When I was in training to become a professional opera singer, the work I did at summer training programs helped crystallize the technical things I’d been hammering at during the school year, and gave me intensive performance and coaching opportunities without distractions. I ate these experiences up like ice cream, and I always felt that I got more accomplished in those few short weeks than in a whole semester at school.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to this kind of intensive workshop, however, so when Classical Singer approached me to write an article about what singers could do with themselves when their summer program plans didn’t pan out, I was inspired to write a series and create a workshop that would be within any singer’s reach.
I wanted my Do-It-Yourself Summer Program to encompass all the topics and experiences I would include in a real-life program: lots of performing, but also ideas for getting the most value possible from those performances, business training, image work, and special projects, among other things. We decided that the most accessible and cost-effective way to do this would be to establish an online forum where I would interact daily with singers, give homework assignments, and encourage, support, and offer advice—a place where singers could be part of a community of people working towards similar goals. Each participant would also receive three short private consultations with me throughout the summer.
And that is how, at the beginning of June, a strong cast of intrepid singers assembled, each with a variety of goals. Together we embarked on a summer designed to boost productivity and make some real inroads on our singing careers, helping us face the fall audition season with some concrete accomplishments under our belts. In addition to personal goals, the program included numerous assignments, including revamping bios and résumés, writing cover letters, reworking audition looks, finding ways to maximize potential for each performance (including fundraising and reviewing publicity materials), networking projects, and more—but each participant made the program her own.
Alison Collins, a soprano from San José, Calif., chose two major projects for the summer: to prepare and learn how to market duet recitals with her partner, a flautist, and to make a demo recording. At press time for this issue, she had booked a pianist, venue, and engineer for her recording. Alison and her partner have also previewed various parts of their upcoming recital in front of audiences, booked their first venue and contacted two others, made fliers and postcards, and prepared a mailing list. She feels she reached her goals, and then some.
“I achieved a new and more stylish audition look with a new haircut and two new dresses,” she says. “I have a newly revised bio, résumé, and cover letter. I also have a more focused sense of how to research for appropriate companies to audition for. Also, I have started work on a website (www.alisoncollins.com), something I didn’t even dream of doing!”
Alison had also never dreamed that she could achieve such a dramatic transformation of her audition look. One of the projects each singer took on was to upload a photo showing his or her current audition look. The community and I evaluated these photos and sometimes suggested changes. A willowy redhead with porcelain skin and a terrific figure, Alison’s original audition look was more soccer mom than stage siren. I encouraged her to find a sleeker hairstyle and suggested a shorter, solid-color dress in a pretty color and fabric that moved well, paired with nude stockings and heels to create a longer line. Alison herself chose the dresses and consulted with her stylist. Check out her new look. She looks 10 years younger and 20 times more confident.
Misha Penton, a mezzo from Houston, Texas, is a true Renaissance woman whose accomplishments include painting, composing, singing several genres of music, and graphic design. (See her website at artbymisha.com. A second site, www.mishapenton.com, which will focus on her singing, is in the works.) Misha is a former consultation client of mine with a very eclectic résumé. She scheduled numerous performances, including trying out a new aria at a local opera festival, participating in the Meredith Monk Ensemble Voice and Movement Workshop in New York, and performing at an informal gathering of singers. Her goals included recording a demo CD with new repertoire and working on her new website. She’s also been conceptualizing a semi-staged recital.
“The DIY program kept me on track for scheduling coachings, scheduling a recording venue and engineer, organizing website content, and scheduling a photo shoot for my website. [Because of the program] I feel very good about my commitment to goals and working toward them,” Misha says. “I feel organized and confident. I also feel boosted by the camaraderie of fellow singers in the DIY program. It is a great way to stay on track and keep focused. It’s amazing that accountability to cyber-friends can be so productive; and Cindy’s guidance, inspiration, and no-nonsense approach were invaluable.”
Anna, a soprano in New York City, does a lot of choral work but wanted to find ways to do more solos. Like many singers, she felt that she didn’t have enough experience to list on her résumé or create a bio. Many singers find writing a bio particularly challenging, but we went through the process step by step and soon Anna had a wonderful and versatile bio she can use for opera, concert, and crossover work.
