I was giving my voice student one of my signature pep talks about her untapped potential and ability. I told her that with consistent and thoughtful practice between our lessons
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Have continuing medical advances lulled singers into becoming too dependent on photographs of the larynx or into placing too much importance on these photos? Dr. Jahn weighs the value of assessing laryngeal function through kinesthetic awareness, as opposed to visual feedback.
A small-town farm boy from Iowa, tenor Eric Cutler is fast making his name in major cities around the globe. Ten years after winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Cutler’s career continues to flourish. Here Cutler shares how he paces himself in the type and frequency of roles he takes on, how he and his college voice teacher set out to win the Met auditions, what the Lindemann Young Artist Program offered his early artistic development, and gives two pieces of advice for up-and-coming singers.
How did you learn to sing pianissimo? Just over, and over, and over, and over again. Just singing a note decrescendo-ing. You ask someone, “How did you learn to hit
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