Expect the Unexpected

Transcription

Summer 2016
Expect the
Unexpected
Your Summer
Reading List
Singer and Administrator:
Gabriel Preisser
Elizabeth DeShong
The 10 Opera
Challenge
Introduction
to Art Song
Songs in
English for
Classical
Voice Students
G. Schirmer, Inc.
Complied by Joan Frey Boytim
with recorded accompaniments
Joan Boytim has selected some of the easisest
songs in English from The First Book of
Solos series and transposed them for a
different voice type for many of the selections
in Introduction to Art Song, making the songs
available to more students. Additionally,
other suitable songs, not found in other
Boytim collections, have been included. Each
voice type has a unique song list. These
books may be used by students in traditional
voice lessons or by voice classes.
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Vocalises in
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60 Songs by
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The first major collection ever published
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NEW IN THE CANTOLOPERA SERIES
Each with piano/vocal reduction in the printed score.
Voice/orchestra and orchestra accompaniments on the CD.
Giuseppe Verdi Arias
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“ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S
LIVELIEST ACADEMIES.”
—The New York Times
The Turn of the Screw, Benjamin Britten
UMKC CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC AND DANCE
with the
LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY
YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM 2017 AUDITIONS
Seeking tenor and male low voice residency for
Young Artist Program 2017–2019
Application and pre-screening deadline is
Dec. 1, 2016
VOICE FACULTY
Vinson Cole
Raymond Feener
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Maria Kanyova (starting Fall 2016)
Un Chong Christopher
Lindsey McKee
OPERA DIRECTOR
Fenlon Lamb
VOCAL COACHES
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For full audition/application information, visit
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FRANCO-AMERICAN VOCAL ACADEMY
The European Summer Program Specialist
Our mission: develop
world class voice
professionals
AUSTRIA
4 weeks in Salzburg dedicated to Mozart
FRANCE
6 weeks in Périgueux
dedicated to the French Repertoire
ITALY
4 weeks in Napoli
dedicated to Neapolitan Songs
WORLD CLASS FACULTY
FULL CURRICULUM
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DIRECTORS
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Competitions
Gerda Lissner Foundation...........................................23
New Jersey Association of Verisimo Opera.....................58
Education
The Academy of Vocal Arts............................................9
Bard College Conservatory of Music.............................56
Chicago College of Performing Arts/
Roosevelt University...................................................5
Columbus State University...........................................29
The Crane School of Music SUNY Potsdam...................33
Hartwick College........................................................39
Kennesaw State University..........................................57
LaGrange College......................................................19
Lamont School of Music.............................................60
McGill University........................................................42
Oberlin College..........................................................59
Palm Beach Atlantic University.....................................19
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School.........................................37
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance........................3
University of Alabama.................................................24
University of Colorado - Boulder...................................31
University of Notre Dame............................................27
Virginia Commonwealth University................................41
62
Health
Vitavocal Health..............................................22, 26,42
Masterclass
Acting Opera...........................................................51
Musical Accessories
Pocket Opera............................................................54
Sing & See...............................................................47
Song of Joy Industries, LLC........................................53
Vol. 29 No. 6
Printed Music
Hal Leonard................................................................2
Leyerle Publications...................................................22
Packard Humanities Institute........................................17
Publisher
David Wood
Publications
Aria Ready!...............................................................15
Literature for Teaching................................................38
Pavane Publishing......................................................52
Singer’s Auditions......................................................47
Recordings/Recording Studios
David Jones..............................................................24
Summer Programs
Franco American Vocal Academy...................................4
Phoenicia Festival of the Voice.....................................55
Shenandoah University - CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute...12
Voice Teachers
Carole Farley International Vocal Coaching...................... 26
Davis, Osceola............................................................ 53
Jacklin, Diana............................................................ 54
Sheridan, Patricia........................................................ 39
Thomas, Pamela......................................................... 16
Websites
The Diction Police......................................................35
Singer Websites........................................................27
Editor in Chief
Sara Thomas
General Manager
Alex Stoddard
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On the cover: Elizabeth DeShong
Photo by: Kristin Hoebermann
www.classicalsinger.com 5
Summer 2016
Vol. 29 No. 6
the Unexpected:
20 Expect
Elizabeth DeShong
Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong grew up
in a small Pennsylvania town and came to the
decision at a relatively young age to pursue
an operatic career. Supportive parents found
the aspiring singer voice and piano teachers,
and she devoted herself to dutiful study of
both instruments throughout her college
career. Those piano skills continue to pay
off for DeShong—the mezzo remarkably
self-coaches all of her own roles. And as
unexpected as the variety of roles DeShong
sings is the attention to detail she gives to
not only her artistry but all aspects of her
life, including a website she hosts featuring
captivating photos of her traveling life.
With upcoming return appearances at
Glyndebourne and the Met, DeShong is
truly an artist to watch. by Greg Waxberg
photo by Kristin Hoebermann
features
monthly columns
32 In Michigan, Richard Leech Helps Train Young
Professionals
10 Musings on Mechanics: That’s Not Opera—It’s an
Opportunity
Michigan Opera Theatre is expanding its Young Artist
Program and legendary tenor Richard Leech joins David
DiChiera to lead the way. by Greg Waxberg
36 Singer and Administrator: Gabriel Preisser
aritone Gabriel Preisser is enjoying a busy and active singing
B
career. So why would he take on the role of artistic and
executive director? Find out here. by Laura Portune
40 The Hampsong Foundation: Empowering and
Engaging Singers, Educators, and Lovers of Song
Baritone Thomas Hampson continues to inspire singers,
teachers, and artists alike with his work in promoting art song.
Read about his foundation’s most recent offering: the Song of
America Educators Workshop in New York City.
by Peter Thoresen
44 Directories
Peruse the listings in the Young Artist Program Directory and
Voice Teacher, Coach, and Accompanist Directory. Find the
basic information printed here, and visit the online directories
for more.
in every issue
7
8
52
55
Bulletin Board
From the Editor
Audition Listings
Competition Listings
6 Classical Singer / Summer 2016
Another reality TV adolescent opera singer went viral recently,
and the classical singing world reacted. But is the typical outrage,
although certainly well informed and well intentioned, really the best
way to respond? by Claudia Friedlander
14 The Music Major Minute: Summer Lovin’ Reading List for
Voice Majors
Take advantage of the spare time you have this summer to catch
up on some reading that will inspire your mind and your next
performance. by Christi Amonson
18 The Music Major Minute Bonus: Have You Taken Christi’s
10 Opera Challenge?
I n June Christi challenged CS readers via www.ClassicalSinger.com
to watch 10 operas this summer and complete her survey below. If
you haven’t started, it’s not too late! Read details here.
by Christi Amonson
50 The Doctor Is In: Singing a Different Tune?
Singing in tune can make or break an audition or performance for a
singer. But what is the cause of out-of-tune singing? Dr. Jahn puts forth
a few theories. by Dr. Anthony F. Jahn
Bulletin Board
N E W S ,
T I D B I T S ,
M U S I N G S ,
A N D
M O R E
Thank You, Music
Director Emeritus
James Levine
Metropolitan Opera Music Director James Levine has stepped
down from the post he held since 1976, according to the New York
Times. “For more than four decades the Met has been my artistic
home,” Levine said in a statement to the press, “and I am tremendously proud of all we have been able to achieve together as a company from expanding the repertory to include new and seldom-heard
works, to the development of the orchestra and chorus into one of the
glories of the musical world.”
Young Audience Fills Seats at Opera
Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia is a different sort of
company that caters to operagoers interested
in the latest compositions and theatrical
productions. General Director David Devan
told billypenn.com that his company thinks of
Philadelphia as the nexus of sophistication and
grit, so they created a company that wants to
be at the intersection of those two qualities.
After spending over a half-million dollars
on market research to determine what
operagoers wanted, “we had to change the
way we packaged opera and how we presented
information,” Devan said. He describes opera
as a growth market from which performing arts
customers want more variety.
billypenn.com/2016/05/06/half-of-operaphillys-audience-is-under-35-heres-how-theydid-it/
Met Opera Expects Lower Box Office
Revenue for 2015–16 Season
The Metropolitan Opera informed the
New York Times that it expects to earn only
66 percent of its possible box office revenue,
its lowest percentage ever. Twenty years ago,
the opera company was earning more than 90
percent of potential box-office revenue. Now,
like many other arts organizations, the Met
faces the same problems that are confronting
regional companies. Older, reliable audiences
that used to attend numerous performances
each year are being replaced by younger
.
.
.
B Y
M A R I A
Since his debut in 1971, Levine has
led more than 2,500 Met performances.
During the last few years, however, he
has struggled with physical problems
that have included a bout with Parkinson’s disease. At age 72, he now conducts from a motorized wheelchair. In
the emeritus position next season, he will
still lead revivals of Rossini’s L’italiana
in Algeri, Verdi’s Nabucco, and Mozart’s
Idomeneo.
N O C K I N
James Levine
www.nytimes.com/2016/04/15/arts/music/james-levine-transformative-at-the-met-opera-is-stepping-down.html?_r=0
theatergoers who attend a larger variety of
shows and go to the opera less often.
OPERA America’s President and Chief
Executive Officer Marc A. Scorca notes that
the problem is not specific to the Met or
to New York City. Attendance at a variety
of mainstage performances has dropped in
the last 10 years. The New York City Ballet
expects to fill 75 percent of its capacity, and
the New York Philharmonic expects to sell
about 80 percent of its seats.
www.nytimes.com/2016/05/07/arts/music/
metropolitan-opera-faces-a-slide-in-boxoffice-revenues.html
Kanye West Copies Richard Wagner on
Mother’s Day
Many tabloids reported that hip-hop
recording artist Kanye West brought a string
ensemble to their home to play for his wife,
Kim Kardashian, on Mother’s Day. Norman
Lebrecht of Slipped Disc wonders if West
knew he was copying the actions of Richard
Wagner. The 19th-century composer invited
a group of musicians to his home to play his
newly composed Siegfried Idyll as a birthday
present for his second wife, Cosima, on
Christmas morning in 1870.
slippedisc.com/2016/05/wake-up-darlingtheres-a-sting-orchestra-on-the-stairs/
Musicians Help Science Explore Musical
Medicine
Esa-Pekka Salonen, Annie Clark, Jon
Hopkins, and Peter Gabriel have signed
with former head of design at Nokia, Marko
Ahtisaari, to work on the Sync Project. Sync
is global collaboration harnessing the power
of music for health. The four musicians are
joining the venture as advisors and they will
be working with scientists researching music’s
therapeutic properties while raising awareness
about the project. Ahtisaari says his group
will focus on musical treatment programs
for medical conditions. They hope to match
the efficacy of drug-based treatment without
subjecting patients to the dangers and side
effects of pharmacological programs.
For example, sensors on the phones of
Parkinson’s disease sufferers could contribute
data that would characterize their physical
response to certain music. Collected in bulk,
that data could inform more specific clinical
trials testing the effects of various musical
qualities on patient mobility. The final result
would be a personalized playlist, one that
aids movement and changes with the patient’s
activity.
syncproject.co
www.theverge.com/ 2016/5/5/11592554/
the-sync-project-advisors-peter-gabriel-stvincent-jon-hopkins
From the Editor
F E E D I N G YOU R S OU L
An almost empty glass of wine set on a bright green plate. Five CDs featuring Leon-
tyne Price, Jose Carreras, and Christa Ludwig standing neatly on a shelf. A red Cenerentola score
propped against the chocolate brown wood of a trusty piano. The orange sky as the sun sets over
rust colored adobe buildings in Santa Fe. An empty airport check-in counter with seemingly
miles of winding stanchions to maneuver.
These are just a few of the hundreds of images you can see on mezzo-soprano Elizabeth
DeShong’s captivating website www.asingerssuitcase.com. She created the website in 2011
and began by posting a picture a day. Each photo has a short caption underneath, usually just a
word or two or a phrase—but never more. Sometimes the captions explain the picture perfectly,
and other times you are left longing for the backstory behind the photo. Why did she take the
picture? Where was she when she took it? And what does it mean?
The pictures and captions are so much more than an account of DeShong’s life. They offer
a window into how she views the world around her—her sense of wonder (a sky scraper with a
balcony of hanging laundry), and sometimes disgust (a cigarette butt against the shiny pavement),
and often humor (a gray sedan with the word “love” written in pink over the rear tire and the
caption “all you need”).
