Sandra Piques Eddy
Transcription
Sandra Piques Eddy
May 2013 • Classical Singer Convention Program The Singing Life and Motherhood Sandra Piques Eddy Sing a Song of Boston Doing It All: Mothers and Singers U.S.A. $6.50 • Can $8.70 Boston Music Schools convention Boston, May 23-26 Schedule and Details Inside May 2013 cover story 24 Volume 26 Issue 5 The Singing Life, Motherhood, and a Trip to Carmen School: An Interview with Sandra Piques Eddy As classical singers convene in Boston this month for the 10th annual Classical Singer Convention, Lisa Houston catches up with a Boston native who is now gracing the stages of major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera. Mezzo soprano Sandra Piques Eddy speaks about her relationships with the Met and Boston and how they continue to influence her work as a singer. by Lisa Houston features 34 Signing Your First Contract 38 Barbara Caprilli as the Witch in Greensboro Opera’s Hansel and Gretel Your first professional engagement with an accompanying contract is a thrill! But understanding and agreeing upon the terms of said contract? Perhaps not so thrilling. Avoid common pitfalls by following the expert advice offered here. by Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh 8The $50 Week: Moving without Financially Shaking If moving is in your future, consider a few factors for making the whole process financially smoother. by Olivia Giovetti 38 Can You Do It All? 12 The Doctor Is In: Is a Vegan As the U.S. celebrates motherhood this month, women who are singers, teachers, authors, administrators, wives, mothers and more weigh in on this ageold question. by Michelle Latour Diet for You? Stephanie Scarcella and John Arnold as Sister Helen Prejean and Joseph De Rocher in Boston Opera Collaborative’s production of Dead Man Walking, 2013 46 42 Education, Boston Style Come for the convention, stay for grad school! Take an in-depth look at the voice programs at three Boston schools. by Amanda White Can you make a living as a classical singer? There’s no one better to answer that loaded question than CS’s own “Ask Erda.” by Cindy Sadler Is Beantown just a symphony and museum town? Venerable opera companies and myriad ensembles say no! by Amanda Keil In Every Issue 4 6 92 104 Bulletin Board From the Editor Audition Listings Competition Listings 20 The Entrepreneurial Career: photo by J. Justin Bates Springtime in Boston means bikes, parks, and good times. Discover a whole host of things to see and enjoy while visiting the city for this month’s Classical Singer Convention. by Amanda Keil Giving up meat, eggs, and dairy may seem extreme. But the hard scientific evidence of the remarkable health benefits, which Dr. Jahn shares here, may make you reconsider. by Dr. Anthony F. Jahn 14 Ask Erda: The Day Job Dilemma 46 Sing a Song of Boston 50 America’s Walking City monthly columns 55-91 2013 Program Money Matters for Music Plan your finances now and enjoy your performances later. by Amanda Keil 22The Tech-Savvy Singer: convention Find all you need to know for this year’s Convention in Boston, including hotel maps, competition schedules, class descriptions, and more. Designing Your Résumé in Microsoft Word Don’t let a less-than-professional résumé hold you back from presenting an otherwise polished and complete audition package. by Amanda White www.classicalsinger.com 3 Bulletin Board N e w s , T i d b i ts , M u s i n g s , a n d m o r e . . . b y George London Foundation Announces Competition Winners Nora London, center, with 2013 George London Award winners On March 1, 2013, the George London Foundation awarded a total of $82,000 to young American and Canadian singers. Prizes of $10,000 went to tenors Dominic Armstrong (33) and Noah Baetge (32), baritones Jamez McCorkle (23) and Nicholas Pallesen (33), and sopranos Felicia Moore (24), Jessica Muirhead (31), and Marcy Stonikas (33). Of the 250 applicants, 90 of them performed live. Of those, 24 were selected as finalists and seven as winners. Seven more received Encouragement Awards of $1,000. They were tenor Adam Bonanni (24); baritones Steven LaBrie (24), Jonathan Michie (28), and John Brancy (24); mezzo-sopranos Rihab Chaieb (26) and Sharin Eskandani (29); and soprano Marina Costa-Jackson (25). For this competition, there is no application fee and a pianist is provided for each of the competition rounds. www.georgelondon.org Metropolitan Opera Will Lower Ticket Prices Since ticket sales are down this season, the Met will reduce some of its prices, the New York Times reports. The average cost of admission will drop by 10 percent, from $174 to $156, according to General Manager Peter Gelb. Opera-going will still be expensive, however. Orchestra aisle seats that were $360 for the 2012-2013 season will be $330 for the 2013-2014 season, and grand tier box seats will be reduced from $195 to $180. Actually, more than 2,000 seats for each performance will cost less, but the truly cheap seats in the rear of the family circle will cost $5 more. 4 Classical Singer / May 2013 Gelb intimated that the 10 percent rise in prices for the 2012-2013 season had not been as successful as expected. Attendance for the 2012-2013 season is projected to average around 81 percent of capacity, compared to 84 percent during 2011-2012. www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/arts/ music/metropolitan-opera-to-reduce-ticketprices-next-season.html Titles for Recital Can Be Sent to Audience Cell Phones A company called Globetitles can now send titles to your audience’s cell phones in a manner that will not disturb the ambience m a r i a n o c k i n of your concert. The Globetitles program is accessed through users’ Web browsers and it mimics a familiar slideshow format. The titles are a sequence of short text excerpts, much like a traditional slideshow is a sequence of photos taken on vacation. To create the slides, you can use the Globetitles program’s Slideshow Editor, which runs on the Globetitles server, or a text editor program of your choice. If you use another program, you simply copy-andpaste the titles into the Slideshow Editor. The titles controller cues the slides with a mouse, touchpad, or keyboard, and members of the audience view the slides in their browsers. Alternatively, or simultaneously, the slides can be displayed on a large screen that can be seen by the whole audience in the same way that supertitles are traditionally shown. Translations can also be available in more than one language. www.globetitles.com ‘Variety’ Stops Printing Daily Edition Variety has been a fixture in Hollywood since it was founded in 1905 but, like other traditional print publications, it has struggled in recent years as news moved to other formats. The well-known theatrical publication recently announced that it will offer a print edition on Tuesdays only and will drop the pay wall on its online version, according to RYOT. Jay Penske, the chairman and CEO of Variety’s parent company, admits that the pay-toread online idea did not work. Publisher Michelle Sobrino-Stearns says they remain committed to a print edition of Variety and expect the weekly edition to expand in size and scope of coverage. The weekly paper will be augmented throughout the year by special editions reporting on the industry’s many awards shows and other topics of interest to Hollywood movers and shakers. www.ryot.org/famed-hollywood-tradepublication-variety-dropping-daily-printedition-paywall/87069#.UTjfI6X3Ab0 ADVERTISER INDEX We have listed our advertisers in this issue by what they’ll do for you. While we cannot vouch for any advertiser’s product or service, we do not run ads from vendors with unresolved complaints. Please e-mail and tell us about your experiences with our advertisers. Competitions Liederkranz Foundation......................................... 27 New Jersey Association of Verisimo Opera................ 23 Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20...................................... 105 Convention Classical Singer Young Artist Series........................... 7 Education The Achievement Program...........................................97 Bard College Conservatory of Music..............................71 Binghamton University/Tri-Cities Opera...........................40 The Boston Conservatory.............................................48 Bucknell University......................................................99 Carnegie Mellon School of Music..................................37 Chapman University.....................................................79 Chicago College of Performing Arts/ Roosevelt University................................................76 Cleveland Institute of Music..........................................88 Colorado State University.............................................67 Converse College........................................................29 Cornish College of the Arts...........................................90 DePauw University.......................................................74 Eastman School of Music............................................56 Hebrew Union College...............................................103 Interlochen Center for the Arts......................................59 The Juilliard School.....................................................58 Louisiana State University.............................................65 Mannes College The New School for Music...................85 New England Conservatory........................................108 New Jersey City University...........................................91 New York University.....................................................57 Northwestern University................................................91 Ohio State University....................................................59 Oklahoma City University..............................................83 Olivet Nazarene University............................................82 Palm Beach Atlantic University......................................17 Pepperdine University..................................................19 Rutgers......................................................................81 San Francisco Conservatory of Music............................70 Shorter University........................................................15 Stetson University........................................................11 Susquehanna University...............................................84 University of Alabama..................................................95 University of Hartford...................................................77 University of Houston...................................................88 University of Iowa........................................................49 University of Michigan................................................107 University of Minnesota................................................75 University of North Texas..............................................11 University of Notre Dame.............................................95 University of Utah........................................................88 University of Western Ontario........................................37 USC Thornton School of Music.....................................90 Vanderbilt University-Blair School of Music.....................13 Viterbo University........................................................27 Walnut Hill School for the Arts.......................................64 Westminster Choir College of Rider University.................10 62 Health Hennessy Whole Body Voice........................................58 Masterclass/Workshop Carnegie Hall....................................................... 33 Sight Singing with Liz Fleischer............................... 96 Musical Accessories Sing & See.................................................. 21, 102 Organizations Boston Singers’ Resource...................................... 45 Photography Devon Cass Photography....................................... 87 Printed Music Classical Vocal Reprints......................................... 99 Leyerle Publications............................................ 100 Packard Humanities Institute................................... 18 Yesterday Service Sheet Music............................... 73 Publications Aria Ready!.......................................................... 53 Recordings David Jones...............................................................51 Delos Productions, Inc..................................................51 Premiere Opera Inc.....................................................30 Summer Programs Academie International D’ete de Nice............................30 AIMS.........................................................................84 Altamura Center for Arts and Cultures...................... 36 American Singers Opera Project...................................15 Art Song Preservation Society of New York....................92 Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute............................................41 Daniel Ferro Vocal Program..........................................21 Early Music Week at Pinewoods...................................29 Franco American Vocal Academy............................ 73 Girard, Valerie.............................................................86 Midsummer Music Dream Music School & Festival.........98 Molloy Summer Music Institute...................................106 Neil Semer Vocal Institute...........................................101 New York Opera Studio................................................41 Torggler Summer Vocal Institute......................................2 Vocal Studio Opera America................................................... 105 Voice Teachers Boozer, Brenda.................................................. 106 Byrne, Richard..................................................... 96 Carole Farley International Vocal Coaching................ 43 Craney, Trudy..................................................... 102 Davis, Osceola.................................................... 100 Gordon, Marjorie................................................ 100 Love, Shirley........................................................ 98 Vaness, Carol..................................................... 101 VoiceTeachers.com............................................. 100 Vol. 26 No. 5 Publisher David Wood Editor in Chief Sara Thomas General Manager Alex Stoddard Design and Layout Horizon Design Advertising Manager Dane Trimble Auditions Plus Manager Kimberlee Talbot Subscriptions Manager Jenny Jenson Fawcett Accounting Marianne Johnston Office Manager Aubrey Werner Final Copy Editor Deb Tokarewich Marketing Consultant Mark Stoddard For inquiries: [email protected] Classical Singer magazine (ISSN: 1534-276X) is published monthly by Classical Singer Corp, 12896 S. Pony Express Dr. Suite 500, Draper, UT 84020. Periodicals postage paid at Draper, UT and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscription rate is US$58.00. POSTMASTER: Send address change to Classical Singer, P.O. Box 1710, Draper, UT 84020-1710. Office: (801) 254-1025, FAX (801) 254-3139. The opinions expressed in the manuscripts, editorials, and letters to the editor are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher. Missed Copies/Change of Address Report missed copies of CS magazine to 801-254-1025 ext.15, Jenny Jenson Fawcett or [email protected]. Missed copies will be replaced only if notification is received within 30 days after publication date of copy missed. Failure to report change of address at least 30 days prior to publication date forfeits any claim to replacement. Photocopying: Please do not photocopy any part of this issue. SUBSCRIPTION RATES ONE YR. United States: US$58 Canada: US$78 International: US$88 TWO YRS. US$96 US$136 US$154 On the cover: Sandra Piques Eddy Photo by: Devon Cass Websites CS Auditions Plus................................................. 54 Singer Websites................................................... 94 www.classicalsinger.com 5 From the Editor A M o t h e r ’ s D ay P e r s p e c t i v e Although Mother’s Day as we know it began just a century ago, the tradition of honoring mothers transcends the last 100 years and the American culture. Ancient Romans honored Cybele, the Mother Goddess, with a festival and special feast. And in Renaissance England, the fourth Sunday during Lent was known as the “Mothering Sunday.” But the holiday that Americans, florists, and card companies rejoice in arose from a Philadelphian woman’s prayer in the early 1900s. It is believed that Anna Jarvis heard her mother pray for a day to celebrate mothers not long before she died. Anna set out to make her mother’s wish come true. Jarvis first celebrated the holiday in 1908 with a church meeting where participants honored their mothers with carnations and handmade cards. But a national holiday was still years in the making. Anna wrote hundreds of letters to politicians pleading her case. The turning point came when she garnered the support of wealthy Philadelphian businessman John Wanamaker. She trademarked the terms “Second Sunday of May” and “Mother’s Day” in 1912. Finally, in 1913 Congress adopted a resolution that endorsed the observance, and the following year President Woodrow Wilson issued the first annual proclamation. As the U.S. celebrates Mother’s Day 100 years after Congress’ initial resolution, CS celebrates it, too. Gracing this month’s cover is mezzo-soprano Sandra Piques Eddy (p. 24). A busy mother of three-year-old Beatrice, Eddy says that parenthood has helped her to think on her feet—an ability that has proven vital in her burgeoning international career. Eddy also shares how another important relationship has shaped her career: her ties to her hometown of Boston where she and her family still reside. Classical singers converge on the city this month for the 10th annual Classical Singer Convention. In this issue you can read up on Boston’s music scene (p. 46) and the city’s institutions of higher vocal learning (p. 42), as well as the best sites to see while you’re in town (p. 50). You can also read more about this year’s convention in the Convention Program within the magazine (pp. 55-91). I know women who dread Mother’s Day—some are mothers, others are not. Some feel the holiday adds more pressure to be the “perfect” mother, and to others the day is a reminder of what they don’t have. What is it in a woman’s DNA that leads to such thoughts? Is there something attached to the X chromosome that makes us feel that we must do it all—perfectly—and that we are failures if we don’t? In Michelle Latour’s article “Can You Do It All?” (p. 38), women discuss how they counteract this pressure and maintain a healthier perspective. Anna Jarvis persistently pursued a dream that she ultimately saw fulfilled. Her perseverance impacts us all this month, whether our children are celebrating us or we are celebrating our mothers—or both. May her story provide perspective for this holiday and more. Sara Thomas, Editor 6 Classical Singer / May 2012 Spring Training is Here! At the Young Artist Series’ Spring Training you will learn what you need to work on this summer so you can be ready for the fall audition season. Young Artist Series Prepares You for Fall Auditions Summer is nearly here and it will soon be time to prepare for fall auditions. Attend Spring Training at the next Classical Singer Convention’s Young Artist Series and take two days to learn exactly what you need to work on this summer to give a great audition this fall. Saturday, May 25th • Find out if graduate school is your next step. • Get management advice from Ana De Archuleta of ADA Artist Management & Representation. • Learn how to choose the right YAP, prepare for the audition, and learn what to do once you’ve been accepted. Laurie Rogers, director of Young Artist Programs for Opera Saratoga, will show you how. Sunday, May 26th The Audition Feedback Experience is Back! In this mock audition, YAP & graduate degree programs will watch your audition and then tell you what you need to work on this summer! AFE space is very limited and will be filled strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Find schedules, bios, & class descriptions on our website. Sign up for Spring Training today! www.ClassicalSinger.com/yas The $50 Week: Moving without Financially Shaking by Olivia Giovetti If moving is in your future, consider a few factors for making the whole process financially smoother. A s I write this installment of “The $50 Week,” I’m awash in boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, and roughly four years of our life that my husband and I are currently trying to reconfigure into a new space. When we originally decided to move, staying in the same zip code but finding a more livable building, we had budgeted that the entire thing from start to finish—including real estate fees, security deposits, moving itself, and new items for our new place— would sit in the high four figures. As we check our budget, we’re happily well under that total, sitting at less than half of it, in fact. Some of this came down to luck, finding an apartment with no broker’s fee, and one within our price range. However, a lot of it was thanks to planning, open discussions, and more planning. Moving is, as many of you will probably agree, the worst. It’s frequently listed as one of the top 10, top five, and even top three most stressful things a person can experience in life. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be. It’s still stressful, to be sure—but just as sure is the fact that there are ways of minimizing that burden. And since May is one of the busiest times for moves thanks to college students and grads shopping for their first offcampus abode, I’m happy to pass on to you some lessons we learned to make the move efficient and as painless as possible. Look Ahead In New York, the rental market has become a bit cooler than it was in 2012 and, according to a Forbes 2013 forecast, 8 Classical Singer / May 2012 the national trends are still favoring a buyer’s market. Back when I last moved in 2009, it was much easier to negotiate with future landlords over asking prices— but four years later there are still ways to make a new home work to your financial advantage. The biggest concern over rent shouldn’t be in your first year, however— it should be in the year to come. Unless you’re particularly sadistic and enjoy moving on a regular basis (and, if so, I’m happy for you to come over and pack up my kitchen), you’ll probably want to renew your lease after the first year if all goes well. Unless you’re lucky enough to land a rent-controlled apartment, the fear that many face with landlords is that they’ll invite you in with a low first year’s rent and then gouge you in year two. A good way of testing this notion is to ask for a two-year lease up front. If the landlord agrees or takes the time to seriously consider your request, you can feel safe that the rent increase will be fair, if not downright modest. If they refuse, you might want to keep looking. And in a stroke of good luck, rentcontrolled apartments are not exclusively in the domain of buildings built between 1947 and 1974 (or those pre-’47 holdovers that aren’t outright rent controlled). Many new or renovated buildings are applying for rent stabilization to appeal to prospective tenants. While we’re on the topic of deals, not every landlord may be willing to drop the rent, but they may be willing to offer a free month. Generally what this means is that you pay the security deposit and the first month, and the second month is free, thus driving down the net value of your home for one year. You’ll still pay the asking price, but in the end it will add up to less than its full annual price tag. (For example, if you’re renting a unit for $2,500 per month and the landlord gives you a free month as incentive, you’ll end up paying an average of roughly $2,300 per month for the first year, even though your monthly check will still be for the full price.) Read before You Sign It may seem very tempting to initial and sign where the landlord points and save your lease for reading when there are no new magazines in your bathroom. Even if the management company is rushing you, take the time to read every last word of your lease and its riders. Most of it will be fairly standard and unexciting—but specific policies, riders, and sections might jump out as points that require clarification or policies that can either save or cost you in the end. Will your landlord allow you to paint, strip your floors, install extra cabinetry or shelving, or set up a major appliance? The adage of asking for forgiveness rather than asking for permission can cost you dearly when it comes to landlords. Moreover, you’ll also know what you’re responsible for if and when you choose to move out. Some landlords require that you repaint; others ask only that you spackle and sand any holes you’ve made. The $50 Week: Moving without Financially Shaking For singers especially, reading your landlord’s policy on subletting and leasebreaking will be especially prudent points if a Fest contract or summer program comes through. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And if your landlord doesn’t let you read the entire lease line for line before you sign it, you may have bigger problems in store. This is your chance to take care of those problems before you lock into them for at least a whole year. Know Your Priorities Most real estate brokers worth their salt will begin the apartment- or househunting process by asking a very basic question: “What are your musts?” Think about the reasons why you want to move. Are you looking to be in a new town or neighborhood? Would you sacrifice location for a larger space, or vice versa? Are you willing to pay more for amenities like a dishwasher, southern exposure, or backyard? For me and my husband, living in a quiet building with a doorman was our chief “must.” After years of living together, we’ve come to realize that our lifestyle is such that we would rather nest and pay more for an apartment conducive to staying in on weekends versus paying that money to go out and avoid noisy neighbors and minimal security. For that, we were also willing to sacrifice some of the square footage in which we were currently living and pay a few hundred more each month. However, that few hundred was quickly negated when we found a building with not only cement-filled walls and a fantastic doorman, but also in-unit laundry and an on-site gym. The money we would save on our fluff-andfold service and our gym memberships meant we could accommodate the increase in rent. Moreover, the indoor and outdoor common areas for tenants made the downsizing more livable. (As my mother said, it’s possible to spend a year in our new building without leaving the property.) For New Yorkers—or the New York aspiring—the website NakedApartments .com is a great resource for this kind of prioritization. You can pick your neighborhoods, set price limits, and check off a list of amenities, and they’ll pair you up with apartments that meet your needs. Think of it as a domestic Match.com. The 40 Rule Unless you are working with a guarantor for your lease, landlords will require that the total income of all inhabitants of your apartment be a standard 40 times the monthly rent. That means if you’re looking at $1,600 per month for a two bedroom, you and your roommate would need to earn a combined $64,000 per year. This is not only a good guidepost for determining whether your application for tenancy will be approved (if, that is, you also boast great credit and references), it’s also a useful number to keep in mind when you’re trying to define what an “affordable” place to live is. If a $1,000-per-month studio seems burdensome to pay for when you take home $40,000 a year, it may not be that you make too little—rather, it may be that you need to re-examine your spending habits and restructure. Don’t Box Yourself In Oftentimes the act of moving is in and of itself more expensive than finding a new home. And unless you’re moving into a completely reconfigured place or to a new city, state, or country, a good chunk of that cost doesn’t come from new things, it comes from packing your existing stuff. Before you start to pack, go through your major storage spaces—bookshelves, media racks, closets, dressers—and ruthlessly edit. Have you not worn that sweater since the Bush administration? Toss it. Do you really need that paperback of The DaVinci Code that was read once and has since been following you from apartment to apartment? Toss it. Can you live with having an online ItalianEnglish dictionary or do you also have to keep a print version? Perhaps that sort of question requires more pondering, but that’s why it’s best to start early. Also think about which of your current items can be repurposed. I have a fourcube EXPEDIT bookshelf from IKEA that, in my old place, served as storage for CDs and office supplies and my printer. I don’t have that spatial luxury in my new living room, but the fourcubby-hole unit fits perfectly into our coat closet and serves as storage for our “Oftentimes the act of moving is in and of itself more expensive than finding a new home . . . a good chunk of that cost doesn’t come from new things, it comes from packing your existing stuff.” www.classicalsinger.com 9 The $50 Week: Moving without Financially Shaking fancy china (which previously had a life in our old kitchen but has no such home in our new pad). The less you have to move, the better. But the less you have to buy once you move, also the better. So your task is finding the happy medium between those two points that works for your needs and lifestyle. Talent. Passion. Community. VOICE FACULTY Christopher Arneson Claudia Catania Lindsey Christiansen Margaret Cusack,Chair Elem Eley Rochelle Ellis Faith Esham Thomas Faracco Zehava Gal Katherine Johnson Julia Kemp Robin Massie Sean McCarther Mark Moliterno Carolann Page Kathy Kessler Price Eric Rieger Laura Brooks Rice Guy Rothfuss Elizabeth Sutton Sharon Sweet Nova Thomas Charles Walker Sally Wolf Amy Zorn No other school compares to Westminster Choir College’s focused and collaborative approach to musical excellence. Guided by a world-class faculty, our students work together to prepare for the challenges of professional performance. With each student success, our reputation soars. GRADUATE Master of Music in: • Voice Pedagogy & Performance • Piano Accompanying & Coaching Master of Voice Pedagogy UNDERGRADUATE Visit our Web site for a complete program listing To learn more, visit our Web site: www.rider.edu/wcc COACHING AND OPERA FACULTY Susan Ashbaker Dalton Baldwin William Hobbs Rachelle Jonck J.J. Penna Debra Scurto-Davis Kara-Lynn Vaeni 10 Classical Singer / May 2013 Princeton & Lawrenceville, NJ Find the Right Tools When we found our new apartment, my husband and I realized something as we looked around our current apartment: we had very few packing tools at hand. And boxes are expensive (and the scarring fear of bedbugs has us wary sourcing cardboard from our local bodega). One option we considered was Jugglebox, a NYC company that delivers plastic bins and then picks them up again when you’re done. It minimizes clutter and waste, and at $99 to pack a studio or $129 for a one-bedroom apartment, is a pretty good deal. Ultimately, however, we found a better deal with Home Depot, which sells boxes for roughly $1.50 a pop. Considering we had fewer boxables than the average one-bedroom, we paid less than the Jugglebox option, though we splurged on two wardrobe boxes in the name of convenience and some Container Store boxes designed to keep dishes from breaking in transit. Where we really saved, however, was in the move itself. We considered hiring movers to transport (and possibly pack) our belongings, but after pricing those options out and ending up between $300 and $900 in the hole, we realized that money could be saved with the cost of a U-Haul. Considering we moved all of five blocks away from our current apartment, it was money well saved. Olivia Giovetti has written and hosted for WQXR and its sister station, Q2 Music. In addition to Classical Singer, she has also contributed frequently to Time Out New York, Gramophone, Playbill, and more. Auditions February 8, 15 & 22, 2014 Stetson University, located in central Florida, dares its students to go beyond success—to significance. Since 1883, Stetson’s vision has remained constant, engaging students with rigorous academics and instilling civic values for life. An independent university, Stetson offers a comprehensive education in the Arts & Sciences, Business, Law and Music. The School of Music is regarded as one of the nation’s finest undergraduate-only professional schools of music, with a select enrollment of just over 200 majors. Faculty and students collaborate in countless significant ways within the framework of a distinctive range of performance opportunities and courses. Visit stetson.edu/music to learn more about the audition process and listen to music from this exemplary program. Questions? Call Camille Tolley at 800-688-0101 ext. 8975. Schoolof of Music Music School JOINING THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS VOICE FACULTY Carol Wilson, Soprano, principal soloist with Deutsche Oper am Rhein from 1999-2009, has appeared with Semper Oper Dresden, Frankfurt Opera, Vancouver Opera, Royal Opera Stockholm, National Theater Taiwan, Prague Spring Festival, Savonlinna Festival, and Ruhr Triennale. She holds the DMA from the Yale School of Music. Voice Faculty Stephen F. Austin Richard Croft Linda Di Fiore Jennifer Lane Stephen Morscheck Elvia Puccinelli Jeffrey Snider Carol Wilson Opera Faculty Paula Homer, Opera Director Stephen Dubberly, Opera Music Director Choral Faculty Jerry McCoy, Director of Choral Studies Joshua Habermann Richard Sparks www.music.unt.edu Studies leading to the BM, MM, DMA, Artist Certificate www.classicalsinger.com 11 The Doctor Is In Is a Vegan Diet for You? By Dr. Anthony F. Jahn Giving up meat, eggs, and dairy may seem extreme. But the hard scientific evidence of the remarkable health benefits, which Dr. Jahn shares here, may make you reconsider. H ave you ever considered changing your diet radically? The most important step is finding the conviction to do it. There are many compelling reasons to look at vegetarian and vegan diets, and in the paragraphs below, you may find a reason that speaks to you. One thing is for sure, it can be the healthiest decision you ever make. My own interest began two years ago, when a friend recommended that