I’ll never forget my first trip to Brooklyn. I was in town for an audition and my boss had arranged for me to stay with her sister, who lived in Brooklyn. I had visited New York City just a few times and this was only the second time I had ventured there alone. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about the place.
I remember pulling up in the cab in front of a beautiful brownstone in a quaint Brooklyn neighborhood. I remember a friendly older couple who welcomed me inside and treated me to a cozy evening of pasta and New York City history, recounted in delightful Brooklyn accents.
That was the beginning of my love affair with New York City, kindled by the charm of its Brooklyn borough.
I’m thrilled that this same Brooklyn charm plays host to this year’s Classical Singer Convention. We have planned three full days of events designed with you in mind. Because the Convention has grown so much in the four years since its inception, I want to make sure you are aware of everything that is available for you, at whatever level and stage of your career you find yourself.
The Professional Series, for example, features two and a half days of workshops and masterclasses from the best of the best.
• Meet, work with, and learn from the likes of Sherrill Milnes, Joan Dornemann, Ellen Rievman, Dorothy Byrne, David Ostwald, Andrea Huber, and many more.
• Meet with managers and general directors. Get answers to all of the questions you’ve always wanted to ask.
• Join us for a frank discussion on the realities of staying employable once you’ve “made it,” from keeping in shape vocally, to battling age and weight discrimination, to tricks to staying well while you’re always on the road.
• Attend the A.M. Health series (see p. 38).
• Sing in the Spotlight recitals.
• Mix and mingle with singers and presenters at every extra event, including the AudComps Finals Concert, the snack breaks (yes, with food!), and the opening and closing sessions. You will love expanding your network of friends and colleagues, making the sort of connections that are so critical in this business.
This year we are adding two exciting new events: a Poster Session and Teacher Spotlights. In the Poster Session, your colleagues will present ideas on everything from technique, to stage fright, to yoga.
In the Teacher Spotlights, selected teachers will work with singers in a special “open” lesson. Add to your own arsenal of tools—as a singer, a teacher, or both—while you watch these master teachers in action. If you would like to participate in either of these exciting new events, simply e-mail me at sara@classicalsinger.com.
The Convention offers so much more—the AudComps, the High School Competition and College Expo, for example—but I’m afraid I’ve run out of room to tell you about them. You can, however, learn more in this issue and on our website, www.classicalsinger.com/convention.
I hope you’ll join us this May at the Classical Singer Convention where amazing presenters, fellow singers, and Brooklyn’s unforgettable charm can inspire us all.