More importantly, DeShong’s photos give viewers a glimpse into her artist’s soul.
And DeShong, featured in this month’s cover story (p. 20), is a consummate artist. She has
the piano, language, and time management skills to self-coach all of her own roles. Of course,
this mezzo hasn’t been all self-taught—she credits Oberlin, Curtis, and the Chicago Lyric’s Ryan
Opera Center for honing those skills. Conductor James Gaffigan’s praise for DeShong’s work (p.
24) makes it clear her self-preparation is in no way holding her back.
Like DeShong, our own artists’ souls long to express—we feel the need to experience beauty,
to create, and to share it with others. It is that “artist’s soul” that makes us defensive of our craft.
Like when 10-year-old “opera singers” make a national splash on a reality TV show. Claudia
Friedlander writes about one such recent “opera” star (p. 10) and how, even though such a
performance can (rightfully) be an affront to our own artistry, it can also be an opportunity to
introduce others to true artistry.
In this issue you’ll find other articles and tools to inspire your soul and develop your craft. Discover coaches, teachers, and Young Artist Programs in our printed directories (pp. 44–49). Read
about changes at Michigan Opera Theatre as tenor Richard Leech joins David DiChiera to expand the company’s Young Artist Program (p. 32). Find out how baritone Gabriel Preisser is expanding his artistic influence as he takes on the role of artistic and executive director of Orlando
Opera while still actively pursuing his singing career (p. 36). And learn how Thomas Hampson’s
foundation is motivating singers to go deeper in their performance of art song (p. 40).
This month, whether you peruse DeShong’s Singer’s Suitcase website, plan your fall Young
Artist Program applications, or talk with a novice or long-time opera fan, this issue can prepare
you to feed your artist’s soul.
Sara Thomas, Editor
MUSINGS ON MECHANICS
That’s Not Opera—It’s an Opportunity
BY CLAUDIA FRIEDLANDER
Another reality TV adolescent opera singer went viral recently, and the classical singing world reacted.
But is the typical outrage, although certainly well informed and well intentioned, really the best way to
respond? Perhaps seeing such excitement over opera singing, even if it doesn’t meet our educated standard, as an opportunity rather than an insult could benefit us all.
I
f you regularly spend time on
Facebook, then your news feed was
recently choked with posts about
Laura Bretan, the earnest, adorable
13-year-old who elicited a standing
ovation and a shower of gold confetti with
her performance of “Nessun dorma” on
America’s Got Talent. My guess is that
about 25 percent of the posts expressed
the astonished admiration of your
non-classical singer friends and family,
while the other 75 percent conveyed
the alarmed reactions of those who
understand how much training, skill, and
artistic maturity is required to perform a
Puccini aria.
I saw attempts to educate the
uninitiated about what real opera is, as
well as expressions of outrage at seeing
a tremendously talented young girl
exploited to entertain the masses and
potentially being robbed of the possibility
of pursuing an actual opera career.
Legendary operatic bass Samuel Ramey
scolded that “she has no business”
singing this aria. Voice teacher Heidi
Moss circulated an open letter to Bretan
explaining what opera performance really
entails and urging her to reach out to the
classical singing community for guidance.
Soprano Helen Hassinger launched a
GoFundMe campaign to “Send Simon
Cowell to the Met.” Memes proliferated.
Every few months a video of a newly
discovered operatic prodigy makes
the rounds. I ignore it until someone
inevitably solicits my opinion. Then I
find myself explaining, as I imagine you
do, that this prepubescent or adolescent
singer possesses neither the physiology to
healthily produce an operatic sound nor
any idea of what the aria they’re singing
is about. However, watching Bretan’s
AGT performance and witnessing the
overwhelming response that greeted
her has caused me to reflect on my own
prejudices, and I find that I no longer
believe that a reaction of this nature is
an effective way to engage those who
are moved and impressed by such
phenomena.
This article will explore the vocal
consequences young singers invite with
such performances as well as ways to
use them as opportunities to fan your
friends’ newfound enthusiasm for classical
singing.
I cannot predict whether Laura
Bretan’s star has continued to
rise through her subsequent AGT
performances in the weeks since my
publication deadline; regardless, I ask
that you now watch the video of her first
performance start to finish, particularly if
you couldn’t previously bring yourself to
sit through it: youtu.be/xCoxGV7j71c/ Before I get into an assessment of her
singing, I invite you to appreciate the
powerful reaction of the audience. They
went wild. This invites the question:
If Bretan’s singing did not in any way
resemble a real operatic performance,
then what were they responding to?
Bretan delivered an earnest, authentic
outpouring of passion and she allowed it
to flow through her voice with steadfast
courage and commitment. I believe that
the ability to do this is at the very heart
of every great operatic performance—the
very thing that our audiences most long
to experience. While true artistry also
demands impeccable musicianship and
diction informed by dramatic depth, these
things avail us nothing and will fail to
move listeners if they are not motivated by
genuine emotion and generosity of spirit.
I would argue that the AGT audience
was responding to the essence of what
makes opera so transformative, and
their response was exceptionally strong
because it was the first time many of them
had ever experienced anything of the
kind.
While the conversation we have with
one another must address the dangers
such singing potentially poses for
adolescents, the conversation we have
with their fans must celebrate what they
love about it rather than excoriate them
for what we perceive as poor taste.
Musings on Mechanics:
The Adolescent Voice
The larynx and vocal folds undergo dramatic developments
beginning with puberty and continuing not only throughout
one’s teens but often into one’s early 20s. Male voices change
in a way that is both more audibly apparent to the listener and
mechanically obvious to the singer, but female voices experience
a similar transition.
In “Voice Changes Throughout Life,” an online tutorial
posted by the National Center for Voice and Speech, the major
factors cited that impact the voice as a singer ages are “growth,
especially changes in vocal fold length; development of the
cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscles; changing structure of
vocal fold tissues; and ossification of the cartilage in the larynx.”
Changes that occur for female voices throughout adolescence
can include “increased breathiness or huskiness, occasional
‘cracking,’ a lowering of average speaking fundamental frequency,
and increased pitch inaccuracy while singing.”
The “breathiness” characteristic of many teenaged female
voices is due to the presence of a posterior glottal chink. Until
the larynx has reached a certain level of development, the vocal
folds cannot achieve complete adduction, so during phonation
they will not fully meet from end to end and some air will escape
along with the tone.
Andrés Andrade is the founder and artistic director of
Citywide Youth Opera in New York as well as the former director
of the opera theatre program at LaGuardia Arts High School.
I asked him to weigh in on what we should expect a healthy
adolescent female classical singer to sound like. Andrade feels
confident that a young woman’s technique is developing well
when she is able to demonstrate “clarity of tone, good intonation,
and a throat that remains relaxed throughout her range. It must
sound and look easy.” Both the development of an organic
vibrato and the ability to modulate registration may require
a certain degree of maturity in the vocal folds, so an absence of
vibrancy or an inability to access and/or smoothly blend vocal
registers are not always of immediate concern.
“Young singers are often not able to grasp the finer points
of registration,” he says, which is why girls who love pop and
musical theatre are sometimes inclined to belt everything while
their classically oriented peers restrict themselves to pure
head voice, either of which can lead to the development of an
imbalanced technique. They are often so impatient and eager
to produce a fully mature sound that “half the battle is keeping
them out of trouble, while doing everything I can to support and
preserve their enthusiasm,” Andrade says.
A mature, operatic sound requires full cord closure, balanced
registration, and vocal folds that are developed to the point where
they can produce an even, organic vibrato. Until adulthood, the
larynx does not descend to the point where a singer can access
the full length of what will become their supraglottal tract.
Children also have not yet developed the facial bone structure
required to balance out their resonance.
A young violinist can learn on a quarter- or half-sized
instrument that is in all other ways similar to a full-sized violin.
A young pianist can modify fingerings until their hands are large
enough to grasp full chords and still offer viable interpretations
of much of the same repertoire their older peers perform. But a
young singer’s instrument is not yet even a fair facsimile of the
voice they will later access as an adult.
Thus there can be no true operatic prodigies.
The young voice simply has not physiologically matured
to the point that it is capable of projecting a healthy, balanced
sound over an orchestra in an opera house. Aided by a
microphone, an adolescent singer may be able to mimic some of
the sounds typical of an adult operatic voice, but they can only
do so by manipulating, tensing, and pushing their voice in a way
that can only be sustained for very brief periods of time and will
eventually lead to vocal fatigue or injury. It is an approach to
singing that will never yield true vocal and artistic mastery but
will rather create entanglements that will delay or even derail the
possibility of actual operatic excellence. This is why Bretan’s performance raises such deep concerns
for experienced opera singers and voice teachers. She possesses
both a promising voice and strong musical instincts, but
most of the sounds she is producing are the result of effortful,
unsustainable manipulations of a body that is not yet mature
enough either to create these sounds in a free, organic way or to
withstand such pressure without significant risk of injury. The
hazardous technical problems I note include the following:
Her vibrato is tremulous and irregular and is accompanied
by shaking in her tongue and jaw. An organic vibrato depends
in part on well-modulated registration, and it may be that she
is not yet able to fully engage the muscles governing heavier
registration. This may also explain why the cut of “Nessun
dorma” she chose to perform omits the
low D at the very beginning—she may
simply not be capable of producing a
focused sound in her primo passaggio yet.
She performs these syllabic phrases
with virtually no legato, pumping breath
into individual notes and syllables rather
than streaming her air continuously
throughout each phrase. This is an
extremely fatiguing process—and while
it can produce a sequence of richly
produced tones, it cannot deliver the
long, beautifully shaped lines required for
Puccini. It would also be hard to sustain
for a period longer than the one minute
and 20 seconds of this excerpt. Bretan’s breathing is quite labored. She
is squeezing every molecule of air she can
manage out of her slight frame in order to
generate her sound, with her shoulders
rotating internally, her sternum pressing
down, and her ribs squeezing in. She
inhales so frequently as to obscure the
text, most notably breathing in between
the first and second syllables of “vincerò”
in order to power up and sustain the
climactic high note. To my ear, she is artificially darkening
her sound and mimicking a more mature
resonance by holding her larynx down
and over-rounding her lips.
Bretan’s Italian diction is completely
unintelligible and her rhythms are
approximate and vague. In our
conversation, Andrade
emphasized
the importance of complementing
vocal technical study with language
and musicianship instruction even as a
beginner. After all, the duration of each
syllable and the shape of each vowel are
both important components of how one’s
technique should be deployed moment
to moment. In addition, opera is an art
form requiring intense collaboration
between the singers, the orchestra,
and the conductor; while singers will
sometimes perform an aria out of context,
it still requires the real-time participation
of other musicians, and the skill to engage
in such collaboration is an inherent
component of our art form. And, of
course, opera singers perform without
amplification.
These numerous ways in which
Bretan’s preparation and presentation
deviate from what we commonly associate
with classical singing lead us, along
with Batman, to dismiss her efforts
by exclaiming, “That’s not opera!!”
accompanied by a vicious slap.
Now consider once again the rapturous
ovation that greeted the performance
upon which I have levied my pedagogical
and artistic critique. Consider also
the delighted sentiments it inspired
in your Facebook friends. Finally,
consider how our instinctive response
to these expressions of astonishment
and admiration is to exclaim, “That’s
not opera!!” and deliver a virtual slap to
anyone who isn’t savvy enough to realize
it for themselves. They are likely to react
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to this admonishment by concluding that
we are jealous and that we are snobs.
They have a point. In Pursuit of Common Ground
When we see an untrained 13-yearold singer receive such accolades for an
appropriation of a beloved Puccini aria,
does it make us jealous?
Of course it does. We ache for that era
when a beloved opera singer like Beverly
Sills guest hosted The Tonight Show and
appeared on The Muppet Show. We’re
nostalgic for the stunning success enjoyed
by the Three Tenors as well as the way
their wide popularity helped attract new
audiences to opera houses throughout
the 90s. Even if some purists might object
to the way that these celebrity opera
singers packaged their performances to
communicate better over the airwaves
or to a stadium audience, these were
master singers sharing their hard-earned
artistry with the masses and reaping their
adoration. With opera companies now
struggling to survive and ticket sales on
the decline, it would be impossible for
us to look without jealousy upon a reality
TV contestant as she inelegantly co-opts
this repertoire and receives widespread
exuberant praise.
Does our desire to correct Bretan’s fans
about the nature of opera make us snobs? If in so doing we convey a message
that they were wrong to find themselves
transported by a performance that they
loved, I am afraid that indeed it does.