I read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. Campbell, a retired professor of nutrition at Cornell University, looked at the diets of two large populations in China, urban and rural. Genetically, these people were identical; they differed only in what they ate. The rural population ate mostly vegetables, while the city population ate like Westerners do—a varied diet with meat, fish, and fats. Findings: the rural population had almost none of the commonest diseases that we in the U.S. die of daily. No heart disease, no strokes, no cancers, no obesity, no diabetes, no autoimmune disease, no dementia. Campbell is a scientist, and the epidemiologic data were irrefutable. The second half of the book deals with the incredible obstacles he dealt with in attempting to implement his recommendations back in the U.S., dealing with the meat and dairy industry, and all those who profit from perpetuating our unhealthy and ultimately lethal diet. 12 Classical Singer / May 2013 I then read a book by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, provocatively titled Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. Esselstyn, a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, made the dramatic discovery that a strict vegan diet can not only prevent but actually reverse advanced coronary disease. Many of his first patients were true cardiac cripples who, after two heart attacks and five stents, were written off by their doctors and basically sent home to die. Dr. Esselstyn’s diet has not only kept them alive but actually reversed their coronary disease. A remarkable angiogram in the book documents that atherosclerotic plaques dissolve and coronary arteries reopen after only a few months on a vegan diet. How can this be? Vascular insufficiency and inflammation is at the root of most of the fatal illnesses in the West. Dr. Esselstyn claims that the endothelial cells lining the arteries are not just a passive covering layer, but an active tissue that keeps the arteries open. They fail to do so only when overwhelmed by excessive fat and toxins in our diet. And, he claims, fat is fat, whether its source is plant or animal. Certainly animal fats are worse, but even plant oils are potentially harmful. So, although the much vaunted Mediterranean diet, full of olive oil, is certainly more healthful than a bucket of chicken wings, it is not really healthful, only less harmful. Unsaturated fat is less harmful than saturated fat, but not as good as no fat. It is for this reason that the Esselstyn diet also avoids plant oils in addition to all dairy and eggs. In this way, his vegan diet is more restrictive than the usual vegetarian diet. But, based on years of clinical experience with thousands of patients, Dr. Esselstyn is able to make a unique claim: you can avoid—yes, avoid—all of these diseases by eating a diet that doesn’t contain fat or oils and is low in inflammatory factors. Without doubt, oil and fat are the main culprits for heart disease. By illustration, a population has been studied in Papua New Guinea. These tribes are heavy smokers, and everyone, including the children, is chronically exposed to second-hand smoke. Their diet, however, is completely vegetarian, consisting exclusively of a variety of yams. The result? Lots of pulmonary disease, to be sure, but no heart disease. If we now consider all the toxins (hormones, antibiotics, heavy metals) that are in the tissues of animals, the mercury and cadmium, the garbage dumped into the oceans, substances that are not detoxified but accumulated and concentrated up the food chain . . . well, you get the picture. As a physician, I found the scientific evidence convincing. You are what you eat, and all you really need to do is to not sabotage your body in order to allow your cells to do their daily chores of cleaning, repairing, and maintaining. Others may choose a vegetarian diet for moral reasons. If this is more your style, you will not need to delve too deeply into the horrific details of how animals are raised, how fish are farmed, and The Doctor Is In: Is a Vegan Diet for You? “And here is yet another reason: vegetarian/ vegan cooking is not only healthy for you, it is also cheaper! Your grocery bills will plummet once you start cooking using legumes, fresh fruit, and vegetables instead of meat, fish, and dairy.” how these living and sentient beings are slaughtered to convince yourself that a vegetarian/vegan diet is the right choice. And here is yet another reason: vegetarian/vegan cooking is not only healthy for you, it is also cheaper! Your grocery bills will plummet once you start cooking using legumes, fresh fruit, and vegetables instead of meat, fish, and dairy. These foods cost less to grow (did you know that salmon is a carnivore, and it takes more protein to raise a salmon than the fish ultimately gives as part of your dinner?), is filling, and healthy. Still not convinced? Then consider this: on top of everything else, you may even lose weight on this healthier diet. How can this be? You will certainly eat more carbs, but these are complex carbs with a low glycemic index, which are nourishing, not fattening. Consider also that when you fill your stomach with fatty foods such as meat, you are taking in more calories per gram of food than when you eat vegetables. With a vegetarian or vegan diet, you will have more energy, concentrate better, and the sense of mindfulness—which now includes your diet—will pervade your other daily activities. Without a doubt, this is an enormous change in your daily life—one that, at least initially, may require a daily pep talk between your brain and your stomach. After all, we usually eat without thinking. Furthermore, how, when, and what we eat is deeply tied to our upbringing and to social, cultural, and habitual behavior. As a Hungarian, the thought of giving up Wienerschnitzel filled me with deep sadness and a sense of loss. But the thought of living, fully living, to the end with no heart disease, stroke, or cancer, unimpaired and fully engaged with life— well, the tradeoff makes sense. And it might also make sense for you. Anthony F. Jahn, M.D., noted author and professor of clinical otolaryngology at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, has offices in New York and New Jersey. His book, Care of the Professional Voice, is now in its second printing and available on the CS website. www.classicalsinger.com 13 Ask Erda by Cindy Sadler The Day Job Dilemma Can you make a living as a classical singer? There’s no one better to answer that loaded question than CS’s own “Ask Erda.” Dear Erda: I have been an avid reader of your column for the last few years. That said, I have a career dilemma and I thought I would seek your advice and guidance. I’m sure it’s a situation that you have heard before. Like many, I have hefty student loan debt (around $90K) from going to a private school. I was very naive in financing my education and picking a school. After graduating, I performed in a show for almost a year. Now, I’m having trouble finding work and though it pains me to say it, I feel like I may need to find something else to do full time until I can pay off the loans. Is there a way I can perform and make a living at it while receiving a steady income? Does that exist? If not, what kind of jobs are out there in the music or theatre field/ industry that I could do to make a decent living and pay off my debt so that I can eventually perform full time again? Jobs that are in music for which I have a passion? Jobs that I would be qualified for with just a bachelor’s in music performance? I want to find a job that’s still in music since I have a degree in music that’s not even paid for yet. It just makes sense to me. Any wisdom from you on the matter would mean so much to me. Thank you. —Desperate to Perform Dear Desperate: The good news is that you’re young and you already have a year of performing under your belt straight out of undergrad, which is 14 Classical Singer / May 2013 more than a lot of people can say! The bad news is . . . well, you already know the bad news. It’s highly unlikely that you’re going to pay off $90,000 in loans through performing, at least not in short enough order for it to do you any good. And in the meantime, that much debt can cripple your efforts to get your career off the ground. You want a job that allows you to pay off your loans while working in a related field and still getting to do some performing. You want a job that’s not soul-sucking. A job like that is not going to be ready-made. You may have to do some poking around to find a situation that’s right for you. You mentioned a job for which you are qualified—well, what are your qualifications? What can you do besides sing? It’s the eternal dilemma for performers: how to support themselves while they’re getting a career off the ground—and sometimes, even afterwards. Plenty of well known singers have sidelines that help support their performance careers, and even successful singers go through dry spells. Many young singers go into music studies with stars in their eyes and not much of a plan. They’re graduating with a crippling amount of debt in student loans, which very, very few can expect to pay back from performing alone— and that doesn’t even cover supporting themselves and their families. To top it off, beginning a performance career is like starting a small business. You need capital to provide for continuing voice lessons, coachings, training programs, audition fees and travel, competitions, concert attire, scores, recordings, and more. You also need time to start a career in performing. Getting that career going is a full-time job in and of itself. You need time to continue studying and training. You need time to job hunt, network, and rehearse when you do get a job. You need flexibility with your schedule to get out and audition, travel, rehearse, and perform, often weeks or months at a time. And of course, you need time to just live—do your laundry, go to the post office, sprawl in front of the TV, play with your pet, and enjoy your loved ones. And thus we come to the Day Job Dilemma. Jobs which provide steady, bigger paychecks, benefits, and some degree of stability tend to lack flexibility. Often, you’re required to be at a specific place during specific hours and days of the week—the typical 9-to-5 job. That doesn’t leave much time or energy for voice lessons, role study, or rehearsal. You might be able to swing it with an understanding boss, but even so, you’ll have to limit your performing to local venues or use all your personal days, vacation, and sick time for out-of-town gigs or auditions. More flexible jobs, like temp or seasonal jobs, usually don’t provide a steady paycheck and will probably not pay as much. Freelance work, such as consulting or sales, can be much more profitable and flexible, but you’ll also spend time and money getting that work. You’ll essentially be running another small business. There are no easy answers, especially in this economy. Permanent or longterm performing work that pays well and offers security exists, but it’s hard to get. These jobs are highly competitive, and often it takes an investment of time and money before you can land such a job. They’re also less flexible, so if you’re hoping to have an opera career on top of the steady paycheck, you’re going to need great negotiating skills and a boss who really likes you. The more likely scenario, if you’re planning on a solo performing career, is that you could get started in a more permanent position and gradually work your way up to supporting yourself entirely on solo gigs. But this also takes creativity. The truth is, the vast majority of classical musicians wear a number of hats and cobble together performing careers that involve a variety of jobs. With that in mind, this month and next month we’ll look at some ideas. Let’s start by discussing long-term, living-wage performance gigs. Big Broadway shows, either bus-andtrucks (tours) or those in residence in big cities (New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, etc.) pay well, offer benefits, and help you get admitted to Equity (which can also help you get into AGMA). You won’t have much time off, but you do get personal days, vacation, and sick days, just like a 9-to-5 job. Some will even let you take leaves of absence. Once the show is up and running, you’ll have free time during the day for other pursuits. If you are careful with your living expenses, especially if you’re on a bus-and-truck and receiving a per diem, you can put aside quite a lot of money. I have friends who have been touring with shows like The Phantom of the Opera and Porgy and Bess for 20 years— literally, their entire careers. Some of them manage to do other performing on the side, like my friend D.C. Anderson (www.DCAnderson.net), a former Met District Winner who performs his cabaret act late nights once the curtain comes down on “Phantom” and sometimes takes leaves of absence to do other shows. He also records his own CDs, is a composer/lyricist/producer, and a freelance photographer. As a nice added benefit, once you’re “in the family,” so to speak, it’s a lot easier to continue getting hired for another such show or another tour of the same show. Big Broadway shows typically perform eight times a week, often with matinees on both Saturday and Sunday. You’ll have one “dark day” per week, usually Monday. If you’re doing a tour, you’ll have days off in AN INTENSE TWO WEEK PROGRAM WITH OUTSTANDING OPERA PROFESSIONALS AMERICAN SINGERS’ OPERA PROJECTINC. OF NORTH CAROLINA FOUNDED BY NANCY STOKES-MILNES Perfecting Performance T he School of Fine and Performing Arts at Shorter University brings students’ talents center stage, allowing them to shine through countless performance opportunities. They learn from our stellar faculty who provide personal attention in a conservatory-style setting. Undergraduate Degree Programs in: • Performance (Piano & Voice) • Piano Pedagogy • Music Education • Church Music • Instrumental Music • Musical Theatre •Visual Arts www.shorter.edu 315 Shorter Avenue Rome, Georgia 800-868-6980 Mozart’s Don Giovanni In ItalianWith Chamber OrchestraJune 2-16, 2013 Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC BARBARA DEMAIO CAPRILLI ARTISTIC DIRECTOR RICHARD HEARD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEW THIS YEAR! High School Singers Intro To Opera June 8 to June 16 Only 10 students will be chosen for this program, which will include opera scenes and singing in the chorus of the opera. WWW.ASOP-INC.ORG www.classicalsinger.com 15 Ask Erda: The Day Job Dilemma between locations during which you may be able to fly home or take another short gig. The downside is that you’re tied to the same show, which you may do hundreds of times per year, and you will most likely be working on all holidays and weekends. Although you do get vacation, personal days, and sick days, a “day” equals one show, so if you’re out over a weekend with two matinees, you’ve used up four days. One downside to the bus-and-truck circuit is that you may find yourself, essentially, homeless. It doesn’t make sense to pay rent or have a lot of stuff when you’re traveling all the time, and many people who choose this nomadic lifestyle rent a storage unit or a room in someone else’s apartment to leave a few belongings, rather than keep up a residence of their own. It can also be extremely difficult to maintain a relationship outside of your show. An “A” house opera chorus—such as the Met Chorus, Lyric Opera of Chicago Chorus, or San Francisco Opera Chorus—pays well, requires AGMA membership, and offers benefits, steady work, and a surprising amount of job security (thanks to the union). You are working with the biggest stars in the opera world, in beautiful productions with the highest-quality values. You’re in one spot, with variety from season to season and enough free time to maintain a voice studio or church job. You may even be able to do some outside performing off-season. Positions are limited, highly competitive, and quite difficult to get, however. San Francisco has about 50 full-time choristers and about 40 supplemental choristers. The Lyric Opera of Chicago Chorus has 48 fulltime members, 12 “core supplemental” choristers, and about 50 additional supplemental choristers. The Met fields a full-time chorus of 80 with a supplemental chorus of 70 voices. Supplemental choristers are hired for particular shows which have larger 16 Classical Singer / May 2013 chorus requirements and usually have rights of first refusal on future stagings of the same production. It’s possible, at least with the Met, to be a regularly called supplemental chorister and to work your way into the regular chorus on the rare occasions when positions open up (usually someone has to die or retire for new positions to come available). Anywhere from 400 to 600 singers audition for these spots annually. The Met Chorus website describes some of the qualities that make you a sought-after chorister: “Good qualities in a chorus singer are reliability, punctuality, vocal talent, linguistic ability, and a good memory.” Check company websites for information about their choruses and auditions. Here are a few to get you started: metoperachorus.com www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/ auditions/chorus.aspx www.lyricopera.org/about/auditions. aspx sfopera.com/about/people/chorus.aspx The Armed Services have several highly regarded professional choruses such as the Air Force Singing Sergeants, the U.S. Army Chorus, and the Navy Sea Chanters Chorus. As full members of the military, you’re eligible for fulltime benefits (including the GI Bill, which you can use to pay for continuing education and job training) and pay. You’ll perform for foreign dignitaries, televised events, national baseball games, and troops all over the world—maybe even at the White House! And you’ll be in good company. Metropolitan Opera tenor George Shirley was the first African American member of the Army Chorus. Steve Cramer, one of the current tenor vocalists, toured in the ensemble of a national tour of Les Misérables and covered Jean Valjean. And other current members include graduates of the nation’s top conservatories. These are very competitive positions, however, and singers who win them must attend boot camp and become full members of the military. There is an age limit of 34, and some choruses (such as the Army Chorus) are all male. You must be physically fit. You could technically be posted in war zones and given nonsinging assignments. www.navyband.navy.mil/sea_chanters. shtml www.eur.army.mil/band/recruit/ default.htm www.usarmyband.com/jobs/vacancies. html Cirque du Soleil auditions frequently and probably offers salaries similar to Broadway. Benefits include a medical plan with dental, a variety of health and wellness services, insurance, travel at the beginning and end of a contract, a free trip home once a year, lodging for tours, and more. Currently there are nine international tours and eight residential shows in the U.S., as well as one each in Japan and Macau. As a cast member, you’d get to travel and be part of a truly unique, high-tech show, filled with international artists from a variety of disciplines. But it is a show, with a strictly regulated and busy schedule— which may make it difficult to have relationships outside the infrastructure or to maintain a home base, just like with Broadway tours. Cirque du Soleil does hire classical singers, but they need to be proficient in a variety of musical styles and comfortable improvising. You can apply online here: en.ext.casting.cirquedusoleil.com/ ts2mmx__JobDetails?jobId=a0xA00000 012d2VIAQ&tSource= Cruise ships offer free room and board and a steady salary for attractive singers versatile enough to sing classical, Broadway, and pop creditably (staffing site salary quotes vary—one stated $1,600 to $2,900 monthly for singers). If you’re careful, you can get away with few if any on-board expenses. You’re responsible for “extras” such as Internet, phone cards, alcohol, and store snacks Ask Erda: The Day Job Dilemma (most of which are discounted for crew members) and any sightseeing, souvenirs, and other expenses you might incur at ports of call. Laundry, hotel accommodations, and airfare are usually, but not always, paid for. There may be a crew gym, pool, and lounge. You get free travel to a variety of exciting international destinations and you’ll be working with colleagues of all different nationalities and have the opportunity to form lifelong friendships with people you might otherwise never have met. And there are discounts and visitors’ privileges for your family and friends. Of course, there are also potential cons. If you get seasick easily, this isn’t the work for you—you’ll be sailing in all types of weather! You’ll need to be available to ship out for as long as four to eight months, sometimes on short notice, and you’re basically “on call” whenever you are on the ship. Your time on shore is of course subject to your work schedule. There may be four to eight weeks of unpaid “vacations” between cruise assignments. You may or may not share a room, depending on your contract, and it will not be a large, luxurious guest suite. More likely, it will be a small, perhaps windowless cabin with up to three other roommates. Your roommates may or may not speak your language or share the same work schedule. Crew food quality may vary and will probably not be the same as what the guests are getting. You’ll be away from your family for long periods of time, and onboard phone calls are quite expensive. Furthermore, there are strict rules and regulations—some workers have described them as “almost military.” You must be prepared to follow these if you want to have a good experience and be hired for future contracts—or even stay on the ship. Some broken rules result in immediate dismissal, meaning you find yourself put ashore wherever you happen to be. For more resources on cruise ship entertaining, visit these websites: www.proship.com www.peggystill.com/Articles/Gettinga-Job-as-a-Cruise-Ship-Singer-orPerformer www.cast-a-way.com www.cruiseplacement.com Theme parks such as Disney World, Six Flags, and Universal Studios also hire performers for a number of different positions. Disney hires not only for its theme parks but also cruises and specialty touring shows. It also offers weekly pay and benefits such as health insurance, sick leave, vacation pay, and retirement plans for full-time and some part-time positions. And there are a variety of additional benefits such as discounts, a credit union, wellness programs, and on-site childcare at www.classicalsinger.com 17 Ask Erda: The Day Job Dilemma selected locations. Disney has parks in Anaheim, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Paris; Shanghai; Tokyo; and Hong Kong. Six Flags offers competitive pay, rewards and recognition programs, flexible scheduling, bonuses, part-time schedules, and free unlimited admission for employees and one friend. They have locations in or near San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Baltimore/Washington D.C., Springfield (Mass.), Jackson Township (N.J.), Lake George (N.Y.), San Antonio, and Dallas/ Fort Worth—as well as Mexico City and La Ronde, Montréal. Universal Studios, with locations in Orlando and Hollywood, Calif., offers a variety of benefits including medical coverage, paid time off, 401(k), childcare assistance, tuition, and free admission. Most of these jobs can be applied for online, though you’ll still need to audition. There’s little salary information available via company websites, but sites like Salary.com cite an average theme park entertainer annual income as $31,266. Online surveys and reviews show a high level of employee satisfaction for companies like Disney; however, the respondents were not all performers. Most people seem to enjoy the working atmosphere and the perks, such as free admission. You probably won’t be finding much of an outlet for your classical chops, however, and if you want to be in a revue or show, you’ll probably need to dance as well as sing and act. And, like all other steady performing jobs, the positions are competitive. You may have to start out as a substitute and work your way into a full-time position. Also, there are often many rules and regulations for working at a theme park. For more information about applying for theme park jobs, visit these sites: sixflagsjobs.com/benefits-perks. html#actors www.universalorlandojobs.com/ universe-opportunities/entertainment disneyauditions.com Be sure to tune in next month for a look at other job opportunities for performers that don’t require a long-term contract. Cindy Sadler is a professional singer, teacher, writer, director, and consultant. She is the founder and director of Spotlight on Opera, a community opera troupe and training program in Austin, Tex. Upcoming engagements include Marie in The Most Happy Fella with Tulsa Opera, Martha in Faust with Austin Lyric Opera, Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with Intermountain Opera Bozeman, and Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance with Portland Opera. For more information, please visit www.CindySadler.com and www.SpotlightOnOpera.com. T H E PAC K A R D H U M A N I T I E S I N S T I T U T E C AR L PH I L I PP E M A N UE L BAC H he omplete orks RECENTLY PUBLISHED VOLUMES Gellert Songs Cramer and Sturm Songs Edited by Darrell M. Berg Edited by Anja Morgenstern ---- (xxv, pp.) .* ---- (xxxvi, pp.) Please see website for a complete list of available and forthcoming volumes. All are cloth-bound and contain introductions and critical commentaries. Phone orders: () - Web orders: www.cpebach.org * These prices are for direct sales only 18 Classical Singer / May 2013 .* The Entrepreneurial Career Money Matters for Music By Amanda Keil Plan your finances now and enjoy your performances later. T here’s nothing like taxes to make you aware of how your cash flows. When you filed your taxes for 2012, you likely noticed your cash flowing in one direction: out. As a singer, it’s easy to feel like you’re at the bottom of the economic food chain. We keep everyone in business: from opera companies (thank you, application fees!) to dry cleaners (all those gowns). So if you want to start your own performance project, how on earth are you supposed to pay for it all? Very simply: don’t pay. Or, don’t pay with money—certainly not your own. Among the things that singers are accustomed to paying for, such as voice lessons or application fees, there’s no room for negotiation. Not so with selfproduced projects. There are certain things you do have to spend money on, but many others—such as renting a hall, designing a website, or even attracting top talent—can be negotiated or bartered. Being a singer means being a collaborative artist; there’s not much music you can make all by your lonesome. Even if you want to strike out on your own—a solo recital series, say— you will quickly discover just how many people you will need to help you. Now is the time to speak with your colleagues, fellow entrepreneurs, and friends to see how you can collaborate. You might find a partner to work with on ideas together, or you might hire people to support your vision. In any case, start talking to people you know. 20 Classical Singer / May 2013 Maybe you’ve worked with someone who knows the manager of a performance venue who can give you an insider’s rate. If you admire someone’s website, ask them for their designer’s name, then ask if they have special rates for start-ups. If you need to rent an instrument, such as a harpsichord, see if anyone in your extended circle has instruments to lend—and if they can “ . . . once you’ve agreed on someone’s fee, pay it no matter what. Even if you ultimately don’t get along, even if you feel you overpaid them, even if you take a loss at the box office.” help you move it. Sometimes people who make or repair instruments will offer one for free if you promote their services at your event. No matter what you need, now is the time to be bold about leveraging support in all forms. You will have plenty of nonnegotiable expenses, so save money wherever you can. As for hiring artists, this might seem like a catch-22. You can’t attract good people without money, and you can’t attract money (in the form of donors and ticket buyers) without good people. But you would be surprised. As long as your artists feel respected, their time is well used, and they get something out of the bargain, talented folks will be willing to work with you. For example, if you can’t provide a big paycheck, offer your fellow performers a chance to play a piece of their choosing on the program. If you feel your project will attract attention from the press, the possibility of a review can make up for a smaller fee. I also find that talented directors, designers, and lighting professionals are eager to add an opera credit to their résumé. In general, people tend to understand that startup operations are not going to be flush with cash and, just like you, they want to perform. In any case, once you’ve agreed on someone’s fee, pay it no matter what. Even if you ultimately don’t get along, even if you feel you overpaid them, even if you take a loss at the box office. The last thing you want is to earn a reputation as someone who pulls a bait-and-switch on their artists. It’s very professional and puts everyone at ease if you create a contract with anyone you hire, indicating the fee you’re offering and what you expect in return. Never written a contract before? Just one more thing to ask your circle about—surely someone can lend you an example or look over your draft. So how do you do this without bankrupting yourself ? Three magic The Entrepreneurial Career: Money Matters for Music words: set a budget. Start with your fixed costs (printing, space rental, etc.), determine your artist fees, then think about ways to bring that money in. The larger the production, the larger your audience will be: there are more friends and family to come out, and bigger shows tend to draw more notice. But don’t rely on ticket sales to pay for everything. A conservative estimate is to count on earning back about one third of your expenses, but ideally, have enough money in the bank to cover the entire project. Donations from close friends and family, a benefit concert, advertisements in the program, and multiple performances are all excellent sources for start-up funds. Credit card debt is not. After you’ve identified where your money will come from, find a way to keep track of it. Unless your project is a onetime thing, you should open a separate checking account strictly for related expenses. Most banks are eager to support small businesses and will have a staff person who can help you decide what kind of account you’ll need. When you would like to set up an enterprise using a name other than your own, you need to register your “Doing Business As” (DBA) name with the local county clerk or state government. You will then be a Sole Proprietor business. When I went to open a separate bank account for my Baroque company, my banker walked me to the local town hall to register my DBA, a one-page application. Unless you’re anticipating an enormous operating budget, a single checking account should suffice. Your banker might try to convince you to open a savings account or other products, but don’t do this unless you later find that you need to; the more accounts you have, the more likely you are to incur fees. Your project-related income and expenses should be tracked separately from your finances concerning the rest of your singing career, but will come under the same categories for your taxes. Now’s the time to find a good accountant, too. It might feel very dreary to embark on an exciting artistic venture and then be bogged down with financial planning. But a few systems in place up front will save you major headaches down the road. And besides, as a singer, you’ve written a few checks in your time. You can do money. Amanda Keil freelances as a fundraiser; writes for Classical Singer, OPERA America, Bachtrack, and her blog, thousandfoldecho.com; and performs with her Baroque company, Musica Nuova. Intensive study of vocal technique as applied to the literature for active singers Greve in Chianti, Italy Under the patronage of the Comune di Greve in Chianti July 17 - August 7, 2013 Celebrating our Nineteenth Year in Tuscany Master Classes • Private Voice Lessons Coachings • Public Performances Italian Language Study Distinguished international faculty headed by: DANIEL FERRO The Juilliard School Auditors, voice teachers, coaches and conductors welcome An Ideal Professional Retreat in Enchanting Tuscany 575 Madison Avenue • Suite 1006 • New York, NY 10022 Tel: 212-605-0594 • Fax: 212-724-6435 E-mail: [email protected] • www.ferrovocalprogram.org www.classicalsinger.com 21 Designing Your Résumé in Microsoft Word By Amanda White Don’t let a less-than-professional résumé hold you back from presenting an otherwise polished and complete audition package. W e’ve all used Word, but the ins and outs of styles and visual design are often overlooked by those of us who work with our voices more than our computers. If you were a music major, or have been to Classical Singer conventions and events, you’ve probably been coached in how to write your résumé—what goes on it, what stays off it, order, names, dates. Hopefully, you have the content down by now. But what about presentation? How do you take the metadata of your career and turn it into an attractive package, not just a jumble of off-centered lists? You don’t need a graphic designer’s training to use some basic features of Word to polish your paper-based presentation. Fonts Choosing a font can be overwhelming. Your copy of Word probably has over 100 built in, plus you can always download more. Flipping through all the options in the typeface drop-down menu can be time consuming, and many of the options just won’t suit your purposes. (Step away from the Comic Sans.) To narrow things down, it might help to consider whether you want a serif font or a sans serif font. Serifs are the little “feet” at the ends of the strokes. Typefaces with serifs are often viewed as traditional, while sans serifs are considered more modern. But that’s not 22 Classical Singer / May 2013 the only factor to consider. Common wisdom says that serif fonts are better for reading in print, whereas sans serifs are better for on-screen reading. Do you think your audience will print your résumé out, look at it on their computers, or both? Another standard piece of advice is to use sans serifs for headings and serifs for body text, but résumés