Just one note: deadline submissions for Classical Singer have been moved ahead two weeks, so goals only had two weeks of work from last month. Our singers were not slacking off!
Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk—A graduate student at Colorado State University at Boulder
LAST MONTH’S RESOLUTIONS:
1. Give lecture recital.
REPORT: This will likely be Sept. 18th: I am allowed to sign up this week. The date has been approved by the majority of my committee.
2. Begin new TA position in the Graduate Teacher Program office.
REPORT: Done. I’m enjoying working with such an organized, competent staff.
3. Lead TA Fall Intensive and final planning for semester. Look into funding for one of the workshops we hope to present.
REPORT: Fall Intensive is done. A grueling week, but worthwhile. Funding for the workshop mentioned will be explored in the coming months, but another workshop has already been scheduled, so we’re actually ahead.
4. Take the Italian proficiency test.
REPORT: Done. I get the results tomorrow.
5. Apply for a Fulbright.
REPORT: I may have to let this one go. Finishing this degree needs to be my priority right now, and I’m already stretched to the limit. I can always apply for a professional Fulbright later.
6. Learn “Ua voce poco fa” for upcoming orchestra concert.
REPORT: In progress, but I have been focusing on the lecture recital, since that happens first.
7. Apply for scholarship (demo CD required).
REPORT: Nixed. With the TA I unexpectedly got, there’s less need for it, and I also got an extra need-based scholarship over the summer. I simply don’t have the time to make another demo right now, either.
8. Plan October trip to NYC.
REPORT: In progress. I should finish that this week.
9. Resume yoga classes and look into Tai-Chi.
REPORT: Resumed yoga; Tai-Chi conflicts with one of my classes. Maybe next semester.
10. If I have extra time, get one of my accompanying requirements done for piano proficiency.
REPORT: Extra time? Who was I kidding?
BONUS: I am already coaching music for my chamber recital, which happens later this fall.
NEXT MONTH’S RESOLUTIONS
1. Give lecture recital.
2. Continue preparing chamber recital.
3. Finish planning NYC coaching trip.
4. Participate in workshop through the Grad Teacher Program.
5. Visit another university with Preparing Future Faculty program; begin mentorship.
6. Work on arias for orchestra concert.
7. Go to the gym regularly.
8. Submit one of my chamber recital pieces to “Pendulum,” the new music concert series at CU.
9. Stay ahead in my Music Technology class.
10. Have an advising session with my teacher/advisor.
11. Go hiking at least once in the high country—before the snow flies.
Janeanne Houston—A professional singer performing, recording and teaching in Seattle
RESOLUTIONS FOR LAST MONTH:
1. Finish liner notes and get everything to the graphic artist.
REPORT: The liner notes are finished and were sent to the graphic artist. He has scanned the photograph for the cover and sent me a preliminary design. It took me quite a while to decide how much information I wanted to include about the concept and to research what needed to be included about the contemporary music.
2. Get and listen to the final edit, enlist the help of another musician with a score, likely the producer.
REPORT: The engineer/editor said he had everything on his computer and was taking it with him on a trip out of town. Today is Sept. 9th, and I haven’t heard anything yet but expect to soon. When one uses the best people, they are also the busiest….so we wait.
3. Publicity contacts for next year.
REPORT: I found a few more ways to market last year’s CD online and purchased bar codes for the recordings. Hopefully it will be easier to market now. I’ve done some things, but not enough in the way of making new contacts for next year, however I will when I have the new recording in hand. I have been making some new contacts and have made sure to keep in touch with conductors I know.
4. Finish recruitment of new members to Northwest Artists, prepare ad for Musical America.
REPORT: I worked very hard on this, and we now have a group of members who are wonderful singers, conductors and pianists. The website has been reworked and looks great. We are in the process of putting the ad together for Musical America. Since we’ve been out of the publication for a couple of years, it’s nice to have things re-worked and ready to go back to that medium. I founded this group a number of years ago with the help of another singer and my tech wizard husband. The theory behind Northwest Artists is that organized networking among friends in the business can be one of our strongest marketing tools. Four of us are the solo quartet in the Tacoma production of the “rolling” Mozart Requiem on 9/11. I just returned from singing at my aunt’s funeral across the state, so it has been a time of singing through tears.
5. Begin selecting music for fall semester teaching.
REPORT: Uh oh, school begins this week, and I still have a lot to do! One of my students is going to UC Boulder this fall to prepare for grad school, so she is set to meet with Kristine, our other resolutions person, to receive advice and some mentoring. Thank you, Kristine!
6. Follow through on meeting with composers for next year’s commissions.
REPORT: I have a yes from one regional composer who will set some favorite poems, and a yes but not a time to meet with the composer from England. I’ve contacted a few other composers to find works that have not been recorded.
NEXT MONTH’S RESOLUTIONS
1. Get the new CD (Living Mysteries) out, and reintroduce So Great a Joy for the Christmas season. Everything is ready to go when the engineer is finished with the editing and mastering. Then it can be sent off to be reproduced. This is taking too long.
2. Set up sales locations for Living Mysteries in local music stores and online.
3. Try to get radio and advertising coverage…as much free stuff as possible. Research!
4. Sing well in performances this fall, and stay healthy. Balance.
John Fisk—Young singer doing the New York auditions circuit
LAST MONTH’S RESOLUTIONS:
Now that I’m back home, I have a lot of things to accomplish. I need three basic elements of singer life: money, sanity and a place to live.
1. Money: Find a day job. If I want to find something worthwhile, something that I’ll want to keep for the year, I have to be somewhat choosy about this and not take my search lightly.
REPORT: I found a job, and this will allow some flexibility in the singing department. I will have the cash flow necessary to support weekly lessons and coachings and will be able to properly prepare for my upcoming auditions.
2. Sanity: Keep on singing. This means finding more local stuff to keep me busy. I still have my local operetta gig from last year, but I could use some more things to do outside of lessons and coaching.
3. Place to Live: This isn’t about getting an apartment for the year; this is about finding a home for myself, a place for my things, where I can feel like I live, not where I sleep.
REPORT: I’ve found an apartment.
NEXT MONTH’S RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions for the coming month are as follows. First, I need to line up my auditions, both for summer programs and local gigs. This means updating info, sending materials, organizing myself. Second, I need to resume the teacher search. By the end of next month, I need it all sorted out. I have specific names of people; I just have to go have the lessons and make the decision. It’s making the decision which I think I’m scared of and what is holding me up, not the process. Third, I need to resume a good rhythm to my life. Seeing friends regularly, having a normal schedule, etc. Once this happens, I will be more sane and prepared to face up to the professional challenges ahead.
