her teacher's recommendation, the school decided that she should choose a career outside of music. Devastated, Esperanza left music and moved to LA to pursue acting. She loved acting but had no confidence in her musical abilities. Time passed and she fell into a group of people who preyed on her sadness and desperation. Finally, she emerged from her fog and realized that she had to find her way back to singing, otherwise, there would be no end to her dispair. She decided to drive to New York where she would start over and pursue music once again. Halfway through her trip, anxious to put miles behind her, Esperanza fell asleep at the wheel, ran off the road, hit four metal poles, and rolled several times. She was pinned inside the car with a broken neck. A farmer found her and called for help. A nurse pulled over and held her neck still. When the fire department arrived, they used the Jaws of Life to extract Esperanza from the wreckage. An ambulance, emergency plane, and helicopter ride later, she found herself in a Denver hospital in a metal cage with four big screws clamped into her skull. She thought she looked like Frankenstein. Esperanza went home to Kentucky to recover. The pain was incessant. She couldn't lie down because the screws in her skull pulled at Esperanza's skin and made her feel like her face would tear. All she could do was sit awake with the pain in her neck and the fifteen pounds of head-gear continuously bearing down on her shoulders. She wondered if the world would disappear behind the wall of pain. Fragile and cautious became Esperanza's secret description of herself. She stopped thinking about the pain and started thinking about all the mistakes and wrong turns she had taken. The disappointment was overwhelming. But she felt there was a reason she was still alive. She decided to write down her thoughts. The writing was tediously slow, as she had to hold up her notebook and pen to her face so that she could see what she was writing. As time passed, Esperanza had written enough to realize that breaking her neck was a gift. The time had come to forgive herself and accept where she was, so that she could begin healing both physically and emotionally. That period of time revealed to Esperanza that she was not only born to sing but also to write. As soon as she was able to, Esperanza went back to Los Angeles to produce a demo... but had gone back too soon. Her body had still not healed, and her voice, from lack of use, was weaker than before the accident. Very little came from her collaborations in Los Angeles. Desperate for a solution, she left again for New York (this time by plane) to work with another producer. This also came to nothing. It seemed no one could understand her vision or her voice. Finally, she decided to go out on her own. She no longer trusted voice teachers, producers— or anyone else. With money that she had saved, Esperanza decided to set up a home studio. She didn't know where to start, so her sister referred her to Drew Schnurr, a producer and friend. After Drew listened to her demo they had several conversations. It was decided that she should come back to LA to meet with him. She never went back to New York. Drew became her writing partner and producer. He sent Esperanza to work with vocal coach Ron Anderson who is world renowned for his vocal production with artists including Bjork, Natalie Imbruglia, Nelly Furtado, Anthony Kiedis, Mick Jagger, Axl Rose, and Janet Jackson. Ron helped Esperanza find her real voice and showed her how to use it. The songs that Drew and Esperanza write are of a vision that the two of them share. Such a partnership is truly rare. More time has passed. But this time she is making a record. Esperanza's dream of singing her songs and sharing them with anyone who will listen has finally come about. Nothing can keep her from singing. ........... Esperanza is now offering voice lessons for beginning singers. She has learned first-hand how improper training can damage young voices. If you have a child who is interested in singing, or are yourself a beginning singer, please contact Esperanza to schedule a no-obligation FREE trial lesson. CLICK HERE for VOICE LESSONS by ESPERANZA For inquiries call: 213.841.0650 [ back ] |