This was an opportunity for them to
discover that they could be moved in
a particular way by a genre of music
that had previously failed to catch their
attention. If, instead of embracing this
opportunity and inviting them to discover
how much more there is to admire and
explore, we instead express the opinion
that they only enjoyed it because they
are too uneducated or uncultured to
understand what a travesty they were
witnessing, we quash their joy and
confirm whatever suspicions they may
have previously held that opera is, in fact,
not for them.
“When someone comes to you, the opera expert in
their life, to express their appreciation for such a
performance, do what you can to draw them out.
Ask them what they found so appealing about it.
Ask them how it made them feel.”
It is only natural that we would have
these impulses, but it is vital that we rise
above them. Rather than criticize Bretan’s
fans, we must instead strive to discuss our
love of opera with the same unfettered
zeal that she shared with the world
through her singing.
When someone comes to you, the
opera expert in their life, to express their
appreciation for such a performance, do
what you can to draw them out. Ask them
what they found so appealing about it.
Ask them how it made them feel.
I believe that many, if not most, were
responding to the unrestrained way she
courageously channeled genuine feeling
through her voice. This is what we all
seek to do with our singing. Share with
them your experiences of what it feels
like to do that and how much it means
to you, and invite them to listen to the
artists who inspire you. If you are able
to tap into their enthusiasm, you may
find them eager to learn about how
much more potentially astonishing it
can be to hear great artists perform live,
unamplified, accompanied by orchestra in
an acoustically wonderful hall.
If her youthful earnestness and
excitement are part of what moved them,
you can encourage them to listen to the
young singers you appreciate or share
examples of roles written to be performed
by children, such as Yniold in Pelléas et
Mélisande and the Shepherd Boy in Tosca.
They will likely be able to distinguish
for themselves the contrast between an
untrained 13-year-old imitating an adult
sound and a well-prepared junior opera
singer—and that will provide material for
further conversation.
If it turns out that they are not really
drawn to opera but simply enjoy the
reality TV circus, then at least you made
a genuine effort to share something
meaningful with them. But there is a real
possibility that a listener who appreciated
the kind of unfettered, expansive singing
that Bretan demonstrated may be on
their way to discovering a love of classical
singing, and it is your job to lure them
from the gateway drug of reality TV down
the road to becoming a full-blown opera
addict. Televised talent shows can be highly
exploitive of the artists who are drawn to
compete in them, and we should advise
our friends, students, and children of the
potential hazards of participation. Child
“prodigies” like Jackie Evancho and
Charlotte Church will never garner the
admiration of those of us who have spent
our lives pursuing the craft of classical
singing, nor will crossover darlings like
Andrea Bocelli or Sarah Brightman.
Yet there is no denying that these
singers command mass appeal. So when
operatic repertoire receives exposure
at their hands and is greeted with great
enthusiasm, let us regard it as a potential
boon for our art form and community,
warmly welcome these new enthusiasts,
and seek to share with them the wonders
we know await those who are willing to
immerse themselves in this profound and
time-honored art form.
For more information about Andrés
Andrade and Citywide Youth Opera, please
visit www.citywideyouthopera.org.
Claudia Friedlander, DMus, is a voice
teacher and certified personal trainer with
a studio in New York. Find her on the web
at www.claudiafriedlander.com.
THE MUSIC MAJOR MINUTE
Summer Lovin’ Reading List for Voice Majors
BY CHRISTI AMONSON
Take advantage of the spare time you have this summer to catch up on some reading that
will inspire your mind and your next performance.
S
ummer break. Ah, how lucky
you are to be young and enjoy
a little time off. Sure you have a
job, perhaps you are singing in a Young
Artist Program, you are definitely
practicing, you might be busy combing
the beach for some summer lovin’, and/
or creating the next best-selling app.
You go, kiddos. Enjoy your summer and
all those long nights when you won’t be
cramming for an exam.
Oh, wait! You have time at night that
isn’t spent writing research papers? And
what’s that? You actually miss classes
and the thrill of learning? Yes, that’s
what I thought you were thinking.
As luck would have it, I have some
reading recommendations for you
college types that include music themes,
classic literature that inspired music,
some musical entertainment, and
inspiration. There are many summer
reading lists online, but this list is
especially for you, the classical singing
student. Pick one or two of these books
and charge your Kindle or pick up a
printed copy.
Libraries are still free and bookstores
usually have coffee shops, so simply
attaining your book will be a winning
situation. Curling up with something to
read will be the break from Netflix that
your brain has wanted all year. When
you return to campus in the fall, you will
be well read and ready for class.
Summer Lovin’ Reading List—In No
Particular Order
1. The Lady of the Camellias by
Alexandre Dumas
Giuseppe Verdi based La traviata on
this French novel. The title character
was inspired by the author’s real-life
lover, which makes it all the more tragic.
You don’t have to be singing Violetta
to be swept away by this story, but you
might develop a penchant for white
flowers and handwritten love letters.
2. The Inner Voice: The Making of a
Singer by Renée Fleming
I always enjoy memoirs, and
Fleming’s book gives personal and
professional insight into her evolution
as an international opera legend. She
shares stories and offers honest and
encouraging advice for young singers.
In Chapter 4, she describes two ways of
establishing a career: get management
or win competitions. Then she states,
“I was, in fact, the greatest second-prize
winner of all time . . . . Being number
two was a powerful incentive to keep me
continually working and striving” (p.
57).
In one beautifully intimate story,
Fleming shares the memory of a lesson
with one of her mentors, Renata Scotto.
In the lesson, Scotto instructed her to
sing the notes on the page and nothing
else. Fleming was expecting theatrical
work on her interpretation, but at the
end of the lesson, Scotto advised, “Have
children. . . . I don’t live or die on the
stage every night . . . I have more than
that in my life” (p. 69).
There are so many books about
great singers and their careers, but I am
recommending Fleming’s book because
she shares the truthful moments like
Scotto’s advice and, more recently, the
memory of wanting to throw herself out
The Music Major Minute: Summer Lovin’
Reading List for Voice Majors
the window after watching a scratch tape
of a Met telecast of Otello! To hear one
of our world’s most treasured divas talk
about her continued learning process is
rather wonderful.
3. Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship
and Travels by Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe
If you sing the Mignon Lieder, you
will benefit from reading its primary
source. The great German poet Goethe
introduces Mignon’s character through
Wilhelm’s observations and his fatherly
actions towards her. In the novel,
Wilhelm describes Mignon’s character
in such poetic detail that three centuries
of composers have set this poetry to
music. The English translation retains
the magical moments of poetry that
inspired Lieder and opera composers
alike. Reading these details gives
specificity to the music and the character
choices for singers working on Mignon.
Following are two examples from this
book that describe the nature of Mignon.
Wilhelm observes Mignon as a young
girl:
Her features were not regular, but
striking: her forehead seemed to veil
some secret, her nose was unusually
beautiful, her mouth, though too tightlipped for her age and inclined to twitch
at times on one side, had a certain
winsome charm about it. (p. 54)
And this passage:
He found, however, that he could not
even approximate the originality of the
phrases, and the childlike innocence
of the style was lost when the broken
language was smoothed over and the
disconnectedness removed. The charm
of the melody was also quite unique.
She intoned each verse with a certain
solemn grandeur, as if she were drawing
attention to something unusual and
imparting something of importance. (p.
81)
It has been said that Goethe did not
care for Beethoven’s setting of Mignon’s
songs. Listen for yourself to the settings
of Schubert, Schumann, Reichardt,
Spohr, and Wolf to see which you prefer.
4. Parfumerie by Miklos Laszlo,
adaptation by E.P. Dowdall
In honor of the hit revival of She Loves
Me on Broadway, how about reading
the original play from the 1930s? If you
don’t speak Hungarian, then the recent
translation by E.P. Dowdall is for you
(available at www.parfumerietheplay
.com).
This snappy comedy inspired the
1940 movie version, The Shop Around
the Corner, featuring Jimmy Stewart with
Margaret Sullavan and Frank Morgan—
and, more recently, the 1998 romantic
comedy You’ve Got Mail, starring Meg
Ryan and Tom Hanks.
5. Master Class by Terrence McNally
Is there any story more dramatic than
the life of Maria Callas? McNally’s play
brings Callas back to life by recreating
her Juilliard masterclasses of 1971–72.
The dialogue displays her temper, some
humor, reflections on her own singing,
her loves, passions and heartbreak, and
monologues that I cannot wait to deliver
someday.
The detail in her short sentences and
commanding expertise is fascinating for
reader, audience, and actor alike. The
play begins with Callas welcoming the
audience with these remarks:
How is everyone? Can you hear me?
I don’t believe in microphones. Singing
is first of all about projection. So is
speech. People are forgetting how to
listen. They want everything blasted at
them. Listening takes concentration. If
you can’t hear me, it’s your fault. You’re
not concentrating. I don’t get any louder
than this. So come down closer or leave.
No takers? What? You’re all scared of
me? Eh? . . . I don’t bite. I promise you.
I bark, I bark quite a bit actually, but I
don’t bite” (Act 1, p. 7).
6. The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the
Twentieth Century by Alex Ross
As a graduate student, I enjoyed
reading Ross’ music critiques in the New
Yorker, and his book is both captivating
and academic—which makes it a much
needed modern resource for research
and a self-described beginning of seeing
modern music as a “whole.” This book
uniquely draws you into the music
with bold chapter titles that include
“Beethoven Was Wrong”—and who can
resist a statement such as “One possible
destination for 21st-century music is
Move your career
into high gear!
a final ‘great fusion’: intelligent pop artists and extroverted
composers speaking more or less the same language” (p. 542).
Ross creates an urgency to listen to the details that define
the presence of music in our modern world. With discussions
about such musicians as John Cage, Björk, Messiaen, and the
Beatles, the free audio companion makes reading and listening
a more integrated experience. Readers can also follow Ross’
blog as he continues to inspire and connect the dots for
musicians and civilians alike.
PAMELA
THOMAS
Voice Teacher / Acting Coach
30+ years experience
MM in Voice from Manhattan School of
Music
NYC Westside Vocal Studio (near
Lincoln Center)
All Singers welcome – Beginners
to Professionals
Private Lessons in Vocal Technique (Swedish-Italian School)
Acting/Dramatic Interpretation, Audition Preparation, Repertoire
Consultation, Career Mentoring, Advice for Young Singers.
See Pamela’s Interview on finding the right voice teacher:
https://www.thumbtack.com/blog/singing-lessons/
TO ARRANGE A SAMPLE LESSON OR FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION VISIT MY WEBSITE: www.divapamela.com
or email me at [email protected]
7. The Noël Coward Diaries by Graham Payn and Sheridan
Morley
This book is currently on my bedside table, giving me a
break from my working world and a peek into the wonderfully
witty and delightfully snobbish existence of Sir Noël Coward:
an actor, singer, playwright, and man of unparalleled style and
grace.
His diary entries range from a single sentence to a few pages
of gossip and anecdotes of hundreds of stars. For example:
on Sunday, May 25, 1958, Coward recollects an afternoon
at the Actors Studio in which he describes Artistic Director
Lee Strasberg as a “self-proclaimed God” and “pretentious
as balls.” Coward continues describing Strasberg’s account
of Italian actress Eleonora Duse’s way of smiling “not merely
with her mouth but with every part of her body! Which comes
under the heading of the neatest trick of the week” (p. 380).
Curt Olds—the international baritone, master of Gilbert
& Sullivan characters, and the epitome of charm himself—
recommended this book to me, and I think of him as I am
reading Sir Noël Coward’s exquisitely worded remarks.
8. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable
Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by
Brené Brown
I first heard Dr. Brené Brown give a TED talk that changed
the way I viewed my life. If there is a more vulnerable craft than
classical singing, I have yet to discover it. I include this book
on the list because vulnerability is our trade. This book really
should be given to all freshmen voice majors before they sing
in studio class. We must develop vocal technique and learn our
repertoire, but our true success comes when we can give an
authentic part of ourselves to our performance.
Brown discusses connections as the reason we are here
and vulnerability as our key to humanity. What resonates
fiercely with me is the correlation she presents between
wholehearted living and the competition we face as singers.
Among the many ways her research feels like therapy for
opera singers, she includes cultivating creativity by letting go
of comparison. “Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat,
it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s
being all in” (p. 2).
