Revival: How a Tenor Lost his Voice, but Found his Calling

Today, being November 5th, I would normally be talking about Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up the houses of parliament in London many years ago. We English have been burning him in effigy for a very long time.  However, it is my pleasure to allow Mark Koopmans to tell you about his Memoir which I was lucky enough to read already and which I found to be an excellent book and sympathetic story. I am delighted to count Mark as a very good friend and I do hope this book has the success it deserves.

Aloha,

Continuing the Book Tour for REVIVAL – The Donald Braswell Story, I am heartily grateful to Jo

for allowing me to share a recipe and explain a little about why I wanted to write about Donald in the first place.

I’m a person full of curiosity (all my friends are nodding), and as I watched Donald on America’s Got Talent, I simply wanted to know more about this “Texas Tenor.” (Living, as I was then in the San Antonio area, one was not likely to trip over many home-grown opera singers.)

When I discovered Donald actually lived within the readership area of the newspaper where I worked as a staff writer, I felt like a little kid in a candy store. (Now I could ask for an interview, without fear of attracting my usual “weird Irish stalker” label!)

As previously mentioned in Melissa’s post (Monday), it was the backstory of Donald’s journey that appealed to my writing chops.

Over time, Donald and I met for numerous interviews, and thank goodness I always brought my recorder, because my jaw and pen would often fight for the first one to hit the floor.

On many occasions, I would think there’s no way this could have happened, but it did, and now I truly believe in miracles—especially musical ones. (You’ll see what I mean when you meet Walter on page 142 of REVIVAL.)

Tomorrow, I’m off to Eva Solar’s blog to discuss “why I write” (and she also has a sweet story to share about our writing/blogging history.)

PS: Thanks again, Jo, and happy Guy Fawkes Day to everyone in the realm of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. (In honor of the foiled plot to blow up the House of Lords in 1605, I humbly offer up the traditional English Shepherd’s Pie as my recipe.)



REVIVAL - The Donald Braswell Story Subtitle: How a Tenor Lost his Voice, but Found his Calling Authors: Donald Braswell with Mark Koopmans Release Date: November 03, 2015

From Juilliard to jumper cables; from wasting all the talent in the world to America’s Got Talent, this is the story of the Texas opera singer who lost his voice—but found his calling.  Five years removed from his 1990 Juilliard graduation, Donald Braswell is set to be “the next Pavarotti.” Braswell’s successful career ends, however, not with a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall, but alone, lying in a dirty ditch. Following the hit-and-run accident that steals his voice and future, the “Texas Tenor” struggles with depression and despair—until the night his daughter, Aria, is born. Understanding this new and immediate life change, Braswell fights to relearn how to speak, sing—and share this gift of second chances with others. Working as a plasterer, a car salesman, and many jobs in-between, it takes thirteen years—and a musical miracle—for Braswell to battle back and sing on a professional stage. His dreams and ambitions collide with a tired and angry crowd when he auditions for America’s Got Talent. For his family, his faith and his entire future, can the Rocky Balboa of the operatic world find the courage and strength to win just one more fight?

To buy, follow the links below.
 
● Amazon.com
● Barnes and Noble   

Mark Koopmans is originally from Ireland. After working in Holland, Spain, France and England, he

won his U.S. “Green Card” in 1994, and is an American by choice since 2003. Koopmans began his writing career with a feature for a regional magazine in California. Since then, he’s worked as a staff writer for newspapers in Florida and Texas. Koopmans is also a proficient blogger and is working on his next book, a novel. Koopmans lives in Virginia and is a married, stay-at-home dad to three active boys under the age of nine. He writes at night. Find his blog at markkoopmans.blogspot.com. :

Donald Braswell II is an American actor, classical crossover tenor
and composer. Braswell was on a fast track to become an internationally acclaimed opera singer when he suffered a car accident in 1995 that made him unable to speak for almost two years. After that, he lived a quiet life

outside of the spotlight until his appearance on the 2008 season of America’s Got Talent where he was a Top 5 finalist, which gave him another chance at a career in entertainment. Since then, he has entertained audiences both internationally as well as shore to shore in the United States in concerts, television appearances, inspirational speaking and radio. He boasts an international fan club with fans from over 25 countries. Braswell has reentered the world of music by singing in concerts starting with the Symphony of the Hills in Kerrville, Texas in June 2009. He performs a variety of musical genres ranging from pure classical repertoire to soul to mainstream pop. He engages people of many cultures by singing in various languages outside of English, including Spanish, Italian, Neapolitan, French and Russian. His concerts are generally multilingual, and he has performed pieces that are themselves in more than one language. Some of these include: Mario Frangoulis bilingual version of “Nights in White Satin” (Italian title “Notte di luce”), originally by The Moody Blues; “The Prayer”; and Andrea Bocelli’s “Vivere” (English title “Dare to Live”). His other non-English repertoire includes Aqustin Lara’s “Rosa” (Spanish), Mario Frangoulis’s “Vincerò, perderò” (Italian) and the Neapolitan standard “O sole mio”. Some of his many compositions can be heard on his recent album We Fall and We Rise Again. Donald is a testament to the powers of the human spirit in difficult times and he inspires all who come to know him. Find him at donaldbraswell.com Braswell finished in the top 5 of America’s Got Talent, Season 3 (2008). Watch his inspiring first NBC audition here.



Mark tells me his favourite comfort food is Shepherd's Pie. This recipe is called Irish but to me it's a traditional English dish. However, this is a very upmarket version of this staple British dish. Once upon a time, in traditional England, a roast was served on Sunday, then, because it was washday on Monday so the housewife didn't have time, it was served sliced cold. Tuesday the meat was then ground (minced to us) and made into a pie. There is some argument over whether, made with beef it should be Cottage Pie, and made with lamb makes it Shepherd's Pie. However, I checked in the Oxford Dictionary and, according to them, the name is interchangeable.

                                   

Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie

Food.com By GrumpyIrishLady  

Serves: 4-6

About This Recipe

"Posting this per a request. I've said it once and I'll say it again there is nothing Irish about Corned
Beef and Cabbage, but Shepherd's Pie has always been and still is a staple of traditional Irish cooking. This is a really easy, but tasty recipe that the whole family will enjoy. It's nutritionally sound with all the major food groups represented. The British use lamb in their Shepherd's Pie, but we've always used beef. Do whatever you prefer or even try turkey if you're watching fat content. This sauce is lovely and rich and should go well with any meat. You can use fresh or leftover mashed potato. I usually use 3 tbsp of ketchup instead of the 2tbsp of tomato paste as I like the hint of sweetness, but traditionally the paste would be more sound! You can also make individual pies which are always a hit with the kids. This freezes beautifully too, so make two and save one! Just let it defrost and glaze with the egg and pop into the oven as directed. Enjoy! :)"

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb lamb
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 -4 large carrots, finely diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 -4 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 glass red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 large quantity mashed potatoes ( estimating 1L or 6 cups, fresh or leftover)
• 1 egg, beaten
• grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400°F.
2. Sauté carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.
3. Add in the onions and sauté for a minute or two then add the meat.
4. Season with black pepper and thyme.
5. Cook until browned then drain fat.
6. Add the butter and peas.
7. Sprinkle with flour and stir through.
8. Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.
9. Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick meaty gravy. Season to your taste.
10. Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish (9x13 works for me, as does an oval baker) with butter and add the sauce.
11. Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if using.
12. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.
13. Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop up that yummy sauce!

Have a great day