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My college education concluded several years ago, and my only consistent reminder of those far off days is my monthly student loan payment. If I take the time to reflect deeply on those formative years, I can see how those experiences paved the way for a successful life in classical music. The most important advice my uncle ever gave me was to “remember that college is not the end point of an education; it’s your time to attain the tools to continue a lifetime of learning.” In the world of classical music, those words couldn’t be truer. The most useful information I learned in college came from some of the most unexpected sources.
While I can’t travel back in time to rectify my multitudinous mistakes in higher education, I hope to help others who are finding their way as college freshmen or new graduate students. If I could rewind the clock and give my wide-eyed, 18-year-old self a syllabus for life, this is what it would say.My college education concluded several years ago, and my only consistent reminder of those far off days is my monthly student loan payment. If I take the time to reflect deeply on those formative years, I can see how those experiences paved the way for a successful life in classical music. The most important advice my uncle ever gave me was to “remember that college is not the end point of an education; it’s your time to attain the tools to continue a lifetime of learning.” In the world of classical music, those words couldn’t be truer. The most useful information I learned in college came from some of the most unexpected sources.
- It’s all going to be OK!
It’s OK to fail. In fact, this is the best time to fall down. You’re flying on what feels like a treacherous trapeze act, but you have a strong safety net that won’t always be there to protect you in the future. Now is the time to leap, fall, and get back up again.
The first aria you’ll ever learn is “Vesti la giubba” from Pagliacci. It is absolutely inappropriate repertoire for you on every level, but you won’t know any better. Of course you’ll eventually learn that you are a leggiero tenor and that you should stick to higher and lighter music. A decade later, you will eventually be hired to sing a role in that opera . . . the other tenor, Beppe. But taking a brief trip down the wrong route won’t kill you; it will just help you to realize which route is most effective.
- Embrace the hustle!
Right now you’re taking full-time classes, working in a restaurant, teaching lessons part time, leading music in your church, and working 20 hours per week as a student teacher. You’re looking forward to a day when you can focus 100 percent of your energy on your art, forgetting about all the extra work on the side.
Unfortunately, that day isn’t going to arrive anytime soon. In order to pursue the things you love, you may have to do a few things you don’t particularly like along the way. You’ll work long hours in restaurants, temporary office jobs, focus groups, and consulting gigs. All of these things will build your character, pay your bills, and enrich your life.
- Dream for a wildly successful career but plan in case of fiscal failure.
Resist the temptation to cash out the maximum amount for your student loans and spend it as if you won the lottery. If you’re not careful, that debt will be an albatross around your neck for decades. Build up an emergency fund for unexpected expenses such as health issues, car repairs, or a last-minute audition trip or coaching. Fight the urge for “retail therapy” every time you want to buy the latest electronic gadget or fashion fad. You’ll be glad if you take that money and save it. To paraphrase finance guru Dave Ramsey, live like no one else does today so you can live like no one else does later!
- Each class is not a burden but an opportunity.
Your colleagues will balk at the required choir credits for their degrees. You won’t be the center of attention in choir, but you’ll learn the importance of working as a member of a tightly knit team—and you’ll find the beauty not just of producing sound, but listening to how your voice fits within an ensemble. Those skills will pay off when you work as a church singer in New York City, covering your rent costs for seven years. In fact, you will still receive four years’ worth of residual checks in the mail from a choral job you’ll sing for the soundtrack of a major Hollywood movie.
Ear training might seem like a waste of time now, but those skills will be of great assistance as you learn roles for over a dozen world premieres. Language classes might not be a barrel of laughs, but you’ll be glad you learned French, German, and Italian when you’re traveling and singing in the countries where each of those languages originated.
- Learn the importance of discipline.
Try to remember the rationale behind the requirements. Many of your classmates will scramble at the end of the semester to learn the translations of their Lieder and chansons. Learning and memorizing the meaning of each word should be the first step on day one of learning a new piece. It is a foundational element that informs all other aspects of interpretation: dynamics, inflection, tempo, and more.
In the professional world, you will look foolish onstage if you don’t know the meaning behind your music. A deep understanding of the text and the intentions behind each word will undergird each of the decisions for your character within an opera. Knowledge is power, so gird your loins with excellent preparation. You’re going to need it!
- Learn that mentors are treasures.
Your professors’ knowledge extends far beyond the classroom. Your teachers will eventually become your closest friends and colleagues. You’ll be drawn to their passion, their knowledge, their humor, and their dedication to give back by training the next generation of artists and educators.
Years later, you’ll still be in touch with several of those special individuals, like Carla LeFevre at UNC–Greensboro. Now you enter her studio with trepidation, but the work you both will do in that room will form an enduring bond through years of growth and change. You can trust her to tell the truth whenever you have a question about anything, from vocal technique to even dating advice!
- This is only the beginning.
Finishing your degree will be difficult but your trials are only temporary. Your struggles are valid, but you’ll discover that you’re much more resilient than you can ever imagine. You’re climbing a major hill now but mountains lie ahead in the distance.
You’re gaining the proper expertise and equipment to conquer peaks (in life and in music) that are hidden up beyond the clouds. And you’re finding a team who will be by your side, encouraging you to conquer each challenge.
- Forget perfection.
In each lesson, lecture, or coaching, you’re constantly being told how to fix your vocal and stylistic errors. Instead of trying to fix what’s wrong in each phrase, try to find what’s right. Approach each performance from a place of abundance. Instead of focusing on 10 disasters you’d like to avoid in your next performance, think about two “wins” you’d like to achieve. Singing defensively is never the way to achieve greatness. I don’t want you just to keep from falling; I want you to soar.
I’m now working on the other side of the curtain as development and patron services manager at Opera Saratoga. In my new role I’m still drawing on the lessons I learned during my years of higher education. Those precious experiences broadened my musical and personal horizons, gave me tools to triumph, and prepared me for a lifetime of high-pressure situations.
Ultimately what I have realized is that life is a classroom and there are no CliffsNotes! Whether you’re in high school, graduate school, or the school of hard knocks, don’t forget to see each challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. The skills you’re continuing to develop will help you to ace each pop quiz that life throws at you. Follow this syllabus carefully. You’ll need it!
