What is Andrew’s Destiny? “What began as a question…has evolved into a quest…. It has been ten years since I turned to embrace my artistic soul. With dedication and determination, I’ve nurtured that small seed. It has matured and is now ready to bloom. Please make a contribution today, and help ensure that its blossom will be shared, not hidden!”
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I’ve come a long way, but there’s more work to be done. Now you can help me reach my AD2005 goal by the end of this year.
So far, I’ve raised over $10,000 toward my “career launch” goal of $32,000, but Andrew’s Destiny needs your support. Being “at the right place at the right time” is one key to my success, and it is also expensive. You can help me have the resources available to make those critical auditions.
Donors who contribute $500 or more will receive a cool Ren T-shirt along with a copy of my new CD as a thank you gift. Plus, you’ll become part of the Friends of Andrew Ranson network, which entitles you to career updates and advance notice about upcoming performances.
Please consider making a tax-deductible, secure, on-line donation today. It’s easy, and safe. Just go to www.thefield.org/ctaa.htm, enter “Andrew Ranson” and the amount you’d like to give; then follow the instructions to click through.
All contributions made to “The Field” and earmarked for “Andrew Ranson” are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and are also eligible for matching gifts. If your organization has a matching gifts program, please return your completed matching gifts form to Andrew Ranson, 1920 E. 4th Ave., Stillwater, OK 74074, and THANK YOU!!!
The Field is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization serving the New York City performing arts community. Contributions made to The Field and earmarked for “Andrew Ranson” are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information about The Field contact: The Field, 161 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10013, (212)691-6969, fax: (212)255-2053, www.thefield.org. e-mail: info@thefield.org. A copy of The Field’s latest annual report may be obtained, upon request, from The Field or from the Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
If you want to know more about Andrew’s Destiny, read on. If you’d like to print something to take with you and review in detail as you consider your gift, you can download and print this pdf that answers the questions: “Why Andrew Ranson?” and “Why now?”, or the AD2005 brochure. Both documents provide additional context that I hope will help you see the merit of this effort; they also contain details about how to make your donation by check.
Also, find out how to support Andrew’s Destiny by purchasing Ren merchandise.
If you’d like to know how the funds will be applied, click here. If you have questions of your own, please call me at 203.912.0480 or email andrewranson@yahoo.com and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Thank you in advance for considering a generous gift, and I’ll see you at the opera!
What is Andrew’s Destiny
I am the son of an opera singer who walked away from her dream. My mother died of cancer when I was 12, but left me with the legacy of a voice and a seed of passion for opera. It began as a question: “What did my mom love about opera?” It has evolved into a quest.
At first I denied my artistic path. I graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College with a degree in Chinese Language and Culture. When I was not in China studying or working, I sang in collegiate and community choruses, but thought that for me, music belonged in the “extracurricular” realm. The first shift occurred when I attended a performance of Mozart’s Magic Flute at New York City Opera. As I sat listening to the tenor, an irrational thought occurred to me: “I need to be doing that!”
It wasn’t until several years later, after becoming an associate consultant with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Hong Kong and had begun to enjoy good professional success, that I realized I could no longer deny my artistic soul. I returned to the US to begin serious vocal study.
BCG gave me a part time job in the back office of their New York operation, and I spent the rest of my time in voice lessons, repertoire coaching, language lessons, and other singing related activities. After a year, I auditioned for music schools. I was accepted at both the Manhattan and Mannes schools of music, but decided that it was more practical to train privately while I continued to work part time to pay the bills.
During the next three years, I learned and performed my first operatic roles and worked as a church choir singer. In 1998, I left BCG to study in Italy for a month. To pay for the trip, I raised roughly $7,000, primarily from members of a very supportive church community.
When I returned to the US, I began working as a freelance management consultant while I continued to train and sing roles in small, semi-professional opera companies. At that time, I also began to do more solo oratorio and professional chorus work in the New York and New England regions. I had the good fortune to work with some very fine groups that included Voices of Ascension, Emmanuel Music, and the Waverly Consort, with whom I spent two satisfying seasons.
As an opera singer, a turning point came when I was chosen to be a Young Artist with the Pine Mountain Music Festival in Michigan. Those six weeks proved pivotal. I began working in a thoroughly professional opera environment. I learned a great deal and began to prove myself as an artist. Next came an engagement with the Opera Colorado Education and Outreach program, the highlight of which was singing the lead tenor, Count Almaviva, in a fully staged, costumed and orchestrated production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia for an audience of 2700 screaming teenagers!
More recently, I was in residence in with the San Diego Opera Ensemble as the John and Audrey Morava Young Artist. I sang Tamino and Don Ramiro in touring school productions of Mozart’s Magic Flute and Rossini’s Cinderella, and made my San Diego Opera main stage debut as Il Capitano in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra. This summer, I sang Nanki-Poo in Light Opera Oklahoma’s production of The Mikado, and Nelson Deadly in Too Many Sopranos. Now it’s time to return to the audition trail.
My mother planted a seed when I was young, and I suspect I inherited from her the talent with which I am blessed. It has been ten years since I turned to embrace my artistic soul. With dedication and determination, I’ve nurtured that small seed. It has matured and is now ready to bloom. Please make a contribution today, and help ensure that its blossom will be shared, not hidden!
| Donate to Andrew Ranson’s AD2005 Campaign now |
Updates
| Andrew's Destiny October 2005 Update (pdf) |
| Andrew's Destiny August 2005 Update (pdf) |
AD2005 Program Outline
At this stage in my singing career, I need to make the transition from apprentice artist to master performer. This transition will be costly and I am asking if you can assist me financially during this transition period.
I have developed a program, which I’m calling “Andrew’s Destiny” or “AD2005”, to make the transition, which at full cost would require approximately $32,000 over and above what I can put toward the effort.
I realize that $32,000 is a significant sum to request, but I believe it is an artistic investment in someone who is dedicated and determined to have a career. The National Endowment for the Arts and state arts councils do not support individuals in this way, and I must therefore call on support from other sources. Because I am a sponsored artist with “The Field”, a non-profit artist support organization, my supporters can make tax-deductible donations that are also eligible for matching gifts programs. In addition, I have paid a yearly membership fee to The Field, so 100% of the donations made to me there will be distributed to me (minus a 3% charge for on-line credit card donations).
Let me outline for you how any funds raised will be applied:
Training to refine and polish skills and expand repertoire (voice training with Gary Kendall; repertoire coaching with coaches in Tucson and New York; and audition and rehearsal pianists) |
$15,030 |
Travel and lodging expenses (the least expensive advance purchase when possible; I will lodge with friends and associates whenever I am able) |
$15,025 |
Wardrobe (one new audition suit and two “business casual” rehearsal outfits that will present a professional image) |
$ 2,000 |
Publicity (including a new promotional CD, new headshot photos, a website, a professional quality video, postage and various other marketing materials) |
$ 5,985 |
TOTAL |
$38,040 |
