CASE #1: 45-YEAR-OLD RE-ENTRY SINGER
Situation: I just got off the phone from speaking to a lovely, Southern woman who was started on a career track, took time off to raise a family, and recently has written to Classical Singer asking if it’s too late for her. What a loaded question! This woman with every good intention has never entered the professional market. It’s my responsibility to look at her materials and listen to her audition tape. I’m to assess a course of action and be realistic with her. I want to be helpful in finding a niche for her be it concerts, recitals, or running a little opera company that she is thinking of starting. I’m to help her update and clarify her résumé and bio.
Résumé: She has done a few performances in her hometown. She has few if any whole opera performances. The experiences she cites are 25-30 years old. Obviously, this will need to be completely updated. How can I help her make this more current and viable? Will it be possible?
Photo: The photo she sent to Classical Singer was a photocopy. It was obviously at least 15 years old.
Tape: I just listened to her tape, which arrives with a handwritten cover. She sings “O mio babbino caro” in incomprehensible English. The tempo of the aria is too slow. She has not yet worked on style or expressivity. She sings the Mozart “Alleluia,” and that is better. She has not yet learned grace and style. But somehow, she negotiates all the notes. I would say there is hope for oratorio. Third offering is “Der holle rache” (also in English) from Magic Flute. She makes the notes. Her voice is not a dramatic coloratura. Still with the ponderous tempo, she amazes by singing fearlessly through the entire aria.
Prognosis: She impresses me with an ingenuous, fresh quality towards singing and life, and I don’t want to squelch that. I would like to inform, not lecture—inspire, not discourage. And yet realistically, what is possible? There is a voice there. Her vibrato, which she openly admits has a wobble in the middle, is very wide. [Editor’s note: see article “Vocal Wobble,” p. 26.] Breath work and study every day might help. She knows no languages other than English.
Possibilities: I can see her singing oratorio, and recitals could be possible once her voice work is consistent again. She could certainly start that opera company she is talking about.
Assignment: Vocal study with attention to the whole voice. She needs breath support, elimination of wobble, and release of voice. She needs to work on the middle and low especially, and to connect it to the top of the voice. She must study again first and foremost. I suggested a good teacher only two hours away in Georgia.
She also needs desperately to coach and prepare every week. She will look at lots of oratorios first, and maybe some arias that are appropriate for her age. Her Fach should be lyric coloratura. I will suggest repertoire as I get to know more about her voice, temperament, expression and personality. It is too soon to add suggested repertoire to her résumé, but we will as time goes on.
She has to develop a daily plan of study and action. We will find “pockets” of time in every day for warming up, study, preparation, memorization, and rehearsal. This will help us to understand more about what is possible for her in the future.
She will check in with me every week. We will reassess her needs on a weekly basis for a while, until we both know more.
She needs to redo her materials completely to bring them out of the 70s (We started this on the phone). She doesn’t have e-mail access, so it slows our communication down, but she will continue to chip away at the necessities. She should give immediate attention to getting her résumé updated and adding a section entitled “Repertoire Studied.” All parts of the package need to be more professional, including a better tape. Some letters of recommendation will help to assist with credibility where experience is not significant.
She should begin to listen to CDs and tapes of performers. I will assign this as “homework.” I want her to hear ten different singers from the Golden Age until now and write her responses. I want her to hear whole operas, recitals, and especially oratorios.
CASE #2: 30+ YEAR-OLD BAROQUE SOPRANO
Situation: My favorite period of music—vocal and instrumental—is the Baroque. As a former manager, I am aware that this is a finite market, especially for singers. So when this soprano called me, I was completely intrigued and interested, while not promising a lot. I was reticent to make my usual intuitive comments—I just hoped I could deliver.
I’m impressed with the bold honesty and mild manner she had—she is a fabulous musician, already working solidly in the professional realm—and her willingness to hear the absolute truth. Something had inspired her to call me. We spoke on the phone two times. I took down the vital information when she began to tell me about her work. I knew instantly that she was a total professional but a bit modest about promoting herself and looking beyond her present musical situation. Her materials weren’t totally current but impressive all the same. She began to sing at the tender age of eight at the Met, singing the child in Pelleas et Melisande and the shepherd in Tosca—a stellar start. She has had loads of experience and is only into her 30s now. She has excellent repertoire and language facility.
