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| Issue #22 / Winter 2008 |
 America's Got Talent |
Installment
10 Conclusion |
| by Carol Taubl |
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Week 2 of the
America's Got Talent live shows was a continuing,
escalating nightmare. The performance itself was
fraught with trouble, the judges comments were harsh and
a little too pointed, and now we faced the part of the
bad dream where you really hope you wake up, because if
you don't, you are doomed. Only we didn't wake up.
It wasn't a dream. I think we all opened our eyes
on Wednesday morning hoping it was still Tuesday and
that the whole thing had been a product of some bad
digestion from dinner the night before, but sadly it was
all too real. And what we were facing as those
alarm clocks went off and we dragged ourselves out of
bed was a day of more make up and costumes and
rehearsals, but the storm clouds looming on the horizon
took the joy out of it all, and we trudged on ignoring
the stomach ache and nervous dread.
We arrived on set early
again, but this time it was difficult to stay focused.
We were fighting an awful paradox of hoping that we
would advance while knowing that the odds were stacked
against us. Around 11am, they called us up to the
stage to rehearse the results show, and we assembled as
we had before, but nothing felt the same. The
cavernous backstage area suddenly seemed suffocating,
and we all found ourselves seeking asylum in the outdoor
area just outside the backdoor of the stage. The
warmth of the sunlight reminded us that life would go on
even after the show ended, but the brilliance of this
California sun also brought to light the pain etched so
clearly in everyone's faces. |
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As we had the week
before, we lined up on stage to practice what we
were to do if we advanced, and what we were to do if
we were eliminated. All of our friends
surrounded us, and it was then that the reality
began to set in. We had an entire new sphere
of existence here on America's Got Talent. The
producers had become almost like family, and the
production assistants were like extra children
adopted into the family. Almost
simultaneously, we all began to realize that
elimination not only meant that we would not be
performing again on this stage, but worse yet, that
there would be a continent between us and our
beloved California friends. Pain upon pain,
worry and more worry. And the hours ticked by
so slowly as we waited.
I honestly don't
remember much about that afternoon or the moments
leading up to the results show. But I do
remember the gnawing ache in my stomach. We
all walked on stage that night knowing that it was
the end. But it still broke my heart to see my
children cry with disappointment as we walked off
stage, having just been told our fate. There
were no off stage interviews, no stage assistants
telling you where your next appointment was.
It was over. Our little friend Kaitlyn Maher
was the first to hug us, and her dear mom and dad
quickly followed. We looked around the
backstage area as we were being herded off to the
waiting van, and we saw tears in many eyes - the
unseen reality of reality TV. We had a short
waiting period in the 'smoking' area just outside
the stage where we were told to wait for the van. And it was here that an amazing, merciful act of
kindness lent a healing balm to the overwhelming
sadness.
Because the actual
show was over, the fans that had been in the
audience were milling around in the outside spaces
of the set, hoping to catch a glimpse of their
favorite act or one of the celebrity judges. We knew that many eyes were upon us, having just
been eliminated, and we were so desperately trying
to put a brave face on it all, but without much
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We noticed a bit
of a commotion stirring up near the front door
of the building, and craned our necks to see the
source of it. Sharon's Bentley limo drove
up each night after the show and when she and
Ozzie exited, it was always quite a scene.
Figuring that was the source of the melee, we
settled back to wait for our ride. In an
almost Biblical parting, the crowds suddenly
separated and Jerry Springer walked between
them, shaking hands and signing autographs as he
went, but clearly searching for someone.
Then he looked up and saw us, and with an 'oh,
there you are,' he offered his condolences and a
hug for each of us, just what we needed in this
incredibly disappointing moment. He shared with
us how deeply touched he was by our music, and
by our family, and how he so wanted us to
continue doing what we do. He had an extra
hug for Emily and told her how beautiful her
voice was and made her promise that she would
continue to share her gift with audiences across
America. And then he was whisked away. But we were profoundly touched by his kindness.
Our
flights were quite early the next morning, and we had
much packing to do. A month of hotel living had
wreaked havoc on the orderliness that had marked the
beginning of our journey, and we had only a few hours to
try to squeeze everything into the suitcases.
There was mercy in the exhaustion that caused us to fall
asleep immediately. The inevitable disappointment
and sadness could wait for morning
Surprisingly, everyone
was quite upbeat on the long plane ride home. We were
all quite weary of hotel living, and we were glad to be
getting home to friends and school and normalcy.
We spent a great deal of time as we traversed the
continent talking about what the future held, and where
we would go from here. When the airplane finally
began its descent into Hartford airport, it all seemed
right and as it should be. Boyfriends met us at
the baggage claim, and that old familiar van was waiting
for us, eerily similar to the one we had been carted
around in while in Los Angeles. Home looked really
good, but nothing was quite as wonderful as sleeping in
our own beds finally.
