My New Year’s goal is to enjoy where I am in my career much more. We are always looking ahead in this business. I want to savor the ‘now’ moments more.
—Gary Simpson
I resolve to get into a young artist or apprentice program. —David Babinet, Cincinnati
My New Year’s resolution (one that I’m actively working at) is to set up frequent local recital performances and build new recital repertoire as a battery for greater opportunities such as the Marilyn Horne Foundation, and presentations at music festivals here and abroad. I find that I work like a dog (second canine reference!) when I have a program looming, and slack off too much when I have no date set. So arranging many, many concert dates will help me push myself to achieve the growth rate I want. —Dayle Vander Sande
My number one resolution is to have the courage to set part of my life aside in order to function as a singer. I need to stop socializing before performances, having long conversations with my wife too late at night, eating late at night, and simply talking too much. For I’ve found that if I follow some basic steps, the result is really amazing, my voice remains fresh and my range very flexible. But the moment I tax my voice, I start getting tired.
—Name withheld
Resolutions? I’ll keep them to myself! Just love yourselves, believe in yourselves and remember that you don’t need anybody’s approval—not even the Artistic Director’s, and, least of all, that famous music critic’s. Just do your work: study, and be always prepared
—Juan Borja
My New Year’s resolution is, of course, to keep on improving as a singer; to devote more time to learning more repertoire. I want to prepare myself for graduate school and really make a great impression. I also want to keep pushing my younger students on to better, more beautiful repertoire and have them compete locally. —Christina Moore,
Murfreesboro, TN
My resolution for 2002 is to pursue my training in the fullest, no matter what pitfalls (emotional or otherwise!) may occur. My goal in 2002 is to be accepted into an Apprenticeship and/or Young Artist Program. As I am just beginning to realize, choosing the path of an artist is not an easy one, nor one with guaranteed success. The feeling of “am I good enough?” is always at the back of my mind, but I am determined to use and share the gift I have been given. I hold myself responsible for my training, auditioning, and—hopefully—acceptance and participation in an apprenticeship program. —Danielle Dorter
Get a new day job, progress in learning the Italian language, progress in conquering interfering tensions in tongue and jaw, add to repertoire, seek experiences and feedback that will hone acting skills. —Soprano
My New Year’s resolution for 2002 is to create music with every note I sing, in exercises and arias. Before I sing, I will anchor myself into the present moment, using emotional, physical and spiritual awareness to create the music I want to feel and hear with every note I sing. When I notice myself singing without being present, singing with only part of myself, or on ‘autopilot’, I will anchor myself once again. In addition, once I have learned the notes to a piece I am singing, I will practice singing it silently, with my mind and body, before adding sound. I will feel the emotions of the character I am playing, as well as the space in my throat, the support of my breath, all in conjunction with what I hear in my mind’s ear. Using these two practices as tools, I hope to become able to create thrilling and beautiful music in any space, with any audience. I intend to practice presence of mind in my day job and other parts of my life, as well. Thanks for doing this feature! It really helped me articulate my goal. —Elisabeth Commanday
As a singer (soprano) who is done with student years and trying to be an ‘emerging professional’, I have a couple resolutions. First is to better balance my day job with my singing work. It gets difficult, I definitely need the day job, or I couldn’t afford to live, but I obviously need to sing or I wouldn’t want to live… I also want my repertoire to be more well-rounded. I have done lots of opera and crossover work, but would also like to do more oratorio, which means learning more of the standard works in that area. Also, there are a couple contemporary song cycles I want to perform this year; I planned to do them last year and never got around to it. Of course, I want to do these things while still maintaining my opera work. I have started doing more outreach work on my own since 9/11 and want to continue that into the next year, I believe it’s very important for us to give back. OK—that is probably more than a couple of resolutions, but it is what I want to take on for the next year. —A.
1. Practice more.
2. Get more sleep.
3. Eat better.
4. Sing more challenging rep and sing it better.
5. Listen to a wider variety of singers and vocal styles.
6. Become more familiar with composers and history of works I sing.
7. Sit in on other voice lessons to see how other singers overcome problems.
—Wes Perkins, Bass/Baritone
1. To use my air flow to my advantage.
2. Not to fear my upper register .
3. To use correct posture, whether in choir, in practice, or in lessons.
—Lydia Smith, Soprano
I am a ‘student’ at age 33—a late opera bloomer. I attended Northwestern for Theatre for one semester at age 18 but after a few horrible experiences, chose to not sing for almost 10 years. I shut singing and, indeed, almost all music out of my life. That decision began to kill my heart. I began to sing again when I hit rock bottom. It is a part of my soul. As I write this letter to you, I have a part-time graphic design business, am a mother of two children (aged nine and five) and am going through a divorce (my initiation). I guarantee you I am going to make singing my career-no matter how big or small. Here are my resolutions:
1) To bring to fruition a cultural concert celebrating the three lines of children of Abraham-Muslims, Christians and Jews. This is a major concert to which we have applied for funding. I am a co-creator in this project and would be a producer and performer. This concert will bring internationally recognized musicians (violinist Yankelev, a Nubian Oud player) and dancers (Zuleika and Hamza el Din) to Albany. This will happen either in May or September to mark the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attack. Our ultimate hope is to bring this event to other communities in our country.