Photo: This will need to be redone, because it looks as if it was taken ten years ago, with frozen eyes and face. She is lovely, alive and charismatic, yet none of this shows in these photos. (She has just told me that her photographer is going to try again. knowing what we want from her photos… I am excited to see the new ones.)
Tape/CD: She kept apologizing for the CD, saying it was “old” (meaning 5-6 years) and not totally indicative of her vocalism since recently she had changed teachers and was restudying. She did not like her top and was now rediscovering it. I listened to the CD and was immediately impressed with the mellifluous sound of her voice.
Work already completed: We discussed how to bring her materials up to date, to highlight all the most current of her engagements.
We have already begun to create a “personal” database of contacts, which is very important to taking her beyond where she is. She has many contacts and continues to make new ones whenever she works. I call it a personal database, because we begin with the artist’s own personal contacts—local contacts from where they have lived and worked, school contacts, friends, other singers, composers, conductors, directors, etc. She provided an extensive list, making my work much easier. I had her make a few calls to re-connect with certain contacts from the past, and they were all thrilled to hear from her.
Pluses:
• She can travel on short notice for cancellations.
• She commands a vast repertoire good for Europe and the States
• Her voice is improving through her entire range.
• She studies weekly and coaches often as well.
• Stellar talent and wonderful performer—think she will jump any hurdles and sail forward in the next period.
Assignments:
• Push out of her comfort zone into new territory to put her “out there.” Make new musical contacts for the immediate future.
• Update materials over the next few weeks.
• Audition for new possibilities.
• Coordinate new recitals.
• Check on chamber concerts, festivals, and Baroque opportunities all over the world especially Europe for Baroque operas and ensembles.
• Make a new repertoire sheet with additional operas and oratorios: Mozart, Handel, and contemporary music.
• Find conductors who concentrate on the Baroque period and connect with them. Plan a European audition period for next season—in Europe she could find loads of work with orchestras, ensembles, recital tours and managers who would appreciate her professionalism.
Prognosis: Although she is into her 30s, I believe that we can jump the immediate hurdle and put her into a more prominent position. My assessment is that as we focus on her materials so that they better express her true capabilities, things will come together for her. She is so ready and willing. We will be speaking weekly for the next 3-6 months. Hopefully it will bring fruitful results. I am greatly encouraged by our initial work.
CASE #3: DRAMATIC SOPRANO, LATE 30s
Situation: This singer is into her late 30s. Before I met with her, I told her that unless someone has an amazing talent, voice, dramatic gifts, and a readiness to step on stage in whole roles, the chances of starting a career on a high level are not good. She is not “starting,” however, but trying to move from a small regional opera career with some concerts to larger regional companies which do operas that match her voice size. She has no major experience. Most of her experience is with very small regional companies. Her materials looked totally unimpressive. She is motivated and lives away from musical coaches and teachers, so she drives to New York City (even when it’s snowing) and stays with friends. She works tirelessly to improve. She has not been defensive to any input; she wants to change and make herself better and more marketable. She always has found auditions and has driven all over the U.S. to them. She has learned whole roles, coordinating her own preparation without tremendous encouragement. She has learned Maddalena and Santuzza and performed them recently. Her tenacity is a strong suit, and I respect her willingness to keep working. Some people heard her early on and liked her vocal quality, but it wasn’t “stellar,” and they haven’t used her as yet. Also she was singing wrong repertoire—too broad-scoped, instead of concentrating on dramatic soprano repertoire.
The progress has been very important, but reality says, “The time is now.” Can she make enough progress quickly enough to sing for important impresarios and conductors? It’s difficult for her, because she has invested for years in her career and still is not “making a career in singing.” She had not had honest assessment of what was missing and what to accomplish in order to be marketable and—hate the word—competitive in her Fach.
Photo: This needs updating. It is good but not indicative of her work and voice in the present. Also her eyes are staring, not alive and alert. Her features are angular, so she needs an excellent photographer to bring out her strength and beauty.
Reviews: She is looking for old reviews even though they may have been college or small companies.
Work already completed: First, we spoke on the phone and began to redo her materials. She called weekly without fail through the period of our working together.
She redid her résumé so that now it features suggested repertoire. Her materials are beginning to describe her as she really is. Her visual materials and photo were not enticing enough; now they are much improved—enough to get auditions for better companies and orchestras. I assigned five arias to add to her package, and she did that.
We are doing a mailing to regional opera companies and a few special orchestras. Hope that we can jumpstart her work on a higher level as soon as possible.
