My husband has a new hobby. Well, he calls it a hobby. I lovingly refer to it as his obsession. When we moved into a new home over the summer, his first buy was a 75-gallon fish tank. And, while he’s enjoying his new purchase, he’s already eyeing a bigger and better tank. Now he dreams of a 300-gallon tank and all the fish that could fill it.
While expounding one night on the many features of this more massive tank, he told me about the huge glass tank and the frame stand the tank would sit on. He was surprised that the stand was made completely of steel, until he thought about the weight of the tank. One gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs. Multiply that by 300 gallons and, well, you had better have some serious support underneath that thing!
As singers, our voices are like our fish tanks. The tank is the raw talent we are born with. Then we spend years filling it with (hopefully) good technique, appropriate repertoire, and clear diction. We emerge from our undergraduate study ready to embark on a career. But too often we lack the steel-frame stand to support us. In short, we don’t yet have the professional legs to stand on.
How do we fill our frames with steel strong enough to support the voice and the career we want? The articles in this issue offer many ideas.
Cindy Sadler outlines five things singers need to make the leap from student to professional in her column this month (p. 20). With so many things in this business you can’t control, these are things you can do to become a true professional. Be on time. Be kind. Be prepared. In other words, be the kind of colleague that administrators and your fellow singers will want to work with again and again.
Baritone Lucas Meachem, featured in this month’s cover story (p. 24), discusses his transition from student to professional. Meachem openly admits to once having been known as a partier, but is quick to emphasize that he has changed his ways. He respects his voice, knows his limitations and, therefore, takes care of himself to make sure he can deliver.
And while Meachem is a total professional, he is also hugely personable. The unique photos accompanying his interview highlight how the baritone values relationships and connecting with his colleagues. In short, he is a well-rounded, great collaborator with varied interests and a sound work ethic. Those carefully honed attributes give Meachem a solid base to stand on.
Our bodies house our instruments, and ensuring that we provide the best home possible for our voices can literally help us stand strong. Claudia Friedlander lays out a gym workout that will build the right kind of physical strength to best complement your singing (p. 16). Treating your body right is a big part of treating your voice right.
In an industry that seems to focus more and more on looks, some singers become more concerned about what their tank and stand look like than what they are made of. But as two general directors share in this issue, for most who hire singers, it really comes down to the voice. Read how Portland Opera’s Christopher Mattaliano (p. 36) and Jason Tramm of the newly formed MidAtlantic Opera (p. 48) still value beautiful singing above all else.
Make sure your own tank that you’ve spent years developing has a stand strong enough to support it. Work hard. Be a good colleague. Treat your body right. Stay focused on what matters most. These are the acts of true professionals and will give you a solid foundation from which to share your beautiful gift with the world.
