I came to singing in a roundabout way. I come from a musical family—though none were professional musicians—and grew up surrounded by music. My father led the choir at church, my sister sang, my grandmother played mandolin in a bluegrass band…I was the piano player.
I was attracted to the piano from a very early age, and in our family, I wasn’t a singer—I was the one who played the piano for everyone else to sing. So you can imagine my shock when I arrived at college as a piano major and a member of the voice faculty, after hearing me sing the national anthem, tried to “convert” me to the land of voice majors. I can still hear her voice now, after she called the chair of the voice faculty (and eventually my teacher) to hear me sing.
“Now honey, that was really good. But this time sing it with your real voice.”
She thought I was singing in falsetto.
From that point on, the two were in cahoots with my piano teacher. In my junior year, I finally broke down and took voice as an elective, since my piano teacher convinced me that it was the right thing to do to further my musical growth. She insisted that I could only learn elegant phrasing and line from singers and that there was no better way to learn than to do it myself. So, I fell for it.
I didn’t started taking voice lessons until I was 21. At first, it was slow, but after my first semester things really started to click. My voice started growing so fast that by my senior year, I had to decide if I wanted to continue to pursue singing or the piano. After many restless nights I decided to go with singing, because I realized that it included so many things that I love—music, languages, theater—but also allowed me to connect with people on a very deep (and many times scary) emotional level that I had never felt with piano.
I didn’t start working on opera right away. I was raised on Bach and Schubert, so I sang Lieder almost exclusively, and I didn’t even look at an aria until I had to prepare one for my graduate school auditions. Once I got to the Manhattan School of Music, I continued on that path, but I also expanded to chamber music and oratorio. I am so thankful that I had that background and still think it is important to cultivate that part of my work.
I was very lucky to live in the International House when I was at Manhattan, because I think I learned more there than anywhere else. There is no substitute for a native speaker, and this is really where I feel I got a head start on my languages. I still keep in touch with my European friends, and we trade “lessons” with each other, alternating English and their native language.
After grad school, I had the shock of my life: temping. They don’t teach you about temping in school, but it is one of the most important things new singers have to do. Luckily, I had great temp jobs with understanding bosses, and I made the most of my experience. I learned a lot about computers, graphic design, and the business world, all of which I have put to very good use.
At the same time as temping, I did lots of things in and around the New York, such as Bronx Opera, area concerts and recitals, acting classes, working with coaches and teachers on opera roles, etc. Eventually I went on to the Young Artist Programs at Santa Fe and Glimmerglass. I am so thankful for programs like those. Richard Gaddes and Nicholas Russell have been exceptionally positive influences in my career.
These opportunities are invaluable for young singers as we continue to grow and develop. It also exposes you to the “business” of performing. In addition, Robin Thompson provided me with some very important opportunities at City Opera after my first summer at Santa Fe.
I have been very fortunate to have wonderful people in my life to help me along my path. After moving to New York to study at the Manhattan School of Music, I started working with Adele Addison, who has been a tremendous influence on my life and work. Adele helped build my basic technique, shaped many of my ideas about music and singing, helped keep me healthy, and always encouraged me to continue on my journey.
Within the past year, I have been studying with Bill Schuman, who has helped me to solidify and expand my technique, which in turn has freed me tremendously to have the courage and confidence to pursue grander artistic goals.
I have coached consistently with Gaït Sirguey, and Joan Krueger [see Classical Singer archives July 2004 “Coach of the Year” at www.classicalsinger.com]; both are fantastic. For the past couple years, I have also been working with Connie Barnett, who has helped me bridge the intimidating gap between young artist and main-stage artist.
While I have been considering my management options, Connie has helped me tremendously with all of the questions we all have, such as: “What do I do now?” I have made a demo CD that has been very useful in getting work. From my CD alone I have sung lots of concert engagements. I have worked with the Reading Symphony [Penn.], Monmouth Chorus and Orchestra [N.J.], will be doing my first Beethoven Ninth with the Reading Symphony next month and have been re-engaged to sing with the Ridgefield Symphony [CT].