Voice: She met with me in person four months ago so I could hear her. Her middle and lower middle were very light; however her top was fantastic. World-class top but unbalanced. I informed her that all of her roles need excellent middle and low voice.
To consider: Age stigma is probably still in effect for her even though she is in the dramatic voice category.
Her voice is big—in some instances too big to balance with other cast members; therefore impresarios might have been reticent to hire her.
Assignments: I insisted that she find a fine teacher to work with; that would help her. She needs constant, excellent vocal input from coaches who will help her prepare whole roles. She needs more consistent vocal quality from top to bottom, and also more subtlety in characterization. She has done it and the progress has been stellar in a very short while.
She needs language coaching and German language study.
We are preparing a mailing to expand her contacts and build new alliances.
I am trying to help her to get some new work in regional companies.
The need to prepare whole roles is urgent; learning arias is not enough at this stage. She must be ready with those roles to audition. She should quickly learn 5-6 roles and 2-3 major oratorios. Part of her is getting discouraged at this point after so much investment – vocally, financially, etc. Most of her is still going strong, wanting so much to reach her goals.
When these are done, then I will endeavor to help her to present herself to management.
Prognosis: I think there is much hope here, but with the difficulties in the business now, I cannot absolutely say she will enter at the highest level. I have felt greatly encouraged by her improvement and willingness. We know that she is singing much better now. Already a few recent auditions have brought a greater response. However, she can’t afford to waste time.
Because she already has sung for many companies, she might have a “fight” to convince people to hear her again in her proper repertoire. But with everything in place, at least we can give it a concerted effort. Some might give her a chance.
SUMMARY
Materials are the first communication tools one uses in singing. They speak about you, for you, and in advance of any audition or job you might have.
Your photo must be current and must look like you. It should say a lot about your personality. Make sure it is authentic, charismatic and enticing to those who will look at it.
Materials must be viable and professional looking. They must be well typed on good bond paper. Your cover letter can be either written by you (be concise) or better yet, use a letter of recommendation from someone trusted in the business. It is your job to introduce yourself and get the organization’s attention.
In addition to the category “Roles Performed” on your résumé, include a “Suggested Repertoire” category. It helps presenters and managers know how to characterize you and think of ways to use your gifts.
Use museums, libraries, churches etc. Many sponsor concert series, and often they pay. Use your hometown contacts. These are any people who could help you gain professional experience. Your materials can help sell you here.
Create a personal database. You will add contacts as you meet people and use the database for mailings.
Keep a list of all the people you have auditioned for, sent materials to, etc. It’s immensely helpful. Keep checking your list of auditions, and note comments if you get them.
Use resources like Classical Singer magazine, Opera America, and Musical America to help fill in the database and make it viable for your use. Change or add to it. I have separate databases for opera companies, orchestras, choral groups, recital series, chamber series, and management.
Have someone reputable assess your vocalism, talent, experience, and expressivity. Put yourself out there: i.e. The Auditions Project or similar performance classes.
Make a game plan to help you organize your time daily, weekly, and monthly.
Be daring. Ask other professionals what they have done. But listen to your intuition.
Trust a few people in your inner network (voice teacher, coach, director, conductor or someone who knows your voice well…and of course, yourself.) You’ll hear many contrary opinions about your talent during your career; decide who you are going to believe!
Prepare a CD with appropriate arias, oratorio and songs. Make sure your preparation is great. Hire a good accompanist. The sound should be stellar. Have others listen and assess it. Be “ruthless” for the best sound and expression you can get!
Have wonderful materials which represent you and make a great package. Use good stationery and envelopes.
Have a website; it can be invaluable. Have links to other sites. Make sure the website has up-to-date materials, reviews, and an updated performance itinerary with great photos. Include performance photos especially.
Use competitions wisely. Know what level you are at so you can choose appropriate competitions. They can be invaluable to promoting your career.
Make sure the cover letter that accompanies a mailing is simple and direct, or have a letter of introduction from an accomplished professional who knows your work intimately.
Follow up when you audition or send materials. Follow-up is as important as the audition mailing itself.
Be willing to re-assess your materials (photo, résumé, CD, website) regularly! Look for new ideas, bold ideas. Be visually conscious.
I will be tracking these three artists over the next 3-6 months and will write a follow-up article to see how this information and counsel is helping these artists to succeed in their ventures.
Meanwhile, best wishes!
