Cindy Chang - My Lord and Master

Cindy Chang singing "My Lord and Master" from The King and I by Rodgers and Hammerstein at an old voice lesson

CINDY CHANG, born in Seoul, Korea and raised in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, graduated with a B.A. in Speech Communications, Pre-law from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As an immigrant, Cindy was raised to obey her parents' wishes and going to law school or getting a PhD was their dream. After years of studying what her parents wanted, working in the corporate world and helping her parents financially ever since her first job as a pool attendant at the neighborhood swimming pool at 16 years old, it became clear that Cindy could not continue living out her parents' dreams as well-intended as they were - and although deeply grateful to her parents for their many sacrifices so that she and her sisters could have a better life - she had to live her dreams, her passions, her convictions.

Cindy always possessed the natural ability to sing at an early age. She had a natural operatic voice at the age of 8 years old (she had an Annie-like voice too like many girls at that age, but she also had a whole other operatic voice at that age as well naturally with no training). However, being raised traditionally, she only sang for fun in her room, in the closet, in the car, at church or school choir and never pursued singing until later in life. After years of pursuing her parents' dream for her; and after working a "real job", earning, and saving some money, Cindy finally started taking steps towards pursuing her dream. While working her "real job" and also helping her parents financially with her checks from her "real job", she started taking voice lessons in her mid/late 20's for a few years; worked hard to become a classically trained singer; then she just started auditioning for whatever she could beginning with community theatre, free recitals, volunteer choirs, and then auditioning for professional gigs even if they didn't pay much at all since she just wanted to sing and was just trying to get her voice out there and get some experience, plus she had her "normal job" to pay the bills. She would work her "normal job", go to rehearsals at night or vice versa and even go back to work at her "normal job" until the next day straight with no sleep if she had to - all just so she could sing somehow. Since most of the performances regardless of whether they were community theatre or professional were for only 1 or 2 weekends; and since the few professional gigs she got mostly paid only a couple hundred dollars; or if they paid more they only came once in a while, she would have to start all over again each time. Recently, she started taking a couple of dance sessions.

Because Cindy did not major in performing or voice in school, she went through the school of hard knocks. Facing rejection after rejection, through perseverance, she was fortunate to book some theatre, film, industrials (where a booking made her a must-join for SAG and AFTRA. i.e., she had to join in order to do the job), and commercials even though not enough to make a living...yet, but hopefully someday!

Cindy lives with her husband (Jeff) and their dogs. "Becoming a US citizen, marrying my husband, being a petmom (I absolutely LOVE dogs and can't live without them), being the best aunt to my nieces and nephews; and dreaming of singing and the performing arts make my life a blessing! Knowing where I came from, how far I have come, and how far I know I have yet to go, make me very thankful to continue to work hard, and though there are more no's than yes's, to have strength to continue to pound the pavement and go for MY dream with perseverance and hope."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• musical
• theatre
• The
• King
• and
• My
• Lord
• Master
• cindy
• chang
• singing
• singer
• opera
• classical
• broadway
• Rodgers
• Hammerstein
• cross-over
• cross
• over

[kattwin1]

God does not give us the talent to do that which we are not meant to do. God has blessed you with such a spectacular instrument; it makes me joyful just knowing you are sharing that gift with the world. Thanks! :)

[SasuSakuGleeFan123]

The final notes, won me over. A great gift you have Cindy :)

[keduardop]

your amazing

[NinjangelRave]

Beautiful!