don’t really have a lot of “body text” in the traditional sense—more lists and tables than paragraphs. Further, a study I completed in grad school suggested that sans serif fonts are much better for “busy” documents— that is, if you’re trying to cram a lot of information into a page, serifs add clutter. So if you find yourself struggling to fit a lot of career onto a single page, sans serif is probably the way to go. Popular serif fonts are Times New Roman and Georgia, and popular sans serifs are Calibri and Arial. If you want to spend a lot of time experimenting with every option in Word, go ahead. If you want to just pick something and move on, try one of those. Photo Should you include a thumbnail of your headshot on your résumé or not? It’s not the norm in the U.S., but if you’re attractive, look like the characters you’re trying to portray, and have a great photo, why not? Just keep in mind the following: • Microsoft Word is not an image editing program. It has some capabilities, but to avoid driving yourself crazy, edit an image to the right size and color scheme (black and white or color) in another program, save it, and import it into Word as you want it. • Résumé paper is not photo paper. If you’re printing your résumé onto nice résumé stock, a photo may appear grainy. If the quality of the photo is too poor, you may want to nix it all together. • If you’re sending your résumé digitally and expecting the recipients to print it, keep in mind that their printer might not be the best. You might come out with stripes across your face, or unexpectedly in black and white. In this case, again, it might be best to leave the photo off. You can use the Insert menu to browse for and select your photo file. Placement may take some trial and error: as with HTML, images in Word are placed “inline,” which means that they are treated like another word in a paragraph, so it might end up in the middle of a word or sentence. Themes Don’t have a graphic design degree? Not a problem! Microsoft has done the work for you in their themes. The Tech-Savvy Singer: Designing Your Résumé in Microsoft Word Depending on your version of Word, you can access the themes from the Page Layout or Home menu. (You can create similar effects by using the Change Styles/Quick Styles feature on the Home tab under Styles.) The themes contain colors and fonts preselected to compliment each other—all you have to do is assign “styles” to the different elements of the page (see below). Some versions of Word may allow you to change color schemes independently of the theme. One thing to keep in mind, though: modern Word themes are designed to be looked at on a computer monitor or to be printed professionally. So if a person you send your résumé to is going to print it on a black-and-white printer, light colors might be difficult to read when rendered in b&w. It’s a good idea not to go too light in color choice anyway, since even too-light colors printed on a color printer can be hard if not impossible to read. Styles How do you distinguish your headings and titles? Do you center them, enlarge the font, or embolden? You don’t actually have to do any of that. All you have to do is select a style. The Home menu contains a Styles section where you can assign a “function” to any section of your document. Simply highlight the words you want to style and select a style from the drop-down Styles list (or open the Styles pane for more options). Most of what you will use are the headings—levels 1-6, with 1 being the biggest and 6 being the smallest. You might also use the Title style for your name and Fach, and the Subtitle or one of the many Emphasis options for your address and phone number. Why use styles instead of changing the look of your headings manually? Besides corresponding with the built-in themes, styles are helpful because if you change your mind about the look, you can update everything at once. For example, if you decide you want your level 2 heading to be smaller, you can find it in the Styles pane and edit it by selecting Modify Style. That will change every heading 2 in the document. You can also select a different theme, which will change every styled element in the document to match the new theme, all with a single click. Tables Are you tired of pressing the Tab key over and over again to make your columns line up? It’s a pain, because if one entry runs too long, you either have to re-tab everything to the new location, or manually insert a line break. Not a scalable model. What you really want is a table. Tables in Word are highly customizable, and you can erase the borders so that no one will even know it’s a table. Insert a table from the Insert or Table menus and take a guess at how many rows you’ll need—you can always add more later. Then you can check off options for a header row (the top row, where you’ll put something like “Role,” “Opera,” “Company,” and “Year”) and to differentiate the first column (if you want to highlight the contents of the first column, for instance, have all the roles in bold or in color). This works similarly to styling. You can change these selections later as you play around with the Table Styles. Once you have your table in place (you can choose to fill it out first, or not), you may want to erase the borders so the table looks less cluttered. From the Borders menu, select None (or any other option you prefer). You can also style the table from the Table Styles menu. There are many options for table styles: you can select from any color in the theme, first column and header row in a different color or border style, or whether every other row or column is shaded. Just keep in mind that with tables, less is more. Put in only enough to make it readable. Excess lines and colors just look overcrowded. When you walk into your next audition with your hair done, your dress pressed, your shoes polished, and your lips as glossy as your headshot, don’t let your résumé be the weak link. Directors may spend more time looking at your résumé than at your performance, so make it look as good as you do! Amanda White is a soprano and writer in the Boston area. She can be reached through her website at www.notjustanotherprettyvoice.com. 25th International Annual Vocal Competition November 2013/January 2014 Compete for cash awards! Receive personalized coaching and valuable critique! Advance your career! $85 registration fee deadline--Nov. 1st, 2013 Before April 1st, 2013--$42.50 Before June 1st, 2013--$55.00 Before Sept. 1st, 2013--$75.00 Each applicant must submit via email or USPS a complete application available on www.njavo.org, payment, bio, photo and audio clip in mp3 format. Application fee is not refundable. www.classicalsinger.com 23 The Singing Life, Motherhood, and a Trip to Carmen School An Interview with Sandra Piques Eddy By Lisa Houston 24 Classical Singer / May 2013 Sandra Piques Eddy as the title role in Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of Carmen, 2010 As classical singers convene in Boston this month for the 10th annual Classical Singer Convention, Lisa Houston catches up with a Boston native who is now gracing the stages of major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera. Mezzo soprano Sandra Piques Eddy speaks about her relationships with the Met and Boston and how they continue to influence her work as a singer. A photo by Karen Almond day in the life of mezzo soprano Sandra Piques Eddy might find her singing Rosina for Lyric Opera of Kansas City, or the title role in La tragédie de Carmen with Chicago Opera Theater, or La Cenerentola with Austin Lyric Opera—not to mention any number of supporting roles at the Metropolitan Opera, her artistic home for over 10 years. She is currently in rehearsal for Così fan tutte with Boston Lyric Opera, with (Sir) Thomas Allen as both stage director and Don Alfonso. His direction on the recitatives, Eddy says, is just amazing. “Like an acting class with music.” On the day of our interview, I found her at her home making the most of her time between rehearsals, preparing for a day of hot cocoa with her three-and-ahalf-year-old daughter, Beatrice, who was home from preschool due to a snow day. Eddy is a Boston native, but she is keen to point out that her parents are both from São Miguel, Portugal, in the Azores Islands. We begin our interview there. What influence did your heritage have on your early musical life? Growing up I was always listening to Fado. It’s heartbreaking and extremely traditional music. Maybe that was part of what made me fall in love with opera later on, because there is such an www.classicalsinger.com 25 Sandra Piques Eddy Eddy (left) and Camille Zamora as Idamante and Ilia in Boston Lyric Opera’s production of Idomeneo, 2010 immediate response when you hear this music. It can be very playful, but a majority of Fado is very mournful and passionate and some of it is a little bit dramatic. Growing up Portuguese, I went to all the Portuguese feasts in Cambridge and dressed up as an angel in May and June—these processions for the saints and the angels—so it’s been such a part of my growing up and part of my background. I’m very proud of who I am. photo by Charles Erickson for Boston Lyric Opera Not that she’s Portuguese, but I can’t help but think that might come in handy playing Carmen. Because I’m Portuguese, I could possibly pass for Spanish, and because I have some color in my voice, people have been asking me about Carmen since I started singing professionally. But I kept putting it off. I knew I was going to sing it some day in the right circumstance and I had really smart people surrounding me saying just wait. I was just one of those people who said, “I want to do it in the smartest possible way.” What ended up happening was [that] I was at BU [Boston University] for my master’s degree and they were doing Tragedy of Carmen and they already had it double cast. But they asked me to learn it, and I was one of the stage managers for the show, so I watched the two Carmens and I watched how everybody got ready for their roles backstage. Another part of my Carmen development came from singing Mércèdes a million times. I’ve covered it. I’ve sung it at the Met. I was in the Zeffirelli Carmen which was run prior to the Sir Richard Eyre Carmen that’s being run right now. I was the Mércèdes in the Richard Eyre in 2010. I was really lucky because being Mércèdes I got to watch the first cast Carmen, the second cast Carmen, [and] the understudies. I got to see them rehearse, I got to see them in the performance, I got to see many 26 Classical Singer / May 2013 Sandra Piques Eddy “I was a music ed undergrad major at Boston Conservatory. I was a teacher for three years in the Needham public schools. I feel like teaching and parenthood have taught me to really think on my feet. I have to have a plan B, C, D.” different renditions of Carmen—and for me that was invaluable to be on the sidelines and watching it all the time. It sounds like you went to Carmen school. I did! And after that, Chicago Opera Theater called me up and asked me to do Carmen in the Tragedy of Carmen, which was another step in the water, so I took on that role. The Tragedy of Carmen, Peter Brook’s Carmen, is all the music of Bizet but it’s scaled down. It’s about 90 minutes of music—all of her music, all of José’s music, all of the Toreador’s music, all of Micaëla’s music. The main focus is those four characters. So I had a chance to learn the majority, maybe 80 percent of Carmen’s music—all the solo music without ensemble. That was fantastic because it was a substantial rehearsal period. I got to really delve into the character. It was a smaller orchestra, so the pressure of having to sing over a huge orchestra was lifted. Then a concert version came, and then the first completely staged version came with Lyric Opera of Kansas City with Bernard Uzan as the director. He’s a fabulous director, a French director, and I thought, “For me, what better way to get to know Carmen?” Ward Holmquist was conducting and he’s the one who wanted me for the part. I was really touched that somebody said, “Yes, I think she’s ready.” That’s a wonderful experience, and one that I’m always going to hold onto in my heart. You said something about your being one of those people who decided early on that you were going to do it the right way, the smart way. Your professional debut was with Boston Baroque, and I wonder if the richness of the Early Music scene in Boston played a part in not only making you 2014 Annual Awards Competitions for Voice – 54th Year - Individual awards of $2000 to upwards of $10,000 - Wagner Division Requirements: 4 arias by Wagner and 1 aria in a language other than German Age limits: 25 - 45 years as of 1/1/2014 January 8 -10, 2014 (contestants who are not local will be given priority on January 10th) Finals – Saturday Afternoon, January 11, 2014 --------------------------------------------------------General Opera Division Requirements: 5 arias (in at least 3 languages) Age limits: 20 - 35 years as of 1/1/2014 Local contestants (Tri-state, Boston, Philadelphia and D.C. areas) – January 12 – 16, 2014 Contestants from outside the above areas – January 17, 2014 Finals – Saturday Afternoon, January 18, 2014 --------------------------------------------------------Lieder / Art Song Division Requirements: 5 art songs (in at least 3 languages) (3 songs must be in German, 1 song must be by Schubert) Age limits: 18 - 30 years as of 1/1/2014 Local contestants (Tri-state, Boston, Philadelphia and D.C. areas) – January 21 – 23, 2014 Contestants from outside the above areas – January 23 & 24, 2014 Finals – January 25, 2014 --------------------------------------------------------All prizewinners must be available to perform at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in March, 2014, date TBA --------------------------------------------------------Location The Liederkranz Foundation 6 East 87 Street (between Madison and Fifth Avenues) New York, N.Y. 10128 th Application forms will be available in September on YAP Tracker, E-mail: [email protected] www.liederkranzny.org The Viterbo University Music Department… features a dedicated faculty of artist-teachers, outstanding programs in piano, voice, and music education (choral/general), numerous choral ensembles and productions, first-rate facilities, recently restored Steinway grand pianos, and NASM accreditation since 1942. Voice Faculty Diane Foust Jean Saladino Dan Johnson-Wilmot Ann Schoenecker Coach-Accompanists Judy Stafslien David Richardson Degrees • B.M. in Music Performance • B.M. in Music Education (choral/general) • B.A. in Music To learn more about Viterbo University’s music program, visit www.viterbo.edu/music 900 Viterbo Drive La Crosse, WI 54601 1-800-VITERBO [email protected] www.classicalsinger.com 27 Eddy as Dorabella in the Glimmerglass production of Così fan tutte, 2005 28 Classical Singer / May 2013 Sandra Piques Eddy interested in Early Music but also in a healthy vocal development for you? I started off as a chorus member in Boston Baroque. And Marty Pearlman heard me at Boston University’s opera production of La Clemenza di Tito, and that’s how I got the roles of Speranza and the Messenger in Orfeo and Poppea. Early Music really speaks to me. I love listening to Early Music and performing it. Last year I was lucky enough to be part of The Enchanted Island at the Met. I understudied Joyce DiDonato, and that was just heavenly. I said I was going to have withdrawals when I was through with that music. Many of your roles are very passionate, exuberant characters with a lot of determination. Rosina, Cherubino, Isabella, Dorabella and, of course, Carmen. Then there’s a role like Cenerentola, arguably a softer, more passive character. Which do you identify with more, personally, and how is it you find your way into the other type that simply isn’t like you at all? My goal always is to serve the music and serve the story—even something like Cenerentola, which is a little more passive than, say, Isabella. She is such an extraordinary character, Cenerentola. Think about how good she is. She is in love with what she thinks is the chauffeur and she stays true to that love. My favorite part is the end when she forgives her sisters and her father. To me that is such an extraordinary character. It’s a lot of fun to play a character like Dorabella that’s a little skittish and so impressionable. The thing I love about Dorabella is, in the first aria, she’s so influenced by her sister Fiordiligi. Her first aria could almost be a Fiordiligi aria. But by the time act two rolls around and she sings “E amore un ladroncello” it almost sounds like a Despina aria. It’s T h e P eT r i e School of MuSic s t is t r A t a e r G g in r Prepa Tharanga Goonetilleke ’05 BM Vocal Performance, Converse College MM and Artist Diploma in Opera Studies, The Juilliard School Roster of New York City Opera An Associate of Trinity College of Music in London Learn more! converse.edu/petrieschool 580 East Main Street • Spartanburg, SC • 864.596.9040 so clever how her music is written and how you see it runs the gamut. In the beginning she’s so influenced by one person, and by the end she’s completely taken over by Despina’s philosophies. It sounds like you’re saying she comes out from her big sister’s shadow. She’s trying to outdo her sister, I think. We’re doing it in English right now in Boston, and when Fiordiligi sings, “I’m fainting,” I have to say it in a higher pitch, “I’m dying,” outdoing her not only in the pitch but in the words. But that’s a lot of fun to play on stage, that skittishness. Is that how you are in real life? They used to say I was lethargically challenged. I have a lot of energy, which I think lends well to characters like Cherubino and Hänsel. I love playing Hänsel. “The Rose & the Thorn: Contrasts in Music & Dance of Earlier Times” Early Music Week June 27—July 4, 2013 beautiful music under the trees, near Plymouth, MA harpsichord, recorder, viol, violin, voice, medieval percussion, plucked strings, Renaissance winds, historical & English country dance Country Dance & Song Society www.cdss.org/EM www.classicalsinger.com 29 Sandra Piques Eddy “I snuck out onto the stage after it was all over, after I knew I wasn’t going on to the final round, and I knelt down. I kissed my hand and I touched the stage and said thank you. . . . I was so thankful for that moment.” Let’s talk a little bit about your relationship with the Met. You were an educational grant recipient there. What was that like and what has that relationship meant to you? The Met heard me at Glimmerglass Opera when I was a Young Artist. It was my second year there. It was a panel that seemed like a million people but it was honestly probably about 20 to 30 people—a panel of companies from all over the country, and management. It was our last audition of the season. I remember exactly what I sang. I sang an aria from La finta giardiniera, and I sang The Rape of Lucretia. After the audition, I didn’t think anything of it and I went on to my Young Artist responsibilities for the day. A couple of days later I received an e-mail from Lenore Rosenberg asking what my availability was for six or seven time periods of that year. At that point, I was on a little laptop, and I looked around to see if this was a joke or something. Of course, what did I write? “I am available any time you need me!” My first role was the third servant to the Barak’s wife in Die Frau ohne INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC (aCaDeMie interationale D’ete De niCe) nice - France inForMations anD registration: www.nice.hexagone.net week 1 - Monday July 15 to July 22 week 2 - Monday July 22 to July 29 week 3 - Monday July 29 to august 5 Vocal Technique and inTerpreTaTion chanT eT piano Dalton BalDwin lorraine nuBar For FurTher inFormaTion: registration oFFiCe: telephone: 011 33 970 44 09 36 [email protected] aCaDeMie internationale D’ete De niCe Monastere De CiMiez - plaCe pape Jean-paul ii F - 06000 niCe- FranCe 30 Classical Singer / May 2013 Schatten. That year was spent at the Met singing roles like the Dragonfly in L’enfant et les sortilèges [and] the Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto. It was a fabulous way to be introduced to the company. I’ve been there since 2001 and I have to say, every time I walk into that building I still have this incredible feeling of reverence. I don’t know if that will ever go away, but I hope it doesn’t. I won the Met competition here in New England. I had bronchitis and I was teaching at the Handel and Haydn Society on that Saturday morning. They used to have a preliminary on Saturday, Sandra Piques Eddy photo by Tim Matheson Eddy and Joshua Hopkins as Rosina and Figaro in Vancouver Opera’s production of Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2012 and then they’d whittle it down on Sunday, and we’d all sing in Jordan Hall. When I won for the New England Region, that was a complete surprise to me. Maybe it wasn’t a surprise to my husband or my teacher, but to me it was a complete surprise, and I was so thankful and giddy. So, I went to New York, though I didn’t make it to that next round. I snuck out onto the stage after it was all over, after I knew I wasn’t going on to the final round, and I knelt down. I kissed my hand and I touched the stage and said thank you. This is a true story. I know it sounds hokey, but I was so thankful for that moment. If someone had told me that a year later I would be singing roles there—talk about a Cinderella story . . . for me, that was a Cinderella story. I’m happy to come back to the Met next year for Two Boys [singing Fiona]. That’s a very provocative opera, and I think it’s going to be a big success. I’m very excited to be part of that collaboration and I’m very thankful for my relationship with the Met and the people who believe in me there. [At this point in the interview, threeand-a-half-year-old Beatrice comes into the room and there is some discussion, now that Angelina Ballerina is over, about which Tinker Bell video to watch. This leads us to the topic of family.] What does your support team look like these days, and how are you finding balancing such a lively career and family life? I used to teach before I went back for my master’s. I was a music ed undergrad major at Boston Conservatory. I was a teacher for three years in the Needham public schools. I feel like teaching and parenthood have taught me to really think on my feet. I have to have a plan B, C, D. I’m learning to just take things and roll with it. My support team is my family. My husband has been wonderful, my brothers, their girlfriends have been wonderful. They help out with www.classicalsinger.com 31 Sandra Piques Eddy Eddy as the title role in Opera Coeur d’Alene’s production of Carmen, 2012 photo by Dan Sausser get through those times. But I hope that anybody reading this who is going through a tough time knows to just keep your hope up, keep fighting that good fight, try to stay strong. A lot of people go through it. Not everybody has an easy pregnancy or an easy time having a baby. When I found out with the third pregnancy that everything was fine, I had an audition the afternoon that I got the test results. I was so happy—that audition was the best audition I ever had. My manager said, “Wow, you sound like a star!” and it was just because everything was working out in my life. That’s part of the reason we named her Beatrice, because the name means “messenger of happiness.” babysitting every once in a while, [as does] my mother. My sister-in-law has traveled to Kansas City with my daughter when I was singing Rosina there last year and she helped me while she was on school break. She’s a third grade teacher. I’ve been really lucky that people believe in me enough and want to help me. We do have to ask for help in order to do this efficiently and to do it as best we can. We can’t be afraid to ask for help. I think that might be a very useful thing for singers to hear. When my singer friends are pregnant I get e-mails and messages on Facebook asking me all kinds of questions. “What was it like singing when you were pregnant?” “When did you stop singing 32 Classical Singer / May 2013 when you were pregnant?” “When did you start singing again after she was born?” “How did you handle breast feeding?” “What’s the best stroller?” I’m flattered that people trust me with their secret, because sometimes they’re not telling people. I didn’t have the easiest time with parenthood. I had two miscarriages and I had problems with fertility, and I don’t mind talking about it because I think many women go through this. People don’t talk about it because it’s a time when women and couples hurt. If you’re singing, so much of what we do has to do with if we’re feeling confident and happy and can communicate better, and there was a time when I was just putting on a brave face, and maybe that is what helped me What do you like most about your life and career as an opera singer? To be able to serve the music, serve the story, to lose yourself in the character and get energy from your cast members, and every time you’re up there it’s a different experience—that to me is the most exciting thing. I love to challenge myself to get to go those places that I never thought I’d get to dramatically or vocally—doing it or nailing it and feeling like I’m really serving that music. I love traveling. I love meeting new people. I love delving into roles. What’s one thing about your life as an opera singer that you would like to change, or perhaps that you see changing for yourself in a positive way, as your career goes on? One thing I’m starting to understand is [that] all I can do is my very best. I can’t second guess myself and worry about things I can’t control. As long as I’m true to my instincts and do my homework, I’m golden. And that goes for anybody. If you do your homework and trust your gut, you’re going to be OK. Everything’s going to be wonderful. Lisa Houston is a dramatic soprano and writer living in Berlin. Her website is www.lisahoustonsoprano.com. She can be reached at [email protected]. Jennifer Taylor Master Classes for Classical Singers January 12–16, 2014 Marilyn Horne Tuition-Free Marilyn Horne, Christa Ludwig, and Martin Katz: The Song Continues Train with the best and perform at Carnegie Hall. Apply now to participate in this tuition-free workshop for singers ages 18–35. Application Deadline: October 1, 2013 The Song Continues is supported, in part, by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation. Workshops and master classes are made possible, in part, by Mr. and Mrs. Nicola Bulgari and The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. This program is part of the Marilyn Horne legacy at Carnegie Hall. carnegiehall.org/workshops | 212-903-9741 Signing Your First Contract By Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh Your first professional engagement with an accompanying contract is a thrill! But understanding and agreeing upon the terms of said contract? Perhaps not so thrilling. Avoid common pitfalls by following the expert advice offered here. C ontracts can be complicated, but something singers seeking a professional career will inevitably have to deal with. Binding yourself to a company can be tricky, and knowing what you’re getting into before starting a job is important for both your benefit and the company’s. Three professionals who deal with musicians’ contracts on a regular basis—Robert Mirshak, president and founder of Mirshak Artist Management, an artist management agency with offices in New York City and Los Angeles; Ana De Archuleta, president of New York City-based ADA Artist Management; and Miguel Rodriguez, executive director of Boston Baroque— share their tips for unmanaged singers signing their first contracts. First Steps Read the contract in its entirety, and then read it again. If it is not easily digestible, make a checklist of what is 34 Classical Singer / May 2013 and is not addressed and what needs further explanation. “Normally, with all contracts you expect the turnaround to be quick,” Rodriguez says, so take time to understand the terms but respect the deadlines given to you. Learning the role may not be all that is required of you in advance. You may be asked to submit highresolution digital headshots, a bio of specified length, and even costume measurements. Always have these readily available and never tell the company to just get your materials from your website, Rodriguez says. If performing in an oratorio or a concert opera, ask about attire. “What is the concert dress? Make sure that the contract specifies before you sign it. Just ask them, ‘Is it tails? Is it all black?’ What are the expectations?” suggests Rodriguez. Check your availability, keeping in mind everything from your other singing commitments to family gatherings and friends’ weddings and baby showers. Special dates may be negotiable with the company, so keep this in mind for when negotiations begin. “Make sure that the dates of when you’re expected for rehearsal are accurate and that they don’t conflict with anything else you have,” Rodriguez advises. “A lot of times young singers think only of the performing date and not the rehearsal period, so make sure that the contract has in it rehearsal dates that don’t conflict with anything else you have.” Consulting Trusted Professionals and Gathering Information Your first singing contract could be your first-ever professional agreement, so it is OK if you are lost after reading through the pages. Not understanding the terms, however, is not an excuse to blindly sign on the dotted line. It Signing Your First Contract “An offer is exciting, but signing your name means a commitment of a few days, weeks, or even several months—and you need to be on the lookout for terms or wording that could make that time difficult.” is your responsibility to consult with professionals you trust to make sure the document is clear and thorough. “It is always good to consult your team,” De Archuleta says, particularly if you do not understand a certain clause or if you do not know if the terms seem fair. “Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know and use resources to find information.” She suggests making the most of OPERA America, AGMA, colleagues, and teachers. Managed singers already have their management team on their side, but “in the case that you are unmanaged, you usually need some type of advice,” Mirshak notes. “Try to know as much about the company that offers you a contract as you can without asking the general director, artistic director, or artistic administrator,” he continues. “Be proactive and take control of the situation by knowing as much as you can.” Doing so will prepare you for the next step in the process: negotiations. Negotiating Fees, Other Terms By this point, you should know whether you want to pursue the contract further. If the role is not right for you or you are unavailable for the contracted dates, “it is OK to say no,” says De Archuleta. “If they want you, they will want you again.” Managed singers need not worry about negotiating. Rodriguez says to let managers and agents handle the negotiation process. “I like my relationships with agents in a good place. I would never negotiate with singers who are under management,” he says. For nonmanaged singers, negotiating can be a difficult and unpleasant process, but do not let that keep you from trying. To begin the conversation, have a clear idea of what you want to ask for. Higher pay? Why, and how much? Travel reimbursement? Housing for a family member? A more private living situation? De Archuleta says to not be greedy, “but if it the terms make it impossible to do the job, be honest as to why.” It is not always easy to understand how a company comes up with a figure. “[A fee] may be determined by the length of the work, how hard it is, is it a standard piece or not, the instrumentation, the number of soloists that may be involved in the work,” explains Rodriguez. There are so many factors that affect what you are offered, and those factors may dictate whether there is much wiggle room for negotiation. For some concerts or productions, a company may decide to pay on an even scale. For instance, all leads may get $1,000 and all comprimari may get $500. In that case, negotiations are very unlikely. But again, you may not know until you ask. An acceptable way to approach the conversation, Rodriguez advises, would be to say: “I totally understand (what Overview: Before You Sign 1.Make sure you are available during the required dates. 2.Make sure the role offered is a good fit. 3.Get back to the company with confirmation of role suitability and availability. 4.If they haven’t offered the terms, ask for the terms. 5.Take time to review all the details: fee, per diems, housing, travel, ground transportation. 