Conductor William Fred Scott enjoyed a distinguished, 20-year career as principle conductor with Atlanta Opera. This month read his thoughts on auditioning, a conductor’s expectations once you get the job, the pros and cons of listening to recordings, and much more. Read more from Scott next month about his new position at Brenau University and their unique program to help singers emerge better prepared than ever for the operatic business.
Conductor Joseph Rescigno certainly knows about longevity, not only for his own lengthy career with Florentine Opera, but also in watching others’ careers last or fade. Rescigno shares his beliefs about the secrets to a long career, his feelings about the new Young Artist Program at the Florentine, and his optimism about the current opera scene in the United States.
Most singers will have several teachers over the course of their professional lives. Changing teachers is a big decision, a decision that can take a lot of finesse and personal courage. You may have social issues when you leave a studio, feelings of guilt about changing loyalties, and growing pains from discovering new vocal or personal horizons. Ultimately, a singer’s commitment must be to artistic and vocal growth, and the teacher is only a vehicle for what the student is ready to achieve.
Singers at this year’s Classical Singer Convention couldn’t stop talking about 2008 Stage Director of the Year James Marvel’s amazing one-hour class on all you need to know about auditioning. Marvel shares those insights here, including why auditioning is like dating, the mistakes he sees singers make most often in auditions, and how auditioning can be fun.
Philip Shepard, an American singer who successfully transplanted himself in Europe, has written a book—available as a paperback and an ebook—for singers who are considering auditioning and working in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In this installment of our tech column, he IMs with our reporter about ebooks, Europe, and his book.
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Summer is a wonderful time to read. More daylight and more garbage on television may inspire you to pick up a book. Biographies, histories, or books of opera anecdotes make great reading for singers, but the novel is a particularly wonderful way to examine the interior life of being a singer. Here’s a book report on three classics.
For singers great and small, pedagogy is the key that can unlock the voice to its fullest potential, from proper breath support to alignment, space, and placement. Understanding and implementing the physiological process involved in healthy singing isn’t always easy, however. This series aims to explore the many theories and methods behind vocal pedagogy from some of the most sought-after and highly acclaimed experts on the subject. We begin by tackling one of the most problematic areas many singers encounter on their paths to understanding vocal pedagogy: the passaggio.
Classical Singer readers who are also voice teachers share their thoughts on their chosen profession.