2) To get head shots, expand repertoire, expand vocal coaching.
3) To spend a day in New York with soprano Nancy Gustafson—a contact I have made through a mutual friend.
4) To submit my first professional tape to David Allan Miller, the Musical Director of Albany Symphony Orchestra.
5) To produce and perform a solo recital encompassing my work thus far. Including guest performers and musicians (classical guitar, piano, violin, etc.)
6) To gain more professional gigs with local groups.
7) I will be the subject of a video documentary following my professional progress. This filmmaker believes I may ‘go somewhere’ and would like to document the journey. —Christine Heslin Benincasa
I will become more stable in my singing by loosening my tongue and allowing my jaw to become more relaxed and free. To do this, I must think of the two as being separate rather than tensely connected by muscles. Although everyone’s tongue and jaw are naturally connected, visualizing the two as being separate creates more freedom
—Stephen West, Baritone
I promise to bring a tape to my voice lesson every time. —Brett Best, Baritone
I will memorize my rep within four weeks after starting school in order to maximize my time to develop character and emotive nuances. —Wayne L. Ealey, Tenor
My resolution for 2002 is to keep a daily journal of the contacts I make (letters, phonecalls to agents, conductors, networking with other singers, etc.) and a practice/rehearsal journal. I’ve lived in Germany for 14 years, and my career has been very on-again-off-again. Times are hard here, but I want to give myself a ‘last try’ before I hang it up. I’ve got six weeks of good work singing Helmwige in Dusseldorf in the spring. In 1998, I sang Sieglinde and Brunnhilde in Augsburg. I want to get both of those roles back into my head and perfect before I go to D’dorf. I’ve often let myself get distracted with personal problems (boyfriends, family, money), health (weight, depression), other interests, etc., but I think if I really concentrate and don’t lose my focus, I still have a few good years in me! —Cynthia Szymkowicz
To accept the fact that, no, I’m NOT a mezzo. I’m a soprano, and I’d better learn to live with it.
—Lisa Kapsner-Earl,
[insert voice part du jour here]
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud, Minnesota
As a first year student in college, trying to balance distribution requirements, choir stuff, voice lessons and piano lessons and fit the music classes I want to take into my schedule, I have been having a hard time maintaining vocal health. Mostly because I do not get enough sleep! And so it is that (I have begun to work on a New Year’s resolution early) that I vow to continue to work for a balanced lifestyle that nurtures and honors my body, voice, mind and spirit on a daily basis. That’s hard to do, but dang it, if I set my mind to it, I know I can do it! And I also want to learn to be more comfortable with ‘sharing my light’. By that, I mean, being more confident in my musical abilities and knowledge. So instead of, when someone asks me to sing a solo, or to talk with them about vocal technique, I don’t get ‘weirded’ out by feeling I am somehow inadequate or stupid or wrong for doing so. But that I am simply sharing what I know—I may not be the best, and that is fine. I will tell them that I will show them/tell them what I can, then if they need to know more, perhaps refer them to someone who will know better than I. I think I have already come quite far on this, and being in such an amazing environment as Mount Holyoke, I know I will continue to grow more. I also know that if I ever get scared by the prospect of being comfortable in the spotlight—both on and offstage—that I have a goal which I am working for: to be (among other things) a well-rounded, honest, communicative and strong person and conductor. Who wants an indecisive, ambiguous, afraid-to-go-for-what-they-want conductor? Good question, CJ! I think I wrote that more for myself than anyone else! —Madame Voilanska
I am an experienced singer of an age well beyond young artist and entry-level programs. I have had a career of sorts overseas, and, since coming back to New York, I have worked with some American companies. However, there have been many times when I just did not have the momentum to go out and MAKE myself do what I have to do with this voice of mine. I have been told by many people that I have (even still) a good instrument, and I have, over the years, developed a certain level of artistry (which, of course, still needs work—that NEVER changes). My plans are to do the following: 1. Get some really good coaching from some really good people. Take part in and/or audit some good master classes. Soak myself in music, as much as possible. 2. Make contacts. Even if this will not advance my career, it will at least get me out of isolation! 3. Get new headshots and a good demo CD made. 4. Form some programs and perform them. If possible, try not to lose money doing this! 5. Get out and audition again, and to **** with age discrimination. I’m GOOD, and I intend to let people know this! 6. I have already lost about 50 pounds, and I intend to lose at least 30-35 more. 7. Get my health straightened out, i.e. lose more weight (see above), control the colitis and the acid reflux, and get my extensive dental work completely taken care of. (I already found a good dentist, and that work has begun!) Well, that should do for starters! —primadonna
Living before singing. I knew when I was 10. I taught myself the languages with tapes while in middle and high school, which was when I also became an accomplished actress, pianist, and sight reader. I learned repertoire in undergrad, technique in grad. I left school and arranged my entire life around waiting for a prestigious training ground to notice how ready I am. Thinking to be ‘free’, I avoided long term relationships, full-time committed jobs, even long-term leases on the apartment. After ** years of singing being first, I’ve about had it. This year I’m getting furniture (bye bye boxes!) and making a real life for myself. I’ll fit the singing into it somehow. Maybe I’m not young for my fach, but I’m still a young person. Anything can happen.