6.If everything looks good, confirm and ask them to send a contract. Note: Once you confirm it is important not to go back and try to renegotiate anything. The moment to negotiate is between steps 5 and 6. —Ana De Archuleta Hear more from De Archuleta at the Classical Singer Convention. See pp. 85-86 for more information. you are offering), but that’s a new piece for me and it’s a hard piece and I’m going to have to invest in coachings.” That is a “very fair negotiation argument,” he concedes. Warning Signs The last thing you want or need to do for your career is to accept a contract simply out of excitement. An offer is exciting, but signing your name means a commitment of a few days, weeks, or even several months—and you need to be on the lookout for terms or wording that could make that time difficult. Mirshak says to pay attention to noncommittal wording such as “we don’t know when we will pay you” or “the housing will be fine.” Terms should be clear and agreeable to you, not just to the company. Do not immediately balk at such wording, though. Give the company a chance to be more up front about things that concern you. “I find that more and more smaller www.classicalsinger.com 35 Signing Your First Contract Questions to Ask for Your Protection • Is this role/part right for me? • Is housing provided? What type of housing, and do I have a private bathroom? Is a kitchen available? • Is travel booking or reimbursement provided? Is ground transportation my responsibility? • What will I be paid? Is this enough to justify the amount of time and coaching I must devote to preparation, rehearsals, and performance? • When exactly will I be paid? • If the company cancels the performance(s), will I still be paid? • Do I buy my score? What language is the performance in? What cuts are being taken? • Is this an AGMA contract? If so, who covers the AGMA fee? companies include a clause that says that the company can cancel a contract at any time,” Mirshak continues. “This is not a contract. If the company wants you to sign a binding contract and not cancel, the company should do the same. Both sides should have consequences for breaking the deal.” Breaking a Contract Backing out on a legally binding agreement is taboo, but it happens, Rodriguez says. “It’s never a happy moment for the contracting company,” but situations such as pregnancy, sickness, or family emergencies call for such an extreme action. “Make sure you’re very sincere and open and honest,” advises Rodriguez. You may choose to break your contract if you get a better gig—but beware of the consequences, particularly if you lie about why you are breaking your contract. “People talk,” Rodriguez says, and you risk marring your relationship with not only that company but others that get word of what you have done. If you are up front about the new gig, Mirshak says, “you can ‘ask’ to be released for major opportunities such as at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, or for a recording contract,” and sometimes companies will be understanding. “You might offer to do something for that company for free in the future or to come back and do a donor event,” he suggests. If the company does not release you, however, you must deal with the consequences—though, De Archuleta recommends that you “stick to your original agreement.” If there is a cover for your role, you may try to work out a deal with the company. Rodriguez recommends wording something like this: “I have this opportunity and it conflicts with the last performance. Would it be all right if the cover does it? And then at that point, the fee may be readjusted and that’s fine.” But in general, De Archuleta and Mirshak advise against breaking a contract. You may not realize just how badly the action could affect your future opportunities and reputation. Announcing Offers and Casting The second you receive an offer you should post a status update with all the details on Facebook, right? Absolutely not. Judging by the number of your Facebook friends who do this, you may think it is acceptable in the professional world. It can be both alarming and embarrassing to a company, however, if you do not respect its timeline for making season and casting announcements. If not addressed in the terms of your contract, Rodriguez says to ask the marketing or public relations coordinator when you are allowed to announce your upcoming engagement. You may be able to list it on your résumé for audition purposes until the company announces its season. Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh is a journalist and soprano living in Tuscaloosa, Ala. ALTAMURA SUMMER INSTITUTE – 7/21-- 7/ 30 ENCOUNTER WITH THE MASTERS, ROUND TOP, NEW YORK WHERE LISTENING AND TEACHING IS AN ART AND MENTORING IS A JOY. ITALIAN, DICTION, REPERTOIRE, VOICE TECHNIQUE, ACTING, PERFORMANCE, AUDITION SKILLS, AND MUCH MORE. EXPERIENCE AND KNOW WHO YOU ARE! AND ALL YOU CAN BE. GIUSEPPE VERDI BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION SUN, 7/ 28, 2PM TUITION: $2,500 - GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE BY AUDITION, CALL: 201-863-8724 36 Classical Singer / May 2013 www.altocanto.org [email protected] CARNEGIE MELLON SCHOOL OF MUSIC Welcomes to the Voice Faculty Jennifer Aylmer, Soprano, Assistant Professor Maria Spacagna, Soprano, Associate Professor music.cmu.edu DEGREES Bachelor of Music in Performance Bachelor of Arts Honours in Music Bachelor of Musical Arts Bachelor of Music Education Master of Music in Performance and Literature in Voice DMA in Voice Performance SUMMER PROGRAMS Discover Western’s VOICE PROGRAM Our voice program allows students to achieve their highest potential and reach their goals; offering a positive learning environment, high academic standards and training centered upon performing and pedagogy skills. Western graduates and current students are found singing on the world’s stages, and in international summer programs and young artists programs. Canadian Operatic Arts Academy Accademia Europea Dell’Opera (Lucca, Italy) Vocal Intensive Intersession FACULTY Theodore Baerg Torin Chiles Barbara Dunn-Prosser Gloria Gassi Patricia Green Anita Krause-Wiebe Gwenlynn Little Rachel Mallon Jennifer Moir Christiane Riel Sophie Roland Jackalyn Short Sherry Steele Frederique Vezina Todd Wieczorek Michael Cavanaugh (Acting) Barb Sarma (Movement) Visit www.music.uwo.ca for more information www.classicalsinger.com 37 Jeanie LoVetri can you Do It All? Women who are singers, teachers, authors, administrators, wives, mothers and more weigh in on this age-old question. By Michelle Latour “S ociologists say that women inhabit more roles these days than ever. This multiplicity of hats can translate into nonstop competing goals” (Rachael Combe, Elle, Dec. 2011). And those goals can be even more daunting if your job is as a singer. How do you juggle international career and motherhood? Or how about tenure-seeking artist-teacher while taking care of ailing parents? Or how about as singer, teacher, mom, and spouse? Or even aspiring singer with a 9-to-5 job? How do you do it all without losing yourself ? Or do you even attempt to do it all? Having it all and doing it all can be exhausting. According to the latest science on willpower, the best thing you can do for your productivity and equanimity is to give yourself a break (ibid.). I constantly struggle with this dilemma. As a singer, university professor, and writer in my 40s, I had recently reevaluated my career path because honestly, I had chosen my career over everything else, including ruining a 12-year relationship that I ran into the ground. Although nearly six of those 12 years had been long distance, I had grown accustomed to work, work, work during our absences. Unfortunately, I was not able to shut that off when I did see my significant other. After some hardcore soul searching, I determined not to make the same mistake twice. Easier said than done. Being an overachieving, type-A personality proves challenging no matter how much yoga I do, and I have found that balancing work and personal life can be exceedingly stressful. I asked women I admired—voice teachers with whom I have studied, singer friends who have fantastic careers, admirable colleagues, and current and former students who are figuring things out: “Is it possible to do it all?” The Price of Having It All “Women of our era have to do a lot of soul searching when it comes to family and career,” says soprano Zipporah Peddle, who sings in Cirque du Soleil’s O; recently formed the fourvoice virtuoso ensemble, Vox Indigo; holds a master’s in voice performance from UNLV; and is engaged. “Can I really maintain my career goals and still be a loving and present 38 Classical Singer / May 2013 mother and partner? If I take some time off, how likely is it that I will be able to bounce back into a performance career? Will a potential gig cause problems in my personal life—and is it worth that risk? For me, having a successful and happy personal life has definitely moved into the number one spot in terms of priority.” And since becoming the lead vocalist in O in 2007, Peddle feels her career move was life changing. “I spent my 20s jumping from show to show. At the time, it didn’t bother me since I wasn’t ready to settle down. My career was absolutely my number one priority. But as I got older, I started to wonder how exactly I was going to have a home and family without abandoning my ambitions, which is a common concern for performers. Ultimately, many of us choose to leave the business in order to get our personal lives on track. I am lucky in that I haven’t had to make that choice.” “Remember when your parents told you that you could do it all? I took that to heart!” says Melinda Becker, mezzo-soprano and singer for Duo Fado, a voice-and-guitar collaboration, and adjunct professor of music and choral ensemble director at Marymount College. But not everyone agrees. Los Angelesbased keyboard collaborative artist Linda Zoolalian—who is music director, coach, and pianist for Opera Festival di Roma; pianist for Los Angeles Opera; and part of the adjunct faculties at Pomona College and Pasadena City College—says, “You can’t have it all unless you want to drive yourself crazy trying.” Jeanie LoVetri, New York-based teacher and creator of the Somatic Voicework method, concurs. “I do think that trying to have it all is foolish. I don’t think it’s good to try to be a successful career woman, a great mother, a fabulous wife, as well as a wonderful daughter, sister, friend, and member of society while also trying to take care of your own needs, only to end up being exhausted and overextended. Women are still up against a lot of difficult social messages that cause inner conflict, and many of us continue to be strongly conditioned to be caretakers, helping others before we help ourselves. Present generations can still be pressured to be successful in careers but also to be in a relationship or to become mothers. It’s better to Can You Do It All? in Rob an and family Follm let g o o f trying to have every possible experience and focus on doing a few things well.” Courtney Crouse, soprano and assistant professor of voice and opera director at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University describes her balance: “Women are often givers and, if we aren’t careful, there is nothing left for us. I become an unhappy person and lose the sense of my calling to be a teacher if I am trying to be too much to too many people, so I have learned to set aside clear boundaries of time.” What advice did other singers have? I followed up with the question “Do you have any advice for young female singers who are struggling with this dilemma?” Sage Advice Jenny Millsap, New York-based soprano and mother of two young boys, declares, “There is no right answer, it’s just what you want and don’t want. And if you want to have kids, then just have them. Don’t wait for the perfect time or the perfect amount of money or the perfect point in your career. The perfect conditions hardly ever exist. Your life is very malleable. If you allow yourself to be flexible, you will find that your life changes shape to fit your children.” Singer, teacher, and mother of two, Rebecca Brandt Hample, agrees. “No matter where you are in life—with or without a family, career, children—you bara Ba r DeMaio Caprilli can make changes. I have often thought I would be doing a disservice to all the time and money I spent, and all the love and guidance my teachers have given, if I decided to stop singing. Like it would be failing in some way. Then I see my children dancing and singing and realize all of my training is being put to the best use ever, to pass music on to the next generation. I got into singing to share music with others, and that’s what I get to do every day.” Barbara DeMaio Caprilli, artistic director of American Singers’ Opera Project and University of Central Oklahoma instructor of voice, reflects on her career change. “Decide what is important to you and design a career around that. I left full-time singing in my 50s, rather than going on into my 60s as I had originally planned, because I missed being with my husband and I discovered that I loved teaching. It’s a lonely life on the road, and I decided that it was worth the cut in pay to have a teaching job, a home, and a husband to come home to every night. If you want an international career, you must choose your life partner wisely—a coach, pianist, conductor, or agent will be understanding of your travel and commitments [but] a plumber or policeman, probably not.” Lauren McKay, soprano and teacher, knew early on that she wanted a family above all else. However, since her husband is in the military, that has presented some additional challenges. “I decided that having a husband and children were what I wanted, and that if a performance career was available to me I would pursue it, keeping traveling to a minimum and time with my family at a maximum. “When I got married,” she continues, “I had to really buckle down and stick to my decision. I couldn’t be a military spouse and have a deployed husband and leave any potential children at home while I traveled or was in late-night rehearsals. I wouldn’t trade our life together for anything. I chose my place, and it’s wherever he is or waiting for him to return from wherever he is. I knew when I was little I wanted to sing, but I also knew that having a family would be a higher priority. If the most important thing to you is your career, you’re doing the same thing as I am—you’re just doing it in a different way.” Lisa Maresch—Los Angeles-based pianist and teacher; founder of the Scholarship Student Showcase for the Warne Foundation in Orange County, Calif.; director of a piano festival in American Samoa; and newly appointed to the board of directors for Arquetopia in Mexico, a nonprofit foundation for music and arts—suggests that “No matter which path you take, something has to give somewhere, so you have to decide what is most important for you. Whether you chose to become a performing musician or a mother, both professions are very noble and respectful. You should go into either career with great pride.” Many women stressed the need for some down time amid hectic schedules. “There are times in the semester that are so busy and scheduled that my life is definitely not in balance,” says soprano Linda Lister, assistant professor of voice and director of opera theater at UNLV and author of Yoga for Singers. “But I do try to make time for regular yoga and meditation practice. That restorative time keeps me more grounded and positive, which makes me a better teacher and colleague. Sometimes I go for a hike or a bike www.classicalsinger.com 39 Can You Do It All? Laure Shero n McKay nda McKee 40 Classical Singer / May 2013 ride and lose myself in nature to reconnect with myself. Riding my bike makes me feel like a kid again because it reminds me of my first taste of freedom and adventure.” “I need to take breaks for my sanity!” exclaims Melissa Sugarman, soprano and graduate student at the University of Washington. “I give myself a few hours every week that are free from responsibility. It all lies in knowing your priorities and knowing the domino effect of your decisions. I used to sacrifice sleep to fit everything into my life, and that only works for so long. Sleep is really, really important.” Several singers recommended envisioning how you would like your career to evolve in the long term. “Think ahead to yourself at 70,” Millsap suggests. “Imagine in great detail what it would be like to have stopped your career where it is but to be in the loving embrace of your spouse with your kids and grandkids around you. Then imagine yourself wildly successful as a singer but alone. Decide which is more important to you and then do that.” Internationally acclaimed soprano, Robin Follman, who is also mother to two young children and CEO of the FollmanYoung Foundation for the Arts, wholeheartedly concurs, “I would absolutely choose to have a family many times over. One day your singing career will be over, and you will have to live with the choices you make at the beginning of your career for the rest of your life. I always knew that singing and performing was not enough for me. It took singing with a friend of mine, Sari Gruber, to give me the courage to make the decision to start a family with medical assistance.” Fortunately, Follman’s body responded to treatments, and she was able to have a family. And her singing career? “Even though I continued to perform, I kept it on a limited basis. Only now am I starting to plan out my singing future again. Can You Do It All? Sarah Courtn Diller ey Crouse “Make sure you are communicating with your management about your health and recovery once you have kids,” Follman continues. “Your agent is working hard for you in a difficult NYOS OPERA ADVANTAGE order in which things have to be done, or are perceived as having to be done, affect your own path,” says Sheronda McKee, soprano and doctoral student at UNLV. Soprano Sarah Diller, graduate student of opera performance at Wichita State University adds, “Make the choices that you think will make you the happiest. You live with the choices you make, so don’t let other people choose them for you.” economy and deserves to know when you are truly ready for singing professionally again.” The bottom line? You have to decide for yourself how to balance career, family, and personal time. “Do not let any of the stress and hype about the CELEBRATING 11 CONTEMPORARY COMMERCIAL MUSIC YEARS 2013 Vocal Pedagogy Institute July 7 through 22, 2013 July 13–22 at SUNY SUllivaN, loch Sheldrake, NY Join the esteemed professional faculty of the NYOS at SUNY Sullivan this summer for an intensive two-week program designed to guide singers through the process of integrating musical ideas, language skills, body language and acting craft in a highly creative and personally artistic way. This inspiring and creative program will change the way you approach your singing and performing forever. Singers will prepare and perform parts of the Marriage of Figaro, culminating in two public performances. Applications now being accepted. To apply or for more information, visit www.newyorkoperastudio.org Soprano Michelle Latour is part of the full-time voice faculty at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas and is the NATS Nevada State Governor. She is active as a singer, teacher, writer, adjudicator, and workshop presenter throughout California, Nevada, and the Midwest. Visit her online at www.michellelatour.com. Jeannette LoVetri “…[I] attribute my growth as an artist to her solid and clear teaching of technique.” – Luciana Souza, 2008 Grammy Award Winner Somatic Voicework™ – The LoVetri Method Level I, II, III Post Certification courses offered: • Studio Technology with Matt Edwards • Barbershop Quartet Styles • Theo Bleckmann: Avant-garde Styles All courses earn one graduate credit. CONTACT US TO SIGN UP: For information: 540-665-4556 Call 540-665-4600 [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] www.ccminstitute.com www.su.edu/tvpc www.classicalsinger.com 41 Education, Boston Style By Amanda White Come for the convention, stay for grad school! Take an in-depth look at the voice programs at three Boston schools. I f there’s one thing Boston is known for besides rabid baseball fans, it’s higher education. The home of Harvard and MIT isn’t just for budding engineers and lawyers, though—the city also boasts a number of music schools, conservatories, and world-class opera programs. Here we take a look at graduate voice and opera programs at three music schools: Longy School of Music, New England Conservatory, and Boston Conservatory. Longy School of Music of Bard College I have to admit, I was surprised when I started researching this article to see that Longy’s full name has expanded since I was last a Boston music student. When I took a summer course at Longy back in the early aughts, or popped in to see my opera buddies in an occasional scenes program or recital, it was just Longy School of Music. Turns out it was only last year that Longy merged with Bard College and its Conservatory of Music, so don’t feel bad if you didn’t know either. Located “over the river” in Cambridge—in the vicinity of Harvard Square—Longy is petite. Longy offers a master of music degree in opera or vocal performance, as well as a graduate performance diploma in either. Its tiny enrollment (235 students last year, 183 of which were grads) translates to an intimate learning and performing environment and all the individual attention you could ask for. Donna Roll, director and chair of the opera department, explains the draw: “Many students prefer a small environment with more performance opportunities. Every student in the opera department is utilized and gets tremendous stage time—and receives one-on-one training every day with coaching, opera studio, aria monologue class, dramatic coaching, and voice. “Longy does not have a major theater with lighting and costuming,” Roll continues. “However, what we do have is individual training, nurturing, one-on-one every day, every class based in performance, four performances a year (one fully staged with orchestra), with additional performances outside of the school.” Longy student Jonah Spool became interested in Longy after working with one of their coaches at a summer program in Austria. “I love that it’s a small school, because we get to intermingle and work with people from other departments very frequently,” Spool says. “The thing that makes the opera department at Longy great, aside from being its own department separate from the voice department, is how much we get to sing and perform,” Spool continues. “We sing in class over 10 hours a week, on top of a voice lesson, musical coaching, and out-of-class rehearsal and practice—and not including any other engagements we might have outside of school. When you’re singing this much under close (and very experienced) supervision, your technique and musicality can grow so much in a relatively short time.” Spool’s advice for prospectives? “When I first visited Longy, I sat in on a class that we have called Aria/Monologue, which is essentially a twice-a-week masterclass in which students can bring a piece, perform it in front of the class, and have it critiqued and worked on. If anyone was interested in opera at Longy, this is the class I would recommend that they go and see. You really 42 Classical Singer / May 2013 Education, Boston Style Joshua Quinn and Philip Allen as Gabriel von Eisenstein and Frank in the New England Conservatory’s production of Die Fledermaus, 2012 get a sense of how Donna thinks and feels about music, and she accepts nothing less than the best you can give her at the time. As soon as I saw her teach the class, I just knew that I wanted to learn from her. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made, and my technique and musicality have grown tremendously!” environment that is personal, supportive, and demanding. I can’t say enough positive things about NEC and am looking forward to the exciting years ahead.” When asked the highlight of the academic year, Bybee is undecided and offers tantalizing examples. “I honestly couldn’t choose the highlight of the year. The main stage productions New England Conservatory Even located in the shadow of Boston’s Symphony Hall, New England Conservatory refuses to be outdone, countering with Jordan Hall, “one of the world’s most acoustically perfect performance spaces” (necmusic.edu). NEC has 750 students in its graduate and undergraduate programs, plus many more preparatory and continuing education students. NEC offers a master of music in vocal performance and vocal pedagogy and a graduate diploma in vocal pedagogy. Both graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to audition for the Opera Studies program. Chair of Vocal Arts Luretta Bybee recommends the Opera Studies program at NEC for “those students who are looking for serious dramatic training and top-notch mentoring and guidance as they attempt to embark on a professional career. A student who is ready to learn exactly what it takes, what will be expected of him or her, to succeed, and have those expectations used as a standard during their time at NEC—and a student who is ready to be a supportive colleague and who can expect to be supported by his or her peers.” Joshua Major, the new opera studies chair, agrees. “Highly motivated, professionally ambitious students would be very happy at NEC. Those singers that are self-motivated and eager to advance will find the school exciting and satisfying. “I started at NEC last fall and am simply overwhelmed with the talent level of student and faculty,” Major continues. “It is a highly motivational and inspirational environment. Everyone is simply trying to push themselves to be the best they can be in an Carole Farley Grammy-Nominated Metropolitan Opera Soprano NOw ACCeptiNg StuDeNtS! • Song/vocal repertoire • Acting for singers • Musicianship • Orchestral score reading • Recital/CD preparation • Diction • Career counseling • Resume prep • Audition techniques • Finding a manager Contact: Carole Farley 646-327-0151 [email protected] www.carolefarley.com Virtual lessons via Skype also available. Visit with me at the Classical Singer Convention www.classicalsinger.com 43 Top Row (L to R): Salvatore Atti, Christina Pecce, Wesley Gentle; Bottom Row (L to R): Zachary Ballard, George Milosh in the Boston Conservatory’s production of Conrad Susa’s Transformations, 2012 photo by Maximilian Wagenblass Education, Boston Style are phenomenal, but the aria evening in December featured each grad student and was solely Handel and it was stunning. I also saw the outreach production last fall at the Boston Children’s Museum and will never forget the way the students reached the kids.” She also mentions that two annual fully staged operas are performed with NEC’s full orchestra, “which is known to be one of the best, if not the best, in the country.” NEC offers a well-rounded education, according to Bybee. “I would also like to mention how fabulous our liberal arts division is, and also would like to say that the opportunities at NEC to explore and grow as an artist are unsurpassed. Students get the opportunity in any given week to do their own performing, hear cuttingedge jazz, experience the finest chamber music, and be exposed to all the out-ofthe-box creativity that our Contemporary Improvisations department shares. Things are always happening at NEC, and we are all on the same team. We lift one another up— encourage one another—and all the while expect the very best by setting standards high.” Boston Conservatory The Boston Conservatory, affectionately 44 Classical Singer / May 2013 referred to as “BoCo” (and—full disclosure—this reporter’s alma mater) lives just a few blocks away from NEC and is about the same size. But assuming not much has changed since I graduated in *ahem,* the two schools share a nice sisterly relationship, and visits from one school to the other to observe mainstage performances and masterclasses were frequent in my day. The Boston Conservatory offers a master of music in vocal performance or opera performance, a graduate performance diploma in vocal performance or opera performance, and a professional studies certificate in voice, as well as degrees in musical theatre and collaborative piano. “Something that makes Boston Conservatory stand out amongst conservatories is our multidisciplinary training,” says Patty Thom, chair of voice and opera. “Having very strong music theatre and dance degree programs in the Conservatory makes for a bubbling artistic dynamic in the school. Singers are learning from dancers, dancers are learning from actors, actors are learning from composers and instrumentalists, and around it goes. These students are sitting in classes together, watching one another’s rehearsals, living together in the dorms, and talking about the intersections of each art form, their likenesses and differences. Most importantly, they are learning from one another about how to think about art, how to manifest art, how to express themselves in the most acute manner possible. This makes for a learning and artistic environment like no other.” “I think our program is unique because it has a great balance between excellent training and performance experience,” adds Johnathon Pape, director of opera studies. “The curriculum for the MM and GPD (graduate performance diploma) in opera performance focuses on exactly what young singers need to enter this business. Everything in the degree program is designed with that in mind.” Pape’s description of the curriculum is intriguing. “Obviously, students take voice—and BoCo’s voice faculty is really excellent, with teachers that are good technicians and really help students sing in a way that is leading them to the industry standard. . . . Students in the degree program take Opera Studio— the top opera performing ensemble at the school—each semester. They Education, Boston Style have a full year of Acting and a full year of Movement. There are courses in Recitative and in Aria—not the theoretical or harmonic analysis of these forms, but how to perform them! The history component of the degrees is opera history, related specifically to their area of interest. There is an Audition Techniques class to hone auditioning skills and a class in characterization, where students learn a template for how to research and prepare a role. “And, finally, we teach a class called The Business of the Opera Business, which covers the practical matters that young singers need as they venture into the industry. Topics in this class include understanding your brand, how to create a business plan, tax tips for singers, financial planning and creating a realistic/workable budget, working with agents/managers, life on the road (surviving living in a hotel or host housing, being away from friends and family, etc.), surviving NYC (how to make the best of what it has to offer and not get overwhelmed by the rest, how to have your day job not eat your life, etc.), looking at career choices (when is it time to look at other options and how to go about that), [and] getting your materials in order (résumés, bio, pictures, audio/ video clips, website).” “There is a class called The Drama of the Score,” Thom adds, “which is about how to read and interpret all of the information that the composer gives you in the score, through musical instruction, instrumentation choices or motivic depiction about your character, her motivations, and her inner life.” Salvatore Atti returned to the Boston Conservatory to pursue a professional studies certificate after completing his master’s of music in opera there. “What draws me to the Conservatory is the sense of camaraderie,” he explains. “Students support each other, as well as the faculty and staff. The Conservatory offers great opportunity for collaborating with pianists, other instrumentalists, faculty, and composers. It is a safe environment for trying new things—in fact, exploration and creativity are highly encouraged.” If you decide to study in Boston, the possibilities are endless. There are 52 colleges in Boston; these are just three. But if you’re beginning your graduate school search, the trifecta of Longy, New England Conservatory, and Boston Conservatory is a great place to start. Amanda White is a singer and writer in the Boston area. She graduated from Boston Conservatory, took classes at Longy School of Music, and has seen many performances at New England Conservatory. She can be reached at www.notjustanotherprettyvoice.com. Bringing the Greater Boston Classical Singing Community Together • • • • • • www.BostonSingersResource.org Participate in BSR Annual Auditions Receive daily audition/job notices Browse career links and resources Search musician profiles Promote events in our eCalendar Advertise your teaching studio • 978-352-5058 www.classicalsinger.com 45 Sing a Song of Boston photo by J. Is Beantown just a symphony and museum town? Venerable opera companies and myriad ensembles say no! Justin Bate s By Amanda Keil Courtney Miller and Jonathan Stinson as Sister Helen Prejean and Joseph De Rocher in Boston Opera Collaborative’s production of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, 2013 F or a small city, Boston’s musical life is proportionally large. While much of the cultural focus does go to the world-class Museum of Fine Arts and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, there is still plenty of audience to go around. In fact, because major cultural offerings are in relative short supply, smaller groups and start-ups can attract strong followings. From professional opera companies and choruses to Early music ensembles and new music groups, singers of all disciplines will find a range of places to distinguish themselves. Boston Lyric Opera (blo.org) has continued to thrive, despite the unexpected bankruptcy of Opera Boston last year. In addition to several mainstage productions (this season sees Madama Butterfly, Così fan tutte, and The Flying Dutchman), BLO’s Opera Annex offers more adventurous repertoire in intimate spaces. That initiative includes commissioned new works, such as the U.S. premiere of Scottish composer James MacMillan’s Clemency this season. A select group of post-graduate and post-Young Artist professionals perform in these productions, as well as in mainstage comprimario roles. BLO also holds regular chorus and supernumerary auditions. 