I also want to address some more practical issues, such as preparation and staying healthy. Avoiding discouragement is impossible, but dealing with it is a different matter. I think that always believing in yourself and knowing that you are always growing and changing helps deal with disappointments. Also, having very loving and supportive friends and family has been vital. I think it’s important for us to remember that first we’re human, singers second.
Staying healthy (in all areas) is a big responsibility. I personally love biking and yoga and I’m a big fan of neti pots. [See Classical Singer magazine, articles by Dr. Jahn and Suzanne Jackson, August 2003, www.classicalsinger.com archives.] Time spent alone, rest, and lots of water are the best things to recharge my battery. When I’m away performing and have had a hard day, the best thing for me is a quiet evening and rest. It’s always very tempting to go out with colleagues, but I find that if I do that too much I’m not able to really give as much as I would like the next day.
Memorizing is hard no matter how you slice it, but I have found that playing the vocal line while speaking the text into my recorder—then listening to it every chance I get—helps tremendously. I always write the text on a separate sheet of paper and try to learn it independently from the music, because I can usually remember the tune, but the words are another story.
I’ll admit that when CJ asked me to write this article, I was both excited and intimidated. I wanted to be honest about where I’ve come from and how I got here, without being pretentious, without appearing to be a “divo” who is looking back on his grand career. Like you, I am someone who struggles every day with his art, his practice, his allergies, his finances and his resolve to continue to do something that we cherish and guard so preciously: singing.
Brian Register, tenor, has received critical acclaim for his fresh, bright timbre and strongly dramatic singing. Recent performances include the title role in Stone Soup with Tulsa Opera, Romeo and Juliet Overture for Soprano and Tenor duet by Tchaikovsky and scenes from Cosí fan tutte with the Reading Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Sidney Rothstein, Ned Rorem’s Missa Brevis with St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys under the direction of Dr. Gerre Hancock and the role of Second Bandit in Martinu’s Hlas Lesa with Gotham Opera (formerly Henry Street Opera) under the direction of Neal Goren.
Brian made his Lincoln Center debut in a recital of French Chamber Music at the Bruno Walter Recital Hall. He has performed the roles of Astolf in Schubert’s Die Verschworenen, Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Leander in Nielsen’s Maskarade with the Bronx Opera Company. He has performed with The New York City Opera Orchestra in their Showcasing American Composers 2000 concerts singing Sundar in Shiela Silver’s The Thief of Love and Manno in Anton Coppola’s Sacco and Vanzetti. Owing to his artistic flexibility, Brian has also performed the role of Mr. Snow in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel with the Natchez Opera Festival.
Brian has been part of renowned apprentice programs such as The Santa Fe Opera and Glimmerglass Opera. While at Santa Fe, he covered the roles of Tassilo in Countess Maritza, Andres in Wozzeck, and Dr. Caius in Falstaff. While at Glimmerglass he covered the title role in Orlando Paladino by Haydn while singing the role of Chaplain in Les dialogues des Carmélites under the baton of Stewart Robertson.
His many orchestral engagements include Mozart’s Requiem and Finzi’s Intimations of Immortality with The Monmouth Civic Chorus of NJ under the direction of Mark Shapiro, Stravinsky’s Les Noces with The Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia under the direction of Alan Harler, and Schubert’s Mass in G and Bach’s Magnificat with Morehead State University Chorus and Orchestra under the direction of James Ross Beane.
Brian was the recipient of the Birgit Nilsson Scholarship at Manhattan School of Music where he earned his Master of Music degree while studying with Adele Addison. In addition, he received a full fellowship to study at The Aspen Music School and Festival in the Vocal Chamber Music Program. Brian currently studies with Bill Schuman.
Upcoming engagements include Mozart’s Requiem and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with the St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys under the direction of John Scott, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Reading Symphony Orchestra, and Handel’s Messiah and Judas Maccabeus with the Harrisburg Choral Society under the direction of Robert Baker.
