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One of my goals realized five days ago on May 12, 2007 when I graduated from Theatre Department at University of Evansville, Indiana with honours as Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Because my next goal is to specialize in musical theatre, on February 23, 2007 I participated in an audition for the Circle In The Square Theatre School Conservatory in Broadway, New York. I got accepted on February 27, 07 to begin a 2-year study in the Professional Musical Workshop Program, which begins on September 10, 2007.
I have studied classical piano for ten years since I was five years old and after that I studied voice for three years specializing in musical theatre music. On July 10, 2004 I had my Debut Solo Recital at Kravis Center, Palm Beach, Florida and from this successful recital I got very good reviews from both American and Finnish professionals and also from media (www.tonypajunen.com). Immediately after my recital the President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen invited me to perform at Kultaranta in Finland on August 5th and 6th , 2004 in two different prestigious functions hosted by The President. My accompanist there was a lecturer of Sibelius Academy, respected Finnish pianist Mr. Tuomas Kesälä.
Now during my college years I have also started to compose my own music with lyrics and continued to study piano, vocal and dance.
Because competition is very hard in the career that I have chosen, I have also applied for a place of a private voice student of Mr. Steven Katz, who is a well-known and high-quality vocal coach in New York City and who works explicitly with musical music. After Mr. Katz reviewed and listened the DVD from my above mentioned Debut Solo Recital, he accepted me as his private voice student and I can begin my vocal studies with him on the coming fall as did Liza Minelli, for example, before me.
As a realist I am very well aware of the fact that there are no possibilities to go forward in the musical theatre profession if you do not reach “Broadway-status”. All my choices mentioned above are explicitly aimed to reach this goal and this Conservatory, that I have been accepted in, is operating on Broadway and is all the time followed by artistic directors on this field.
Despite the fact that I have been studying in USA as a Finn, I have spent all my holidays in Finland, where my family has a house. I am a Finnish from my roots and I also wish to perform in Finnish, which clearly came true also in my Debut Solo Recital in Kravis Center. I received notable financial support from Finnish Community in Florida to organizing the Recital.
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