Natalia comes with ‘Strings’

"It’s a humbling experience. Oliver is a child prodigy and Jeremy is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in England. They are excited about touring. As for me, I’m kinda nervous because I hope to be up to par. It’s for me to keep up my end of it," Natalia said.

She said their billing for the show occurred "by chance." Through a friend of a friend, the two agreed to come to Trinidad. Natalia has never met them but has only communicated with them via telephone.

Since her schooling at Mannes University in Manhattan over the last two years, Natalia has rubbed shoulders with several professionals in her field. Currently she is pursuing a diploma in voice. Prior to her coming home for vacation, she received high commendation for her dramatic performance as actress and singer in the play Mefistofele by Boito.

"I sang a very difficult dramatic role as Marguerite. I did it really well and it was a personal achievement. My scene was chosen to end the show." She credits her association with the local theatre company Strolling Players for her performance.

Being the only Caribbean student at the college can have it’s highs and lows. Natalia explained: "It’s a little bit alienating. However, their (students) impression of me is what they think of Trinidad." And how do they consider the well-articulated 23-year-old?

"They say my accent is unique and beautiful!" and the compliments go on. She said, however, that being an international student has been a struggle. "My struggle is not unique though. Anybody who wants to pursue a music career has an uphill battle... As an international student, you can’t work in the first year and there are the challenges that come with that."

On completion of her diploma, she wants to learn a second language to aid in vocal pronunciation and technique and "bring what I learn back to Trinidad." She revealed that her voice teacher, Marian Thompson, and vocal coach, Jeffrey Middleton at Mannes, have advised that as an older student of vocal training, she should focus on gaining an exposure to various forms of music. Her preference is Italian.

From now until the concert, Natalia will be concentrating on rehearsals. Oliver and Jeremy will visit Trinidad one week before the concert for rehearsals. "I try to do my exercising and vocalising two to three times a week. I do a lot of breathing exercises for strength." She revealed some personal do’s and dont’s she tries to stick by. "I don’t drink milk because it causes phlegm in my throat. I don’t like to use throat lozenges because, while they have a soothing effect, they anesthetise your throat. That could harm your throat when you’re singing. And of course, I drink a lot of water, which is recommended for everyone."

She said it had become a norm for her to fall ill with the cold before any performance because of the mounting stress and anxieties. She recalls well her ill-fated experience when she sang, despite having laryngitis, during her operatic aria solo piece at her first musical festival performance in 1997. She placed third. "It’s a physical, mental and vocal stress you go through in singing before an audience," she explained.

At the 2004 Music Festival she achieved several wins which she refers to as milestones. Among them were Operatic Aria/Ladies Voice, Operatic Duet with Vanessa Bushe, and the Championship Award for Most Outstanding Performer.

She has on her team of organisers for the concert, her mother Annette and sister Christiane.

Natalia, whose parents are also singers, began singing at age 11 while a student at Providence Girls High School. She also sang in the choir at St Finbar’s Church. Under the guidance of school choir mistress, Lorna Myers, she joined the Lorna Myers Chorale and later, graduated to singing with the Love Movement. She has been a member of the Marionettes Chorale for three years now.

Although a lover of all types of music, it is not uncommon to hear Natalia belting notes to jazz songs in the shower or when relaxing at home.

"Within the classical sphere I admire Renee Flemming. My voice has been compared to her a lot," she said.

Her ultimate goal is to become an opera singer. She added: "I’ve never been one to plan ahead. But I’ve always been very competitive and when I enjoyed something and was good at it, I wanted to do the best in that. But my immediate goal is to fully explore my voice."