April 1999

Something Ventured : Networking with Bass-Baritone Greer Grimsley

You have to believe in yourself. You must be able to say: ‘I’m worth taking the risk to contact these people. And you never know whether or not it will work.’”

Paying Your Dues… Or Not? : The Three Tenors' Tax Scandal

Many singers have found creative ways to avoid paying taxes, but is it the right thing to do?
Norman Lebrecht continues the theme he started in Who Killed Classical Music?
with this article on tax evasion among top performers and how it affects the industry.

The Art in Yourself : Perfectionism and Creativity

We’re all human, so why do we feel as if we must press for perfection in our art? Are we just striving to be better artists, or is that an impossible dream? Joan Caplan examines the phenomenon of perfectionism and what
we can do to be happily imperfect.

Winning is a Process : Stress and Competition

Dr. Donald Greene is a trained sports psychologist who has been working with performers on, among other things, competition stress. Recently CS spoke with Dr. Greene to get his input on fear of failure and expectations of success. Here are some of his remarks.

The Connected Teacher : Teachers and Networking

If you are a singer, do you need a teacher who networks regularly?
If you are a teacher, how do you get and stay connected?

HEADACHES : Causes and (Hopefully) Cures

Ever tried to perform with a splitting headache? You don’t dare take aspirin for fear of hemorrhaged vocal cords, but you can barely tolerate the sound of a whisper, much less your own high C. What to do? Dr. Jahn to the rescue.

Five Easy Steps to the Internet

Years ago, telephones, cars, and even answering machines were considered to be simply unnecessary toys. Now we are finding that those who don’t have
e-mail/Internet access are being left out of the information stream. Here is a painless way to get started.

The Incredible Shrinking Singer : Rebuilding Your Confidence

It’s one thing to have confidence, but it’s another entirely when you’ve lost that confidence, and are trying to regain it. Meribeth Bunch is an acclaimed teacher and pedagogue, and she recently spoke with CS Assistant Editor Cynthia Vaughn on the delicate process of discovering and nurturing that important feeling of confidence.

Part of the Company : Six Decades with the San Francisco Opera Chorus

Singing in a top professional opera chorus can be a lucrative and rewarding career for a fully-trained classcal singer.

Editorial : Networking vs. Auditioning?

After last month’s intense issue on mental health, it was almost relaxing to get back to the nuts and bolts of building a classical singing career. This month’s issue on

Letters to the Editor

Getting Back to Basics From the CS Forum: I find it rather interesting in a magazine that is devoted to classical singers, there is very little actual discussion of music,

Making a Difference : Not Just the Singer's Doctor

This month’s unsung hero is a familiar name and face. Dr. Anthony Jahn took the time to discuss his volunteer work with Stanford Felix, and
revealed a facet of himself you may not have been aware of until now.

Networking Do’s and Don’ts : Tips for capitalizing on every conversation and contact.

DO’s Know Your Product. If you don’t believe you have something important to offer, why should anyone else? Share Info. Think of networking as sharing valuable information which may help

Networking with Jeffrey Mayer

Singers can take a lesson on networking from author Jeffrey Mayer. He, too, was once an unknown artist in a glutted market, trying to get the attention of overworked people. Sound familiar?

55 Ways to Improve Your Networking : Take this self-assessment quiz­are you a networking pro?

How much do you know about networking? In this self-test
taken from Power Networking, you can find out.

Schmooze or Lose

We know that networking is something we know we should do, but it’s hard to see where to start.Here are suggestions on how to rev up your contacts and make the most of unexpected opportunities.

First Contact

Networking for singers is a critical skill, but you won’t find it taught in conservatories. Acknowledged networking expert Donna Fisher answers 12 tough questions from the CS Forum.