A few years ago, I attended a reception following the finals of a District Metropolitan Opera audition. Before the winners were announced, the head judge asked to say a few words.
The judge counseled the singers in attendance not to read too much into the competition results. Being named a winner or loser in the competition, she explained, in no way equaled a promise of success or failure. The winners were not guaranteed successful careers just because they advanced to the regional auditions and received a cash prize, she cautioned—and the fact that some didn’t advance or receive a prize did not mean this was the end of their singing careers.
After the judges announced the names of the winners, I looked around at the singers who had not advanced. I wondered if in that moment they could truly believe what they had just been told—that not winning didn’t mean failure—because in that moment those singers were being ranked, judged, and essentially defined as “losers.” In turn, were those who had won thinking: “This doesn’t equal success; this doesn’t mean I’ll have a career”? Somehow, I doubted it.
As singers, we are constantly evaluated by general directors, voice teachers, coaches, conductors, and even fellow singers. In competitions, however, we are not only judged and evaluated, we are ranked and placed. Only one person receives first place—which means a lot of people lose, even those ranked second and third. As Jerry Seinfeld put it, “I think if I was an Olympic athlete I would rather come in last than win the silver, if you think about it. You know, you win the gold, you feel good. You win the bronze, you think: ‘Well, at least I got something.’ But you win that silver, that’s like:
“‘Congratulations, you … almost won.’
“‘Of all the losers, you came in first of that group.’
“‘You’re the No. 1 loser.’
“‘No one lost ahead of you.’”
Too often, we buy into this mentality. Too often, we fail to consider the larger picture. A handful of adjudicators see you for mere moments on the stage, and then rank you among other competitors they have also seen for only a few moments. They get a snapshot view of you in one moment out of a lifetime of development and progress—and yet, we often take their evaluation from that brief moment as a pronouncement on our potential to succeed.
In his article, “Preparing for a Competition,” David Jones points out additional reasons this “loser” logic is flawed. Competitions can yield positive outcomes other than winning. Competing gives opportunities to practice singing in high-pressure situations, providing great experience for future auditions.
Depending on its size and status, a competition can offer exposure to high-level industry professionals. I know of more than one singer who didn’t win a competition, but sang well and made a memorable impression on a judge or audience member who later hired him or her for a gig.
The moral: Be ultra-prepared and sing your best—you never know who’s listening!
In this issue we feature two sopranos who recently won major competitions in the United States and Wales: Naumburg winner Sari Gruber and BBC Singer of the Year Nicole Cabell. Both singers share personal insights into the world of competitions, from how to create a great competition look and knowing what repertoire works, to keeping a competition diary. Their insights are sure to help you prepare for your next competition.
Getting feedback is a large and important portion of our work as singers. Evaluating the feedback received, however, is infinitely more important. Putting too much emphasis on the winner and loser rankings in a competition can be detrimental. Remember to keep the bigger picture in mind: Losing—and winning—aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be.