9. The Doctor and the Diva: A Novel by Adrienne
McDonnell
This historical romance is the summer novel you were
hoping to find on this list. Follow an opera singer from
Boston to Italy during the turn of the century while she longs
for a child but ambitiously follows her career. By all reviews,
the characters are flawed, the drama is hard to put down, the
early infertility treatment work has scientific appeal, and the
writing is sensitive and detailed. I think this novel would best
be read lying in a hammock during a perfect sunset while one
of the Barihunks squeezes some fresh
lemonade for you.
(Note: I claim no affiliation with
Barihunks calendars, but they can be
found at Lulu.com. Charity, y’all.)
10. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perelman
This is a cookbook. You can read
it or just look at the pictures, but I
recommend going the extra mile and
learning to cook a few delicious meals
this summer. The music you play while
you are cooking is completely up to
you—Prince, Puccini, whatever moves
you to preheat your oven. The Internet
chef Pasquale Sciarappa says that if you
sing to your food, it will taste good.
So there you go: sing, cook, and share
your delicious creations with friends
and family. How else can you prepare
to sing Bernstein’s La Bonne Cuisine
or Bolcom’s “Lime Jello Marshmallow
Cottage Cheese Surprise” if you
haven’t earned some street cred in the
kitchen?
As you train to become the best
singer you can be, you will be learning
for the rest of your life. As the famous
saying goes, “Everything you need to
know you learned in kindergarten.”
As a mother of kindergarten-aged
children, I can report that reading is
the skillset prioritized for this age in
the classroom and at home. So the
kindergarten sentiment rings true as a
building block for all that we continue
to learn. And as the notable adage
(often attributed to Mark Twain) points
out, “The man who does not read has
no advantage over the man who cannot
read.”
When you make time to read,
you will recharge your spirit, your
imagination will thrive without
pressure, and you will be exposed
to different points of view. There are
many literary classics that inspired
operas and songs, and the more we
know about our characters, the better
we can share their stories through our
singing.
Soprano Christi Amonson is an
assistant professor of voice and director
of opera workshop at Troy University.
She earned her DMA in voice and
theatre at the University of Arizona, her
MM in voice at the Manhattan School of
Music, and her BM in music education
at the University of Idaho. Amonson
is an active singer, writer, and NATS
member and she serves on the advisory
board for the Vann Vocal Institute with
the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra.
She lives in Troy, Alabama, with her
husband and three daughters.
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
Of C. P. E. Bach’s nearly 300 songs, most were published during his lifetime,
but about a third have never appeared in modern editions until now.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: The Complete Works now makes all his songs available. From the reverence of the
sacred to the charm of the secular, they show the highly personal stylistic transition he forged from strophic works
(such as the Gellert songs) to expressively through-composed cantatas such as Der Frühling and Die Grazien which
anticipate the styles of later composers.
These volumes in series Vi are beautifully case-bound at prices intended to make them widely available:
Gellert songs ($20); cramer and sturm songs ($25); miscellaneous songs ($35), and a volume of facsimiles,
The Polyhymnia Portfolio ($55) can be ordered online at www.cpebach.org,
by e-mail to [email protected], or by phone at (800) 243-0193.
Have You Taken Christi’s
10 OPERA CHALLENGE?
BY CHRISTI AMONSON
In June Christi challenged CS readers via www.ClassicalSinger.com to watch 10
operas this summer and complete her survey below. If you haven’t started, it’s
not too late! Find details here.
H
ey, music majors! Not taking classes or lessons this
summer? Have you always dreamed of being an
overachiever? Never fear, I’m here to offer you both an
assignment and a challenge.
• The Assignment: Listen to one opera a week for 10
weeks. We often hear of operas being among the top 10
most performed works around the world. If you dream of
being a professional singer, then what better time to start
learning the great operas than summer break?
• The Challenge: Study an opera a week for 10 weeks by
listening to a recording or watching a production.
This is your mission, should you choose to accept it: Make
a list of 10 operas, listen to them, take a few notes, and submit
my survey back to me at the end of the summer via e-mail. I will
compile your lists and comments and share them in the October
“Music Major Minute.” For extra fame, I might quote you—with
your permission, of course.
So how do we do this? You can listen, watch, or attend live
productions. Following with a score is a great way to do this if
you are only listening to a recording. Check out a score from your
library or beg, buy, or borrow—but don’t steal—one. Complete
recordings can be found on the Internet and downloaded. If you
want to watch a production, review the Metropolitan Opera Live
in HD broadcast archives or check YouTube. If you are able to
attend a live production, this could be your debut as a published
critic.
Find a time you can listen to the whole opera (taking
intermissions, of course). Invite your singer friends to take the
challenge with you and get together for Friday night or Saturday
morning listening parties. Choose a time you are alert and ready
to be inspired. Resist the urge to skip all the parts your character
doesn’t sing. This isn’t a role preparation challenge; this is an
introduction to 10 entire operas. You will find out more about a
character than you might expect when you learn the entire plot.
It’s OK to admit you don’t like an opera or two on the list—but if
you don’t like any of them, perhaps majoring in communications
isn’t such a bad idea after all.
Pick 10 operas you have always found intriguing. You can pick
an opera with an aria you already sing or find interesting choices
from my lists of the top 10 operas performed in North America,
the top 20 performed in American universities, and my favorites
that didn’t make either list (available at www.classicalsinger
.com/ten-opera-challenge). There are a wide variety of styles
and languages recommended.
The library is yours to devour, so pick what interests you.
Maybe you end up with a dream board of your favorite operas,
singers, and conductors. Maybe you will discover an appreciation
for Mozart’s structure or Wagner’s leitmotivs. By listening to the
classic operas, you will familiarize yourself with the best operatic
repertoire and hopefully find styles that appeal to the singer in
you.
Warning! The 10 Opera Challenge is meant for introductory
purposes only. Although it may lead to a love of drama, please
ask your voice teacher before you start singing the Toreador
song, “Vissi d’arte,” or “Nessun dorma,” etc.!
Ten Opera Challenge Survey
Reply to as many questions as you like and e-mail to:
[email protected]
1.
Which 10 operas did you choose?
2.Which operas did you actually listen to start to
finish?
3.What was your favorite opera? Why?
4.
Did you find a new composer that you love?
5.
What surprised you about this challenge?
6.Listening to a recording vs. watching a
production: which did you prefer and why?
7.Did any production details stand out (costume
design, set design, direction, lighting, etc.)?
8.Is there a scene you heard that you would
suggest to your opera director?
9.
Did any of the operas induce a solid nap?
10.
Which arias inspired you to keep practicing?
shine
Have your talents discovered at LaGrange
B.M. in Performance  B.A. in Musical Theatre  B.M. in Church Music  B.M. in Composition and Music Technologies
B.A. in Digital Creative Media  B.A. in Music
Whether it’s on the concert or musical theatre stage, pursue your vocal passion at LaGrange College. Experienced faculty in both Music and
Theatre Arts will help you take the spotlight in a range of performance opportunities. Find the support you need to realize your full musical
potential at LaGrange, just south of Atlanta.
FACULTY: Toni Anderson, Music Chair, Musical Theatre Co-Chair, Voice; Kim Barber Knoll, Theatre Chair, Musical Theatre Co-Chair; Andrea
Mueller, Voice; Shelly Cooper, Musical Theatre; Ken Passmore, Collaborative Artist; Susan Hoskins, Collaborative Artist; Nancy Gell, Dance
lagrange.edu
www.lagrange.edu/music
www.lagrange.edu/theatre
Bring your
musical passion to life!
Voice Performance, B.Mus.
Applied Voice, B.A.
and degrees in composition, music education, keyboard,
instrumental, worship and popular music.
Classical
Audition Dates:
November 5, 2016
Opera
February 4, 2017
Faculty:
Marilyn Mims, artist in residence, opera director
Bryon Grohman, associate professor, chair of voice
Mark Aliapoulios, associate professor
Lloyd Mims, professor, dean, school of music and fine arts
Geoffrey Holland, associate professor, chair of choral studies
March 18, 2017
For more information and audition dates:
www.pba.edu/music
888 GO TO PBA (468-6722)
West Palm Beach, Florida
Expect the Unexpected:
Elizabeth DeShong
BY GREG WAXBERG
Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong grew up in a small Pennsylvania town
and came to the decision at a relatively young age to pursue an operatic career. Supportive parents found the aspiring singer voice and piano teachers,
and she devoted herself to dutiful study of both instruments throughout her
college career. Those piano skills continue to pay off for DeShong—the mezzo remarkably self-coaches all of her own roles. And as unexpected as the
variety of roles DeShong sings is the attention to detail she gives to not only
her artistry but all aspects of her life, including a website she hosts featuring
captivating photos of her traveling life. With upcoming return appearances at
Glyndebourne and the Met, DeShong is truly an artist to watch.
Elizabeth DeShong
Expect the Unexpected: Elizabeth DeShong
DeShong as Fenena and Sergey Skorokhodov as Ismaele in Lyric
Opera of Chicago’s production of Nabucco, 2016
I
photo by Cory Weaver
n a slight twist on the words of
Forrest Gump, Elizabeth DeShong’s
repertoire is like a box of chocolates
. . . you never know what you’re going to
get.
“I seem to have the inherent element
of surprise. When people look at me,
they think I’m a coloratura soprano,” the
mezzo says by phone from Akron, Ohio.
It is mid-February, and she is home after
singing in a production of Nabucco at
Lyric Opera of Chicago, a company that
played a pivotal role in her formative
years. “When I sing Fenena in Nabucco,
they hear depth of tone. When I sing
Cenerentola, people might not think that
I also sing Fenena. They don’t know what
to expect. I can’t be pegged to a certain
type of role, which makes people curious.
I tend to give the unexpected. It’s fun.”
And that flexibility might owe itself
to, of all people, her voice teachers—that
group often known for trying to categorize
singers. “I really think my adaptability
developed because none of my teachers
ever put me in a box,” she speculates.
“I wasn’t told that I was any specific
thing—a Wagnerian, a Rossini specialist, a
Verdi mezzo, a big voice, a little voice—or
that I was destined to become any specific
thing. My job was, and is, to develop and
maintain a solid, healthy vocal technique.
“I was told, ‘A good mezzo should
have a solid high C.’ OK, I’ll work on
that. ‘Your voice should be even from top
to bottom.’ You are right; I’ll make that
happen. ‘Avoid doing heavier repertoire
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DeShong
too soon, even if pushed by people in the
business.’ We all have unique instruments
that will naturally be suited for certain
types of repertoire, but a healthy, wellrounded technique will give you more
options.”
This August, DeShong returns to
the Glyndebourne Festival as Hermia
in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Peter
Hall’s 1981 production is being revived
as part of a celebration of Shakespeare’s
400th birthday. Often singled out in
reviews for her portrayal of Hermia,
DeShong first sang the role as a student
at the Chautauqua Institution, followed
by productions at the Canadian Opera
Company, the Metropolitan Opera,
Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Aix-enProvence Festival.
Previously at Glyndebourne, four years
ago, she appeared in La Cenerentola,
conducted by James Gaffigan, whom
DeShong amazed the first time he heard
Lieder-Song half-page.qxp_Lieder/Song half-page 6/3/16 7:22 AM Page 1
THE
GERDA LISSNER FOUNDATION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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LIEDER /SONG VOCAL COMPETITION 201 6
The Gerda Lissner Foundation was created to provide young opera singers with the ﬁnancial support
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her voice. “She walked into our first
rehearsal, and I thought, ‘What a kind
and warm person with a genuine smile,’”
Gaffigan shares. “And then she started
to sing. Time stood still. Everyone’s jaw
dropped. Then we all started to smile.
How was this voice coming from her?
She was soft-spoken and gentle. Calm and
collected. Then she completely let loose
with a huge sound. Perfect intonation and
technique, gorgeous sound, and a role
prepared to perfection . . . . Her voice is
versatile. Her technique in fast passages is
incredible, and she has a huge instrument
that can carry effortlessly over the biggest
of orchestrations. I was skeptical to do
18 Cenerentolas, yet every performance
was an event with her. The final aria [got]
a response like a rock concert from the
audience.”
Home for DeShong as a child was
Selinsgrove, a small town in central
Pennsylvania. The daughter of a United
Methodist minister and a nurse, she
participated in family singalongs at the
piano—classic musicals, church music,
and American songs, to name a few
genres. Through these experiences,
DeShong found herself wondering about
her musical destiny. But her competitive
side set its sights on what she describes as
the Olympics of singing: opera. DeShong
decided that being part of the world of
“singing and theatricality” was her calling
card and she was willing to work hard to
achieve operatic status.
