One night while sitting in my parents’ kitchen watching television, I stumbled across a reality TV show called Rock Star: INXS. I had never gotten into American Idol or other singing reality shows, but this one I couldn’t stop watching. As singer after singer sang rock ballad after rock ballad vying for a spot as the new lead singer with the rock band INXS, I was hooked.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but think of my voice teachers who had spent hours educating me on healthy, classical vocal technique. I knew they would absolutely cringe at what they would term “yelling” more than “singing.” But I loved to watch these leather-clad, pink-haired, tattooed, ear-pierced singers dominate the stage. Secretly, I wanted to be a rock star.
Dreams come in all shapes and sizes—whether it’s to rock the stage with INXS or rock the stage at the Metropolitan Opera—and can be realized in a variety of ways, often unexpected. Some dreams are fleeting, momentary aspirations that leave almost as fast as they come (like my rock star fantasy). Others take root in us, consume our waking thoughts, and inspire us to action.
Such was the case for baritone Phillip Boykin, featured in this month’s cover story (p. 16). A Porgy and Bess record cover featuring Leontyne Price drew Boykin to singing when he was very young, and he began to dream about one day being a singer. But the journey from dream to reality was no cakewalk. Faced with seemingly insurmountable odds—growing up in poverty, struggling with dyslexia, being called “tone deaf”—Boykin graduated from the Hartt School of Music and has performed with New York City Opera, starred on Broadway, and appeared in movies with comedian Chris Rock.
“I’ve always said it’s my choices that made me successful,” Boykin says. When considering his nine siblings, none of whom graduated from high school and all of whom got involved in crime, he adds, “We all had the same mother, grew up in the same home, went to the same schools, and lived in the same neighborhood.”
Conductor Eve Queler also knows about choices and dreams (p. 30). One of the first female conductors, Queler chose to focus her career on unearthing obscure operas and singers. With over 100 performances at Carnegie Hall behind her, Queler shares the details of so many small choices—sometimes seemingly coincidental—that led to sold-out concerts and a loyal audience. Behind those choices are Queler’s passion for opera and her love for the sound of a beautiful singing voice.
Not all classically trained dreams end at the Met. Older singers who had a late start also discuss their dreams in this issue (p. 26). Most impressive about their stories is that they continue to passionately pursue their goals―while also recognizing that those aspirations must be tempered with some dose of reality. That grounded perspective allows these singers to find joy, success, and great fulfillment in the dreams they can realize.
Matthew Edwards, author of So You Want to Sing Rock ’n’ Roll, is helping many singers to literally rock their dreams (p. 12). In Brian Manternach’s new column, “The Singer’s Library,” Edwards discusses his new book and relates how he built upon his own classical training to have a successful rock ’n’ roll career. He now teaches others how to use a healthy vocal technique when singing this contemporary music.
Whether you resonate more with Boykin and Broadway, conductor Eve Queler, older singers making their way, or contemporary music, don’t stop reading this issue until you find the fuel to rock your own dreams in your own way.
