Dear Erda,
I’m the (seemingly rare) singer who has no interest in opera. The sort of solo work I would like to do is, for example, singing an aria from a Bach oratorio. I am also good with art songs. What opportunities are out there for me, and how do I find them?
Thanks,
Melissa
Dear Melissa,
There is plenty of non-opera work to be had—in fact, there is probably more work outside the genre of opera. You don’t say anything about what your current career level might be, so I’m going to assume that you’re just starting out.
A great place to begin looking for solo concert work is your own community. Many cities have early music or Baroque societies and chamber ensembles. You might begin by investigating those. Also, look for churches with active music programs, which may perform oratorios and cantatas. They often pay a little something, provide some good connections, and are a good stepping-stone to bigger and better gigs.
My first professional concert gig was singing the mezzo solos in a church’s annual Sing-along Messiah. It was smalltime, but someone must have heard me, because the next year, I was hired to perform it with the Austin Symphony.
Community choruses are another good source of solo concert and oratorio work. Begin by simply reading the newspaper’s entertainment section and finding out what concerts are being offered in your community. Attend as many as you can and familiarize yourself with the kinds of music the different groups do, who their performers are, whether they bring in professional soloists, and who the conductors and board members may be. Become a familiar face as an audience member—you will be well supplied with conversation openers when it comes time to chat up the conductor! When appropriate, be sure to introduce yourself to ensemble members after the concert; let them know you’re interested in auditioning and ask for information. Talk to other singers, coaches, voice teachers, conductors, music lovers, and instrumentalists whenever possible, and let them know that you’re looking for concert work! Word of mouth is very important in our business.
Recitals of art songs tend to be more a labor of love than a paying proposition. Be on the lookout for local concert series, music festivals, and educational institutions where you might be able to market recitals you’ve already put together. In my hometown, several churches hire local performers for their series. One of the prominent downtown churches in my hometown has offered a popular Noonday Concert Series for years now. Another considers their evening recital series part of their arts ministry.
You can also create and market your own specialty recitals. A friend of mine has a wonderful program based on the music of fin-de-siecle Vienna, with a lecture component she can add. One of my workshop attendees created her own theater piece based on temperance anthems—she performs in bars! And one of my consultation clients wrote and performs her own one-woman opera-comedy act. The possibilities are endless.
Museums, art galleries, clubs, organizations, botanical gardens, coffee shops and cafes, upscale retail stores, historical societies, libraries, charities, and any entity that offers fundraisers or special presentations to their members might be interested in a recital themed to their particular interests. You might consider teaming with instrumentalists—such as a lutenist, guitarist, or string quartet—to form chamber ensembles and increase your interest to potential employers. I’d also suggest offering programs of different lengths to suit a variety of programming needs.
Of course you can always offer your services as a church soloist, but don’t overlook more lucrative options such as weddings, funerals, and special events. Put together a nice cover letter, a brochure, and a demo CD and send this threesome to every wedding coordinator, event planner, church music director, organist, and funeral director in town. Drop brochures and business cards off at bridal shops, and consider advertising in the seasonal wedding publications you find there.
If you’re looking to expand beyond the local scene, you’ll need several things. First and foremost is a list of contacts. Concert work at the regional level is often found through word of mouth, so it’s important for you to develop a network. Ask conductors you’ve worked with to recommend you to their colleagues, and with their permission, drop their names in your cover letters.
You’ll also need an excellent demo CD, preferably featuring live recordings from your concerts. Live recordings with orchestra are always better than studio recordings with piano, but it may take you a while to build a library of clips, so if piano is all you have, don’t worry, work with it. You’ll want to show a couple of oratorio arias and excerpts from orchestral works. Don’t bother to include art song unless it’s orchestrated. Your demo CD should be the best quality you can manage, both from an engineering and a technical/musical standpoint. CDs, along with recommendations, are often used in lieu of live auditions for regional concert work.
Once you’ve assembled these things—along with your professional résumé, bio, and headshot—you can do a mailing. Check the Musical America directory for extensive listings of symphonies, choruses, concert series, and music festivals. You’ll need to research each organization thoroughly to find out what repertoire they do and what level of singer they hire. Fortunately, it’s easy to look them up on the Internet, and most have websites, which may even list audition information. Target those organizations that seem most appropriate to your level of experience, and send them your package. It’s always best if you can include referrals from well-known conductors or producers, and better yet if you can get those people to make phone calls on your behalf.
The international concert circuit is a worthwhile goal, but it’s as hard a nut to crack as any top-level opera company. Singers at this level usually have big name management—think CAMI or IMG. To reach it, you will need to get someone’s attention, such as an important conductor or manager. You will probably have to spend some time working your way up the ladder, but when you have sufficient credits and an impressive repertoire list, you should consider approaching management. Nothing takes your career to the next level like a clever, hungry, well-connected agent! Check programs and Google singers to find out who represents them. Then you can target managers who interest you the same way you target prospective employers.
As you can see, plenty of concert opportunities are available to you. Be proactive about seeking them. A large part of any singer’s job is research. The Internet, Musical America, Opera America, YapTracker, and of course Classical Singer’s own audition listings, are all wonderful tools, but you also need to do your own targeted mailings.
Work hard to develop your contacts, and once you’ve made them, be careful to keep them by staying in touch. Above all, don’t be afraid to let people know you’re looking for work! Be prepared to tell them, briefly and colorfully, what you sing and what kind of work you seek. You never know where a connection will lead.
Good luck!
Cindy
