The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Toni is the kind of hug she gave. It felt like a hug from a seven-foot-tall, 300lb. linebacker; there was that much strength and warmth behind it. The next thing, of course, is her humor. Knowing that something hilarious would come from her made every show and rehearsal a treat, and something I looked forward to. A while back a few of us threatened to create a facebook page called Sh*t Toni Says to collect her zingers, we were so bowled over by her wit. Her impeccable comedic timing, her charm, her commitment to music, and her genuine love for those around her will stick with me for the rest of my life. I never thought Id have to write this. Somehow, I expected her to outlive us all. Its cliché to say, after weve lost someone, that they would want us to move on. In Tonis case I can almost literally see her scurrying across the room the way she used to, with that mischievous half-smile, saying, Oh, pull yourselves together. As someone so pointedly put it yesterday, Toni wouldnt want a big show to go on if she couldnt be a part of it. I will miss her more than words can say, but I know that she wouldnt want us to dwell. After all, there is more music to be made. More than any director or professor, we now have an angel to sit on our shoulders while we sing to correct our diction, shape our phrases, and remind us to sing with all the heart and soul weve got. Toni wouldnt have it any other way.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 01:02:07 +0000
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