Many singers are interested in entering the world of vocal competitions. When you make this decision, your attitude should be positive yet determined. Competitions cover a huge range, from the younger singer starting out in his or her training, to the young professional who has sung in major opera houses.
The critical question to ask yourself is, “Why would I want to enter a competition, and what will it do for my personal or career development?”
Remember, winning isn’t the only reason to enter a competition—stage experience and performing experience are both great assets for any singer. They make up a critical part of a performer’s development to see how he or she fares in a public setting. Some singers have a performing energy that expands their abilities when under pressure. Other singers find it difficult to concentrate and keep their technique and musical expression intact.
Competition and networking form a large part of the basis of a successful singing career, so it is important to learn how to compete in a public setting. How do you feel about going on stage? Are you excited to be there? Or is it threatening to you, making you feel unsafe?
These questions are important for any singer to ponder when considering a singing career. Do a deep self-analysis of who you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. A singing career is difficult at best, but having a plan of action and approaching it like a business make for a solid start. Learning to “depersonalize” is of great importance when trying to survive the emotional ups and downs of a career on the stage.
Research the competition
I suggest to any singer that research is the first part of the foundation work for deciding upon a competition. Research whether the competition has a reputation for fairness or for being political. What is the age cutoff? Is it for mature young professionals, students, or amateur singers? What is your goal for entering the competition? Is it for financial reasons, personal growth, or career visibility? All of these are valid reasons, but try to be clear on what your reason is, and ask yourself if it is an appropriate reason.
If you are looking far in the future, try to attend the competition the year before you enter, and take note of the singers the judges choose. Do you fit into a similar category as the singers who are winning or placing? Every competition is subjective, and there is no such thing as mind reading, but you can find out what kind of performers placed or won. What is their level of vocal and performing competence, and are you near, below, or above that level? Are you too experienced or advanced in your career to qualify? Are you not experienced or fine-tuned enough to compete in such a setting?
When you research a competition, find out all you possibly can about it. Some websites offer feedback regarding competitions. Sometimes singers can post their experiences on such a site. After doing this research, run a survey of your own through other singers you know. Ask friends and colleagues what they know about a specific competition. Most of the time, singers are a great resource for finding critical information about a competition, such as whether it is a fair competition.
Your decision to enter may not be based solely on the fairness of the competition. If you are entering for the experience of singing for people, fairness doesn’t matter as much—but if you want to win financial assistance or gain a competition win to add to your resume, fairness is a high priority.
Personal analysis: Evaluate your talent and physical image
Do you know how you present yourself as a performer? Do you have an idea of what attire presents you in the most positive light? If you don’t know the answer to the latter question, consider contacting an image consultant in the classical music field. Start your own research on what people are wearing in competitions.
It can be just as important to know what not to wear. No matter what your body type, you can find clothing that enhances your image on stage. Elegance usually means solid colors with elegant lines. You don’t want your clothing to overshadow your performance. Some singers tend to be underdressed or overdressed. Try to find a happy medium. Remember, you are judged first on your image and how you walk out on stage.
Men typically look good in dark suits or sport coats. A tie can feel tight, so be sure you buy a shirt about a half-inch larger than your neck size. This will not be seen from a distance, and you can loosen the tie so you don’t get that choking feeling when you perform. When you sing well, your larynx releases and needs room to drop slightly. A tight neck and necktie can disturb a singer’s performance by creating a distraction.
Women usually look good in solid colors, but rich dark colors can look elegant on stage, especially if the design has an elegant and flattering line. No matter what your body type, you can find a style that flatters you on stage. I strongly suggest, for men and women, an image consultant to help you choose the color and design that will be most flattering to you on stage.
Use the video camera as a tool
A video camera can give a clear picture of how you come across as an onstage performer. Be sure the lighting is good enough to get a clear picture or you will not get a true image.
After using the video camera, ask yourself some critically important questions. How am I dressed? How do I walk onto the stage? Am I taking large, unrefined steps, or am I gliding on stage, using smaller steps without my head bobbing up and down dramatically? Do I appear to be confident or apologetic for my presence? When I sing, do I come across as a performer, using acting skills, good language ability, and excellent technical skills? Or do I come across as a student who is not ready for this competition?
Try to be as honest with yourself as possible. Ask a kind and honest friend to review the video with you. Pick someone who will be gentle yet honest in his or her appraisal of your presentation, rather than someone who is invested in your doing the competition.
Ask colleagues and friends for help. Ask someone you trust, preferably someone who has entered and placed or won competitions, to hear you present three or four selections from your repertoire list. Video this presentation and then study it. Make a list of what is good and what needs correction.
Choose repertoire that is competitive
Try to select repertoire that falls within the category requested by the competition, yet try to find selections that are a bit more unusual—those that are not overly performed. Ask your voice teacher to help you with these selections, and pick repertoire that is well within your technical ability.
I had one teacher say to me, “Never sing anything that you could not get up at 3 a.m. in the morning and sing!” This may be a bit of a stretch, but there is a clear message in this statement: Be thoroughly prepared! Give yourself enough time to learn the repertoire far in advance of the competition. A last-minute preparation won’t make you feel confident.
You can tell whether a singer is prepared when he or she walks on stage. Learn your material thoroughly and get the proper guidance, so you don’t learn any mistakes.
Find a good coach or conductor
Remember, outside your voice lesson, you need to coach with an excellent vocal professional—one who knows languages and style, who can help you select music that is within your ability, and yet offers something fresh and different.
One good way to find such a professional is to interview lots of other singers and run a sort of ongoing survey. After running this survey for several months, take a coaching with the top three on your survey list. Remember that beyond ability, you must find someone whose personality works well with your own.
When you coach with these individuals, ask yourself the following questions. Does he or she play piano well? Do you feel musical support, or do you feel the tempos are challenging and incorrect for the musical selections? Do you feel a musical partnership with this individual? If so, perhaps you could hire that person to play for the competition.
If you are having difficulty finding someone, and you have an opera house in your city, call the main office and ask for referrals. If possible, bring your own accompanist to the competition. You will be so much more confident singing with your own accompanist, who has helped in the preparation process. Be sure to clear this with the competition. If you are not allowed your own accompanist and must work with someone the competition hired, then call that person and rehearse with them at least two to four times before the event.
Rehearsing under nerves
Try to create a practice situation that allows you to practice under nerves. Rent a public venue that will allow you to really perform your material without interruption. It would be better to rent a venue at a church or synagogue that has an acceptable acoustical environment—not too dry or with too much echo. If you know where your competition will be held and can rent that space, you can gain experience with that acoustical environment.
After you find a good venue in which to perform, sing selections from the competition repertoire list in front of an audience. If you don’t have enough repertoire to make up an entire recital, ask friends to share the performance with you. This way you can have the experience of singing under nerves, yet won’t have the burden of preparing an entire recital on your own.
One final thought: Remember that competing to win competitions is not always the most useful approach. Many are just practice competitions for the more influential competitions you can enter later.