Besides providing a musically nurturing
home, DeShong’s mother and father also
provided access to her first piano and
voice teachers—piano teacher through
word-of-mouth, and voice teacher by
seeking a recommendation from the head
of the vocal department at Susquehanna
University, located in Selinsgrove.
DeShong trained as a pianist and vocalist,
but earned her undergraduate degree
in voice performance at the Oberlin
Conservatory, where she graduated a
semester early before attending the Curtis
Institute of Music for two years.
“The early graduation came as a bit of
a surprise,” DeShong recalls. “Mikael
Eliasen, head of the vocal department
at Curtis, whom I had worked with
[during two summers] at the Chautauqua
Institution, came to Oberlin to audition
some of the older students. He asked
me to sing for him. Shortly thereafter, I
received a call stating that I was accepted
into the master’s program at Curtis and
could attend as soon as possible. I had
been taking a full class load at Oberlin
and was able to work out an early
graduation.”
Ryan Opera Center Comes Calling
While at Chautauqua, DeShong also
met Richard Pearlman, director of the
Lyric Opera Center for American Artists
DeShong as the title role and Taylor Stayton as Don Ramiro in the
Glyndebourne Festival production of La Cenerentola, 2012
Luck with Management?
Since the question is often posed about
a singer’s difficult life and career choices,
particularly when making the transition
from student to professional, DeShong
takes the position of making a continual,
combined decision: having a career at all.
“You accept a large degree of uncertainty
and have to keep choosing this career. It
is never easy or predictable, and I say that
less than a decade into my professional,
outside-a-Young Artist Program career.
You will miss things. I missed my
brother’s wedding because of a lastminute flight cancellation. You will miss
births, funerals, all kinds of things. After
each one of those moments, you have to
choose [this career] again and choose to
keep loving it.”
Come 2008, when it was time for
DeShong to depart the Ryan Opera
Center, she had one big thing in her favor
and one big thing still to be determined.
Thanks to auditions that took place while
photo by Clive Barda
(the future Ryan Opera Center) at Lyric
Opera of Chicago. Through connections
with Pearlman and other members of
Lyric’s music staff, DeShong entered the
Ryan Opera Center’s audition process:
after the initial applications, a group of
singers was selected for the first round
of in-person auditions—and from that
group, about 20 singers, including
DeShong, were chosen to sing onstage in
the finals.
From the fall of 2005 to the spring
of 2008, DeShong attended the Ryan
Opera Center, learning how to apply her
training from Oberlin and Curtis and
observing how internationally renowned
artists rehearse and how the choices
they made in rehearsal did or did not
translate into performances. “You can’t
learn those lessons in school and you have
opportunities that are hard to find outside
of a Young Artist Program—opportunities
to meet people, to sing for people. While
not impossible, it can be a difficult
journey into an operatic career without
attending a Young Artist Program,”
DeShong says.
she was in the program, an engagement
was already lined up—Hänsel in the
Glyndebourne Tour that fall. The
question mark was how to find the right
person to represent her as a manager.
“You get lots of feedback in Young
Artist Programs, but they’re also trying
to define you in short periods of time,
and the very quality that now sets me
apart from other artists, namely flexibility
of repertoire, may have been confusing
at the time. People want to put you in a
corner, so it could be hard for [potential
managers] to decide how to market me.”
The person who ended up being her
manager heard her performance of “Non
più mesta” at a Stars of Lyric Opera at
Millennium Park concert. Was it luck? “It
was good fortune that a lot of work went
into helping create. I don’t believe in luck
in this business.”
The Mind . . . the Voice . . . the Song
What DeShong does believe is that
frame of mind and mental preparation
are exceptionally important. Specifically,
if something makes sense to your mind,
it will make sense to your voice. But that
theory does not mean “I want to sing
this role, therefore I will sing it.” So,
what exactly does it mean? “By taking
the time to understand words and their
intentions,” DeShong explains, “we can
more fully understand why the composer
set words to music in the way he or she
did. Then, the next step is making the
text personal with my voice. In recitative,
I might take out a rest to suit the language,
determine the pace of each line. In arias, I
might add embellishments, but only those
that have real intention. This detailed
mind work gives birth to emotional and
vocal freedom. Intention is what makes
the music meaningful.”
This approach to text extends to art
songs, a genre of which DeShong is an
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ardent proponent. “In opera, we can hide
behind scenic distractions, but an art song
strips everything down to essentials. You
have to focus on moments, like telling a
child a bedtime story—enunciate more
clearly, speak with heightened dynamics,
communicate with facial subtleties. You
communicate on a smaller scale and have
to be detailed and effective in a far more
intimate way.” DeShong argues that,
even when practicing, singers should sit
with art songs in private time and give
themselves those moments to focus small.
Self-Coaching “Because I Can”
Much of DeShong’s practice time is
spent at the keyboard, since she credits
her training as a pianist for her decision
to self-coach all of her roles ever since
leaving the Ryan Opera Center. “How
to prepare is an individual choice. I
prefer to make all of the initial decisions
about a role myself and then incorporate
ideas and suggestions from others as
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photo by Dan Rest
(L to R): DeShong as Hänsel, Jill Grove as the Witch, and Maria Kanyova as Gretel in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Hänsel und Gretel, 2012
we rehearse,” she says. “If called for,
being prepared means writing my own
ornamentation and shaping my recitative
so that it flows properly within the
language. My goal is always to arrive
prepared in such a way that, if the show
needed to go up immediately, I would be
ready. There is always more that can be
done, but arriving ready to put ‘icing on
the cake’ instead of ‘baking the cake’ is
the ideal.” She reaches out to one of her
trusted coaches if she needs assistance
with language or if she wants an extra set
of ears.
Why does she believe that her selfcoaching is successful? “From my
perspective, I have always been prepared,
vocally healthy, full of ideas, and ready to
collaborate. I also know which roles are
healthy for me. I don’t want to turn any
corners, vocally, that I can’t come back
from—but I also don’t want to be bored.
I need challenges. At the end of the day,
I know my voice as well as anybody. If I
play though something, I can judge the
role for myself.”
From the perspective of pianist, opera
coach, and conductor, Eric Weimer, who
worked with DeShong primarily at the
Ryan Opera Center, says her abilities
are “truly unusual for a young singer.
It’s not only because she has the facility
of learning the pitches and rhythms of
her own part. She obviously also has the
capacity to play the piano-vocal reduction
and determine how her part fits into the
overall musical fabric. She also has the
intelligence and discipline to come to
grips with what it means to sing a foreign
language—not only how to pronounce
each word correctly, but also how to
present a line in a way that is appropriate
for that particular moment in the drama.”
To put coaching in context, Weimer
says most singers require coaching for
different reasons, such as learning the
pitches of their roles, pronunciation
of foreign languages, vocal issues,
and ornamentation and other aspects
of Baroque and/or Bel Canto style.
“Elizabeth,” he says, “is one of the
few who is a complete package, so-
to-speak, and manages to prepare
her roles to a world-class level with a
minimum of outside help.” Of course,
as Weimer points out, self-coaching
does have economic advantages, but
he still encourages singers “to take the
responsibility to learn as much as they
possibly can on their own.”
Asked for an example of how she
creates a backstory and characterization
for one of her roles while self-coaching,
DeShong highlights Suzuki in Madama
Butterfly as “one of the most complex
and important background stories that
I’ve developed. In productions that
don’t understand her importance, she
can be overlooked. When I’ve played
her as an older woman, I think of her has
having raised Butterfly from a young girl
and, therefore, she has developed this
intense loyalty and a watchful eye. Maybe
she loved and lost her own version of
Pinkerton. Suzuki is even stronger in her
silences than when she sings. She is the
purest and most selfless example of love
that that entire opera presents. She has
nothing to gain. She goes into poverty with Butterfly, is abused
by Butterfly. She’s not a sister, not a mother—but she stays by
her side.”
This is DeShong’s take on this particular character. Just as
she has her unique voice and backstories, she encourages rising
singers to be themselves. “Be the best you that you can be. It
sounds like a cereal box advertisement or something, but it’s
true!” she says with a laugh. “You are inherently different from
what others are offering. Young singers tend to want to imitate
their idols, but we don’t need replicas. The whole beauty of art
is hearing something different. That’s why we go back and see
20 Bohèmes. We want to hear different voices. Be something
new. Living the character in the moment, hearing everything as
if it’s the first time, and responding as if it’s the first time will give
something unique.”
Britten and Berg, or Drama and Math
“Britten found me,” DeShong states. “His music is beautiful
and dramatic, giving me everything I want in an opera. Early on,
it is often helpful to train in your native language. When you’re
looking for high-quality music in English, you can’t help but be
directed to Britten.” Echoing those sentiments, she continues,
“Hermia also found me. While at Chautauqua, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream was on the schedule, and I was cast as Hermia,
one of my first full operatic roles. I’ve sung in five other full runs
of ‘Midsummer’ since then, which is funny because it’s not done
that frequently.”
Once again speaking to the flexibility of her voice, DeShong
speculates that she is often cast as Hermia because of her
comfortable lower register. “The opera’s dramatic scenes call
for a strong chest voice,” she observes. The fact that critics have
often praised her singing and acting comes as a pleasant surprise.
“It is nice to be noticed in an ensemble piece,” she says, but also
describes the possible rationale for Hermia being singled out:
“Hermia gets such a full emotional circle throughout the piece.
She is feeling everything without magic—love, fear, betrayal—
more than some of the other lovers in the piece. I love her—
there’s a bit of me in her, being spunky and feisty! You think
she’s one thing, but she’s so much stronger.”
While Hermia has proven to be familiar territory, DeShong
took on the most complicated challenge of her career last fall,
learning three roles for the Met’s new production of Lulu—the
Dresser (act 3), Schoolboy (act 2), and Page (act 3), all of whom
appear in their own acts, and all traditionally sung by the same
singer. “I knew of the piece, I knew it was hard, and I wanted the
challenge,” DeShong says. “It put all of my training to use. I have
prepared roles that are infinitely longer, but Lulu is a difficult,
difficult piece and certainly rewarding when done. It took time
for me to make that real mental and emotional connection to
it.” She pauses for a moment, as though looking for the right
description. “The opera just feels like math homework, all
about counting, putting parts together. There’s no end to the
Columbus State University
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Metropolitan Opera, Komische Oper Berlin
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Auditions; San Francisco Opera; Houston Grand Opera;
Glyndebourne Festival (England)
Paula Sides, soprano
English Opera Company
Gwendolyn Reid, mezzo soprano
Universität der Künste, Berlin, Germany
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First Place Winner, Denver Lyric Opera Guild
Competition
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Travel Supplements
Operatic text, art songs, and the concert hall are not the limits of DeShong’s
attention to nuance and detail. She is interested in other little parts of life that are
often unnoticed—and since photography is one of her hobbies, details show up in
her picture blog, A Singer’s Suitcase (www.asingerssuitcase.com, also accessible
through her website).
“I started the blog while I was performing in London because I loved being
there,” she says. “Little moments added so much to my life experience. I wanted to
remember them, but not put them in words . . . just record those special moments
every day, the little things that a nomadic lifestyle gives you. I found that people
enjoyed following along.” As she writes on her website introduction to the blog, “I
hope to create a daily reminder that, with travel, you always take away more than
you arrived with, but the most important of these things can’t be put in a suitcase.”
rhythmic and tonal complexities. While
performing, I felt like I had a calculator
going. Mental math at all times.”
Moving Up the Career Ladder
Sometimes timing makes all the
difference. Hermia, a role that DeShong
learned at Curtis, studying with Marlena
Malas, proved to be a significant role in
her career. Perhaps the same will happen
with Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri and
Adalgisa in Norma, roles she will sing
for the first time in the 2016–17 season
at the Met and Lyric Opera of Chicago,
respectively. Significantly, Isabella is her
first lead role at the Met. “It’s a natural
progression,” she says of both roles.
“I’ve been prepared for them since the
beginning of my professional career. It
was a matter of having a place to do them,
and I was available at the right time.”
And with Rossini roles like Rosina,
Arsace, and Cenerentola already under
her belt, both Isabella and Adalgisa
reflect her further ventures into Bel Canto
ever since being trained in that genre.