—zerbgirl
These would be my biggies. In the past, I tend to fluctuate in my commitment. Right when I’m all gung-ho about learning things, my voice or technique shifts and I become terrified and a bit put-off. I need to keep to the basics, solidify my technique, and work logically rather than the other way around. It’s so easy to say now… we’ll see how it goes later —Happee
To be as sure as ever in my technique. To be secure with my teacher so that I don’t have to teacher hop anymore. To learn some new roles. To get more roles. —Vsing
Here are mine:
1. Be a more aggressive businesswoman. I tend to be passive about marketing myself, getting out applications, creating my own opportunities, etc.
2. Maintain a newfound sense of balance in my life (gained since I had a child this year). My career is no less important than it ever was, but I think I am finding a healthier attitude, with my entire sense of self-worth no longer wrapped up in every audition. This requires of course that I continue to work towards balancing work and family life effectively.
3. Get back some ‘lost’ repertoire. It seems I learned every aria in my fach when my technique was terrible! And old habits are so hard to break. I’ve been resorting to obscure repertoire just to have something new to sing. I want to work several old arias into my ’new’ voice. Sounds easy enough, eh? —Baby Doe
OK… CJ… since you have asked all of the reps. this same burning question, here is my reply… My New Year’s resolution is to attempt complete vocal health and wellness through diet, exercise, and vitamin consumption! Living in the mid-west, you are completely overwhelmed from all sides with allergens and pollen! Good Times! So… I am turning over a new leaf… no more caffeine, aspirin, cigarettes (yeah, just kidding), alcohol, (never did indulge), etc, basically becoming a vegetarian! Why, you ask… well, I want to conduct my own little experiment and see if for me, personally, diet change and exercise will improve my vocal and physical health, creating an overall vocal wellness, so I may focus on my literature more aggressively! There you have it… boring probably, but it is all about perspective isn’t it? —Ladiva6, Laurie B. A., Dramatic mezzo, Pittsburg State
My New Years resolution is, as always, more a mental/emotional goal rather than a concrete one (like the ‘lose 30 pounds’, ‘learn 35 roles’, ‘win the MONCA auditions’). Although I want to do all those things, I need to address the root of the reason I haven’t yet. Hence my usual nebulous resolution. In 2002, I resolve to be more confident! To listen less to my self-doubting demons! To trust that doing my best is enough, and that I have nothing to prove to anyone. These may sound like touchy-feely, new age goals, but in the past they have worked. (Some of my past resolutions have been to ‘take more risks’ and to ‘be bolder’.) —lisa_molson
The one thing I really must do next year is have an entire art song recital program, at least two oratorio roles, and seven arias ready at all times for audition, recital, whatever. I know this probably surprises many of you, as it seems basic that all young professional singers should be prepared in this manner at the very least. However, I have done quite a bit of see-sawing between rep and fach over the past couple of years, making it difficult to settle on rep. In the past few months though, I (as well as my voice) have settled a lot and I am ready and excited to have a feeling of preparedness. It has been somewhat frustrating to have your rep always up in the air. I have several pieces I have touched on, more in vocal experimentation than preparation, that I will work up to standards. Of course this includes coachings, lessons AND research. It seems somewhat overwhelming to me right now, but it is something I must do. In fact, I have created this project as something of a litmus test for myself. At this point, I have to either get in or get out. I took the first step by moving to NYC this year, and I have to see this through. If I don’t make it in this business, I don’t want it to be for lack of trying. —shannahsings
My New Year resolution is to get along with my peers, and to earn the respect of the music community. —jgargano