46 Classical Singer / May 2013 Numerous high-quality, unpaid opportunities abound for singers seeking performance experience. Now in its 75th year, making it the longest continually performing opera company in New England, Lowell House Opera (lowellhouseopera.com) presents fully staged and lit orchestra productions of masterworks in a Harvard dining hall. But an enormous army of volunteers make this anything but a scrappy operation, and auditions are open to students and professionals from outside the Harvard community. Repertoire is always ambitious: this year’s production was Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and past operas have included Otello and Der Rosenkavalier. Created to bridge the gap between student and professional experiences, Boston Opera Collaborative (bostonopera collaborative.org) has drawn much attention for its team spirit and highquality productions, including the New England premiere of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking and thoughtful repertoire works such as Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen and Falstaff. BOC members perform in frequent recitals and mainstage productions, pay annual dues, and contribute the many hours of administrative and production support needed to run the company. The company is currently not accepting new members (and has long been overflowing with female singers), but still casts nonmember men. Just outside of town in Weston, MetroWest Opera (metrowestopera. org) presents an annual production of standard repertoire (such as Carmen, Don Giovanni, and Cendrillon) as well as a competition for Young Artists and high school students. Based in Needham, another Boston suburb, Longwood Opera (longwoodopera.org) has been presenting Young Artists in operettas, recitals, and English-language versions of operas for nearly 30 years. This season includes Ruddigore, The Elixir of Love, and The Magic Flute. During the otherwise opera-free summer, Boston Midsummer Opera (bostonmidsummeropera.org) presents an annual production that features rising young stars from the national scene as well as some local singers. OperaHub (operahub.org) is another youthful company performing eclectic repertoire. Committed to offering music free of charge, their playful take on classics have included an art song recital dubbed “Goethe Your Hand Off My Heine” and an interpretation (which I appeared photo by Erik Jacobs Kathryn McKellar, co-founder of Opera on Tap Boston performs at the Jacob Wirth Restaurant photo by Scott Bump Boston Lyric Opera Annex’s production of The Lighthouse, 2012 in) of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea with electronic instruments. On the fun side of things, Opera on Tap recently established an outpost in Beantown (operaontap.org/boston), making it the 13th city in the boozy network that brings arias to bars. They make their home every second and fourth Saturday at Jacob Wirth’s, Boston’s theater district beer garden known for its popular sing-a-longs to rock-n-roll oldies! (jacobwirth.com) The Boston Early Music Festival is perhaps the highest profile institution that contributes to Boston’s reputation as one of America’s leading Early Music cities (bemf.org). The biennial festival draws fans and performers from around the world for an intensive week of concerts, exhibitions, and masterclasses, culminating in an operatic centerpiece in full Baroque splendor. Newcomers to Early Music can get a crash course simply by spending some time at the festival, held this year from June 9-16, and rising professionals can present their own performances as a BEMF fringe event. Apart from the festival, BEMF produces an annual chamber opera and concert series in Boston and New York, featuring world-renowned practitioners Juventas Opera Project’s 2011 production of The Fiddler and the Old Woman of Rumelia in the field. The operas have featured Boston-based singers, and the festival has proved instrumental to cultivating some of their careers. BEMF holds periodic vocal auditions and recently launched a Young Artist Program for singers age 18-27. In one of the few such programs devoted to early opera, selected singers form the ensemble for the mainstage opera. The Handel and Haydn Society (handelandhaydn.org), or H&H as it’s known locally, gave the United States premiere of Handel’s Messiah in 1818 and is celebrating its bicentennial season in 2014-15. The ensemble performs exclusively on period instruments and expects a good deal of stylistic knowledge from its musicians. Repertoire includes Baroque touchstones such as the Bach B Minor Mass and, of course, an annual Messiah. H&H holds annual auditions (although their roster runs deep), and ensemble members have been known to rise through the ranks to become soloists. Competing for the Messiah audience is Boston Baroque (bostonbaroque.org), which also presents several vocal works each year, including concert versions of operas. They also hold regular auditions for singers. These institutions tend to draw from an overlapping pool of local performers, many of whom also appear in other smaller ensembles in town. The well regarded Blue Heron ensemble (blueheronchoir.org) specializes in a cappella music from the 15th and 16th centuries. Exsultemus (exsultemus.org) began as a small Renaissance choir and has since ventured into Baroque cantatas and other chamber music. Cambridge Concentus (cambridgeconcentus.org) is a close-knit chamber orchestra that presents masterpieces and lesser known Baroque works, such as the Monteverdi Vespers and an excerpt from a rarely heard Biber opera. The venerable Boston Camerata (bostoncamerata.com), which has been a force on the Early Music scene for much of the early music revival, presents well researched chamber programs of medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music, much of it vocal. I performed a semi-staged version of the medieval story of Tristan and Isolde, and recent shows include programs of early American music. The Camerata frequently tours nationally and abroad and also offers a well loved concert series in Boston. All of these ensembles occasionally seek out singers via www.classicalsinger.com 47 Sing a Song of Boston Boston Moder ing session. es for a record oject prepar n Orchestra Pr auditions but generally work from a roster of colleagues. With so much early music, it is ironic that Boston does not have a standing Baroque opera company. Launched in 2011, Helios Early Opera (heliosopera .com) fills that gap by producing lesser known early works in modern stagings. So far they have presented three operas by Charpentier, Telemann, and Cavalli, attracting performers from far and wide. Boston’s brainy audiences have an appetite for new music as well as old, and several energetic companies attract a loyal following. Boston Modern Orchestra Project (bmop.org) is Boston’s leading orchestra devoted to contemporary music. Vocal works are regularly part of the concert programming, though the singers hired tend to be established performers on the scene. Still, it pays to get to know their concert series to learn about important composers and new works, from the Boston area and beyond. By performing exclusively newly commissioned chamber operas, Guerilla Opera (guerillaopera.com) is dedicated to both cultivating a new generation of opera composers and redefining the opera experience for the audience. The five-year-old company is comprised of a tight-knit ensemble—too cool for a conductor—but they regularly invite guest artists to round out the cast. Repertoire highlights include No Exit (based on the Sartre play) by Andy Vores, Heart of a Dog by Rudolf Rojahn, and Say It Ain’t So Joe by Curtis K. Hughes, which was based on the 2008 Palin-Biden debates (and I also performed in that production). Juventas New Music Ensemble (juventasmusic.com) is devoted to performing repertoire by composers under the age of 35, including a fully staged operatic premiere every season. Recent premieres include the first Kung Fu opera and a program of opera scenes that incorporated a Halloween costume contest. Like Guerilla Opera, they are based at Boston Conservatory and have cultivated their own community of contemporary music experts and aficionados. It takes more than just determination to be a performer. It takes more than just practice. You need someone who cares, a community that undestands. You need mentorship and guidance, someone to say, “Try that again, but this time...” At The Boston Conservatory, we have faculty to guide you, programs to support you, and a community of students and teachers who understand not only what it means to be a performer, but also what it takes. This is The Boston Conservatory community. Prepared to perform. A P P LY B Y D E C E M B E R 1 w w w . b o s t o n c o n s e r v a t o r y . e d u / a p p l y 48 Classical Singer / May 2013 Sing a Song of Boston While not a professional ensemble, the high-caliber Tanglewood Festival Chorus (access via bso.org) provides a remarkable opportunity to perform great music with world-renowned artists. TFC is the symphonic choir for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which is one of only two orchestras in the country to use volunteers in this role. In addition to performing at the Tanglewood Festival each summer, TFC frequently appears on the BSO and Boston Pops subscription concerts, including the occasional international tour, recordings, and a cappella concerts. While the roster numbers some 300 singers—some of whom have been there for decades— TFC still holds periodic auditions and welcomes new members. If you can make the time commitment, it’s one of the best gigs in town. Several recital series welcome ideas for programs under an hour in length and regularly present singers. The lovely Taylor House Bed and Breakfast in Jamaica Plain features local talent, including classical and jazz acts (taylorhouse.com/musicandart/index .htm). The Church of Saint John the Evangelist presents a weekly series on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. (stjev.org/ WednesdayConcerts.html) and King’s Chapel, which predates the American Revolution, holds midday concerts on Tuesdays (kings-chapel.org/tuesdayrecitals.html). Musical theatre singers won’t find as many professional opportunities in Boston as in New York, where casting for national Broadway tours takes place, but New England Theater 411 (netheater411.com) gathers information about various auditions in the area. Boston Singers’ Resource (bostonsingersresource .org) is a subscription service for auditions of all sorts, with numerous other programs to assist singers at different levels of their careers. BSR hosts auditions for representatives from opera, chorus, church, chamber, and orchestra groups to screen local talent, offers health care and discounts to its members, and recently established the Boston Singers’ Relief Fund to see performers through job loss, illness, and other life events. Between the established companies and the newer ones, an eager audience and a self-replenishing supply of student energy, you could do worse than to bring your singing to the City on the Hill. As is always the case, competition exists for a limited number of opportunities—but persistent singers can find their niche and some warm colleagues along the way. Or, like many before them, they can launch their own project and add even more diversity to Boston’s burgeoning scene. Amanda Keil’s bio can be found on p. 21. www.classicalsinger.com 49 America’s Walking City By Amanda Keil Springtime in Boston means bikes, parks, and good times. Discover a whole host of things to see and enjoy while visiting the city for this month’s Classical Singer Convention. Top: Boston Public Library Middle: Longfellow Bridge Bottom: Boston’s Public Garden 50 Classical Singer / May 2013 America’s Walking City Boston Light Blades M ay is an easy time of year to fall in love with the Athens on the Charles: think blue and gold weather, farmers markets, and gardens in bloom. The standard tourist destinations—such as the downtown mall and food court at Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, and the historically Italian North End—are pleasing enough to visit. But Boston’s delights are best revealed serendipitously. Sure, you can tramp the Freedom Trail or catch the Red Sox at Fenway Park, but also take some time to seek out the hidden treasures of one of America’s oldest cities. After bulldozers finished burying the interstate during Boston’s infamous Big Dig, the city turned what used to be unsightly highways into pleasant green spaces. The Rose Kennedy Greenway (rosekennedygreenway.org) snakes through Chinatown, the waterfront, and up to the North End—it features fountains, organic gardens, public art, and free Wi-Fi! You could easily spend a day meandering from park to park or cruise through on two wheels from one of Boston’s new city bike rental stations (thehubway.com). The nation’s craze for food trucks has come to Boston, and the Greenway is the best place to find tacos, Vietnamese food, barbecue, and more. Several detours along the Greenway make memorable GeorgeMauroAd_Layout 1 4/2/13 11:38 AM Page 1 visits. While the North End can be a tourist nightmare in warm weather, it is still a treat to dig into a cannoli from Mike’s Pastry (300 Hanover Street, mikespastry. com) and imagine Paul Revere’s revolutionary “One If by Land, Two If by Sea” hijinks at the Old North Church (193 Salem Street, oldnorth. com). If sharks, seals, and penguins are your thing, the New England Aquarium (neaq.org) is one of the world’s leading institutions for marine conservation and it set a standard for aquarium design. The cost of admission is lower while the building is under renovation until July 2013, but most of the exhibits are not affected by the construction. Just south of the aquarium and across from the Greenway’s “Urban Arboretum” is the Evelyn Moakley Bridge, which offers stunning views of the seaport and entry to the Fort Point neighborhood. Once a gritty outpost, Fort “REVELATIONS” ON DELOS DONALD GEORGE & LUCY MAURO “The revelation of the year!” – 2011 Recording of the Year, MusicWeb International All scores for both volumes available on the DE 3407 companion CD-R and for download on the Delos website DE 3407 Songs of Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867-1972) “Each of the songs is carefully considered and wrought in gracefully sunlit shades of romantic twilight … Donald George’s sweet tenor, partnered sympathetically by Lucy Mauro, captures the modest charm and lyrical flavour of Lang’s music” – Gramophone DE 3410 The premiere recording of the vibrant and engaging art songs of Mathilde von Kralik (1857-1944). These inspired performances will convince you that her meticulously crafted, highly original and startlingly beautiful music deserves to be ranked alongside that of much better known Lieder composers of her day. DE 3424 DELOS PRODUCTIONS, INC. (800) 364-0645 • www.delosmusic.com [email protected] http://delosmusic.com/lang www.classicalsinger.com 51 America’s Walking City Point now boasts attractive restaurants, a thriving art scene, and Boston’s innovative new building most in recent years, the Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Ave., icaboston.org), designed by the multi-disciplinary architect firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Even if you take a pass on the ICA’s impressive exhibitions, the museum’s translucent façade and stunning waterfront location make it worth the hike. Find the ICA via the Boston Harbor Walk (bostonharborwalk.com) lined with native plants and interpretive panels about Boston’s seafaring history. Be soothed by waves lapping the shore as you hop over huge breakwater stones and watch seabirds diving for fish. The harbor walk is best explored with a picnic from the Italian lunch counter Sportello (348 Congress St., sportelloboston.com) or sandwiches from Flour Bakery + Cafe (12 Farnsworth St. and others, flourbakery. com). Set right on the water, The Barking Crab brings the atmosphere of a Cape Cod clam shack right into downtown (88 Sleeper St., barkingcrab. com). If you’re still in the neighborhood in the evening, mixologists at the bar Drink will create custom cocktails based on your favorite flavors (348 Congress St., drinkfortpoint.com). 52 Classical Singer / May 2013 Left: Flour Bakery Right: Boston Symphony Orchestra Boston is known for its world-class cultural institutions that somehow inspire intimate, personal connections with their audiences. The venerable Boston Symphony Orchestra, for example, switches to lighter fare during the spring. If it suits your taste, drop by Symphony Hall (301 Massachusetts Ave., bso.org) to catch Megan Hilty from Smash singing with the Boston Pops. It’s worthwhile to pay a visit to the BSO’s home for its shimmering acoustics and balconies full of replicas of classical statues. While you’re in the neighborhood, take a look across the street at the Christian Science Mother Church (christianscience.com/churchof-christ-scientist/the-mother-churchin-boston-ma-usa), headquarters to one of New England’s own homegrown religions and the Christian Science Monitor. In addition to the striking plaza, a visit to the HQ features the memorable Mapparium, where you can stand inside a glass globe of the world. Just down the road from Symphony Hall is the main auditorium at the New England Conservatory, the gorgeous Jordan Hall (290 Huntington Ave., necmusic.edu). A Far Cry—the youthful Boston-based, conducter-less string orchestra—performs there on May 24 (afarcry.org). In addition to the symphony, the other dominant institution on Boston’s cultural scene is the Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Ave., mfa.org). Visit the recently expanded Art of the Americas wing for everything from Mayan ceramics to portraits of the society leaders who made Boston the “hub of the universe.” Just down the road from the MFA but evocative of worlds away is the uniquely Boston Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (280 The Fenway, gardnermuseum. org). Inside the Venetian-style palazzo you’ll find a conservatory garden of tropical plants and a collection of fine and decorative arts, hand-picked by the city’s foremost patron of the arts. Admission is free to anyone named Isabella. Another totem of Boston culture and an impressive architectural treasure is the main branch of the public library. The historic McKim building of the “palace for the people” evokes elements from classical French and Italian architecture and includes an open-air courtyard in the style of a Renaissance palazzo (700 Boylston St., bpl.org/ central/walkmckim.htm). Not to be missed is the series of murals by the great portrait artist John Singer Sargent (sargentmurals.bpl.org), his most ambitious mural commission. Entitled Triumph of Religion, the work came to be known as the “American Sistine Chapel,” but for the glorification of education and learning. The library is one of the institutions that characterizes Copley Square, Boston’s most iconic plaza (friendsofcopleysquare.org). The spectacular Trinity Church features recently restored stained glass windows designed by pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones and American painter and muralist John LaFarge (206 Clarendon St., trinitychurchboston. org/art-history/windows-slideshow). A terrific farmer’s market comes to the square each Tuesday and Friday beginning in May. They don’t call Boston the walking city for nothing. In just an hour or two you can take in some of the prettiest parts, with excursions to unique sites America’s Walking City “Boston is known for its world-class cultural institutions that somehow inspire intimate, personal connections with their audiences. The venerable Boston Symphony Orchestra, for example, switches to lighter fare during the spring.” along the way. A good place to start is on the Boston Common, where you can also pick up the start of the Freedom Trail. Opposite the lofty Massachusetts State House is the powerful frieze by Augustus St.-Gaudens, commemorating the first black regiment of the civil war (nps.gov/boaf/historyculture/shaw.htm). From there walk through the Common to the Public Garden, the jewel in the city’s Emerald Necklace Conservancy, a string of green spaces that stretches for seven miles (emeraldnecklace.org). Take a gander (pardon the pun) at the famous swan boats and the Make Way for Ducklings statues. From here you can poke your head into the original Cheers bar (84 Beacon St., cheersboston.com) across the way or stroll down Charles St. to soak in Beacon Hill, one of Boston’s stateliest neighborhoods. If you go that route, hike up the hill to Secretary of State John Kerry’s house—a former convent—at 19 Louisburg Sq. Back by the Public Garden, on the corner of Boylston St. you will find the Arlington Street Church, a hidden gem full of resplendent Tiffany windows (ascboston.org/about/building.html). The Public Garden makes a good launch pad for exploring Newbury St., traditionally the most fashionable strip to shop in town. Tucked among the luxury boutiques and designer stores are some of Boston’s best vintage shops, such as Second Time Around (176 and 219 Newbury St., secondtimearound .net), The Closet (175 Newbury Street, blog.closetboston.com/) and newcomer Rescue (297 Newbury St., rescuebuyselltrade.com). From Newbury St., turn right and after one block find Commonwealth Ave. (or Comm. Ave., as it’s always called) where you can continue your stroll through streets lined with elegant Victorian mansions, flowering magnolias, and a wide grassy mall at its center. The best skyline view is found from the Mass. Ave. Bridge, on the way to Cambridge. (Go local and don’t call it Massachusetts Avenue!) From Comm. Ave., take a right onto Mass. Ave. to fortify yourself with a sugar bomb from Sweet cupcakes (49 Mass Ave., sweetcupcakes.com). Follow Mass. Ave. and the increasing breeze off the Charles River to enjoy the view of sailboats and sunshine over Boston’s Back Bay. Keen boaters can even rent kayaks and canoes to see the city from the water (various locations, paddleboston.com). Along the way you’ll notice odd markings that indicate the bridge’s length in “smoots.” This was once an MIT prank, in which fraternity brothers coerced a pledge—one rather short Oliver R. Smoot—into lying down again and again to measure the bridge with his body. The joke had traction, and the smoot is now considered a nonstandard unit of length. If your feet get tired, hop a Mass. Ave. bus to Central Square, the bustling downtown of the City of Cambridge. Some leading restaurants of the Boston area’s locavore movement are found here, such as Rendezvous (502 Mass. Ave., rendezvouscentralsquare.com) and the ever-packed Craigie on Main (853 Main St., craigieonmain.com). If you can’t get a table at either place, drown your www.classicalsinger.com 53 America’s Walking City Left: MIT’s Stata Center Right: Runners from all over the world compete every April in the Boston Marathon. sorrows in Boston’s best ice cream at Toscanini’s (899 Main St., tosci.com) and try your luck at Cuchi Cuchi (795 Main St., cuchicuchi.cc), which features inventive small plates, festive cocktails, and wait staff in flamboyant costumes. If you have more appetite for Cambridge, you’ll want to pay a visit to Harvard Square. Spend some time soaking in the atmosphere—and dodging the tourists—around Harvard Yard, the heart of the university’s old campus. Crowds fill the Harvard Coop, but the real independent bookshop is the Harvard Book Store (1256 Mass. Ave., harvard.com). 54 Classical Singer / May 2013 There you’ll find a thoughtful and diverse selection, including gently priced used books in the basement. True bookworms will linger at Grolier Poetry Bookshop, (6 Plympton St., grolierpoetrybookshop.org) which claims to be the country’s oldest continually operating bookshop devoted exclusively to poetry. It’s always exciting to see what’s going on at American Repertory Theater (64 Brattle St., americanrepertorytheater.org) whose innovations in straight and musical theatre consistently draw national attention. Afterward try some single-source hot chocolate at Burdick Café (52 Brattle St., burdickchocolate.com/storesand-cafes-cambridge.aspx) or pick up a souvenir box of their signature chocolate mice (made with pure chocolate—not mice). If you happen to run out of things to do, you can always find more ideas in the Boston Phoenix (pick up a free copy around town or go to thephoenix.com) or visit the ArtsBoston kiosk on Copley Square for information and discounts on cultural events (artsboston.org). But with America’s walking city right at your doorstep, good times practically come find you. Amanda Keil’s bio can be found on p. 21. convention May 23-26, 2013, The Westin Boston Waterfront 11 Voice & Opera faculty-artists 3 fully-staged productions each year Countless performance opportunities One shared passiOn Eastman Opera Theatre performing La Finta Giardiniera esm.rochester.edu/apply convention May 23-26, 2013 photo: chiaNaN YeN The Westin Boston Waterfront Vocal Performance music and perfo rmi ng arts pro fess i o n s William Wesbrooks, Director of Vocal Performance Classical Voice and Music Theatre Contents Welcome................................................60 B.m., m.m., ph.D. Vocal Pedagogy advanced certificate both a vocal technique and a foundation in acting, allowing you to explore a career encompassing all areas of vocal performance. Getting to the Hotel................................62 Hotel Maps............................................63 New York UNiversitY is aN affirmative actioN/eqUal opportUNitY iNstitUtioN. develop experience working with teachers, directors, conductors, and coaches from the richest resources of New York city’s world of professional music performance. the complete performer as you enhance your studies with academic courses and electives in areas including dance, music education, music technology, and music business. Thank You to Our Sponsors...................66 High School Events Schedule.................68 High School Masterclass Descriptions.....72 become Also: summer workshop in music theatre: July 1–18, 2013 summer classical voice intensive: July 22–august 8, 2013 visit www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/2013voice or call 212 998 5154. University and Young Artist Events Schedule...................................80 Young Artist Series Class Descriptions....85 Young Artist Series Presenters.................86 www.classicalsinger.com 57 BRIAN ZEGER, Artistic Director Juilliard OPERA ELLEN AND J.AMES S. MARCUS INSTITUTE FOR VOCAL ARTS Juilliard Develops the Complete Singer Presents singers in leading roles to the global community Mentors artists, with introductions to management and opera companies Provides intensive dramatic training with extraordinary faculty and teaching residencies by artists such as Sir Thomas Allen, Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming, and Renata Scotto Juilliard.edu/vocalarts Juilliard Opera and Pre-Professional degree programs offer Full-Tuition Scholarship plus Stipend • Apply by November 1 Juilliard Graduate and Undergraduate degree programs • Apply by December 1 Juilliard.edu/apply Juilliard Opera production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, directed by Stephen Wadsworth, photo by Nan Melville 58 Classical Singer / May 2013 The Ohio State University School of Music is pleased to announce the permanent appointments of Katherine Rohrer, Mezzo-soprano, assistant professor of voice and A. Scott Parry, director of opera Ohio State Voice Faculty Loretta Robinson, Area Head Ed Bak, Coach/Collaborative Pianist C. Andrew Blosser Scott McCoy A. Scott Parry Tamara Regensburger Robin Rice Katherine Rohrer C. Patrick Woliver View our calendar of concerts, events, and auditions at music.osu.edu Attend the Master Class with Scott Skiba, Instructor of Voice & Opera Theater, on Friday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hancock Room. In addition, auditions for Interlochen will be held on Sunday, May 26. I am ... a musician skilled creative driven expressive ... an artist Visit the Interlochen Booth or email [email protected] for more information. FINE ARTS BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL Grades 9-12 • September – May academy.interlochen.org Selecting the Right School Welcome from the Publisher Welcome singers to the annual Classical Singer Convention! I look forward throughout the year to this energizing and unique vocal weekend! What an inspiring time this is to see literally hundreds of dedicated, talented, and aspiring singers perform and achieve greatness. #AchieveGreatness—Six months ago I didn’t even know what a “hashtag” was. But luckily my staff does and they’ve tried teaching me about this Twitter phenomenon. That’s because over the past year AuditionsPlus.com has used this hashtag as a motto for our singers and our company. When you get to the heart of it, that’s our goal—we want to help you achieve greatness. And that’s what so many singers are doing this weekend through the Auditions Plus Vocal Competition, the Young Artist Series (YAS), and the Audition Feedback Experience (AFE). They are here to achieve greatness. More than 1,300 singers participated in the First Round of the Competition, and the top 500 advanced to the Second Round here in Boston. The field will eventually be whittled down to the top 10-15 singers on Sunday and we’ll hear the First Place winners perform at the Winners Concert. We’ll also see dozens of scholarships awarded. But more impressively, we’ll hear, see, and experience greatness from these high school, university, and young artist level singers. But greatness isn’t just reserved for the bright lights of the stage. Greatness can be achieved in any performance, no matter the size of the audience. The participants of the more than 45 masterclasses at the Convention will tap into greatness, as will those that sing in the AFE auditions. Besides the hundreds of classical and musical theatre singers, we welcome the exhibiting schools and summer programs—more than 70 in total. We welcome and sincerely thank their faculty who adjudicate the Competition, conduct High School masterclasses, and man their College Expo recruiting tables. We welcome the YAS presenters Ana De Archuleta and Laurie Rogers. Ana De Archuleta, through her company ADA Artist Management, has established herself as one of the most sought after managers by aspiring young artists. Laurie Rogers is the Director of Young Artist Programs for Opera Saratoga and is currently as assistant conductor at the Dallas Opera as well as on the music staff at San Francisco Opera. Yes, greatness will be achieved this weekend; greatness that I hope will lead to even bigger and better things for your singing future. Enjoy the moments that make up the journey. Go #AchieveGreatness! David Wood Publisher Classical Singer & Auditions Plus 60 Classical Singer / May 2013 Are you singing with your WHOLE VOICE? Selecting the Right School r our Look fo e 2013 t th booth a l Singer a Classic tion! Conven Attend a Hennessy Whole Body Voice WORKSHOP Have you ever thought that there was MORE to your voice than you currently enjoy? MORE power MORE ease MORE consistency MORE flexibility Attend a workshop in NYC or schedule one for your university or organization and learn to: release misplaced tension align your body more optimally engage your support more deeply HennessyWholeBodyVoice.com Try our Voice at the Center DVD WHAT’S INSIDE THE DVD: Over 2 hours of exercises and instruction An easy-to-use Self-Assessment, so you know where you need to work Simple exercises to release tension, improve alignment, and energize the core Breathing exercises to improve the connection of the breath to your sound An animated 3-D Glossary of Muscles, to enhance your understanding VoiceAtTheCenter.com www.classicalsinger.com 61 Getting to the Hotel All events will be held at the Westin Boston Waterfront. The Westin Boston Waterfront 425 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210 (617) 532-4600 www.westinbostonwaterfront.com By the Subway, The “T” • The hotel is on the MBTA Silver Line at the World Trade Center stop. • The Silver Line is accessed via the Red Line at South Station. • Once at the World Trade Center stop, proceed 2 levels up to the Mezzanine level. • The hotel is located at the end of the foot bridge on Summer Street, next door to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. From East • Follow signs out of Boston Logan Int’l Airport to I-90 West/Massachusetts Turnpike West by way of Ted Williams Tunnel. • Take Exit 25 to South Boston. • Keep right at the fork and exit onto Congress Street. • Turn right on D Street. • Turn right on Summer Street and the hotel is on the left. From North • Take I-93 South to Exit 20A towards South Station. • Turn left at the light onto Summer Street. • The hotel is approximately 0.7 miles ahead on the right, just past the convention center. From West • Take I-90 East to Exit 24A (South Station). • Go straight onto Atlantic Avenue. • Turn right onto Summer Street. • The hotel is approximately 0.7 miles ahead on the right, just past the convention center. From South • Take I-93 North to Exit 20 (South Station). • Turn left at the end of the ramp onto Kneeland Street. • Take the 2nd left onto Atlantic Avenue. • Turn right onto Summer Street. • The hotel is approximately 0.7 miles ahead on the right, just past the convention center. 