“It’s the gold standard of vocalism that
creates your foundation for vocal health
. . . optimal conditions to move through
trills, cadenzas, and long phrases,”
photo by Cory Weaver
Tatiana Serjan as Abigaille (L), DeShong as Fenena, and Stefan Szkafarowsky as the High
Priest in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Nabucco, 2016
she observes. In future years, dramatic
Rossini operas are on DeShong’s
schedule, as is varied concert repertoire,
including Mahler, and she is looking for
an opportunity to sing Lucretia in The
Rape of Lucretia.
“I plan to stay firmly rooted in both
operatic and concert repertoire. I like to
connect with the audience in the concert
hall and I like to think that the opera
house/concert hall connections are the
same. You strive for detail. People can see
you up close in the concert hall—when
you’re so moved by the music that a tear
streams down your face, you can share
that with them. But the goal is the same—
immediacy of feeling, regardless of what’s
going on around you.” She names Peter
Lieberson’s Neruda Songs, in a concert
with the Cleveland Orchestra in 2013,
as the most emotionally charged piece
she has sung. “It just hits you right in the
heart and in the gut. All pain and joy. You
can’t help but be brought to tears.” One
reviewer described her performance that
night as “mesmeric.”
The Ultimate Audience Connection
Speaking of audience connections,
DeShong tells a wonderful story related to
a 2012 performance of Hansel and Gretel
at Lyric Opera of Chicago that illustrates
exactly why she continues to choose this
career.
“I received an e-mail from a girl
entering high school at the time. She
loves to sing but has terrible anxieties.
People discouraged her from making
music because she made things difficult
and had embarrassing panic attacks. But
her love for singing kept her wanting to
find a way. She went to her first opera,
Hansel and Gretel at Lyric. Prior to this,
she had learned the “Evening Prayer”
with her school choir, but didn’t know it
was from ‘Hansel.’ When we got to that
portion of the opera, she recognized it. It
connected. She sat there, in tears, hearing
this song that she would sing to herself to
stay calm. She wrote to tell me how much
that performance meant to her. She felt so
calm, more settled. My performance had
touched her. I wouldn’t know how much
it meant to her.
“I was touched by her openness,
her courage to reach out,” DeShong
continues. “To put that on paper to a
complete stranger, just hoping that the
person wouldn’t make fun or dismiss
or ignore. As I read it, I was in a puddle
of tears. That’s why I do this. Opera is
important, not fleeting or trivial. You
don’t know who’s in the audience or what
they’re going through. I love applause and
excitement—but having one story like
that, I can walk off every stage happy.
“I told her there are lots of ways to
be involved in music without being a
singer. I let her know that opera requires
the talents of so many people. The
love of music and the training make
people’s skills in supporting and guiding
performing artists all the more effective
and valuable. Opera is a collaborative art
that is the sum of many parts, all of which
are important.
“When she found out I was coming
back for Nabucco, she convinced her
parents to let her come and she brought
a friend. I met them and found that they
were over the moon about the music
and their experience. They were in awe
of opera, of what people and music are
capable of. It was affirming in a way that
a compliment could never be—just to see
that joy on her face and her friend’s face.
“I don’t need any other stories or any
other compliments. That experience with
one young girl was enough.”
Greg Waxberg, a writer and magazine
editor for The Pingry School, is also an
award-winning freelance writer. He can
be contacted at [email protected].
Angela Theis and Joseph Michael Brent as
Laurie and Martin in Michigan Opera Theatre’s
production of The Tender Land, 2016
David DiChiera
photo by John Grigaitis
Richard Leech
In Michigan, Richard Leech Helps
Train Young Professionals
BY GREG WAXBERG
Michigan Opera Theatre is expanding its Young Artist Program and legendary tenor
Richard Leech joins David DiChiera to lead the way.
P
reviously, it was four to six weeks.
Now, it is nine months.
“It” refers to the amount of
time that young artists can spend in
training at Michigan Opera Theatre
(MOT). Thanks to new funding,
including a grant from the William
Davidson Foundation, and the hiring of
renowned tenor Richard Leech, MOT
offers Michigan Opera Theatre Studio,
which recently completed its first season.
MOT Studio was conceived of by
MOT Founder and Artistic Director
David DiChiera, who has supported
apprentice artists since the company’s
inception in 1971. While MOT still
offers apprentice contracts for local
singers, MOT Studio is an expanded,
dedicated program for professional
singers from around the country. “I
thought it would be good to have
people here for nine months, to have
more comprehensive time with them,”
DiChiera says.
Why did he choose Richard Leech
to run MOT Studio? “He has had an
incredible career and has been very
committed to working with young
singers,” DiChiera says. “People are
excited to work with him. He has
demonstrated a real interest in helping
young singers get opportunities to
advance their careers.” Leech’s position,
director of resident artist programs,
actually encompasses a trio of programs
that involve resident artists—MOT
Studio, Education and Community
Programs (in-school touring, summer
programs, and public concerts), and
Opera Clubs (one-hour performances in
local communities).
For Leech, who was teaching privately
and is on the voice faculty of the Opera
Institute at Rutgers University, the
timing of MOT’s search was fortuitous.
“I happened to be looking for this type
of opportunity,” he relates. “Although
teaching in a university setting is
extremely satisfying, I lived my life
in opera houses. So, as satisfying as
university teaching is, it’s not the same as
being in the energy of an opera house.”
But fear not, Rutgers students, Leech
will continue to be an adjunct professor.
“It’s doable,” Leech says. “I can still
serve my students in the opera institute
one day each week. Both companies,
Rutgers and MOT, are supportive of
what I want to do, and it means a lot to
me to have that kind of support.”
Leech was also attracted to the
position because he immediately felt
at home with MOT and its people,
processes, and theater, which he
describes as a “stunning post-turn-ofthe-20th-century opera house—one of
the most glorious opera houses I’ve ever
seen. It is an environment that is primed
for people to succeed in—large enough
for opera at a high artistic level.”
By creating MOT Studio, DiChiera
seeks to find “talent that would benefit
from comprehensive coaching and
performance opportunities to get to the
next level of their careers. We want to
give young singers as much support,
training, and coaching [as possible].”
Aligned with that ideology, Leech’s
priorities are to identify areas in which
singers can improve and to create an
environment in which the artists feel
safe, nurtured, and comfortable enough
to take chances and fail—all as they
look to succeed. He also gives Studio
Artists access to professionals from the
University of Michigan and MOT who
can offer a range of perspectives on the
business of singing.
If it seems like DiChiera and Leech
describe the program in general terms,
they do so on purpose. “It’s hard to
define,” Leech says. “There’s no ‘cookie
cutter’ for making a Young Artist
Program because there’s no ‘cookie
cutter’ for developing each individual
artist. Everyone is unique.”
Appropriately, MOT Studio’s audition
process in Detroit and New York, during
which DiChiera and Leech listen to 100-
plus applicants to ultimately select about
five singers, also has fairly vague criteria.
“Some companies are specific with their
requirements,” Leech says. “From my
perspective, everyone’s path is different,
so I don’t want to impose criteria that
might eliminate the perfect singer for the
program.”
The most suitable applicant likely has
a master’s degree and some professional
or Young Artist Program experience
and has performed several roles. “I
don’t expect a full lyric singer to sing
something Baroque simply because
I want to hear every style,” Leech
continues. “That’s very academic, and
this is not an academic business. They
should bring what they believe they sing
well, with a bit of variety in style and
language.”
The handful of singers who are
chosen to be MOT Studio Artists
benefit from what DiChiera says is
“pretty much unlimited” exposure to
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photo by Mitty Carter
(L to R): Michigan Opera Theatre Studio Artists: coach/accompanist Gordon Schermer, mezzo-soprano Raehann BryceDavis, tenor Joseph Michael Brent, soprano Angela Theis, bass Brent Michael Smith, and baritone Jeff Byrnes
pianists, coaches, singers, conductors, and stage directors
who visit MOT throughout the season (Martin Katz, Kathleen
Kelly, and Stephen Lord, to name just three); participation in
concerts and community performances, such as the Opera
Clubs; the possibility of singing or covering a role in MOT’s
four mainstage productions; and, perhaps most notably, a fully
staged production designed specifically for them.
“Each year, I will try to find an opera that will best suit these
young artists,” DiChiera says. For 2015–16, he chose The
Tender Land because of its roles for soprano, mezzo, tenor,
baritone, and bass-baritone. DiChiera and Leech selected
Little Women for 2016–17. “It can be a case of ‘the cart
before the horse’ if we must pick a production before we have
singers,” Leech explains, “but we still make the choice with
the casting of the Studio Artists as our focus.” Studio Artists
perform in venues throughout the state.
When it comes to working with each singer, Leech
emphasizes always singing with meaning, a tenant of his
lifelong mentors Peyton Hibbitt and the late Carmen Savoca,
co-founders of Tri-Cities Opera. “When the homework falls
into place, you ‘touch’ your audience with your meaning,
instead of ‘impressing’ them with your voice. That is why we
sing.”
He also focuses on diction, interpretation, and musicality.
“With regard to interpretation, often the largest challenge
for a singer is to leave the ‘student’ behind and become the
‘artist.’ We spend so much time getting everything ‘right’ as we
learn the countless areas of this craft in college, but the artists
must now take all of that, apply their own decisions, and make
the piece their own. We still want it ‘right,’ but we want so
much more—artistry.”
Studio Artists also receive language study. “This year,”
Leech says, “we did a concentrated series of German language
classes followed up with individual instruction, as well as
Italian as time permitted. We have plans to continue this, as
well as provide Czech and Russian diction with [University
of Michigan] Professor Timothy Cheek and other language
support based on individual needs and desires.”
Leech meets with each Studio Artist several times each
week, if not daily. On a weekly basis, each artist has coaching
and workshop sessions with him and at least one session with
a staff coach/accompanist, in addition to regular coaching
sessions and classes with principal guest coaches Kathleen
Kelly and Martin Katz. Masterclasses are also on the schedule,
presented in 2015–16 by Martina Arroyo, Carol Vaness,
Bernard Uzan, Dean Anthony, and other guests. DiChiera
works with Studio Artists from a birds-eye view, making sure
that all elements for MOT Studio are in place and mentoring
the artists by offering feedback and discussing future plans.
One singer he has mentored, soprano Angela Theis, sang
supporting roles as a MOT Apprentice prior to joining
MOT Studio for 2015–16. She earned a master of music in
vocal performance at New England Conservatory of Music,
completed a fellowship at the Universität Mozarteum in
photo by John Grigaitis
Salzburg, was a resident artist with Utah Opera and Syracuse
Opera, and has sung leading roles with regional companies.
Besides having further opportunities to work with DiChiera,
Theis was eager to be involved in MOT’s mainstage productions
and MOT Studio’s opera. “The MOT Studio program helped
me go outside of my comfort zone and take risks as a principal
artist,” she says. Theis advises future MOT Studio Artists to
“have goals that are individual to you . . . but be flexible and
surrender to change when needed.”
Tenor Joseph Michael Brent, another Studio Artist in
2015–16, was initially interested in the program because of
Richard Leech and the prospect of a nine-month paid contract
with health insurance. With a master’s degree and doctor of
musical arts from the University of Georgia, and having sung
leading roles for UGA’s opera productions for four years and
leading roles with other programs, Brent loved the performance
opportunities, masterclasses, coaching, language training,
audition techniques, and career guidance offered by MOT
Studio. He also liked the separation of MOT Studio from
educational outreach, for which MOT has a separate group of
“touring ensemble” artists. “Most educational outreach, in my
observation and understanding, primarily involves traveling to
local cities and performing one-act operas or heavily-cut English
translations of traditional operas. As MOT Studio Artists, we are
assigned to mainstage roles and treated like mainstage artists.”
Reflecting on his improvements, Brent highlights the
individual and small group lessons in German, since he lacked
formal education in German grammar and conversation, and
the production of The Tender Land—the only American opera
in which he has performed, and his first time working with
conductor Suzanne Mallare Acton and stage director Kristine
McIntyre. “Performing in this opera exposed me to new
repertoire and demanded that my acting craft be as polished
as my singing craft,” he says. Brent also praises the flexibility,
encouragement, and support for Studio Artists to compete,
audition, and accept other performing opportunities while still
fulfilling MOT Studio’s contractual obligations.
Angela Theis as Laurie in Michigan Opera
Theatre’s production of The Tender Land, 2016
His advice for future MOT Studio Artists: “Use every
resource offered by the company to your advantage, be selfsufficient because the program is not school, and understand
that the program is intended to polish burgeoning opera talent
primarily through mainstage performance. The singer with a lot
of stage experience, a strong technique, savvy business sense,
and personal integrity would benefit most.”
