The night before an important nationally televised singing engagement, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Even after I got to sleep, I awoke nearly every hour to stare anxiously at the clock. Music and words swirled in my dreams as I hovered somewhere between consciousness and sleep. Finally, around 4 a.m., I firmly told myself to relax, go to sleep, and let the alarm wake me in just over an hour.
What seemed like moments later, the sound of my ringing cell phone pulled me out of a deep slumber.
“Hello,” I said groggily. “Where are you?” asked a fellow singer’s voice. I looked at the clock, only to see that it was 10 minutes past the time we were supposed to leave for the hour-long drive to the television shoot. Apparently, my little self-lecture had worked—unfortunately, my alarm had not.
I told the other singers to leave without me and jumped out of bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth, and ran out the door, makeup, hairspray, and various other toiletries in tow. After applying my makeup by the dim morning light combined with the even dimmer lights of the visor mirrors and breaking a myriad of traffic laws, I arrived just minutes late.
Amazingly, everything went off without a hitch. I had to laugh when several people told me how great my hair looked. Maybe I should roll out of bed for television appearances more often.
As I have looked back on that experience over the years, I often marvel at how close I came to sleeping through something truly important. Had I not arrived, another singer would have taken my place and the show would have gone on without me. More importantly, I have wondered how many opportunities I have slept through figuratively by missing an application deadline, not thoroughly researching available opportunities, or simply being less than prepared for an audition or performance.
A career in music requires a high level of proactivity. You are your business—and that often means that in addition to wearing the hat of singer, you also wear the hats of owner/operator, marketer, advertiser, accountant, and more. You are your own CEO, CFO, CIO, and CTO, and as such, you must manage your business attentively.
Even as your career takes off and you begin hiring others to assume some of the burden of these responsibilities, there are still those things only you can do. Only you can keep your instrument in top condition. Only you can enter the practice room each day. Only you can learn the notes, the pitches, and the languages. Only you can exercise, eat right, and work to keep the physical body that houses your instrument in good shape.
In this issue we feature several singers who understand this. Bass Kyle Ketelsen, featured in this month’s cover story, shares how he proactively monitors his lifestyle to keep his recently discovered acid reflux under control. He also takes additional steps to create the home life and lifestyle he wants, such as saying “no” when necessary, to remain an active and present part of his family’s life.
Soprano Elizabeth Caballero’s recent success at New York City Opera—and her upcoming debut with the Met—are the stuff of many singers’ dreams, come true. She is realizing her dreams, thanks to significant hard work and sacrifice. Recognizing that her full figure might be holding her back, Caballero determined to shed the extra pounds. Now 50 pounds slimmer, she shares how she lost the weight, and how she’s keeping it off.
Soprano Joanie Brittingham, after auditioning for every possible summer opportunity, found herself with nothing but rejection letters. Rather than sit on her hands and bemoan her fate, she determined to use the summer to her advantage. In this issue, she gives nine suggestions for making the most of your summer months.
For those who wear the hat of CFO, Lynnette Owens continues her financial series with sound advice for managing your cash flow. Learn how to track and analyze your spending habits, and then set goals for better money management.
May this month’s issue inspire you to be more proactive in your own career endeavors. Let us do our part to ensure that we don’t unintentionally sleep through important opportunities in our lives.