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The kids enjoyed relative celebrity status at their schools when they finally returned, but their grades took a serious hit with the extended absence. This, and the financial shortfall caused by a month with no salary, made the transition a trying one. But the most difficult thing by far for all of us when we returned to our 'normal' lives was the sudden vacuum of identity. For so many months, we had the America's Got Talent banner hanging over all that we did, and suddenly it was gone.
But it is in these catastrophic spaces of disappointment and difficulty that you realize the foundations on which your life is built. Hoped for fame and fortune are like snowflakes falling on a pond. They are beautiful and breathtaking as you experience them, but once they land, they disappear into the moisture that was always their make up. Hollywood was stunning and exciting and exhilarating, but our faith and our family and our friends are the things that truly define us and give us hope that tomorrow will be brighter.
And so ends the saga...but not the dreams. Please continue to check our website regularly for new and exciting details, and let us hear from you. We love keeping in touch with our new found friends!
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Photo
by
Rick Scanlan
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Gretchen's Heart for Orphans |
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In early December, 2008, the Taubl Family was honored to be a part of the annual tree lighting in Stamford, CT.
On a brutally cold December evening, thousands assembled to see Santa rappel down the side of a skyscraper in downtown, and then made their way down the street to Latham Park to hear some Christmas music by the Taubl Family!
Following the festivities, we were invited to the home of some dear friends for delicious food and warm fellowship. |
After dinner, our hosts shared with us a cause that was dear to their heart. They showed us photographs of an orphanage in Bogotá, Colombia, where they had spent many weeks working with and being blessed by these children. Then we were told the story of the saintly nun and other volunteers who took care of these little ones that had no place to go. Gretchen was touched by the faces and overwhelmed by the need, and expressed interest in going down to Colombia on the next trip.
In early January, Gretchen learned that she was officially invited to make the trip, and thanks to the generosity and vision of our wonderful friends, all her expenses were to be paid. Gretchen will be bringing a shipment of violins to these orphans, and helping to set up a string program for these precious souls. She will be leaving February 7 and returning February 14.
Check out the website of this amazing place and learn more about their mission to rescue these innocent little ones. If you want to learn more about the mission, or if you are wondering what you can do to help,
please contact us at tpianist@aol.com |
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Emily and the Hartford Symphony |
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After winning the prestigious Van Rooy competition last fall, Emily was asked to perform with the Hartford Symphony in January of 2008. Emily was thrilled with the opportunity to work with such a wonderful orchestra.Shortly after that first appearance, Emily received a call from the conductor asking her to appear on a regular season concert in January, 2009. January 8 - 11 marked Emily's return to the Hartford Symphony stage, this time performing Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major. Four nights of performing can be a daunting experience, but she handled it beautifully and each night brought more excitement and energy. The picture above left was her dress rehearsal on Wednesday, January 7. Above right is Emily with her mom backstage on Thursday evening, opening night, nervous but excited, looking radiant in her lavender taffeta gown. Click here to listen to an excerpt of her performance.
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Here is an excerpt of the review written in the Hartford Courant. "Cellist Emily Taubl joined the orchestra as soloist in the Haydn Concerto in C Major to close the first half of the program. Taubl performed Tchaikovsky's "Pezzo Capriccioso" with the HSO last January. Since then, her family, all nine of them, were finalists on NBC's show "America's Got Talent."
Taubl, a Yale grad now earning a second degree at Hartt, most certainly "got talent." She may project a relaxed and focused exterior, but she has a charismatic musicality. She plays with extraordinary accuracy and lightness. Her passage work in the third movement, taken at breakneck tempo, was breathtaking. In a work with a maze of different themes and passages, she led us through with clarity, logic and conviction. Taubl is going places." |
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School events for the boys! |
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This has been a very tricky first semester for the boys. Due to America's Got Talent appearances, they had to miss several weeks at the beginning of the year, and spent the rest of the marking period catching up. One highlight of that first semester was Jack's performance in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Jack played the part of Oberon, king of the fairies, and was quite convincing. We didn't' know we had a Shakespearean actor in our midst, but the experience gave Jack a lot to think about in terms of pursuing acting perhaps in college. |
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The
weekend of March 19-21 was the exciting
performance of Peter Pan at the boys'
school. This is Jack masquerading
as Captain James Hook, with Sam and
James hiding in the pirate troupe. The show was great fun, and Jack enjoyed
being the humorous villain, and getting
to kill his brother Sam on stage! |
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YouTube |
One of the real perks of participating in America's Got Talent is the national exposure that we received. The estimated audience for each of the live shows that we performed on was around 15 million people. We have heard from so many of you, and that has been an amazing thing. We also have our performances posted on YouTube, so you can share them with your friends, or just go watch them once more yourself. So many of you have shared that the music is able to bring a smile to your face, even when you are feeling down. That is a wonderful thing. So check out the videos, and let us hear from you soon!
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| New York Audition - Sound of Music |
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| "Umbrella" Performance |
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"When You Believe" Performance |
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