Greg Waxberg’s bio can be found on p. 31.
The Diction Police
The
indispensable
resource
for
www.dictionpolice.com lyric diction
• How-to videos with leading diction experts
• IPA transcriptions
• Translations in English, French & German
• Webinar courses on lyric diction
• Free Podcast
Christina Baldwin, Gabriel Preisser, and Laura Portune in Dayton Opera’s
2015 production of “An Evening with Rodgers and Hammerstein”
Singer and
administrator:
GABRIEL PREISSER
BY LAURA PORTUNE
Baritone Gabriel Preisser is enjoying a
busy and active singing career. So why
would he take on the role of artistic and
executive director? Find out here.
“I’ve always considered my career
as a singer as my own business
and tried to run it as efficiently as
possible.”
L
ast May I sang in a production with Dayton Opera
and had the pleasure of working with a great baritone,
Gabriel Preisser. His impeccable preparation, ability
to shine in varied styles, and fun-loving spirit made him stand
out as a wonderful artist and colleague. He had a seasoned air
rarely seen in such a young singer.
And then a couple of months ago, Opera Orlando
announced him as their newly appointed artistic and
executive director—all in addition to his busy performing
schedule and growing family. In a career where there are
many ways to serve our art, I was intrigued by Preisser’s path
to the business side of opera.
A couple months ago you were an active singer, and
suddenly you are the executive and artistic director for
Opera Orlando—and an active singer! Tell me a little
about the company and your history with them. How did
you come to find them and how did they know you were
the perfect fit for the job?
After Orlando Opera closed down in 2008, a small group
of volunteers founded Florida Opera Theatre to keep
opera alive in Orlando. I grew up in Orlando, so it was a
natural progression for me and my wife to move back home
to Orlando after I paid my “dues” as a young artist doing
programs around the U.S. When I moved back home, I
almost immediately got involved with Florida Opera Theatre,
first as a performer and then as a board member. I think our
board members saw certain advantages to having an active
performer in a leadership role.
Florida Opera Theatre was also considering a big name
change and rebranding at the time. With the shift to Opera
Orlando, the organization wanted to assert a new vision and
mission. I think investing in the real reason we are all part of
this business—making music and making moving, relevant
theatre—was paramount to the company. For whatever
reason, Opera Orlando felt that I was the guy for the job.
You have two titles, both executive and artistic director.
What is your role in the company?
Many roles! Too many roles! I work very closely with our
board and general director, Vincent Connor, in all facets of
the company, really. Fundraising, corporate sponsorships,
private donors, partnerships in the community, venue
Singer and Administrator: Gabriel Preisser
hunting, contracts, season and
event planning, outreach and, most
importantly, making sure everyone
gets along. Because we are still a young
organization, I have to wear many hats.
It is a challenge for sure.
Was the business side of opera always
a long-term aspiration?
I used to tease about running an
opera company but figured that would
be much later in life if ever. I still don’t
know if I really believe I’m doing what
I’m doing. It hasn’t really settled in
and it kind of remains to be seen how
it will affect my singing career. I am
hopeful that by continuing to perform,
I can serve as an ambassador for Opera
Orlando.
Being out in the field on gigs certainly
enables me to stay connected with the
“singer world” and helps me gauge
what other companies are doing, what
works, and what doesn’t. I think I will
“Being out in the field on gigs certainly enables
me to stay connected with the ‘singer world’
and helps me gauge what other companies are
doing, what works, and what doesn’t.”
always be a performer first and foremost
and hope I can use my experience and
expertise as a full-time opera singer to
help Opera Orlando thrive and make a
unique mark in the opera world.
What prepared you for this job along
with your singing career?
I did receive a business minor while I
was going to school for music at Florida
State University. I’ve always considered
my career as a singer as my own business
and tried to run it as efficiently as
possible. Aside from that, I can’t really
claim to have a broad résumé of business
experience. I know what I know and I
am eagerly learning what I don’t.
About three years ago, I founded
a small production company, Angels
and Demons, with a good friend of
mine. That was certainly helpful in
thrusting me into the admin side of the
arts world. Angels and Demons has
three upcoming productions this year,
including a site-specific Marriage of
Figaro in St. Paul, Minnesota.
What are some of the biggest
challenges you are facing with Opera
Orlando?
I find the most challenging thing is
wanting and sometimes needing to be in
three different places at the same time.
Luckily, technology helps in many of
Introducing Peter Schleif
Peter Schleif is currently in his 22nd year of
teaching vocal music. He has directed school,
church, and community choirs in Colorado, North
Dakota and Minnesota. Schleif has studied with
René Clausen and has done graduate work at the
University of Minnesota and St. Mary’s University.
Choirs under his direction have performed in
Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden,
Finland and across the United States. He is a
member of the American Choral Directors
Association, the International Federation of
Choral Musicians, and the Minnesota Music
Education Association.
Peter Schleif
Vocal Performance Director
SHATTUCK ST. MARY’S
VOCAL PERFORMANCE
www.s-sm.org
[email protected]
photo by Dani Werner
Gabriel Preisser
those cases—being able to FaceTime
into meetings, for instance. I feel like I
am on my phone all day long answering
e-mails now. But I prefer to be busy and
active in a worthy cause, and helping
bring back a strong, sustainable opera
company to my home town makes all
the challenges worth it.
Biggest rewards?
The biggest reward is seeing the
joy that opera brings. I have always
believed that if you can just manage to
get people in the seats at the opera, then
they will become fans—and I’ve yet to
see that not be the case. Opera moves
and enlightens us unlike anything else.
It speaks to a deeper part of each of us
and to our shared humanity.
Literature for Teaching:
Have your personal singing goals
changed?
Not really. I am still a singer/performer
first and foremost. I may have to be a
little more picky about which gigs I take,
but I am still running after auditions
and networking for gigs, as one does
nowadays. I feel it will only help my
perspective on the admin side the more
active I stay in the performance world.
Whom do you seek out for advice? Do
you have any mentors?
Everyone! No, really—everyone. I
think there is something for everyone in
opera when it is done the right way and,
therefore, I ask advice from everyone—
from my mom to my neighbor to the
person sitting next to me on the plane.
What moves them, what do they know
about opera, what don’t they know
about opera, why haven’t they given
opera a try? I find myself still having to
explain that Phantom of the Opera is not
an opera, but what can you do . . .
I do have several mentors and
confidants whom I can run my bad
ideas by and get honest feedback. My
wife is definitely included in that group!
I also consider my board members and
especially my board president to be
mentors. Many of our board members
have been involved with opera in
Orlando for 20+ years. Outside of that,
my circle of trust is made up of other
artistic directors and former singers. It
is really invaluable and crucial to have
people you can trust in the arts.
How does your company strive to fit
the changing world of opera? What
makes your company unique?
Opera is indeed the highest form of
art, but to survive in today’s world it
needs to retain and enhance its place as
a major form of entertainment. Moving,
imaginative, accessible, and relevant
productions are our goal—classics
reimagined in intimate or unexpected
places. Our home venue, the Alexis
& Jim Pugh Theater at the new Dr.
Phillips Center for the Performing Arts,
seats 300 and allows us to immerse
the audience in the action while also
providing the red carpet treatment of
coming to a premiere performance
venue right in the heart of downtown
Orlando.
We are also hard at work building an
audience for the future. Lead-up events
throughout the greater Orlando area,
along with our Youth Program and our
upcoming touring show, help engender
and educate a larger audience. Also, we
are following a common model across
the U.S. by starting an Opera Young
Professionals group with special perks
like season tickets, VIP passes to afterparties, and more. We want to expand
our education program—getting shows
out in the community and schools,
elementary school presentations, Opera
101 for high school and adults, and
touring opera presentations, to name a
few.
Literature for Teaching:
A Guide for Choosing Solo Vocal
Repertoire from a Developmental
Perspective
Teaching Editions
Songs and Arias for Soprano, Mezzo,
Tenor, Baritone and Bass
This extraordinary new text demonstrates how
repertoire can be used to foster the vocal
growth of developing singers. Following in the
footsteps of seminal works including Kagen’s
Music for the Voice, Arneson and Athey-Janka
highlight a vast range of repertoire, both on and
off the beaten track, showing how it can be
used to support and enhance learning,
technique and artistry.
The intent of Literature for Teaching: Teaching
Editions is to give the tools that will help to
achieve pedagogical goals for students, within
the chosen repertoire. The technical instructions
provided in this book will guide the teaching of
respiration and support, phonation, registration,
resonance and articulation. Translations and IPA
are provided to allow exploration of expression
and emotion.
Available at InsideViewPress.com
Soon to be released with
InsideViewPress.com
by Christopher Arneson
with Lauren Athey-Janka
by Christopher Arneson
and Lauren Athey-Janka
Fantastic! What is coming up for Opera Orlando?
We just wrapped up our inaugural production, a double
bill of Mozart’s Impresario and Poulenc’s Les mamelles de
Tirésias [The Breasts of Tiresias]. We called the production
“A Boisterous Rebirth for Opera in Orlando” playing up
our name change while also playing up the birthing of 4,049
babies in Poulenc’s surrealist farce, featuring talent from
across the nation. Next season, we have Don Pasquale, Don
Giovanni, and Amahl and the Night Visitors on the docket.
Amahl will be a local touring show and hopefully become a
holiday staple for us. Don Giovanni is going to be an original
production, “Don Juan Goes to College.” Don Pasquale will
star basso-buffo sensation Peter Strummer. We are really
going for it!
We are also looking at co-productions with other Florida
opera companies in upcoming seasons and are exploring
starting a season-long Young Artist Program. In the next two
seasons, we hope to start offering site-specific operas as well.
Our aspiration is to become a standard bearer for the art of
opera in the state of Florida with a national reputation for
excellence and innovation.
You really bring a passion and enthusiasm to all you do!
As a singer, casting director, and colleague, what advice do
you have for aspiring singers and entrepreneurs?
Be true to yourself. Trust your instincts and always, always
show up prepared.
To learn more about Gabriel Preisser and Opera Orlando, visit
www.gabrielpreisser.com and www.operaorlando.org.
Laura Portune is a multifaceted professional artist: an
opera and concert singer with such companies as San Diego
Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Dayton Opera, North
Czech Philharmonic, and Greek Symphonic Orchestra; stage
director for regional companies; voice teacher with a DMA
in vocal performance and a specialization in Singing Health
(The Ohio State University, 2013); a lecturer, adjudicator,
author, and mentor. She is currently publishing Finding
Your Light: Singer Strategies for Becoming Stage Ready and
Career Bound and has given career lectures at universities
and Young Artist Programs around the country. Read more at
www.lauraportune.com. Perfect
Your
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HARTWICK Music Ad, Color, ClassicalSinger 2016.indd 1
3/30/2016 9:04:24 AM
THE HAMPSONG FOUNDATION
photo by Anne Perigo
Empowering and Engaging Singers, Educators, and Lovers of Song
Thomas Hampson addresses attendees at the Song of America Educators Workshop.
BY PETER THORESEN
Baritone Thomas Hampson continues to inspire singers, teachers, and artists alike with his work in
promoting art song. Read about his foundation’s most recent offering: the Song of America Educators
Workshop in New York City.
W
hen we sing, many sets of
hands are involved. Whether
they belong to our recital
partners or the teachers and coaches
involved in repertoire selection, our
music making is an ongoing and shared
experience. As singers, teachers, and
lovers of song, our relationships with
composers and poets are the same.
We benefit from the events, ideas,
and emotions they experienced—
including those of our living composers.
And when we open our mouths to
communicate a poet’s words and to sing
a composer’s musical reaction to them,
we immediately engage in the greater
community of music makers past,
present, and future. Poetry and melody
have a long-storied and dual capacity to
facilitate community building between
composers and audiences as well as
singers and writers. Song connects.
Song educates. And song transforms.
“Song is a metaphor of the
imagination,” says America’s foremost
baritone Thomas Hampson. “It is
poetic thought encapsulated in music.
Poetry is driven by the basic instinct to
tell the story of existence, and American
poetry explores the cultural roots of our
nation.”
To empower all of those affected
and inspired by song, Hampson
makes a further offering: the
Hampsong Foundation. With a keen
focus on technological innovation,
according to the foundation’s website
www.hampsongfoundation.org,
“the
Hampsong Foundation seeks to
promote intercultural dialogue and
understanding through the art of song.”