62 Classical Singer / May 2013 Hotel Maps Convention Registration (One floor above Concourse Level) Looking for Warm-Up Rooms? All warm-up rooms are located on the Mezzanine Level, one floor above the Lobby Level. All warm-up rooms are marked with schedules and rules. www.classicalsinger.com 63 Please Join Us for a Masterclass with Angela Gooch, Director of Voice at Walnut Hill School for the Arts Sunday, May 26, 2013, at 10:00am Otis Room, Westin Waterfront Hotel, Boston, MA CLASSICAL.WALNUTHILLARTS.ORG | 508.650.5020 12 Highland St. | Natick, MA | 01760 ADMISSION/AUDITION INFORMATION Cassandra Jackson 225-578-4517 [email protected] Louisiana State University offers Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in performance, and the Bachelor of Music Education with voice concentration Dugg McDonough artistic/stage director Michael Borowitz music director Robert Grayson tenor voice/opera division chair Loraine Sims soprano voice coordinator Lori Bade mezzo-soprano Dennis Jesse baritone Terry Patrick-Harris mezzo-soprano pictured: The New Moon (2012) music.lsu.edu/opera 225-578-3261 Thank You to Our Sponsors Special thanks to all of our First Round host schools and the following cash prize sponsors: 66 Classical Singer / May 2013 Opera. Redefined. Reimagined. Il matrimonio segreto by Domenico Cimarosa At Colorado State University vocal creativity and growth are supported, while high standards of scholarship and performance are developed. Within the exquiste University Center for the Arts, the Ralph Opera Center produces two fully staged productions with orchestra each year, while providing professional development opportunities and a broad scholarship support system for students studying vocal performance. The CSU Choirs are nationally and internationally established through high profile performances and travel. ● Ample performing opportunities for undergraduate students. ● Leadership roles/Opera Fort Collins Apprentice Artist program available to graduate students. ● Prestigious national rankings with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Forbes, Princeton Review, and U.S. News and World Report. ● Fort Collins is consistently ranked as the nation’s best place to live, including rankings by Money Magaine and National Geographic. ● Information/Visit & Audition Dates: music.colostate.edu or call (970) 491-5529. High School Events Schedule Friday, May 24 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Convention Registration Desk Open Commonwealth Foyer 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. High School Classical and Musical Theatre Competition, Boston Region First Round Commonwealth A, C 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hall Open Grand Ballroom C-E 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. High School Masterclasses Chicago College of Performing Arts/Roosevelt University Ohio State University Shenandoah University 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. High School Masterclasses Brigham Young University Cleveland Institute of Music Olivet Nazarene University University of Michigan Grand Ballroom A-B Commonwealth C Commonwealth A Hancock Grand Ballroom A Commonwealth C Commonwealth A 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. High School Masterclasses Oklahoma City University Temple University University of South Carolina University of North Texas University of Alabama High School Masterclasses Carnegie Mellon School of Music Interlochen Center for the Arts New York University Northwestern University Tulane University Webster Hancock Grand Ballroom A-B Otis Stone 8:30 p.m. High School Classical and Musical Theatre Competition Boston Region First Round Finalists Announced Concourse Level Commonwealth A Commonwealth C Grand Ballroom A-B Hancock Quincey Comment sheets from today’s competition will be available tomorrow in Grand Ballroom C-E. Saturday, May 25 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Convention Registration Desk Open Commonwealth Foyer 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hall Open Grand Ballroom C-E 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. High School Masterclass The Juilliard School/New England Conservatory Grand Ballroom A-B 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. High School Musical Theatre Competition, Second Round Revere 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. High School Classical Competition, Second Round Hancock, Otis, Stone, Webster 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. High School Masterclasses Binghamton University/Tri-Cities Opera Colorado State University Converse College Commonwealth C Revere Grand Ballroom A-B 68 Classical Singer / May 2013 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. High School Masterclasses Ithaca College Oberlin College Westminster College Commonwealth C Grand Ballroom A-B Revere 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. High School Masterclasses The Boston Conservatory Lawrence University University of Iowa Grand Ballroom A-B Commonwealth C Revere 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. High School Masterclasses DePauw University Revere Eastman School of Music Grand Ballroom A-B Rutgers Commonwealth C Shorter University Commonwealth A University of Hartford Otis University of Toledo Stone Viterbo University Webster 8:30 p.m. High School Classical and Musical Theatre Competition Second Round Finalists Announced Concourse Level Comment sheets from today’s competition will be available tomorrow at the Registration Desk. Sunday, May 26 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Convention Registration Desk Open Commonwealth Foyer 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. High School Musical Theatre Competition, Semifinal Round Commonwealth A 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. High School Classical Competition, Semifinal Round Grand Ballroom A-B High School Masterclasses Boston University Hofstra University Palm Beach Atlantic University Walnut Hill School for the Arts Paine Revere Hancock Otis High School Masterclasses New England Conservatory Pepperdine University San Francisco Conservatory of Music University of Minnesota Hancock Otis Revere Paine 1:00 p.m. High School Musical Theatre Competition Finalists Announced Concourse Level 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. High School Masterclasses California State University–Los Angeles Southern Methodist University Hancock Otis 2:15 p.m. High School Classical Competition Finalists Announced Concourse Level 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. High School Musical Theatre Competition, Final Round Grand Ballroom A-B 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. High School Classical Competition, Final Round Grand Ballroom A-B 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Winners Concert Winners from all divisions will be announced, scholarships will be awarded, and First Place winners will perform. Grand Ballroom A-B Comment sheets from today’s competition will be available at the Registration Desk; remaining sheets will be mailed back to participants. www.classicalsinger.com 69 A highly competitive program combining rigorous performance and academic opportunities with a nurturing atmosphere Fully staged operatic productions Baroque ensembles and opera New Music Ensemble Musical Theatre Workshop Visiting artist master classes Where it all begins. VOICE FACULTY Sylvia Anderson Catherine Cook chair Patricia Craig Pamela Fry Leroy Kromm 130329_Classical_SingerAD21.indd 1 OFFICE OF ADMISSION Daniel Mobbs Ruby Pleasure Jane Randolph César Ulloa 800.899.SFCM [email protected] www.sfcm.edu 3/27/13 4:24 PM THE GRADUATE VOCAL ARTS PROGRAM THE BARD COLLEGE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC A unique two-year master of music program, conceived, designed and led by renowned American soprano Dawn Upshaw. Dawn Upshaw, Artistic Director Kayo Iwama, Associate Director voice Edith Bers, Patricia Misslin, Lorraine Nubar diction and phonetics Erika Switzer acting workshop Lynn Hawley movement Amii LeGendre career workshop Carol Yaple alexander technique Gwen Ellison, Alexander Farkas WWW.BARD.EDU/CONSERVATORY/VAP/ [email protected] 845-758-7604 High School Masterclass Descriptions High School Masterclasses are free for all High School Competition participants and their parents. Students can attend any classes they want; no preregistration is necessary. Students can volunteer to sing at a masterclass by visiting the school’s table in the Exhibitor Hall and filling out the sign-up sheet. Schools may also accept volunteers at the beginning of their classes. Binghamton University/ Tri-Cities Opera Preparing a Successful College Audition with Thomas Goodheart Once you have researched schools and voice faculties, the way you prepare for your audition will determine your success. This masterclass will include materials and discussion on choosing the school that is right for you. You will gain insight into what faculty members look for at the audition and what they write while you are singing. Three to four students will then perform in a masterclass setting with these criteria in mind. The Boston Conservatory The Audition as Complete Performance with Patty Thom This masterclass with Patty Thom will focus on those qualities of the audition which lead to a musical and artistic experience, both for the performer as well as for the audience. Thom will discuss dramatic choices, characterization, translation and the interpretation of text and poetry, physicalization, and making expressive and stylistic vocal choices. All auditions are a chance to perform beautifully and express yourself fully. Learn how to make that happen. Boston University “It’s a Different World Out There!” (or Is It?): How the Singer’s World Has Changed and How It Has Remained the Same with James Demler Assistant professor James Demler of Boston University will discuss ways to achieve success in the profession of singing. What new “tools” must young singers have to get ahead and stay ahead as the landscape of singing seems to be constantly changing and evolving? And what are the older tools that have 72 Classical Singer / May 2013 to be honed to near perfection in order to succeed in this very competitive profession? Demler will give feedback for individual singers and also lead discussion on this topic. Brigham Young University The Think System: Did Harold Hill Have It Right All Along? with J. Arden Hopkin The Think System was part of Harold Hill’s con in The Music Man, but research shows that how you think affects your singing. Come learn how to empty and focus your mind and imagine your way to beautiful singing. Learn inner-game strategies for self-improvement using mental imagery. California State University–Los Angeles The 21st Century Singer—New Skills for Success with Susan Kane The new generation of classical singers face more competition than ever before, have more varied opportunities than ever before and thus, require different skills than ever before. This workshop will 1) outline basic skills every classical singer must possess, 2) present four distinct career paths for classical singers today, and 3) provide opportunities for each participant to assess his or her aptitude for each path. Carnegie Mellon School of Music Putting It All Together with Katherine Drago & Maria Spacagna The purpose of this class is to provide the student with the proper skills necessary for the development of solid vocal technique. This includes a discussion and demonstration of correct posture, good breath support, resonance, musicality, and strong performance techniques. “Putting it all together” is the goal. Chicago College of Performing Arts/Roosevelt University If You Can Breath, You Can Sing! with Mark Crayton How often do we perform less than our best because we run out of air? We all know that relaxed breathing is fundamental to good singing and performing. But how do we get there? Join Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts’ Mark Crayton for a class on finding your optimal breath. Sign up to sing at the class at the CCPA table! Cleveland Institute of Music Finding Your Most Beautiful Tone with Mary Schiller & Dean Southern One of the very first things those listening to your voice notice is the quality of your vocal tone. As singers present either arias or art songs, suggestions will be given to help improve their tone quality. Topics covered will include posture, alignment, breath management, diction, musical phrasing, interpretation, and communication. Mentally imagining your best sound will also be discussed and encouraged. Colorado State University Body Awareness and Breath Management with Susan Hochmiller Marx Learn to recognize the ways in which physical alignment and habituated movements can affect breath management in singing. Utilize techniques to free the body of physical tension and discover a greater connection to breath energy. Converse College To Belt or Not to Belt . . . That Is the Question! with Anne Denbow This will be a masterclass on a healthy approach to belting for classically trained singers (or anyone else, for that matter). A physiological discussion will be followed by applied application sessions with participating students to their musical theatre repertoire. An accompanist will be provided. DePauw University Discover DePauw—Be Heard with Caroline Smith Through this masterclass with voice professor Caroline Smith, you will discover the gem that is DePauw University. Smith will work with individual students on their prepared repertoire, and host a question and answer session regarding DePauw and its advantages for undergraduate singers. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn about this prestigious program that is an integral part of the highly touted liberal arts environment DePauw affords solely for the undergraduate student. voice works and how to successfully access the upper third of their range with very specific exercises. Singers will be invited to participate in the class after the lecture. Hofstra University The ABCD’s of Singing Legato with Tammy Hensrud “Aggressive amplitude,” “blowing of breath,” “consonant clusters,” “disappearing diphthongs,” and falling off the resonant shelf—these are all impediments to legato singing. We will explore how to maintain a truly beautiful legato line. German, Italian, French, and English classical repertoire are welcome. Eastman School of Music Training the Young Male Voice with Robert Swenson This class will focus on the classical training of the young male voice. There will be a short historical outline on how the voice began to be technically guided since the time of Rossini when composers began to ask for a fullvoiced extension into the top register. There will be an explanation of the developmental and technical issues challenging the young male singer. There will also be a clear approach presented to help voice teachers and students understand how the male Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen Masterclass with Scott Skiba Participants will work on vocal technique, interpretation and expression of the music and text, and fundamental physical and vocal characterization techniques. Work will focus on defining what the text “says,” interpreting what the text and music “mean” to the artist and character, and how to express this through dynamic vocal and physical actions in a way that is authentic to the relationship with the given circumstances of the text, music, and artist. Ithaca College The ABCs of Musical Preparation with Deborah Montgomery-Cove & Brad Hougham A: Attention to the details of language, musical elements, phrasing, and dynamics. B: Balancing the precision of the musical elements with expressive elements. C: Creativity in character development and story telling. Join Ithaca College professors Deborah Montgomery-Cove and Brad Hougham to explore ways to maximize your confidence for any performance or audition. FRANCO-AMERICAN VOCAL ACADEMY An educational organization striving to develop the complete singer. 2 Intensive Summer Programs: Salzburg, Austria Sheet Music for Strings, Winds, Brass, Keyboard, & Voice, including Scores, Chamber Music & Choral Music Périgueux, France 191 Highland Ave Suite B7 | Somerville, MA 02143 10 am - 5:30 pm (Mon-Sat) p: 800.863.5150 (toll free) | p: 617.547.8263 f: 617.284.6073 | e: [email protected] www.yesterdayservice.com Special Orders Filled in a Timely Manner Information : favaopera.org • [email protected] • tel: (512) 285-2245 FAVA is a non-profit, non-discriminatory organization affiliated with the University of Texas in Austin www.classicalsinger.com 73 High School Masterclass Descriptions continued The Juilliard School Pre-Screening for Singers: A Practical Guide to Making a Pre-Screening Recording with Lee Cioppa & Christina Daly With pre-screening required for almost every major music school, and invitations to live auditions becoming more selective, the recording you send with your application is becoming more and more important! Get tips and advice from admissions professionals who have heard thousands of recordings— the good and the bad—so that you can prepare your best pre-screening recording. With Lee Cioppa, associate dean for admissions at the Juilliard School, and Christina Daly, assistant dean for admissions at New England Conservatory. Lawrence University The Acoustic Advantage: Getting More for Less with Kenneth Bozeman Good singing existed long before serious voice science. Yet we now have had over a century and a half of successful scientific investigation into voice production. While voice teachers will continue to draw from the vocal traditions in which they were trained, many are finding recent discoveries in the acoustics of singing to be remarkably helpful. This session will demonstrate clear, effective techniques from voice science that accelerate vocal progress. New England Conservatory New England Conservatory Masterclass with Michael Meraw Sing for a member of New England Conservatory’s renowned voice faculty and receive feedback in a supportive and engaging setting from an experienced voice teacher. Please feel free to bring a song or aria in any language. Singers interested in participating are encouraged to sign up at the NEC table at the College Expo, but volunteers will also be welcome in the class as time permits. New York University Music Theatre for the Classical Singer with Dianna Heldman & Michael Ricciardone “Everybody says don’t it isn’t right, don’t it isn’t nice . . . don’t get out of line . . . ” Ever wondered if, as a classical singer, it might be fun to sing music theatre repertoire? Have you wondered if there was a difference in how you would sing it? Ever asked yourself, “Will it ruin my voice . . . can I do both?” Well, how do you know unless you give it a try? Come sing your favorite piece of music theatre or classical repertoire for NYU Steinhardt Professors Dianna Heldman and Michael Ricciardone and find out. “ . . . don’t be afraid!” —Stephen Sondheim (Anyone Can Whistle) Be heard. www.depauw.edu/beheard 74 Classical Singer / May 2013 Northwestern University Consonants: Clear, Clever, and Concise Concepts that Greatly Improve Your Auditions with Karen Brunssen Better articulation of consonants can contribute to better singing, better communication, more confidence, and a better musical presentation. Through an understanding about the points of articulation, exercises that utilize consonants to improve the voice, and poetic use of consonants, professor Karen Brunssen will share quick, attainable concepts that can have an immediate positive impact on the overall presentation of audition repertoire. Oberlin College “Si Canta Come Si Parla:” Uncovering the Hidden Potential of Speech Resonance in the Classically Trained Singing Voice with Salvatore Champagne What does this famous maxim of the Italian school mean and how does it opera apply to the classically trained singer? Join Associate Professor of Singing and Director of Oberlin Conservatory’s Vocal Studies Division Salvatore Champagne in a masterclass devoted to investigating the unique relationship between speech and the classical singing voice. Learn to use speech patterns to increase resonance and guide you to a more natural and efficient vocalism. Ohio State University Technique: A Means to an End with Loretta Robinson Sing for Ohio State University’s renowned voice faculty and receive feedback in a supportive and engaging setting from an experienced voice teacher. Please feel free to bring a song or aria in any language. Singers interested in participating are encouraged to sign up at the OSU table, but volunteers will also be welcome in the class as time permits. song Oklahoma City University College Auditioning 101 with Frank Ragsdale & William Christensen Learn about all aspects of auditioning and applying for college from repertoire to clothing. Olivet Nazarene University Preparing for Your College Voice Auditions with Jeff Bell High school singers who are going on to college may plan to continue their singing in choirs and in private study at the collegiate level, and some will decide to major in music. Whether auditioning for private lesson placement, acceptance to a major, or a membership in a choir, all singers need to be prepared for what will be expected at the audition. This session will feature helpful tips regarding song selection, vocal quality, diction, stage deportment, and attire. Selected students will work with university voice professors/ coaches. choir It's all here... awaiting you! Soprano Jean del Santo, Barbara Kierig, Wendy Zaro-Mullins Choral Conducting Kathy Romey, Matthew Mahaffey Mezzo-Soprano Adriana Zabala University Opera Theatre David Walsh Tenor John De Haan Vocal Music K-12 Keitha Hamann Baritone Philip Zawisza Bachelor of Music, Vocal Performance Bachelor of Music, Music Therapy with Vocal Emphasis Bachelor of Music, Music Education with Vocal Emphasis Master of Music, Vocal Performance Doctor of Musical Arts, Vocal Performance vocalarts.umn.edu • [email protected] • 612-624-2847 • Jean del Santo, vocal division chair: 612-624-5883 www.classicalsinger.com 75 High School Masterclass Descriptions continued Palm Beach Atlantic University Technical Efficiency in Breath Management and Support for Singing with Marilyn Mims This masterclass for singers interested in finding more efficient breath management and support will emphasize the bel canto technique. Singers will perform a selection (or segment) and then Marilyn Mims will diagnose ways the singer can be more efficient in managing breath and providing support for the tone through practical demonstrations and applications. Pepperdine University Pepperdine Masterclass with Melanie Emelio Have you ever wondered why singing can be so difficult? Good vocal production has to do with releasing “bad” tension (jaw, tongue, neck, shoulders, etc.) thus freeing the vocal tone and discovering the ease in singing. Bring a song or aria that you feel needs work to find true freedom in production. perfection of vowel production in order to accommodate the long and challenging line of the Bel Canto repertoire. We will also address proper use of appoggiatura and portamento in reference to the composer’s performance practice. Finally, we will help each singer use these tools to gain more ease of production. Singers should bring something from 19th century Bel Canto repertoire such as Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, etc. Rutgers A Guide to a Successful Audition with Eduardo Chama & Pamela Gilmore World-renowned opera singer Eduardo Chama and international vocal coach Pamela Gilmore have been preparing classical singers in the worlds of opera and academia for years. Their expertise and love of the repertoire guides singers towards a true expression of character. They continue their work with aspiring young singers as faculty for the Opera Program at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, and the Castleton Festival. Shenandoah University San Francisco Conservatory of Music 19th Century Bel Canto Singing with Daniel Mobbs This masterclass will focus on the use of forward motion in breath and The Breath-to-Text Connection with Byron Jones Master teacher Byron Jones (Shenandoah Conservatory, Seagle Music Colony) will focus on the relaxed, released, and energized singer’s breath and how it can help the singer get all the expressive potential out of the text. Discussion will focus on the successful audition in terms of freedom of sound, musical expression, accuracy of diction, and clarity of intention. CHICAGO PERFORMS. SO WILL YOU. Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Voice Performance and Professional Diploma in Opera (in conjunction with Chicago Opera Theater). CCPA Voice Faculty: Matthew Chellis Cynthia Clarey Mark Crayton Judith Haddon David Holloway Jonita Lattimore Samuel Ramey Richard Stilwell Dana Brown (Musical Preparation) Scott Gilmore (Musical Preparation) Study with accomplished faculty, who include Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera orchestra members, Metropolitan and Lyric opera sensations, renowned soloists, Grammy-winning jazz musicians, and award-winning composers. Enjoy opportunities to perform in professional venues. Live, learn, and perform in downtown Chicago. roosevelt.edu/CCPA (312) 341-6735 [email protected] Text CCPA to 57711 76 Classical Singer / May 2013 Shorter University Telling the Story with Your Italian Songs and Arias with Deborah Popham Many students bring one of the “hits” from the 24 or 26 Italian Songs and Arias collections to their college audition. When the voice faculty hears “Caro mio ben” or “Le violette” multiple times a day, how do you make yours stand above the rest? This masterclass will focus on how to bring these songs to life and help you discover ways to make your “Tu lo sai” tell the story and be truly memorable! Southern Methodist University Developing the Individuality of Your Voice with Clifton Forbis This masterclass will focus on finding the unique individuality of voice within each singer. Attempting to “homogenize” the sound of all singers rather than capitalizing on the unique qualities of each voice can restrict vocal development. This is especially prevalent in men’s voices. This class will facilitate the process and technique of vocal production while engaging the entire body as the instrument. Temple University Successful Auditioning: Tactics and Techniques with Christine Anderson Excellent audition techniques are essential for singers. Come and discover the audition techniques that will give you the tools you need to create a dynamic first impression. In a class geared towards college-bound vocalists, Anderson will work with performers to uncover the dramatic intent of songs and how to project it, make technical comments on diction and presentation skills, and give advice on selecting repertoire appropriate for the college audition. Tulane University Communicating Music and Text for Winning Performances and Auditions with Amy Pfrimmer This class presents the opportunity to polish audition repertoire and to ask questions about how you can best communicate your music and text. The class will focus on musical and dramatic song presentation, communicating what you intend in performance, and freeing your singing self through the text! University of Alabama Singing in 3D: A Virtual Introduction to the Body with Susan Williams This session will offer an introduction to the 3D virtual anatomy program Visible Body and how this exciting software can provide a practical, visual guide to the anatomy of singing. This is ideal for young singers interested in how the singing body works and for teachers who may want to incorporate this userfriendly application in their studios. UNDERGRADUATE VOCAL STUDY AT THE HARTT SCHOOL Outstanding Performance Opportunities Designed for Undergraduates Yearly fully-staged undergraduate opera and opera scenes Choral tours and major works for choir and orchestra Recital series and master classes Vocal Faculty includes: Robert Barefield Edward Bolkovac Cherie Caluda Claude Corbeil The Hartt School | University of Hartford | 200 Bloomfield Avenue | West Hartford, CT 06117 860.768.4465 | [email protected] Kelly Horsted Kevin Jones Doris Lang Kosloff Michael Kutner Joanna Levy Marjorie Melnick Maureen O’Flynn Wayne Rivera Eric Trudel Kyle Swann www.hartford.edu/hartt www.classicalsinger.com 77 High School Masterclass Descriptions continued University of Hartford Breath and Shape with Robert Barefield This class will help singers find balance and resonance by linking efficient airflow to optimal vocal shape. We will work to release tensions that inhibit breath and strive to use language in a way that supports beautiful singing. University of Iowa Coordinating Activator and Vibrator to Enhance Resonation with Rachel Joselson This class is about fine-tuning coordination between activator breath and vibrator vocal fold adduction. In order to maintain an “open throat,” proper tongue position is essential. Crisp and well-produced consonants (both voiced and unvoiced, for different reasons) can aid greatly in maintaining legato and ease of production in repertoire. Optimal resonance throughout one’s range is largely the result of proper coordination and where we will place our focus. University of Michigan Unleash Your Expressive Powers Through the Unity of Heart, Soul, and Mind with Freda Herseth Freda Herseth will offer a masterclass that focuses on bringing out a singer’s individual and natural vocal production. She will work with singers to consciously unite their musical imagination and technique to achieve greater musical expression. University of Minnesota Strengthening Your Weakest Link with Jean del Santo What one element of your singing/performance, if improved, would significantly enhance your entire presentation? Attend this innovative session to self-identify your weakest link and develop strategies to improve your “total package.” Bring a song, or section of a song, that presents a particular challenge for you. Learn a variety of techniques to address the issue and ensure a more pleasurable performance for yourself and your listeners. University of North Texas Preparing for a Successful Music School Audition with Linda Di Fiore Regents Professor Linda Di Fiore will provide a comprehensive masterclass dealing with the necessary components of successfully auditioning for a university music program, including solid vocal technique, musical preparation, engaging artistry, choice of repertoire, appropriate dress and physical presentation, what to include in a résumé, how to write a compelling essay, and how to capitalize on your unique strengths as a performer. University of South Carolina Musical Theatre Masterclass with Janet Hopkins The use of a solid vocal technique is needed for longevity of performing, especially with the high demands in today’s industry. To make yourself more marketable, you must be able to perform well in as many vocal styles as possible and create an entire 78 Classical Singer / May 2013 package as a performing artist. This musical theatre masterclass will help you prepare for an audition for a university music theatre program, an audition for a musical, or workshopping your musical theatre performance pieces for self-improvement. Students will present two songs which should ideally be no longer than eight minutes in total; contrasting styles, genres, and tempo (e.g. a slow ballad and an up tempo comedy piece); and memorized. University of Toledo The Importance of Getting Your Actor On with Denise Ritter Bernardini To be (an actor) or not to be (an actor)? Is that a question classical singers need to ask? What is the answer? Come and try out your aria or song with Denise Ritter Bernardini, director of opera at the University of Toledo, where we will discuss acting for singers. In this masterclass you will have your piece finetuned so that it will show off your acting skills in an appropriate way for art song or arias. We will also discuss how to prepare a song or aria in a way that will be engaging for the audience while maintaining beautiful singing. Viterbo University Voice Teacher, Vocal Coach, and Singer Collaboration . . . the Viterbo University Model with Daniel Johnson-Wilmot & David Richardson Daniel Johnson-Wilmot brings 40 years of university voice teaching and together with the vocal coaching expertise of David Richardson in this masterclass singers will receive instruction in vocal technique, musicality, language, style, and presentation. Your performance in our masterclass may qualify as an audition into the music program at Viterbo University. Walnut Hill School for the Arts The Complete Package with Angela Gooch Polish your performance with Angela Gooch, head of vocal studies at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts. Learn ways to enhance your performance and audition skills through vocal techniques, acting techniques, and musical interpretation. Join us for a fun exploration of making music together! Westminster College Acquiring Authenticity in Foreign Language Repertoire with Anne Hagan Bentz Simple things can be added to increase the intelligibility, authenticity, and accuracy in singing in foreign language. Anne Hagan Bentz, associate professor of voice and head of the Voice Area at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa. provides singers with tips to improve their pronunciation in French, Italian, and German. Sign up to perform at Westminster College’s display table. Bring an art song or aria to the masterclass. A voice to be heard Voice Faculty: Margaret Dehning, Director of Vocal Studies; Milena Kitic, Artist-in-Residence; Carol Neblett, Artist-in Residence; Christina Alexopoulos, David Alt, Peter Atherton, Christina Dahlin, Kristina Driskill, Patricia Gee, Patrick Goeser, Jonathan Mack, Bruce McClurg, Susan Montgomery Alexander Technique: Pamela Blanc Operatic Studies: Peter Atherton, Director of Operatic Studies; Carol Neblett, Associate Director of Opera Chapman; Experience conservatory-level training in a liberal arts environment at Chapman University Consistently ranked among the best American music schools, we offer quality programs with dedicated faculty, world-class student ensembles, and state-of-the-art facilities. Offering Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Performance, Music Education, and Composition. Talent awards, academic scholarships, and financial aid assistance available. Cheryl Lin Fielding, Opera/Vocal Coach Janet Kao, Opera/Vocal Coach Choral Ensembles: Stephen Coker, Director of Choral Studies Angel Vázquez-Ramos, Choral Music Education For admission and scholarship information, please contact: Office of Admissions, Chapman University One University Drive Orange, California 92866 1-888-CU-APPLY www.chapman.edu Accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music University and Young Artist Events Schedule The Young Artist Series Presentations are only for registrants of the Young Artist Series. If you have not already done so, register before the Convention at www.ClassicalSinger.com/yas or in Boston at the Convention Registration Desk. Thursday, May 23 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Convention Registration Desk Open 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. University/Young Artist Classical and Musical Theatre Competition Boston Region First Round Webster 8:30 p.m. Boston Region First Round Winners Announced Commonwealth Foyer Concourse Level Comment sheets from today’s competition will be available tomorrow in the Grand Ballroom C-E. Friday, May 24 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Convention Registration Desk Open Commonwealth Foyer 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hall Open Grand Ballroom C-E 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. University Classical Competition, Second Round Otis, Revere 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Young Artist Classical Competition, Second Round Stone, Webster 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. University Classical Competition, Second Round Hancock, Otis, Revere, Stone 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Young Artist Classical Competition, Second Round Webster 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Exhibitor Masterclasses Refer to program insert 8:30 p.m. University/Young Artist Classical Competition Second Round Winners Announced Concourse Level Comment sheets from today’s competition will be available tomorrow in the Grand Ballroom C-E. Saturday, May 25 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Convention Registration Desk Open Commonwealth Foyer 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hall Open Grand Ballroom C-E 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Young Artist Series Presentation To Grad or Not to Grad or What to Grad-Panel Discussion Commonwealth A 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Young Artist Series Presentation Auditioning for Grad Schools-Panel Discussion Commonwealth A 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Young Artist Series Presentation How and When to Get an Agent Commonwealth A 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Young Artist Series Presentation How the Business Model Has Changed Commonwealth A 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Young Artist Series Presentation Identifying and Preparing for YAP Auditions Commonwealth A 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Young Artist Series Presentation Preparing for your Engagement Period and Beyond Commonwealth A 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Exhibitor Masterclasses Refer to program insert 80 Classical Singer / May 2013 Sunday, May 26 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Convention Registration Desk Open Commonwealth Foyer 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. University/Young