“After reviewing my résumé and incorporating all my performing experience, I was able to come up with more stuff. I even came up with things I’d forgotten!” she said.
Leann Schuering, a lyric soprano from Illinois, wanted to coach a full role, prepare for a faculty recital at her university, polish her audition package, and strengthen and grow her network. In addition to regular coachings on her role, she was able to accomplish a lot of organizational work for the faculty recital and for an audition package recital she decided to add.
“DIY helped in several ways,” she said. “First, it kept me on track. Second, having access to Cindy’s advice and perspective was invaluable. I feel tremendously confident in my materials now, based on the changes I’ve made after receiving her feedback. Third, it helped me think outside the box a bit. It’s given me ideas and a fresh perspective on how to move forward.”
Leann also did a lot of networking, attending a college alumni weekend, reconnecting with conductors who have hired her in the past, and contacting members of the Sigma Alpha Iota music sorority for help with recital logistics. She designed and mailed out a postcard for her “Ingénues” concept recital, asking for and receiving feedback from the group. I suggested flipping the photo so that it led the eye to the text, and skipping the definition of ingénues on the back, or incorporating it into her blurb.
The recital was a big success, and thanks to her new networking skills, Leann was able to add a lot of value to the performance. “I would have been happy if 20 people came, but there were approximately 45 in attendance, many of whom had never heard me before. Everyone loved the program. I got about 20 new e-mail addresses for my e-mail list, and just about everyone I spoke to afterwards said they wanted to come to the faculty recital in September,” she reported. “I’m so glad I did this. I had many doubts going into it, but it was a great experience, and hopefully it’s something I can build upon.”
Continuing to use her new skills, Leann followed up her recital with a brief e-mail newsletter to her mailing list, thanking her fans for coming, reminding them of her upcoming engagements, and inviting them to follow her career in her blog. To top off a very productive summer, she has booked free headshots with an aspiring photographer and arranged an audition for a local start-up opera company.
“Normally, when fall comes I’m still scrambling to figure out what my best pieces should or will be,” she said. “This time, I feel like I already have it all figured out. I feel calm and ready to take on the audition season.”
Elisabeth Kisselstein, a soprano in upstate New York, does a great deal of musical theatre work but wants to move into more opera roles. She set goals to plan her master’s recital, design an audition package, record a demo, work on her website (www.elisabethkisselstein.com), and coach a full role. With many performances scheduled for the summer, including outreach work for her local opera company, Rapunzel in Into the Woods with her local summer park production, and a summer music festival, Elisabeth’s plate was full, but she still accomplished a lot. She committed to a health program and stepped up her exercise, and soon her favorite audition outfit was fitting better. She researched “Top 10” core roles for herself and decided to begin working on Donna Elvira. She got involved with a group of singers who pooled resources for an accompanist and booked time to sing audition arias for each other—a chance to try out Elvira before an audience. She also created a book of audition arias. “That way I won’t be tempted to play with other things in the anthologies,” she said. She booked a mainstage audition with a local company.
Elisabeth was also able to use one of the group projects, the “One Minute Demo” networking tool, to her advantage. In this project, each singer was asked to come up with a brief introduction they could use in social situations when asked what they did for a living. “I was most grateful for the party intro, as I had to come up with a three sentence bio for the announcer (at the music festival),” Elisabeth said. “It came in very handy.”
Each singer is at a different place in his or her career, with different interests and goals, but they agreed that having the accountability of sharing their progress was a very valuable tool, as was having a community of like-minded artists with whom they could bounce ideas around and receive support and encouragement.
“I think the work we do with our actual documents and pictures of our outfits, the hands-on stuff, is outstanding,” said Alison Collins. “I often sat in classes thinking that I understood, had the right dress and the right résumé, but was mistaken. It is much more effective to be able to show a workshop leader, ‘Here, this is what I have. How can I improve it?’ The one-on-one consultations allowed us to fill in the gaps and discuss goals and issues that may be more individual in nature.”
Misha Penton agreed. “I hope Classical Singer considers running DIY-type programs during the year,” she said. “It is a great way to stay on track and keep focused.”
