You say you love your art. How much are you willing to sacrifice for it? Do you really love to sing, or are you focused on the supposed rewards that haven’t come your way in just the way you envisioned when you were younger?
Not long ago, I visited the museum of natural history in New York and I was struck by the description of one of the exhibits there: “Cro Magnons in Western Europe made these pictures of clay bison in the cave at Tuc D’audaubert in the French Pyranees a mile from the cave entrance 14,000 years ago. To do so, they had to wade along an underground river through narrow passages for three hours with primitive lamps fueled by animal fat. Why these people went to such discomfort and danger to express themselves is unknown but in this act we can glimpse the creative drive that characterizes humankind today.”
These people, like many great composers and artists, didn’t wait to make art until they had a contract, a manager, or a fee. They made art because they had to make art.
I suspect you have to make art, and the fact that you aren’t making enough art is making you very unhappy. You may even be working regularly for a fee—but not making art that satisfies your soul.
I was in this position much of the time as a weekly artist at New York City Opera—mostly small roles that didn’t allow my soul to soar. It looked good on a resume, but my heart felt like it was dying, and I was exhausted from the grueling schedule.
Eva Cassidy, a popular singer, was in a tough position years ago. She was lucky to get jobs singing in cafes and bottom-of-the-rung nightclubs. But she, like the Cro-Magnons from 14,000 years ago, knew that she would wade through underground rivers to make her art. She began to make recordings at her own expense. Few were interested in buying them during her lifetime but she made art and poured her soul into that art. She died at age 33, never convinced that her art was good enough for the market.
Eventually, someone influential heard a recording of hers and within a few years, her recordings shot to No. 1 in England! Listening to her version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow is to hear a singer’s unique heartbreak in song as we mistakenly “wait for the applause.” I hope you’ll get a chance to hear this recording with headphones and eyes closed and see if you don’t instantly find a soul mate. [You can find her story and her recordings on the Internet. The United States is only now beginning to discover this unique talent.]
Sometimes the obstacle keeping us from getting over our own rainbow is self-deception.
I recently had a chance to hear a lovely soprano voice, but it was being poorly trained. The voice was developing such a wobble that it was difficult to tell the difference between a sustained note and a trill, and the pitch was often low. This is like our Cro-Magnon man trying to make his cave pictures with a broken hand. You can’t make great art if you’re broken! This young singer’s tools are already breaking down and if nothing changes, heartbreakingly, she’ll lose the ability to sing before she ever gets to the starting gate.
I asked the singer who her teacher was and she proudly told me the name, and genealogy of her teacher. Has anyone told her what result she is getting in return for her hard-earned money? Is she ignoring advice? Is she, like so many singers, failing to ask for advice from sources other than her teacher?
One of my major goals with the upcoming Classical Singer International Convention [see http://www.classicalsinger.com] is to make sure that every singer who wants to know can get expert opinions on his or her voice. No more guessing about whether he or she is on the right track. If you have a wobble, you are going to find out. If you have pitch problems, we are going to tell you—if you ask! All the singers who enter the competition or the auditions are going to receive written comments and they will be frank and to the point but kind!! And they will be from the best ears I can find. Ears we trust.
It’s about time singers were given accurate information, instead of being told, as the singer I mentioned earlier was told last night: “You sound beautiful!” while behind the troubled singers’ backs, people are whispering the truth. That is the most unkind thing I can imagine. If there’s a problem, it’s probably why you aren’t getting work. You can’t function in this business without accurate information, and we want to help you work from a solid base, instead of a base of deception. Then you can make a new plan or relax and get on with your current one.
I didn’t tell the soprano she sounded beautiful; I told her what a beautiful aria she had. I wish other people wouldn’t lie to her so she would start to hear what is not being said. I could hear from the way she shaped phrases—when she wasn’t hampered by the restrictions of having to push her voice—that she’s extremely musical. I wanted so badly to sit her down and have a talk about how long she has been with her current teacher and find out if she is working on correcting the problem. But she was in performance mode and it wasn’t the place or time. The Convention is.
Are you asking for feedback from experienced people outside your studio? I hope so! Self-deception and incorrect teacher feedback can cost you your dream—if your dream is to be hired often by a professional company, or even just to be able to sing for many years. Flatting, wobbling, tension under your chin (or anywhere else) means you probably won’t be singing long. It also means you’re probably terrified when you perform, because you don’t know what is going to come out of your mouth. There’s no need for that! There are teachers out there who know how to fix your voice so you can sing easily, without tension, and reclaim the ability to enjoy your art. (If you’re not enjoying it, I can guarantee your audience is not enjoying it!) At the convention, you’ll have the chance to try out teachers.
Cro Magnons sacrificed much to make their art. I don’t think all singers can sing, or need to sing, at La Scala. From all the interviews we do here, it is clear that this is not always even the most satisfying way to lead an artistic life! We’re going to be talking about that at the Convention—helping singers find their niche in a big way—but it is critical that you start making art and stop worrying so much about whether you get applause or a fee. It’s essential for the survival of an artist’s soul. For your soul.
You know there are things you haven’t done yet that you could do to get yourself singing. There are cards in the deck you haven’t played yet, contacts you haven’t contacted, ideas you have that you haven’t followed up on. This singing game is only 1 percent about New York auditions and huge contracts! If you’ll brainstorm for 30 minutes, getting away from the narrow idea of managers and opera, you’ll realize that there’s a whole world of opportunities out there for singers.
In the meantime, go wade through some rivers, make some art—and change some lives.
(Hint: If you’re stuck for ideas, we’ll be giving you a deluge of avenues on where to pursue your art at the convention.)
We can’t wait to see you in Connecticut in May!
CJ Williamson, Editor
If you have a question about this article or anything else, please write to Ms. CJ Williamson, the editor of Classical Singer magazine at cjw@classicalsinger.com or P.O. Box 95490, South Jordan, UT 95490. Letters can be used as “Letters to the Editor” if you would like, “Name Withheld” if you’d like, or just meant for the staff only. Just let us know.