Artist Classical Competition Semifinal Round Commonwealth C 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. University/Young Artist Musical Theatre Competition Semifinal Round Commonwealth A 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Exhibitor Masterclasses Refer to program insert 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Exhibitor Masterclasses Refer to program insert 1:00 p.m. Musical Theatre Competition Finalists Announced Concourse Level 2:15 p.m. Classical Competition Finalists Announced Concourse Level 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Musical Theatre Final Round Grand Ballroom A-B 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Exhibitor Masterclasses Refer to program insert 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Classical Final Round Grand Ballroom A-B 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Winners Concert Grand Ballroom A-B Winners from all divisions will be announced, scholarships will be awarded, and First Place winners will perform. Comment sheets from today’s competition will be available at the Registration Desk; remaining sheets will be mailed back to participants. B.M., M.M., D.M.A., A.D. / B.A., M.A., PH.D. Programs in Voice and Opera | Extension Division Non-Degree Courses | Online Courses n n n n n Music conservatory training within New Jersey’s flagship public research university Choral Ensembles, Fully Staged Operas, Master Classes, Student Recitals Opera Institute and Workshop Easy train ride to New York City and Philadelphia Affiliation with the Castleton Festival Artist Training Seminar, under the direction of Maestro Lorin Maazel Voice Faculty: EDUARDO CHAMA, PAMELA GILMORE (Opera), NANCY GUSTAFSON, TAINA KATAJA, JUDITH NICOSIA, FREDERICK URREY (Voice Area Chair) FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MASONGROSS.RUTGERS.EDU www.classicalsinger.com 81 Voice at Olivet · Study with a full-time professor of voice · Range of study and literature from classical to contemporary · Solo performance opportunities · Five concentrations (all may include voice): Composition Music Music Education Music Ministry Music Performance · 3,000-seat Centennial Chapel with 125-rank Ruffatti pipe organ · 500-seat Kresge Auditorium with orchestra pit (located on campus in the Larsen Fine Arts Center) · Performances with full symphony orchestra: Commencement Concert (concerto & aria) Handel’s Messiah Musical productions (opera & musical theater) Opera scenes programs · Master classes with professionals from opera, musical theater, voice pedagogy · Choral opportunities: Chrysalis Women’s Choir Concert Singers Proclamation Gospel Choir Orpheus Choir Testament Men’s Choir · Personal attention in attractive facilities · Secure campus 50 miles from Chicago with easy access to Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera and Broadway shows Scholarship money available through audition. For more information, call 815-939-5298 or email [email protected] For more information about Olivet, visit www.olivet.edu July 5 to August 15, 2013 The rich AIMS curriculum features an international faculty and Master Classes for Singers and Pianists presented by world-famous guest artists and teachers. Christa Ludwig – the legendary German mezzosoprano, a master class for emerging professional singers. Linda Watson – “the leading Wagnerian soprano of our time” (Bayreuth, Met, Los Angeles, Munich, Vienna, Berlin), the 2013 AIMS Artist-in-Residence; master classes and coaching w/emphasis on the dramatic voice. Barbara Bonney – celebrated lyric soprano (Met, Covent Garden, Vienna), professor of voice at the Mozarteum Salzburg); master class for Lieder singers and pianists. Michèle Crider – European-based American dramatic soprano (Met, Covent Garden, San Francisco, Berlin, Vienna) returns to work with opera track singers. Ulrich Eisenlohr – European Pianist and Collaborative Pianist who has recorded all of Schubert’s songs; master class for Lieder singers and pianists. Gabriele Lechner – Viennese soprano (Vienna, Zurich, Graz, Italy), professor of voice at Vienna University of Music and Dramatic Arts, returns for a series of six master classes. TBA – the popular AIMS aria reading session with orchestra, “How to sing with an orchestra and how to play for the singer”. John Treleaven – English tenor (Munich, Vienna, London), 120 roles in opera houses of the world, famed for his protrayal of Tristan and the Wagnerian heldentenor roles, and Peter Grimes. Master class for singers. Become a part of the AIMS Legend... recorded auditions accepted until June 1st if places are still available. www.aimsgraz.com. 84 Classical Singer / May 2013 Selecting the Right School Young Artist Series Presentation Descriptions Young Artist Series Presentations are only for singers registered for the Young Artist Series. Cost is $95 or $125. Registration is available on our website, by phone, or at the event. Auditioning for Grad Schools—Panel Discussion So you want to seek additional higher education. Learn all you need to know for selecting the right program, applying, and auditioning to ultimately be accepted to the school of your choice. How and When to Get an Agent with Ana De Archuleta In many singers’ minds, signing with a manager can mean you’ve made it. But what does having a manager really mean? In this class, you will learn the difference between an agent and a manager, what kind of jobs or prospect of jobs you should have to need an agent, how to start a relationship with an agent, and how to communicate with your agent. In addition, you’ll find out what an agent’s responsibilities are and what the responsibilities of a managed singer are, as well as discuss the terms of contract with an agent. How the Business Model Has Changed with Ana De Archuleta The economic state of recent years has had an effect on arts organizations. How is this affecting singers and how is the industry changing? The importance of conductors and directors, Skype auditions, new productions and new music, marketing and social media, physicality in productions, and HD broadcasts are all contributing to this changing landscape. Learn how you can not only fit in, but also thrive, in this new business model. Identifying and Preparing for YAP Auditions with Laurie Rogers How do you sift through the plethora of YAP opportunities out there and narrow them down to the programs that are the best match for your abilities at this stage of your career? What’s the perspective like from the company’s side of the table—from receiving your application and materials, to choosing who to hear in auditions, to making our decisions and offers? Find the answers to these questions and more in this must-attend class for all singers auditioning for Young Artist Programs. Preparing for your Engagement Period and Beyond with Laurie Rogers So you’ve got your first Young Artist Program contract. Congratulations! But now what? How do you make a great, lasting first impression? What are the company’s expectations? How are YAPs different from being in school? And what comes after a YAP program? Discover what you need to know for a successful Young Artist Program experience and how to then transition into the professional arena. To Grad or Not to Grad or What to Grad—Panel Discussion Is a master’s degree really required to make it as a professional singer? Will a doctoral degree actually count against you? Get different viewpoints to these and other questions about graduate school. Study MuSic at MaNNES cOLLEGE iN NEW yORK city Music is your passion. Prepare to make it your life. Part of The New School, Mannes is the only New York City conservatory that offers the resources of a leading university. www.newschool.edu/mannes4 An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution. Photo: Matthew Sussman. www.classicalsinger.com 85 Young Artist Series Presenters Ana De Archuleta has quickly established herself as one of the most sought after managers by rising young artists in the operatic field. ADA Artists Management represents a thriving roster of vocalists and conductors worldwide. ADA Artists can be seen on the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and throughout the United States as well as in Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and France. A business member of OPERA America and the American Symphony League, De Archuleta’s vast background in the arts has played a major role in her success as an artist’s manager. Throughout her life she has been involved in many facets of the performing arts as an instrumentalist, dancer, operatic stage manager, assistant director, opera chorister, and finally opera soloist. Her work now takes her to companies throughout the U.S., as she frequently travels to see her clients’ performances. With many performing arts organizations, she often works with the Resident Artists in masterclasses and giving one on one consultations, passing on her insights into the business aspect of the opera world. She has given seminars in the business of opera at Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music, Westminster Choir College, Lake George Opera, Opera New Jersey, Minnesota Opera, and Wolf Trap Opera among others. With a degree in communications and a master’s in voice performance from the Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music, Ana De Archuleta (formerly Ana Rodriguez) was known throughout her performing career for her versatility of voice and dramatic character. Favorite roles include Musetta in La bohème, Servilia in La clemenza di Tito, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Nina in Chérubin, Beth in Little Women, Tebaldo in Don Carlos, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, and Fire in L’enfant et les sortilèges which she has performed with such companies as Opera North, Minnesota Opera, Orlando Opera, Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Young Artist Series Presenters Minnesota Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops Symphony, Opera Theater of Lucca, and Pro Arte Lirico and Cincinnati Opera. Originally from Puerto Rico, De Archuleta now resides in New York City. Laurie Rogers, director of Young Artist Programs for Opera Saratoga, is currently an assistant conductor at the Dallas Opera, and on the music staff at the San Francisco Opera. She has conducted productions for Opera Saratoga and Poor Richard’s Opera in Philadelphia. Rogers served as assistant conductor for the Opera Company of Philadelphia over the course of 13 seasons, also working for many years in artistic administration for that company. She is a New England Conservatory of Music alumna and has prepared productions for San Diego Opera, Utah Opera, Atlanta Opera, Green Mountain Opera Festival, Arizona Opera, Opera New Jersey, Michigan Opera Theatre, Washington National Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Sarasota Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Glimmerglass Opera, and others. Rogers has been a faculty member and conductor for the Professional Advantage vocal studies program in Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy. She has also taught at the Lake Placid Institute for the Arts, the Chautauqua Institution Voice School and the New England Conservatory Opera Department, and accompanies regularly for the Philadelphia Orchestra and Astral Artists. She was integrally involved in the creation of Richard Danielpour’s Margaret Garner and David DiChiera’s Cyrano and most recently helped prepare the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick at the Dallas Opera, and assisted the composer with editing and preparation for the published piano-vocal score. Rogers gives masterclasses on pianist/singer issues and has been published in Classical Singer magazine. She lives in Philadelphia, where she maintains an active coaching studio. Master classes, Voice lessons, Coaching, Performance © Giovanni Orru Casentino Voice Valerie Girard Amidst the natural beauty of the Casentino valley with its ancient country churches, castles, sanctuaries and panoramic views of the Apennine mountains, join soprano Valerie Girard and pianist Marioara Trifan for ten inspiring days from August 10th-20th, culminating in a festival concert at the Castello di Porciano. For more information, visit www.valeriegirard.com/masterclass. 86 Classical Singer / May 2013 www.music.utah.edu/areas/voice/index.php “The Moores School of Music of the University of Houston habitually tackles the new and unusual ...The production was surprisingly professional in concept and execution ... and the opera house is a gem.” - Dallas Morning News Moores Opera Center Production of Die Fledermaus “...I have rarely experienced so high a level of vision, quality, and committment as I did at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music.” - Pulitzer Prize winner Dominick Argento Concert Chorale David Ashley White, msm director 88 Classical Singer / May 2013 www.music.uh.edu 713•743•3009 UH is an EEO/AA institution “Everything is about mastery. It has to do with craft and passing it on to the next person. That’s exactly what we do here.” “If I can share my heart, my talent, my passion… then I know I have done something good for the world.” BaCHElOr Of MusiC | MastEr Of MusiC | DOCtOr Of MusiCal arts artist CErtifiCatE | artist DiplOMa | prOfEssiOnal stuDiEs 11021 East Boulevard Cleveland, OH 44106 216.791.5000 | cim.edu VOICE AT CORNISH. SEATTLE WASHINGTON COLLEGE PREPARATORY SUMMER WORKSHOPS CLASSICAL, OPERA, JAZZ, MUSICAL THEATER JULY 22 – 26, 2013 IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE SINGER’S ART—VOCAL TECHNIQUE, INTERPRETATION, DICTION, MOVEMENT, AND ACTING. STUDY WITH WORLD-CLASS FACULTY IN DEDICATED WORKSHOPS FOR CLASSICAL VOICE AND OPERA, JAZZ, AND MUSICAL THEATER. BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN VOCAL PERFORMANCE ARTIST DIPLOMA IN EARLY MUSIC VOCAL FACULTY MICHAEL DELOS, bass baritone JOHN DUYKERS, tenor, contemporary opera JOHNAYE KENDRICK, jazz voice NATALIE LERCH, soprano CYNDIA SIEDEN, coloratura soprano KATHRYN WELD, mezzo-soprano BETH WINTER, jazz voice NANCY ZYLSTRA, baroque opera WWW.CORNISH.EDU/MUSIC 800.726.ARTS The USC Thornton School of Music Opera Program is one of America’s premier training grounds for singing-actors, opera coaches and collaborative keyboard artists - a program where youth and experience meet in a vibrant urban setting to create provocative productions of classic and modern masterpieces. Vocal Arts and Opera at USC Vocal Performance Faculty Ken Cazan, chair & resident stage director Brent McMunn, music director of opera Rod Gilfry Gary Glaze Elizabeth Hynes Cynthia Munzer Lisa Sylvester Shigemi Matsumoto Janice McVeigh frequent performance opportunities prestigious opera program 90 Classical Singer / May 2013 Nathan Gunn Allen Hahn Michael Hampe Peter Harrison David Jacques Lowell Liebermann Catherine Malfitano J.D. McClatchy Erie Mills Martin Pakledinaz Jennifer Ringo Carol Vaness Frederica Von Stade Michael York powerhouse alumni and faculty individualized attention Unique among the premier music schools of the world usc.edu/music | facebook.com/uscthornton Guest Artists Including Thomas Adès Sir Thomas Allen Cameron Anderson Jacqueline St. Anne Daniel Belcher Christine Brewer Jason Robert Brown Vinson Cole Patricia Craig Grant Gershon Anthony Dean Griffey Denyce Graves 2039 Kennedy Boulevard Jersey City, New Jersey 07305 The Department of Music, Dance and Theatre of New Jersey City University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and a collegiate member of MENC, The National Association for Music Education. Undergraduate Degree Programs: B.A. in Music Education B.A. in Music Theatre B.A. In Music Business B.M. In Classical Studies B.M. In Jazz Contact: Donna Connolly Vocal Studies Coordinator 201-200-2018 [email protected] n o r t h w e s t e r n u n i ve rs i t y njcu.edu Bienen School of Music Voice and Opera Faculty TheresaBrancaccio,mezzo-soprano KarenBrunssen,mezzo-soprano NancyGustafson,soprano KurtHansen,tenor PamelaHinchman,soprano SunnyJoyLangton,soprano W.StephenSmith,baritone MichaelEhrman,director of opera PhilipKraus,opera RichardBoldrey,coach AlanDarling,coach KennethSmith,coach The Bienen School of Music offers · Conservatory-leveltrainingcombinedwiththe academicflexibilityofaneliteresearchinstitution ·TraditionalBM,BA,MM,PhD,andDMdegreesas wellasinnovativedual-degree,self-designed,and double-majorprograms ·CloseproximitytodowntownChicago’s vibrantculturallandscape ·Anew152,000-square-footfacilitytoopenin summer2015 In addition to this 400-seat recital hall, the Bienen School’s new facility will include an opera rehearsal room/black box theater, a choral rehearsal/recital room, teaching studios, practice rooms, classrooms, and administrative offices. 847/491-3141 www.music.northwestern.edu www.classicalsinger.com 91 OPPORTUNITIES Auditions.........................92 Competitions................ 104 The audition and competition listings in Classical Singer magazine come from our online audition management tool Auditions Plus. With Auditions Plus you can find, save, manage, and track all types of singing opportunities. More than 1,400 job postings, training program opportunities, volunteer positions and educational listings are available on AuditionsPlus.com, including more than 400 audition and competition listings. Auditions Plus is free for all Classical Singer subscribers. Find and post opportunities today! Auditions Coordinator: Kimberlee Talbot Email: [email protected] Website: www.classicalsinger.com/auditions Audition listings published in Classical Singer must either be no pay/no fee or paid engagements. If you have an experience with a listed company that does not meet this qualification, or if you have any other problems with a published audition notice, please contact Kimberlee Talbot immediately at auditions@ classicalsinger.com. We do not publish notices from companies with unresolved complaints. 3 = New Notice This Issue Opera Solo 3 Michigan Opera Theatre - Detroit, MI (A, Paid, Pro) Auds May 15, ‘13 for small roles in upc ‘13/14 seas. Rep: The Flying Dutchman, La traviata, A View form the Bridge, Turandot. Website: www.michiganopera.org/work-withus/vocal-auditions/ Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Opera Columbus - Columbus, OH (C, Paid, EmgPro) Auds May 18-19, ‘13 for edu’tnl prog, mainstage roles and local chorus. Website: www.operacolumbus.org Where Music Speaks and Words Sing! Summer of Song 2013 Master Class Applications being accepted in New York! The Art Song Preservation Society of New York (ASPS) is pleased to announce our upcoming 2013 "Summer of Song" Master Class and Recital Series. Singers interested in applying to audition for the summer program series or in applying for The Mary Trueman Vocal Art Song competition can access the application on our website, www.ArtSongPreservationSocietyNY.org Master Classes: Art Songs by Women Composers with Dr. Carol Kimball, Author of the new book "Art Song: Linking Poetry and Music" Date: Saturday, June 1st, 2013, 1-4:30pm Carol Kimball German Lieder with Thomas Muraco, Artist faculty, The Manhattan School of Music Date: Saturday, June 22nd, 2013, 1-4:30pm French Mélodie with Thomas Grubb, Author of "Singing in French: A Manual of French Diction and French Vocal Repertoire" Date: Saturday, July 13th, 2013, 1-4:30pm 20th and 21st Century Art Song with Margaret Lattimore, Grammy nominated mezzo-soprano Date: Saturday, August 17th, 2013, 1-4:30pm Recitals: Thomas Muraco Thomas Grubb An homage to the Bi-Centennial of the death of Francis Poulenc Master teacher Thomas Grubbs presents his students from The Juilliard School's French diction and vocal repertoire classes in a recital of Poulenc’s Mélodies along with other notable French composers. Date: Da Thursday, May 16th, 2013, 6pm Location: The Juilliard School - Room 305 (155 West 65 Street, Lincoln Center) Cost: Free An evening of French, German & American Art Song with the winner of the 2012 Mary Trueman Vocal Arts Competition, Michael Weyandt (baritone) with internationally acclaimed piano collaborator, Thomas Muraco. Date: Thursday, June 20th, 2013, 7pm American Art Song Concert tribute to September 11th Art Song compositions by some of America's most fascinating and beloved composers. This is a free event not to be missed! Date: Saturday, September 7th, 2013, 1pm Margaret Lattimore All programs take place at Opera America (330 7th Avenue, between 28th and 29th Street) unless otherwise indicated. The application to perform is available on the ASPS website; tickets to attend the master classes and recitals are affordably priced at $25, with a discounted student price available. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door the day of the event. For more information, please email [email protected] or visit the ASPS website. Michael Weyandt 92 Classical Singer / May 2013 Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A OperaDelaware - Wilmington, DE (C, Paid, Pro) Auds held periodically throughout yr. Website: www.operade.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Belleayre Festival Opera (Belleayre Music Festival) - Highmount, NY (D, Paid, Pro) Casting principals, supporting roles and ensemble for Carmen. Website: www.donaldwestwood.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 The Haymarket Opera Company - Chicago, IL (D, Paid, Pro) Auds May 11, ‘13 for title role in Pimpinone. Website: www.haymarketopera.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: May 6, ‘13 3 Livermore Valley Opera - Livermore, CA (D, Paid, EmgPro) Auds May 2 & 4, ‘13 for ‘13/14 seas. Website: www.livermorevalleyopera.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Miami Lyric Opera - Miami, FL (D, Paid, EmgPro) Auds Jul 22, ‘13 to fill principal and secondary roles for ‘14/15 Seas: L’amico Fritz, Trovatore, Manon, and Gala. Website: http://miamilyricopera.org/auditions Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A BUDGET CATEGORIES Where available, budget categories are listed for performing companies. Budget categories conform to Opera America annual budget levels as reported in Musical America. Level Level Level Level Level A=$10,000,000 and above B=$3,000,000-$9,999,999 C=$1,000,000-$2,999,999 D=less than $1,000,000 U=Unknown For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com 3 Tacoma Opera - Tacoma, WA (D, Paid, Pro) Auds for principal and YA roles May 17-19, ‘13. Website: www.tacomaopera.com/page. php?id=167 Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Seeking singers for ‘13/14 seas. Need all voice types, especially tenors! Contact Info: 215-224-0257 Appl Deadline: Ongoing Center Stage Opera - New Cumberland, PA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for Manon and Aida. Website: www.csopera.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 CT Gilbert & Sullivan Society - Middletown, CT (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 11, ‘13 for Yeomen of the Guard. Website: ctgands.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Jun 9, ‘13 Gilbert & Sullivan Yiddish Light Opera Central Islip, NY (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for G&S lead and chorus roles. Website: www.gsyiddish.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Light Opera of New Jersey - Basking Ridge, NJ (U, Paid, EmgPro) Upc seas auds May 21, 23 & 25, ‘13. Rep: Orpheus in the Underworld, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Magic Flute. Website: www.ridgelightopera.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Penguin Entertainment - Orlando, FL (U, Paid, Pro) Ongoing opps for local singers. Website: penguinshows.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing Savoyard Light Opera Company - Carlisle, MA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) May ‘13 auds for The Mikado. Website: www.savoyardlightopera.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Concert Solo Bach Society of St Louis - MO (C, Paid, Pro) Auds for positions as Principal Singers. Website: www.bachsociety.org/performers/ principal Contact Info: (314) 652-BACH Appl Deadline: Ongoing Bel Canto Young Artist Vocal Series - Jersey City, NJ (Paid, EmgPro) Auds to be featured in concert series presented yrly at New Jersey City Univ. Website: www.njcu.edu Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Hellenic Music Foundation - East Elmhurst, NY (Volunteer, EmgPro) Seeking classical singers of Greek and/or GreekAmerican descent. Website: www.HellenicMusic.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing New Trinity Baroque - Atlanta, GA (Paid, Pro) Accepting mats from all voice types for upc concert seas as soloists or singers in chamber choir. Website: newtrinitybaroque.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing Sunday Opera - Philadelphia, PA (Paid, EmgPro) Seeking 6-8 singers of any fach for Jul ‘13 recital concert. Website: www.sundayopera.us/auditions.html Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: May 3, ‘13 Cooperative Productions (Singers provide service to aid prods, such as selling tickets or building sets.) 3 Southland Area Theatre Ensemble University Park, IL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 15 & 17, ‘13 for Hair. Website: www.slatetheatre.org/default. aspx?id=23032 Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Church/Temple Christ Episcopal Church - Bloomfield/Glen Ridge, NJ (Paid, EmgPro) Seeking bass section leader. Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Covenant Presbyterian Church - Roanoke, VA (Paid) Seeking organist/accomp. Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego - CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for women’s ensemble. Website: www.firstuusandiego.org/ Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Hunt’s Memorial United Methodist Church - Baltimore, MD (Paid, EmgPro) Seeking accomp for Chancel, Children’s, and Bell Choirs. Website: www.huntsumc.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Stanwich Congregational Church Greenwich, CT (Paid, Pro) Seeking tenor section leader/soloist. Website: www.stanwichchurch.org/ Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Young Artist Programs Lyric Opera of Chicago - Chicago, IL (A, Paid, EmgPro) Prelim auds Mar-Jul for ‘14/15 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble. Website: www.lyricopera.org/about/auditions. aspx Appl Deadline: May 24, ‘13 Respond only to auditions for your level, and area of the country, CAREFULLY noting all restrictions. The following are Artist Level guideline definitions for Classical Singer audition listings. Definitions, as such, do not perfectly describe all singers but should be helpful for artists to determine their qualifications for a given audition notice. It is still important for artists to observe these guidelines as performing companies continue to express their frustration with those singers who send materials for audition listings for which they are not yet qualified. St ud ent : Currently enrolled in a university or conservatory music program. Em erg ing P rofes s ional: Graduate of a college level vocal program or conservatory. Or in the last year has been in a Young Artist Program, Apprentice Program or performed in Workshop productions or No-Pay productions. Or equivalent. These artists rarely have management. P rofes s ional: In the last year has performed a principal role in a company with Opera America Budget Level level C or D or equivalent. Artists in this level are considered full-time professionals and the majority of their time spent and income are singingrelated. Many of these artists have management. Es t ab lis hed P rofes s ional: In the last year has performed a principal role in a company with an Opera America level A or B company or equivalent. Artists in this category are employed full-time singing principal roles with companies of any category in multiple venues domestic and international. These artists have management. www.classicalsinger.com 93 For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com 3 Staatstheater Nürnberg - Nürnberg, Germany (A, Paid, EmgPro) Auds for International Opera Studio Nuremberg. Website: www.staatstheater-nuernberg.de/ inhalte/index.php?menu=105 Contact Info: susanne.hoerburger@ staatstheater.nuernberg.de Appl Deadline: Jul 31, ‘13 Bach Society of St Louis - MO (C, Paid, Student) Auds for Young Artists Awards. Website: www.bachsociety.org/performers/ young_artists Contact Info: (314) 652-BACH Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Tacoma Opera - Tacoma, WA (D, Paid, EmgPro) Auds for principal and YA roles May 17-19, ‘13. Website: www.tacomaopera.com/page. php?id=167 Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Arcady - Simcoe, ON, Canada (U, Paid, Student) Currently accepting appls for ‘14 Young Artist Program. Website: http://arcady.ca/?page_id=137 Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing Musical Theatre 3 2nd Street Theater - Bend, OR (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 17-18, ‘13 for Spamalot. Website: www.2ndstreettheater.com/auditionsclasses Appl Deadline: N/A Actors Guild of Parkersburg - Parkersburg, WV (EmgPro) Auds May 5-6, ‘13 for Avenue Q. Website: www.actors-guild.com/avenue-q.html Contact Info: 304-485-9322 Appl Deadline: N/A 3 The Adobe Theatre - Albuquerque, NM (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 8-9, ‘13 for Pump Boys and Dinettes. Website: www.adobetheater.org/auditions Appl Deadline: N/A The Augusta Players - Augusta, GA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 16-17, ‘13 for Les Miserables. Website: http://augustaplayers.org/auditionscasting/ Appl Deadline: N/A Bower City Theatre Company - Janesville, WI (EmgPro) Auds May 19-20, ‘13 for Spamalot. Website: www.bowercitytheatre.org Appl Deadline: N/A The Bradley Playhouse - Putnam, CT (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 18-19, ‘13 for Anything Goes and Oct 5-6, ‘13 for White Christmas. Website: www.thebradleyplayhouse.org/ Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A The Broadway Theatre of Pitman - Pitman, NJ (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for How to Succeed in Business (Jun 9), and 42nd Street (Jun 23). Website: www.thebroadwaytheatre.org Contact Info: boxoffice@ broadwaytheatreofpitman.com Appl Deadline: N/A California Regional Theatre - Chico, CA (EmgPro) Auds May 18-19, ‘13 for Les Misérables. Website: http://crtshows.com/les-misauditions.html Appl Deadline: N/A ALABAMA The MSM in Voice at Notre Dame Stephen Cary, Tenor Susan Williams, Soprano Ray Chenez, Countertenor Paul Houghtaling, Bass-Baritione Marvin E. Latimer, Jr., Music Education John Ratledge, Director of Choral Activities Susan Fleming, Mezzo-Soprano, Area Coordinator BA, BM, MM, and DMA Degrees www.music.ua.edu/voice Master of Sacred Music a program with three concentrations conducting voice organ performance The MSM in voice at Notre Dame nurtures entrepreneurial singing artists, capable of working in a wide range of repertoire and roles as professional soloists, choristers, ensemble leaders, and church music directors at the highest level. All students receive full-tuition scholarships and a supervised placement that provides a stipend. www.classicalsinger.com 95 For information go to: http://sacredmusic.nd.edu Auditions 3 Canyon Theatre Guild - Newhall, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 4-5, ‘13 for Les Misérables. Website: www.canyontheatre.org/audition Appl Deadline: N/A 3 CenterPoint Legacy Theatre - Centerville, UT (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Jun 8, ‘13; Into the Woods Jul 13, ‘13; White Christmas Sep 7, ‘13. Website: www.centerpointtheatre.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing College of the Mainland Community Theatre - Texas City, TX (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 12-13, ‘13 for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Website: www.com.edu/community-theatre/audition.php Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Crested Butte Mountain Theatre - Crested Butte, CO (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 14-16, ‘13 for Cabaret. Website: www.cbmountaintheatre.org/index.html Contact Info: 970-349-0366 Appl Deadline: N/A The Drama Group - Chicago Heights, IL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 19-21, ‘13 for West Side Story. Website: www.dramagroup.org/auditioninfo.asp Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Eight O’Clock Theatre - Largo, FL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 5-6, ‘13 for The Swashbuckling Adventures of Alex Jones. Website: www.eightoclocktheatre.com Appl Deadline: N/A Encore Repertory Company - Woonsocket, RI (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 20 & 23, ‘13 for Thoroughly Modern Millie. Website: www.encorerepco.org/The_Encore_Repertory_Company/Auditions. html Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 The Footlight Club - Jamaica Plain, MA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 13 & 15, ‘13 for Spamalot. Website: www.footlight.org/auditions.html Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 The Denver Center for the Performing Arts - Denver, CO (Paid, Pro) Auds for ‘13/14 seas, seeking Equity and Non-Equity perf’rs. Website: www.denvercenter.org/about-us/jobs-auditions-internships.aspx Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Fremont Street Theater - Palatine, IL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 28-29, ‘13 for The Drowsy Chaperone. Website: www.fremontstreettheater.com Contact Info: 847-963-8303 Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Derby Dinner Playhouse - Clarksville, IN (Paid, Pro) Next open auds Aug 23, ‘13. Website: www.derbydinner.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Good Company Players - Fresno, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 4, ‘13 for Curtains and Forbidden Broadway. Website: http://gcplayers.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Des Moines Community Playhouse - Des Moines, IA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 19, ‘13 for Legally Blonde. Website: www.dmplayhouse.com/volunteer/audition.php Contact Info: 515-974-5365 Appl Deadline: N/A Hale Centre Theatre - West Valley City, UT (Paid, EmgPro) Upc auds for Disney’s Tarzan (May 11, ‘13), Brigadoon (Jul 13, ‘13), and A Christmas Carol (Sep 14, ‘13). Website: halecentretheatre.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing Desert Stages Theater - Scottsdale, AZ (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 12, ‘13 for Rocky Horror Show. Website: desertstages.