Where I Want To Be: Piano Vocal

This song showcases Rice's gift for interior monologue; the lyric captures vulnerability without sentimentality, and the vocal line sits naturally for singers working through the contemporary musical theater repertoire. The piano arrangement supports both intimate coaching and performance contexts, making it equally valuable for recital programs and musical theater showcases.

The song unfolds as quiet introspection; a character taking stock of desire and displacement. The music mirrors this emotional landscape with elegant restraint, never overselling the vulnerability that underpins every line.

Singers preparing auditions for musical theater programs and contemporary vocal recitals will find this piece invaluable. It suits mature teenage voices and adult singers who can navigate emotional specificity and sustain longer phrases with control.

• Establish the emotional stakes early. The opening phrases set the introspective tone for everything that follows, so resist the urge to rush or brighten the delivery.
• Shape the melody through subtle dynamics rather than dramatic shifts. The power of this song lives in restraint and truth.
• Coordinate breath points between voice and piano so neither player obscures the lyrical narrative. Mark these together in rehearsal.
• Let the accompaniment breathe. Piano fills and transitions are compositional choices, not mere connective tissue.

Include this in a musical theater vocal recital to showcase contemporary song writing alongside classic standards, or assign it as a solo study for singers developing their interpretation skills in ensemble-based musical theater programs.

• Sustaining legit vocal production over longer phrases
• Lyrical storytelling and emotional authenticity in contemporary vocal music
• Coordinating breath and phrasing between vocalist and accompanist
• Interpreting nuance in harmonic language and harmonic rhythm