“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
– Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
Summer Programs can be a wonderful investment of your time, energy and money. They are a way to expand your experience, try any new skills and tools you have learned and possibly help move you to the next level of professionalism. If you have chosen a program in a foreign country you will be able to experience another culture up close and personal with the added bonus of being able to practice another language. Make sure you pack your “foreign phrase book”. It’s also an important opportunity to show your professionalism to both the foreign community and those running your summer program by respecting their customs and rules of behavior when you are out and about more as a tourist than performer. Always remember that you are representing yourself, your Brand, and also the Summer Program you are involved in and those that are both running it and teaching there. Don’t become the “Ugly American” and an embarrassment to all. This is a great lesson to take with you even if you are attending a program in an unfamiliar area of the USA. You need to always represent your Brand and know that those running these programs have long memories if your behavior is less than stellar. Your Brand will be tarnished and that is a really hard thing to clean up. It’s about others being able to trust you and your integrity in all matters. It’s not a vacation. It’s a time to further build your reputation and expand your awareness of your industry no matter what your colleagues are doing. You want to be viewed as a professional at all times and in all activities.
Here are some questions that might help you better understand the how, what and why of your program choice.
- Why did you choose the programs you applied to? Where they appropriate for your abilities right now?
- If you were accepted by more than one program, what influenced your final choice?
- What kind of information and background search did you conduct to find out about the programs?
- Did this help you better understand what the program was offering and identify what the benefits would be to you and you to the program?
- Did the background information given about the facilitator/instructors/teachers provide you with enough information to assist you in your search for the most appropriate program for you? Did you also do an individual search on line for each instructor, program director, stage director, and conductor?
- Were you looking primarily for more performance experience to put on your resume, or was your main purpose driven by being able to use the program for networking, or an opportunity to get to know a particular person one on one or did you want the opportunity to work with a particular person? Or were you more interested in gaining some new skills and tools to help you release your creative self or help you with the business aspects of your career?
- Were you interested in having a foreign experience, to try out your foreign language skills? Have you invested in finding the importance of the social customs of behavior so you have a heads up on how you might have to adjust your own behavior as you interact when you are out and about?
- What kind of outcome do you want from this summer program? What will the benefits be for you as an aspiring artist or professional?
As I said in the beginning, summer programs can be of great benefit if you have chosen wisely and are prepared by presenting and representing your Personal Band at all times. It’s an opportunity for you to practice being professional; giving those whose program it is a clear idea of what you are capable of both on and off stage. That’s really an important part of influencing those that hire to spread your name in a good way. Management is looking for not only a beautiful instrument with a great technique, but just as important, someone who gets along well with the community, their colleagues and management; someone who can charm the patrons, and can capture the hearts of the audience. It’s about being unique, authentic and consistent both on and off stage.
Talk to you next time. Ciao Carol
