If you are an avid or even casual reader of Classical Singer, you have probably noticed recent themes and references to health and fitness. The series “Does Size Matter,” about trending issues of weight in the industry, has appeared throughout the fall and continues in this issue. Last month our annual fitness issue was full of singers’ stories about improving their health, weight, and fitness.
In what might seem like a continuation of that theme, this month’s cover story is entitled “Marathon Man.” The article’s star player, Luca Pisaroni, however, talks nothing about health, fitness, or sports. But he does speak at length about the importance of good training and how that training has prepared him for his current success.
And, thus, his story embodies the spirit of this issue because this month is our annual highlight of summer training programs.
Pisaroni’s is a story of years of experiences, education, study, and training—all of which are setting him on the path to a marathon career. Likewise, the summer programs highlighted in this issue offer singers similar experiences to help them find success.
Training can happen both within and without the four traditional classroom walls. Pisaroni’s early years growing up in Verdi’s Italian hometown taught him at a young age to truly love opera. Many summer programs offer singers similar passion-igniting experiences.
Relationships with friends, family, and colleagues can also provide training opportunities. Pisaroni often seeks advice from his father-in-law, who just happens to be Thomas Hampson. He has also found a mentor in fellow Italian and bass-baritone Ferruccio Furlanetto. Summer training programs provide singers a venue to build meaningful relationships with peers and professionals who can influence and mentor their training in key ways.
If you read my editorials, you know that I love running—marathons, half-marathons, 5Ks, whatever. One of my favorite parts of a marathon, or of any race for that matter, is the training. Once I have signed up for a race, I like to create a spreadsheet with each week’s runs strategically mapped out, slowly upping my mileage until I reach my goal. I enter the number of miles for each day into a little box on my spreadsheet. When I have completed a run, I put a big red “X” through that box. That big red “X” brings me an immense sense of satisfaction. Seeing the red Xs multiply on my spreadsheet? Even better!
So what are our little boxes and big red “Xs” for our singing careers? How do we set them? Start with one of the summer programs and expand from there. Setting singing goals and then determining what is needed daily and weekly to meet those goals will set us on the track to a long-lasting career. It’s the day-in and day-out process that will get us there.
Most of us didn’t grow up in the same town as a famous opera composer and we don’t have a world-famous baritone for a father-in-law. We can, however, strive to have voice-building and artist-making experiences in our own ways. Selecting and completing a great summer training program can be a significant red X in your overall training regiment.
