She's a Doctor

Throughout her life, Diva JC studied hard to attain academic degrees to complement her musical and literary talents. In August 2017, she graduated from Northcentral University, where she studied for six years for her Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) with an emphasis on Marketing.

Aside from that, Dr. Cartwright was a professor of Speech Communication at three South Florida institutions and one foreign university. Her transition from the stage for 40+ years to the classroom was successful on many levels. First, the income is comparable, if not a little higher. The audience is more in need of her wisdom, information, and guidance. Teaching is less stressful than performance.

Needless to say, Dr. Cartwright has ascended from #DivaJC to #DrDivaJC

Learn more at http://www.drdivajc.com

Reinventing Your Artistry

The question I have is what techniques do you use for REINVENTING YOUR ARTISTRY?

I have been challenged in each new decade with reinventing myself.

In my twenties, when I began performing for a fee, I utilized my youth and vitality and fulfilled my need to absorb the purpose of musical studies - self-expression.

In my thirties, I concentrated more on building a repertoire of pieces I could sing and play; and on rehearsing and performing as much as possible with good musicians.

In my forties, I pursued my Master's degree and toured for eight years. When I returned from Europe, I knew I had to be able to do something besides sing, so I studied HTML and website design, while writing articles for Travel & Style magazine and grants to teach about Women in Jazz and Blues to thousands of Broward County students through my corporation, FYI Communications, Inc.

In my fifties, I learned HTML and website design and I owned an art gallery and, near the end of that decade, I began compiling my 9 books that I completed and published by the end of my sixtieth year, along with several concert reviews written for a local newspaper.

Now, at 61+a half (smile), I'm the founder of WOMEN IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA, INC., a non-profit organization, in the position to receive grants and sponsorship that could make my dream of WOMEN IN MUSIC MUSEUM in South Florida a reality.

From keypunch operator to legal secretary to touring vocalist to composer to entrepreneur to educator to author to IT specialist to executive director to museum founder, I've reinvented myself, my purpose and my artistry.

What's your story, Morning Glory?

Diva JC

[This entry will be published in the book Forever Young at 50+ by Nina Hart of Six Hearts, Inc., and released in 2010]

Day 1 - Music Class

Today, in my first classes as Music Teacher, I posed the question:
What is Music? to 8th graders. Answers included:

Sound
Beats
Rithum
Something to relax you
Something to motivate you
Soul
Singing
Emotion
Expression
Classic

These kids have too much energy, but we found ways to channel it. I asked them to name some emotions. Answers included:

Love
Anger
Hate
Romantic
Sexy
Flirtatious
Betrayed
Beautiful
Ugly
Sad
Happiness
Joy
Hurt
Fear
Stessed
Confusion

Then, we sang songs to exemplify each emotion, as I crossed them off the board.

At the end of the first period, some of them said, "You make music fun!"

I'd written on the board:

SHARE
EXPRESS
LEARN
FEEL GOOD

I assured them that I was there for THEM and that the class was for them.

The second period with this same group of 8th graders, they read the lyrics to songs in my book, IN PURSUIT OF A MELODY. They really seemed to enjoy doing this.

By the end of the day, I was pooped, and they were jumping across the room like rabbits, but I truly believe they learned something. They told me that they had. So, my first day is done. On to Day 2!

Diva JC

DIVA JC's New Career - Music Teacher

Visit my Music Class Blog

CLASS GOALS:

SHARE
EXPRESS
LEARN
FEEL GOOD

UNDERSTAND!