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A SIGHT-SINGING with Liz Fleischer ear training • music theory “A must for singers, and so much fun...” Bette Midler Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Music Center 212 501 3360 • KaufmanMusicCenter.org/LMS • 129 W. 67th St., NYC 96 Classical Singer / May 2013 Resonance® A Comprehensive Voice Series New edition, same outstanding quality! Resonance® A Comprehensive Voice Series serves as the official resource for voice assessments of the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program. Featuring an outstanding selection of voice literature and supporting materials, this series offers a truly enriched learning experience to help ensure student success. For more information about how these publications can support your students in their assessments, visit www.MusicDevelopmentProgram.org Download your free sampler at www.MusicDevelopmentProgram.org Auditions Harbor Playhouse - Corpus Christi, TX (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 7-9, ‘13 for Les Misérables and Jul 9-10, ‘13 for Evil Dead: The Musical. Website: www.harborplayhouse.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Hayswood Theatre - Corydon, IN (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 13-14, ‘13 for Seussical, the Musical. Website: www.hayswoodtheatre.com/Auditions. html Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Highland Park Players - Northbrook, IL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds early Jun ‘13 for Cats. Website: www.highlandparkplayers.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Ignite Theatre - Aurora, CO (Paid, EmgPro) Auds May 22-23, ‘13 for Lysistrata Jones. Website: www.lucentperformingarts.org/auditions. php Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Imagine Columbus - Columbus, OH (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for 9 to 5 (Jun 2-3, ‘13) and Young Frankenstein: The Musical (Aug 3-4, ‘13). Website: www.imaginecolumbus.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Irving Community Theater - Irving, TX (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 19-20, ‘13 for Bells are Ringing. Website: www.irvingtheatre.org/new/ mainstage/seasons/2012-2013/bells/index. htm#auditions Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 JCC SummerStage - Rochester, NY (Volunteer, Student) Auds May 20-21, ‘13 for Legally Blonde, the Musical. Website: www.jccrochester.org/events/specialevents/centerstage-theatre/auditions Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Kelsey Theatre at Mercer - West Windsor, NJ (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 18-19, ‘13 for Godspell. Website: www.kelseyatmccc.org/auditions. shtml Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Lakeland Community Theatre - Lakeland, FL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 6-7, ‘13 for Aida. Website: www.lakelandcommunitytheatre.com/ this-season/auditions/auditions-schedule.html Appl Deadline: N/A Lebanon Community Theatre - Lebanon, PA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 19-20, ‘13 for Bye, Bye Birdie and Sep 30-Oct 1, ‘13 for The Sound of Music. Website: www.lct.cc Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A LifeHouse Theater - Redlands, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 9, ‘13 for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Website: lifehousetheater.com Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma - Oklahoma City, OK (Paid, Pro) Auds May 11, ‘13 for The Rocky Horror Show. Website: www.lyrictheatreokc.com/about-thelyric/auditions Contact Info: 405-524-9310 Appl Deadline: N/A Discover the Joy in Singing Shirley Love a twenty year featured artist at the Metropolitan Opera Company Open to vocal students ages 16 & up. For private study with Shirley Love 914-723-5390 www.voiceteachers.com/shirleylove 98 Classical Singer / May 2013 3 Marblehead Little Theatre - Marblehead, MA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 13 & 15, ‘13 for Spamalot and The Fantastics. Website: www.mltlive.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Myers Dinner Theatre - Hillsboro, IN (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 12, ‘13 for Disco Inferno. Website: www.myersdt.com Contact Info: (765) 798-4902, ext. 4 Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Newtown Arts Company - Newtown, PA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 3-4, ‘13 for Grease. Website: www.newtownartscompany.com/en/ Contact Info: 215-295-4279 Appl Deadline: N/A 3 No Square Theatre - Laguna Beach, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 4-6, ‘13 for The Wizard of Oz. Website: www.nosquare.org/auditions.html Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Opera House Players - Broad Brook, CT (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 6-7, ‘13 for Company. Website: www.operahouseplayers.org/ Auditions.html Appl Deadline: N/A PACE Center - Parker, CO (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 12, ‘13 for Sweeney Todd. Website: www.parkeronline.org/CivicAlerts. aspx?AID=1018 Contact Info: 303-805-6800 Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Pensacola Little Theatre - Pensacola, FL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 3-5, ‘13 for The Wizard of Oz. For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com Website: www.pensacolalittletheatre.com/ Auditions Appl Deadline: N/A Pentacle Theatre - Salem, OR (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 18, ‘13 for The Secret Garden and Aug 24, ‘13 for Into The Woods. Website: www.pentacletheatre.org Contact Info: 503-364-7200 Appl Deadline: N/A Peoria Players - Peoria, IL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 15-16, ‘13 for Les Miserables. Website: www.peoriaplayers.org/ Appl Deadline: N/A PGT Entertainment - FL (Paid, EmgPro) Casting singers for cruise ship prod shows. Website: www.pgtpi.com Appl Deadline: N/A Quincy Community Theatre - Quincy, IL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 20-21, ‘13 for 9 to 5, the Musical and Sep 28-29, ‘13 for The Wizard of Oz. Website: www.1qct.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Richey Suncoast Theatre - New Port Richey, FL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 3-4, ‘13 for Company; Sep 23-24, ‘13 for Pasco Christmas; Dec 9-10, ‘13 for Camelot; and Feb 17-18, ‘14 for TBA musical. Website: www.richeysuncoasttheatre.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 South Bend Civic Theatre - South Bend, IN (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 5-7, ‘13 for Les Misérables. Website: www.sbct.org/participate-auditions.php Appl Deadline: N/A Southside Theatre Guild - Fairburn, GA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 20-21, ‘13 for All Shook Up. Website: www.stgplays.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Springer Opera House - Columbus, GA (Paid, Pro) ‘13/14 seas auds May 20-22, ‘13. Website: www.springeroperahouse.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A The Summer Place - Naperville, IL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 5-6, ‘13 for Legally Blonde and May 19-21, ‘13 for Oklahoma! Website: http://summerplacetheatre.org/ AuditionsJobs/tabid/1088/Default.aspx Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Sunset Playhouse - Elm Grove, WI (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 21-22, ‘13 for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Website: www.sunsetplayhouse.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A The Theatre Company - Bryan, TX (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 12-13, ‘13 for 9 to 5: The Musical, and Jun 30-Jul 1, ‘13 for Spamalot. Website: www.theatrecompany.com/auditions/ Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Theatre Winter Haven - Winter Haven, FL (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 28-29, ‘13 for Jesus Christ Superstar. Website: www.theatrewinterhaven.com/ auditions.asp Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Villagers Theatre - Somerset, NJ (Volunteer, Student) Auds May 27-28, ‘13 for Legally Blonde. Seeking teens btwn the ages of 13-19 only. Website: www.villagerstheatre.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Wayne Township Community Theatre Indianopolis, IN (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 9-10, ‘13 for Variety! The Musical. Website: www.wayne.k12.in.us/wtef/auditions. htm Contact Info: (317) 988-7958 Appl Deadline: N/A Woodland Opera House Theatre Company Woodland, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 9-11, ‘13 for Les Miserables. Website: www.woodlandoperahouse.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A York Little Theatre - York, PA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for The Producers (May 13-14, ‘13) and The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Jun 10-11, ‘13). Website: http://yltauditions.blogspot.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Opera Chorus The Dallas Opera - Dallas, TX (A, Paid, Pro) Chorus auds for core/auxiliary positions late May/ early Jun. 25th Anniversary Classical Vocal Reprints In Celebration of 25 years of service, we now offer online ordering. Enjoy: • Thousands of titles available • Sheet music available for download • Secure online ordering Classical Vocal Reprints 1(800)298-7474 [email protected] www.classicalvocalrep.com www.classicalsinger.com 99 Auditions Website: www.dallasopera.org/about/ employment/ Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Michigan Opera Theatre - Detroit, MI (A, Paid, Pro) Chorus auds May 22 & 29, 13 for ‘13/14 Seas. Rep: The Flying Dutchman, La Traviata, A View from the Bridge, Turandot. Website: www.michiganopera.org/work-withus/vocal-auditions/ Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Norwegian Opera and Ballet - Oslo, Norway (A, Paid, Pro) Prof’l chorus auds May 29, ‘13. Website: http://delta.hr-manager.net/ ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=256&ProjectId=136596 &DepartmentId=17227&MediaId=2433 Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: May 6, ‘13 3 San Diego Opera - San Diego, CA (A, Paid, Pro) ‘14 Seas Chorus auds take place Aug 13-21, ‘13. Website: www.sdopera.com/Company/ Employment Appl Deadline: Jul 8, ‘13 Calgary Opera - Calgary, AB, Canada (B, Paid, EmgPro) Chorus auds Jun 3-4, ‘13 for ‘13/14 Seas. Website: www.calgaryopera.com/about/ chorusandsupers.php Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Belleayre Festival Opera (Belleayre Music Festival) - Highmount, NY (D, Paid, EmgPro) Casting principals, supporting roles and ensemble for Carmen. Website: www.donaldwestwood.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Virginia Opera - Norfolk, VA (B, Paid, Pro) Adult chorus auds May 13-15, ‘13. Website: www.vaopera.org/about-va-opera/ opportunities.html Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Seeking singers for ‘13/14 seas. Need all voice types, especially tenors! Contact Info: 215-224-0257 Appl Deadline: Ongoing Opera Columbus - Columbus, OH (C, Paid, EmgPro) Auds May 18-19, ‘13 for edu’tnl prog, mainstage roles and local chorus. Website: www.operacolumbus.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 CT Gilbert & Sullivan Society - Middletown, CT (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds Jun 11, ‘13 for Yeomen of the Guard. Website: ctgands.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Jun 9, ‘13 3 Opera Omaha - Omaha, NE (C, Paid, EmgPro) Chorus auds May 18, ‘13. Website: www.operaomaha.org/content_pages/ chorus-auditions Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Gilbert & Sullivan Yiddish Light Opera Central Islip, NY (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds for G&S lead and chorus roles. Website: www.gsyiddish.com Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing ENJOY YOUR VOICE Osceola Davis Lyric Coloratura Soprano Metropolitan Opera voice instructor /operatic interpretation Private lessons / vocal consultation (718) 796 7195 or [email protected] 100 Classical Singer / May 2013 For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com 3 Light Opera of New Jersey - Basking Ridge, NJ (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Upc seas auds May 21, 23 & 25, ‘13. Rep: Orpheus in the Underworld, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Magic Flute. Website: www.ridgelightopera.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Vocal Productions NYC - New York, NY (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Seeking male chorus members for Ernani. Website: www.vocalproductionsnyc.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Winter Opera Saint Louis - MO (U, Paid, EmgPro) Chorus auds May 11-12, ‘13 in St. Louis. Website: www.winteroperastl.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: May 10, ‘13 Other Chorus Bach Choir of Pittsburgh - PA (Paid, EmgPro) Open auds for one seas at a time for volunteer choir members and a prof’l core of paid singers. Website: www.bachchoirpittsburgh.org/jointhe-choir Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Cleveland Orchestra - Cleveland, OH (Volunteer, EmgPro) Chorus auds May 20-21, ‘13. Website: www.clevelandorchestra.com/about/ people/choruses/Auditioning.aspx Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A 3 Highland Park Chorale - Dallas, TX (Paid, EmgPro) Aud appts now being accepted for ‘13/14 seas. Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Houston Symphony Chorus - Houston, TX (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May ‘13 for singer/musicians to perform high level choral/orch rep w/Symphony. Website: www.houstonsymphony.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Musaic - San Francisco, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Men’s a cappella ensemble currently aud’ng all parts, esp basses. Website: www.musaicsf.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing From Mozart to Puccini… Learn how to sing with style, security and beauty For a limited time receive individual coaching from world renowned lyric soprano Carol Vaness. New Trinity Baroque - Atlanta, GA (Paid, EmgPro) Accepting mats from all voice types for upc concert seas as soloists or singers in chamber choir. Website: newtrinitybaroque.org Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 Paul Delgado Singers - Fullerton, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 30-Jun 8, ‘13 for ‘13/14 seas. Website: www.pauldelgadosingers.org Contact Info: paul.j.delgado@pauldelgadosingers. org Appl Deadline: May 30, ‘13 The Philadelphia Singers - Philadelphia, PA (Paid, Pro) Auds May 6, 11 & 13, ‘13 for upc seas. Website: www.philadelphiasingers.org/singerresources/auditions.html Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: May 1, ‘13 3 Piedmont Chamber Singers - WinstonSalem, NC (Volunteer, EmgPro) Gen’l auds May 14, ‘13 and Aug 20, ‘13. Website: www.piedmontchambersingers.org Contact Info: director@piedmontchambersingers. org Appl Deadline: N/A What do singers at the Met, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris and Covent Garden share? April 18-29, 2013 New York City, NY “I love young singers and I do 100% of my best to give them as much as I can for their careers! It is a great joy to see everyone get better!” Carol Vaness has over 30 years experience singing all over the world. She is a Master Teacher at the MET LYAPD Program and commitment to excellence professor of voice at Indiana Jacob’s School of Music. CONTACT: [email protected] Instruction also available at Indiana University 17th annual neil semer vocal institute for professionals and aspiring professionals perform in germany july 27 august 10 august 14 28 - and/or with international voice teacher Neil Semer, Roberta Cunningham and coaches from European opera houses. Limited to 20 singers. For more info: www.neilsemer.com 212-265-6454 neilsemer @aol.com - sing for agents & casting people italian school vocal training master classes audition workshops public performances reasonably priced www.classicalsinger.com 101 Auditions 3 Pittsburgh Camerata - Pittsburgh, PA (Paid, Pro) Auds through May ‘13 for ‘13/14 Seas. Website: http://pittsburghcamerata.org/ auditions Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A San Francisco Choral Artists - San Francisco, CA (Paid, EmgPro) Interested in hearing talented singers of all voices, especially low basses. Website: www.sfca.org/about-auditions.php Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing Portland Symphonic Choir - Portland, OR (Paid, EmgPro) Open auds for paid staff singer subs. Website: www.pschoir.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” - Ft. Meyer, VA (Paid, Pro) Auds Jun 18, ‘13 for bass vocalist. Website: www.usarmyband.com/jobs/ vacancy_-_bass_vocalist_-_army_chorus.html Contact Info: (703) 696-0206 Appl Deadline: May 7, ‘13 The Princeton Singers - Princeton, NJ (Paid, Pro) Seeking vocalists of all voice parts. Website: www.princetonsingers.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing Providence Singers - East Providence, RI (Volunteer, EmgPro) Chorus auds for ‘13/14 seas ongoing through summer. Website: www.providencesingers.org Appl Deadline: Ongoing Revels - Watertown, MA (Volunteer, EmgPro) Auds May 5-6, ‘13 for The Christmas Revels. Website: www.revels.org/get-involved/auditions Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Sacra/Profana - CA (Paid, EmgPro) Auds throughout yr by appt. Website: www.sacraprofana.org Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing 102 Classical Singer / May 2013 3 Vancouver Chamber Choir - Vancouver, BC, Canada (Paid, Pro) Auds throughout/yr for prof’l singers. Website: www.vancouverchamberchoir.com Contact Info: auditions@ vancouverchamberchoir.com Appl Deadline: Ongoing VocalEssence - Minneapolis, MN (Paid, Pro) Auds Apr 14-May 30, ‘13 for Ensemble Singers & Volunteer Chorus. Website: www.vocalessence.org/audition Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: N/A Teaching Positions 3 Central State University - Wilberforce, OH (Paid) Seeking Asst Prof of Voice. Website: https://careers.centralstate.edu/ postings/2503 Appl Deadline: Until filled Other Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Paid, EmgPro) Seeking accomps for ‘13/14 seas. Contact Info: 215-224-0257 Appl Deadline: Ongoing OperaOggiNY - New York, NY (U, Volunteer, EmgPro) Currently seeking accomp applicants for ‘13 Apprentice Pianist Prog. Website: www.operaogginy.info Contact Info: [email protected] Appl Deadline: Ongoing Seattle Opera - Seattle, WA (A, Volunteer, Student) Currently accepting internship appls in Prod/ Admin, Stage Mngmnt, Costume Stock, Edu’tn and Development. Website: www.seattleopera.org/about/ employment/internships.aspx Appl Deadline: Ongoing Stiletto Entertainment - Los Angeles, CA (Paid, Pro) Seeking luxury cruise ship performers w/ Broadway, national tour or legit opera credits. Website: www.stilettoentertainment.com/ cruiseship/audition.cfm Contact Info: jnadeau@stilettoentertainment. com Appl Deadline: Ongoing 3 WFMT Introductions - Chicago, IL (Student, Volunteer) Seeking pre-college classical soloists, duos, choirs, small ensembles and large ensembles for 98.7WFMT radio broadcast. Website: http://blogs.wfmt.com/introductions/ audition/ Appl Deadline: Ongoing Competitions Coordinator: Kimberlee Talbot Email: [email protected] Website: www.classicalsinger.com/directories/competition/ If you have any problems w/a published competition notice, please contact Kimberlee Talbot immediately at [email protected]. We do not publish notices from companies w/unresolved complaints. 3 = New Notice This Issue The audition and competition listings in Classical Singer magazine come from our online audition management tool Auditions Plus. With Auditions Plus you can find, save, manage, and track all types of singing opportunities. More than 1,400 job postings, training program opportunities, volunteer positions and educational listings are available on AuditionsPlus.com, including more than 400 audition and competition listings. Auditions Plus is free for all Classical Singer subscribers. Find and post opportunities today! Grants, Awards & Misc. Funding 3 15th Young Alaskan Artist Award - Anchorage, AK Sponsored By: Anchorage Festival of Music Age Limit: N/A Website: www.anchoragefestivalmusic.com/ yaapplication.htm Appl Deadline: May 6, ‘13 2013 Ernest Empson Scholarship - Christchurch, New Zealand Sponsored By: Christchurch Civic Music Council Age Limit: 23 Website: http://musiccanterbury.co.nz/competitions/ ernest-empson-scholarship/ Appl Deadline: May 31, ‘13 Arleen Auger Memorial Fund Age Limit: 30 Website: www.arleen-auger-memorial-fund.org/ application.html Appl Deadline: Ongoing Artist Development Grants - Montpelier, VT Sponsored By: Vermont Arts Council Age Limit: N/A Website: www.vermontartscouncil.org/Portals/0/ tabid/82/Default.aspx Appl Deadline: Jun 30, ‘13 3 Dutch Classical Talent Tour & Award Amsterdam, Netherlands Sponsored By: Dutch Classical Talent Competition Date: Oct 21-22, Nov 2, ‘13 Age Limit: 30 Website: www.dutchclassicaltalent.nl/overig/english Appl Deadline: Sep 20, ‘13 3 Fulbright Grants Competition Sponsored By: Institute of International Education Age Limit: N/A Website: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants Appl Deadline: Oct 15, ‘13 104 Classical Singer / May 2013 3 HFSO Guild Voice Award - Hamilton, OH Sponsored By: Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Guild Age Limit: 18 Website: http://hfso.org/activities/ Appl Deadline: Jun 1, ‘13 Kath Topping Award for Vocal Studies 2013 - Kent, UK Sponsored By: Kent Chamber Choir Age Limit: 23 Website: www.kentchamberchoir.org.uk Appl Deadline: May 31, ‘13 No Age Limit/Unknown 2nd Annual Teaneck Cabaret Competition Teaneck, NJ Sponsored By: Mort and Ray Productions Competition Date: May 27, ‘13 Website: www.mortandray.com Appl Deadline: May 10, ‘13 5th Ernest Bloch Music Competition - London, UK Sponsored By: Ernest Bloch Music Competition Website: www.israelimusiccompetition.org/ Appl Deadline: May 19, ‘13 10th Annual Mario Lanza Vocal Competition - New York, NY Sponsored By: Mort and Ray Productions Competition Date: May 26, ‘13 Website: www.mortandray.com Appl Deadline: May 10, ‘13 15th Music Competition “Euterpe” - Corato, Italy Sponsored By: Concorso di Musica Euterpe Competition Date: May 25-Jun 2, ‘13 Website: www.concorsoeuterpe.it/index.php/en/ Appl Deadline: May 3, ‘13 16th International Competition of Music “Pietro Argento” - Gioia del Colle, Italy Sponsored By: Association Daniele Lobefaro of Gioia del Colle Competition Date: May 28- Jun 2, ‘13 Website: www.concorsoargento.it/PagInterne/Bando. asp Appl Deadline: May 18, ‘13 3 20th International Johannes Brahms Competition - Poertschach, Austria Sponsored By: Johannes Brahms Competition Competition Date: Aug 30-Sep 8, ‘13 Website: http://2013.brahmscompetition.org/?page_ id=1〈=en Appl Deadline: Jul 1, ‘13 2013 Altamura Caruso International Voice Competition - New York, NY Sponsored By: Inter-Cities Performing Arts, Inc. Competition Date: Oct 3-4 & 6, ‘13 Website: www.altocanto.org Appl Deadline: Sep 5, ‘13 3 2013 International Auditions - New York, NY Sponsored By: Young Concert Artists Competition Date: Nov 5-7 & 9, ‘13 Website: www.yca.org/auditions/ Appl Deadline: Aug 27, ‘13 2013 Mary Trueman Vocal Arts Competition - New York, NY Sponsored By: Art Song Preservation Society of New York Website: www.artsongpreservationsocietyny. org/2013-asps-master-application.html Appl Deadline: Aug 15, ‘13 3 2013 MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year Competition - Swansea, UK Sponsored By: Morriston Orpheus Choir and Supporters’ Association Competition Date: Sep 29, ‘13 Website: www.morristonorpheus.com/young-welshsinger-of-the-year-competition/ Appl Deadline: Jun 5, ‘13 3 Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition Townsville, QLD, Australia Sponsored By: Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition, Inc. Competition Date: Jul 19-23, ‘13 Website: www.ausconcertovocal.com/ Appl Deadline: Jun 5, ‘13 3 Emmy Destinn Young Singers Awards 2013 London, UK Sponsored By: Emmy Destinn Foundation Competition Date: Oct 16-17 & 26, ‘13 Website: www.destinn.com/#/awardsentry/4523141577 Appl Deadline: Sep 1, ‘13 3 Grand Voci 2013 - Salzburg, Austria Sponsored By: Oper im Berg Festival Competition Date: Aug 21-24, ‘13 Website: www.operimbergfestival.com/grandi-voci/ invitation-2013/index.php Appl Deadline: Aug 1, ‘13 3 NJAVO 25th Annual Vocal Competition - Fort Lee, NJ Sponsored By: New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera Competition Date: Nov 4, 6, 8- 9, 11, 13, 16, & 18, ‘13 Website: www.njavo.org/vocalcomp.html Appl Deadline: Nov 1, ‘13 3 PNE Star Showdown - Vancouver, BC, Canada Sponsored By: Pacific National Exhibition Website: www.pne.ca/starshowdown/index.html Appl Deadline: Jun 7, ‘13 Age 18 and Under Audray Competition for Young Singers - New York, NY Sponsored By: Audray School of Singing Competition Date: Dec 1, ‘13 Age Limit: 17 Website: www.audrayschool.com Appl Deadline: Nov 29, ‘13 Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition Sponsored By: William E. Schmidt Foundation Age Limit: 18 Website: www.schmidtcompetition.org/competition. shtml Appl Deadline: Ongoing Age 25 and Under 3rd Annual Music Competition - Scarsdale, NY Sponsored By: New York Chamber Players Competition Date: Jun 9, ‘13 Age Limit: 21 Website: http://newyorkchamberplayers.org/new_ For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com york_chamber_players_music_competition Appl Deadline: May 29, ‘13 3 2013 Portland Rossini Club Scholarship Competitions - Portland, ME Sponsored By: Portland Rossini Club Competition Date: Jun 8, ‘13 Age Limit: 25 Website: www.rossiniclub.org/Scholarship-Competitions.html Appl Deadline: May 17, ‘13 3 The Keller Concert Competition - Lafayette, IN Sponsored By: Lafayette Symphony Orchestra Competition Date: Jun 8, ‘13 Age Limit: 22 Website: www.lafayettesymphony.org/community.php Appl Deadline: May 11, ‘13 Age 30 and Under 3 2013 Mario Lanza Institute Scholarship - Philadelphia, PA Sponsored By: Mario Lanza Institute Competition Date: Oct 21-22, ‘13, Nov 3, ‘13 Age Limit: 28 Website: www.mariolanzainstitute.org/programs/scholarships/apply-forscholarship/ Appl Deadline: Oct 12, ‘13 3 The Ljunggren Competition for Young Musicians - Göteborg, Sweden Sponsored By: The Ebba och Gustaf Ljunggren Memorial Foundation Competition Date: Oct 5-6, ‘13 Age Limit: 29 Website: www.hsm.gu.se/english/cooperation/the_ljunggren_competition/ Appl Deadline: May 20, ‘13 Age 35 and Under 4th International Singing Competition for Baroque Opera Pietro Antonio Cesti 2013 - Innsbruck, Austria Sponsored By: Innsbruck Festival of Early Music Competition Date: Aug 11-16, ‘13 Age Limit: (M) 33; (F) 31 Website: www.altemusik.at/en/singing-competition/cesti-singing-competition/ entry-conditions-rules/ Appl Deadline: May 15, ‘13 6th Israeli Music Competition - London, UK Sponsored By: Israeli Music Competition Age Limit: 35 Website: www.israelimusiccompetition.org/ Appl Deadline: May 19, ‘13 12th Czech and Slovak International Music Competition of Montreal - Green Bay, WI, USA/Montréal, QC, Canada Sponsored By: Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20 & University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Competition Date: Sep 28-29, ‘13, Oct 2-4, ‘13 Age Limit: 34 NEW CUSTOM-DESIGNED MUSIC FACILITY IN NEW YORK CITY • 10 vocal studios — perfect for lessons • • Recital, ensemble and rehearsal spaces • CZECH AND SLOVAK INTERNATIONAL vOICE COMPETITION OF MONTREAL • All pianos tuned weekly • • Fully equipped audio/visual recording studio • • Competitive rates • CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL DE CHANT TCHÈQUE ET SLOVAQUE DE MONTRÉAL 12e édition/ 12th edition GREEN BAY, WI (USA) - MONTRÉAL, QC (CANADA) VOIX / VOICE 28 septembre au 4 octobre 2013 / September 28th to October 4th, 2013 15 000 $ en prix et bourses / $15,000 in prizes and bursaries ainsi que des concerts / as well as concerts Premier éliminatoire et demi-finale / First Round and Semi-Final University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Wisconsin (États-Unis / United States) les 28 et 29 septembre 2013 / September 28th and 29th, 2013 Montréal, Québec (Canada) les 2 et 3 octobre 2013 / October 2nd and 3rd, 2013 Finale / Final Round Montréal, Québec (Canada) le 4 octobre 2013 / October 4th, 2013 Concert Gala / Gala Concert Montréal, Québec (Canada) le 4 octobre 2013 / October 4th, 2013 organisé par / organized by Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20, Montréal, QC (Canada) University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, WI (USA) Avec le soutien de / With the support of Ministère des Affaires Étrangères de la République tchèque, Ministère de la Culture de la République tchèque Fondation Sharon Chmel Resch, Fondation Velan, Fonds Antonin Dvorak de Montréal Maison Slovaque, J. Slaba Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20 – http://lyrichoregra20.wifeo.com/ University of Wisconsin – Green Bay – www.uwgb.edu/international/music/ Reservations and information: operaamerica.org/operacenter 212-796-8630 | [email protected] 330 Seventh Avenue (at 29th Street) New York City Conveniently located near Penn Station, Amtrak, airport shuttles and suburban trains. The National Opera Center is owned and operated by OPERA America, building on more than 40 years of experience serving and leading the industry. www.classicalsinger.com 105 OPERA America March 2013 ad for Classical Singer Ad.indd 1 3/28/2013 9:32:52 AM Competitions Website: http://lyrichoregra20.wifeo.com/ Appl Deadline: Sep 1, ‘13 32nd International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition 2013 - Vienna, Austria Sponsored By: Belvedere Singing Competition Competition Date: Jun 29-Jul 6, ‘13 Age Limit: 32 Website: www.belvedere-competition.com Appl Deadline: Varies by location 3 2013 Montserrat Caballé International Singing Competition - Zaragoza, Spain Sponsored By: Montserrat Caballé International Singing Competition Competition Date: Sep 8-14, ‘13 Age Limit: 33 Website: www.concursocaballe.org/bases_inscripciones_condiciones.asp Appl Deadline: Jul 1, ‘13 3 2013 Vocal Competition - New York, NY Sponsored By: Opera Index, Inc. Competition Date: Oct 9-10 & 12, ‘13 Age Limit: 35 Website: www.operaindexinc.org/singers/index.html Appl Deadline: Sep 22, ‘13 Intensive and MUSICAL THEATRE Intensive International Opera Singing Competition Bulgaria - Sofia, Bulgaria Sponsored By: Euterpe Rose of Karlovo Competition Date: Sep 16-22, ‘13 Age Limit: (M) 35; (F) 33 Website: www.teleworksofia.com/ Appl Deadline: Jul 1, ‘13 2013 Summer Program Our Mission MEZZO-SOPRANO Pre-Professional Summer Music Intensive July 8th – August 4th $1500 Soloist for 14 seasons with The Metropolitan Opera and International Opera Houses, 150 solo recitals, Broadway PHOTO: PETER BEARD ★ Vocal Study: The Juilliard School, Beverly Johnson, and private study with Marlena Malas ★ Drama Study: Herbert Berghof and Katharine Hepburn ★ Dance Study: Martha Graham ★ Yoga Study: Two Certifications: Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga [email protected] 106 Classical Singer / May 2013 by Appointment is to train our students to become first-class performing artists. We help cultivate talents in a wide range of orchestral and musical disciples to better prepare attendees for a versatile professional career. Discover the freedom, power, and beauty of your voice with www.brendaboozer.com 3rd International Respighi Prize Competition for Composers & Soloists New York, NY Sponsored By: Chamber Orchestra of New York Age Limit: 39 Website: www.chamberorchestraofnewyork.org/respighi_prize_competition.html Appl Deadline: Jun 30, ‘13 PRE-PROFESSIONAL SUMMER MUSIC Handel Aria Competition - Madison, WI Sponsored By: Madison Early Music Festival Competition Date: Jul 8, ‘13 Age Limit: 35 Website: www.madisonearlymusic.org Appl Deadline: May 3, ‘13 For private study call (828) 773-1687 Age 40 and Under Riccardo Zandonai International Competition - Riva del Garda, Italy Sponsored By: Associazione Musica Riva Competition Date: May 28, ‘13 Age Limit: 36 Website: www.musicarivafestival.com Appl Deadline: May 24, ‘13 3 Brian Law Opera Competition - Ottawa, ON, Canada Sponsored By: National Capital Opera Society Competition Date: Nov 9, ‘13 Age Limit: 32 Website: www.ncos.ca/WebPages/e/competition/competition.html Appl Deadline: Sep 25, ‘13 Vocal Studio locations in NYC, Westchester, and summers in North Carolina. Paris Opera Competition 2013-2014 - Paris, France Sponsored By: Paris Opera Competition Age Limit: 35 Website: www.ciopera.com/page/38 Appl Deadline: Jun 30, ‘13 17th International Opera Singing Competition - Trujillo, Peru Sponsored By: Cultural Promotion Centre and Provincial Municipality of Trujillo Competition Date: Nov 6-14, ‘13 Age Limit: 38 Website: www.concursocantotrujillo.org/concurso.html Appl Deadline: Jul 20, ‘13 Auditions Plus Vocal Competition - Boston, MA Sponsored By: Classical Singer Competition Date: May 26, ‘13 Age Limit: 32 Website: www.classicalsinger.com/convention/competition Appl Deadline: Ongoing BRENDA BOOZER 3 Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Voice-Piano Competition 2013 Paris, France Sponsored By: Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Centre Competition Date: Nov 7-10, ‘13 Age Limit: 33 Website: www.cnlb.fr/enb/concours/prochain.html Appl Deadline: Sep 2, ‘13 Musical Theatre Intensive July 8th – August 3rd $1250 Molloy College Madison Theatre 1000 Hempstead Ave Rockville Centre, NY 11571 www.madisontheatreny.org Students ages 9 and up. • Auditions: Send a 3 minute tape or For all • Eligibility: 20 students per age group. contact 516.678.5000 ext 7713 or 9 to 12 / 13 to 17 to audition in person. Must call to schedule. Programs 18 and Up (Audition Required) [email protected] shine where excellence comes to Superior conservatory training at a world-class research university. Prestigious, resident faculty and exceptional student talent. It’s all here: www.music.umich.edu New England Conservatory is full of transformative experiences. Starting this September, studying with Jane Eaglen is one of them. NEC offers one of the world’s most distinguished voice faculties, and we are proud to welcome Jane Eaglen, a leading Wagnerian soprano of the modern era, to this celebrated group. At NEC, you’ll enjoy amazing relationships with your teachers— Ms. Eaglen and colleagues—as part of a rich, supportive, dynamic community. And you’ll perform in world-renowned Jordan Hall and on Boston’s best opera stages. It’s a remarkable environment with ample, developmentally appropriate opportunities for all vocalists— both undergraduate and graduate. See our full list of voice and opera artist-faculty members at necmusic.edu/faculty.