I love reading and rereading the articles in each issue of Classical Singer. As part of the editing process, I always give the whole issue one more read in the days before we send it off to the printer. And even though I’ve read the articles two or three times by then, I still have little “aha” moments during that final perusal. Here are a few from this issue.
Aha #1: There is method to the jury madness.
During the course of my six years in undergraduate and graduate study, I sang a lot of juries—10, if I’m remembering correctly—an unavoidable degree requirement my vocalist friends and I discussed and commiserated about over the years. And in all of those years, I never realized one very important thing about juries: more than just a formality, they were preparing me for what I would do a lot of after I graduated. “Pardon me for stating the obvious,” writes columnist and voice professor Christi Amonson in this issue (p. 12), “but juries are practice for your future auditions.”
Hello! Juries are mock auditions. How did I never realize that? Apparently I needed someone to state the obvious to me much sooner—like 20+ years sooner, when I started my college career.
Aha #2: Some things change, and some things stay the same.
Soprano Elaine Malbin, featured in this month’s cover story (p. 16), enjoyed a whirlwind and major career in the 1950s and 1960s, starting when she was just in her early teens. She was an amazing crossover artist—singing in televised operas, hit musicals on Broadway, top venue recitals, and major opera houses. After nearly two decades on the stage, she decided to marry and have children. She didn’t feel she could do both, and so she left one career (full-time singer) to devote herself to another (full-time mother).
It’s a different era now than when Malbin was making her way and grappling with tough decisions. And, yet, singers today face similar issues and dilemmas. “Crossing over” is touted as a modern phenomenon in a changing marketplace. But Malbin treaded those waters long ago. Women simultaneously pursuing careers and motherhood is a given nowadays. But even though it’s now more commonplace and accepted, singers still wonder how to balance it all—work and family, singing and children—just like Malbin.
Aha #3: Being an opera singer is not the only challenging career path.
Patrick O’Halloran (p. 24) is enjoying a busy and active operatic career, including recent appearances with Opera Birmingham and Fort Worth Opera. But opera wasn’t even on his radar when he started college. Instead, he had his eyes on being a rock star or country music singer. And while a college opera chorus experience changed his course to classical singing, the tenor still dabbles in popular music. O’Halloran’s creative outlet is writing country music—and when asked if he ever thinks about publishing his songs, he says, “I’ve sent them out to a few labels, but I haven’t had any response yet. I’ve gotten lots of good feedback, but it’s a very tough industry to get into, obviously.”
O’Halloran is having major success in an industry that many also describe as “a very tough industry to get into.” Sometimes we assume that in other fields the odds aren’t stacked as high, the competition isn’t as tough, or the jobs aren’t as scarce. But it is just as challenging to make it in many other industries as it is to make it as an opera singer. We can find solace knowing we’re not alone and that others, not just classical singers, also must struggle to pursue and follow their passion.
Perhaps your “aha” moments will come as you read about a new book for the student singer (p. 36), or consider vocal registers and how you can better blend your own (p. 8), or contemplate how to spice up your next art song recital (p. 30). I hope you enjoy reading the articles in this issue as much as I have and that, as you read them, you experience many epiphanies all your own.