To accomplish this, the foundation
engages in strategic collaborations with
key academic and cultural partners
to offer ever-expanding research
findings, interactive web resources, and
workshops.
The Hampsong Foundation
Hampson with Peter Thoresen
As a teacher and performer, I make frequent use of the
foundation’s web resources. And this spring, I had the
pleasure of attending one of its most recent workshop
offerings: the Hampsong Foundation’s Song of America
Educators Workshop.
About the Workshop
Held at Teachers College at Columbia University in
Manhattan, the workshop is geared toward language arts,
history, social studies, and performing arts teachers. Goals
for the workshop include making educators aware of the deep
connections between music and a larger historical and cultural
context, providing educators with experience with a variety
of learning methods and approaches to song-related content,
and highlighting Song of America online resources. Song of
America is the Hampsong Foundation’s multifaceted project
exploring the history of American culture through classic
song. Its free online resources include a radio series as well as
the Song of America database (songofamerica.net), a catalogue
rich with information on American composers, poets, and
songs.
The workshop agenda is comprised of several interactive
seminar-style and breakout events and includes a session with
Hampson on the topic of teaching the humanities through art
song.
Hampson—whose international performing career is
as busy as ever—had finished a series of performances of
Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with Alan Gilbert and the
New York Philharmonic only hours before my workshop, and
was in the lobby bright and early, greeting eager and willing
participants.
“Eager and willing” was the name of the game that morning
and afternoon. And the Hampsong Foundation’s team and
Opera
Winner of 3 National Opera Association
VCU
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Learn more at
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Primary Resources for Singers, Teachers, and Lovers of Song
Song of America is the Hampsong Foundation’s primary focus and continues
Thomas Hampson’s career-long dedication to American music and the work of his
first Song of America collaboration with the Library of Congress in 2005–06. Results
and subsequent resources of this project are the Song of America radio series
and the Song of America database. These Hampsong Foundation offerings have
immediate and practical application for educators, singers, and any other individual
that shares an educational or leisure-based appreciation of poetry and song.
The Song of America radio series is available for free streaming at
songofamerica.net/radio. And the foundation’s second radio series, Song: Mirror of
the World, is now being broadcast on radio stations throughout the country. These
episodes, as well as the vast catalogue of information on the Song of America
database at songofamerica.net, have extensive functionality for professional use in
the classroom and studio—or for pure enjoyment while listening on the treadmill or
heading to a rehearsal on the subway. Like all aspects of poetry and song, there’s
something for everyone in the resources found at hampsongfoundation.org.
presenters had no intention of having
workshop participants seated for much
of that drizzly Saturday in New York
City. Participants got to know each other
quickly in an opening timeline activity
led by Hampsong Foundation team
member and musicologist Susan Key.
Upon registration, attendees were given
a card with a significant historical or
cultural event on it and asked to discuss
it with someone they didn’t know,
before adding the card to a timeline,
which would serve as a reference tool
throughout the workshop.
Immediately after, in an activity
called “Our Songs, Our Selves,”
workshop presenter and Hampsong
Foundation team member Dan Tolly
had participants on their feet and
interacting with one another moments
after the timeline was completed.
Through various musical, rhythmic,
and improvisation-based activities,
participants had the opportunity to
examine the bio/historical contextual
information of Langston Hughes’ poetry
while engaging with one another in
musical play.
Hampsong team member Mark
Clague joined workshop participants via
WebEx from his office at the University
of Michigan for a conversation on
FACULTY
Stefano Algieri (Area Chair)
Valerie Kinslow
Joanna Kolomyjec
Dominique Labelle
John Mac Master
Tracy Smith-Bessette
Winston Purdy
Annamaria Popescu
Aline Kutan
Patrick Hansen (Director of Opera Studies)
Stephen Hargreaves (Principal Opera Coach)
PROGRAMS
Bachelor of Music: Voice Performance, Early Music Voice
Master of Music: Opera and Voice, Early Music Voice, Choral Conducting
Doctor of Music in Performance Studies
Gradaute Performance Diploma
Artist Diploma
Learn more at www.mcgill.ca/music
and Recruitment & Admissions:
[email protected]
About Thomas Hampson
Thomas Hampson enjoys a singular international
career as an opera singer, recording artist, and
“ambassador of song,” maintaining an active
interest in research, education, musical outreach,
and technology. Hampson, who was recently
inducted into the American Academy of Arts &
Sciences, has won worldwide recognition for
thoughtfully researched and creatively constructed
programs as well as recordings that explore the
rich repertoire of song in a wide range of styles,
languages, and periods. Through the Hampsong
Foundation, which he founded in 2003, he employs the art of song to promote
intercultural dialogue and understanding. Read more at thomashampson.com,
hampsongfoundation.org, and songofamerica.net.
music’s role in the understanding
and teaching of various aspects of the
humanities. The session included a
presentation, “Song in the Humanities
Classroom,” and a spirited discussion
on song’s unique ability to aid in
classroom teaching on topics relating
to early American history and poetry,
transcendentalism, and the Harlem
Renaissance (among other key topics).
The conversation addressed poets
and composers, including Francis
Hopkinson (a signer of the Declaration
of Independence, who personally
claimed to have been the first Native of
the United States to produce a musical
composition), Emily Dickinson, Walt
Whitman, Langston Hughes, and
Lin-Manuel Miranda—the titular star
and writer of Broadway’s blockbuster
musical Hamilton.
Immediately after, composer and
pianist Richard Pearson Thomas
guided
participants
through
a
series of interactive, participatory
musical, rhythmic, and compositional
exercises in his workshop session,
“Listening Tools & Techniques
for Any Classroom.” On faculty
at Teachers College at Columbia
University, Thomas maintains an
international performing career, and
his compositions are performed
regularly worldwide. Using the text
of an Emily Dickinson poem, he
enlisted the help of participants to
demonstrate and subsequently model
several performance and compositional
activities for teachers to use as they
explore simple and imaginative
techniques for use in the classroom.
The result was a room full of happy
educators and teaching artists, creating
music on the spot, both in this session
and in the subsequent breakout session
facilitated by Thomas, Tolly, and Key.
A lunch with the Hampsong
Foundation’s founder and president,
Thomas Hampson, followed. During
this intimate Q&A session with the
artist who is regularly referred to as
“America’s Ambassador of Song,”
Hampson discussed his foundation’s
mission, initiatives, and resources
and engaged workshop participants
in a dialogue on the topic of teaching
the humanities through art song. He
encouraged the day’s attendees to
share their present needs, asking how
the Hampsong Foundation might
address them through additional, future
resources.
The workshop culminated in an
extended session and masterclass
entitled “Song in Dialogue.” A
frequent and celebrated masterclass
teacher, Hampson, with Thomas at
the piano, worked with three emerging
professionals in song repertoire
thematically programmed to align with
the poets, composers, and Hampsong
Foundation resources highlighted and
utilized during the workshop’s previous
sessions. In an open dialogue with the
three singers, Hampson challenged
each of these song interpreters to
unpack key textual, contextual, and
musical components of their selected
songs, while Hampson integrated
the usual suspects of the masterclass
setting: healthful technique and vocal
production, attention to one’s body, and
connection to the text and vocal line.
“Song in Dialogue” was available live
to listeners worldwide online through
the Hampsong Foundation’s website
and was also streamed live in the tudorthemed Milbank Memorial Chapel at
Teachers College—another example
of the Hampsong Foundation’s many
digital resources and offerings. Its
recording is currently still available for
viewing on the foundation’s website.
Peter Thoresen is an award-winning
voice teacher, performer, and music
director. His students appear regularly
in national tours and productions
on and off Broadway. He maintains
a thriving private voice studio in
Manhattan and serves on the voice
faculties of Musical Theater College
Auditions (MTCA) and Broadway Kids
Auditions (BKA) in New York. Thoresen
is also on faculty at American Voices
and the YES Academy ASEAN as a
voice teacher, performer, and music
director in Turkmenistan and Jakarta.
He previously served as business
manager to Thomas Hampson and was
a visiting faculty member at Indiana
University Jacobs School of Music, where
he earned his doctor of music degree
in vocal performance. Read more at
peterthoresen.com.
The Classical Singer Young Artist Program Directory
This printed directory includes all listings from our online directory, available at www.classicalsinger.com/directories. Go online to
view the full listing with more details, including compensation, travel, housing, and more.
Company Name
Program Name
Year Started
City
State
Country
Website
Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA)
Opera Training Program
1933
Philadelphia
PA
United States
www.avaopera.org
Ad Astra Music Festival
Young Artist Program
2014
Russell
KS
United States
www.adastramusicfestival.org
Aldeburgh Music
Britten-Pears Young Artist
Programme
1972
Snape (near Aldeburgh); Suffolk
United Kingdom
www.aldeburgh.co.uk/bpp
Arcady
Emerging Artist Program
Arizona Opera
Marion Roose Pullin Opera Studio
Ash Lawn Opera
Apprentice Singers
Ash Lawn Opera
Atlantic Music Festival (AMF)
Resident Artist Fellowship
Bach Society of Saint Louis
Young Artists Awards
Bavarian State Opera
The Opera Studio
Berkshire Choral International
Berkshire Scholar Program
1982
Berkshire Choral International
Apprentice Program
1996
Sheffield
Bolshoi Theatre
Young Artists Opera Program
2009
Moscow
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Tanglewood Music Center
Vocal Arts Program Fellowship
1940
Boston
Boston University
Opera Institute
Boston
Bundanon Trust
Artist-in-Residence
1997
Illaroo; NSW
Calgary Opera
Emerging Artist Development
Program
2005
Calgary
Canadian Opera Company
Ensemble Studio
1980
Caramoor
Bel Canto Young Artists Program
Carmel Bach Festival
2007
1996
1989
Simcoe
ON
Canada
www.arcady.ca
Phoenix
AZ
United States
www.azopera.org
Charlottesville
VA
United States
www.ashlawnopera.org
Charlottesville
VA
United States
www.ashlawnopera.org
New York
NY
United States
www.atlanticmusicfestival.org/theinstitute/
St. Louis
MO
United States
www.bachsociety.org
Germany
www.staatsoper.de
MA
United States
www.berkshirechoral.org
MA
United States
www.berkshirechoral.org
Russian Federation
www.bolshoi.ru/en/about/youth/
MA
United States
www.tanglewoodmusiccenter.org
MA
United States
www.bu.edu/cfa/music/opera/
Australia
bundanon.com.au
AB
Canada
www.calgaryopera.com/emerging-artists
Toronto
ON
Canada
www.coc.ca/AboutTheCOC/CompanyMembers/EnsembleStudio.aspx
1996
Katonah
NY
United States
www.caramoor.org
Virginia Best Adams Vocal
Masterclass Fellowship
1984
Carmel
CA
United States
www.bachfestival.org
Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre
2002
Cedar Rapids
IA
United States
www.cr-opera.org
Central City Opera
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program
1978
Denver
CO
United States
www.centralcityopera.org/artiststraining
Central Florida Lyric Opera
Resident Artist Training Program
1988
Orlando
FL
United States
www.centralfloridalyricopera.org/RATP.
html
Chautauqua Opera
1968
Chautauqua
NY
United States
opera.ciweb.org/young-artists/
Chicago Opera Theater
Young Artists Program
Chicago
IL
United States
www.chicagooperatheater.org
Cincinnati Opera
Young Artists
Cincinnati
OH
United States
www.cincinnatiopera.org/
Connecticut Lyric Opera
New London
CT
United States
ctlyricopera.org
Continuo Arts Foundation
Milton Cross Young Artist
Program
2012
Westfield
NJ
United States
www.continuoarts.com
Crested Butte Music Festival
Opera Studio
2007
Crested Butte
CO
United States
crestedbuttemusicfestival.org/
Da Camera
2008
Houston
TX
United States
www.dacamera.com
Dayton Opera
Artists-In-Residence Program
1987
Dayton
OH
United States
www.daytonperformingarts.org/opera
dell’Arte Opera Ensemble
Summer Repertoire Project
2003
New York
NY
United States
www.dellarteopera.org
Des Moines Metro Opera
Apprentice Artist Program
1975
Indianola
IA
United States
www.desmoinesmetroopera.org
Escales Lyriques
Opera Workshop Programme
2005
LIle dYeu
France
www.escales-lyriques.fr
Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar
Emerging Artist Fellowship
Program
2012
Potsdam
NY
United States
www.fallisland.org
Fargo-Moorhead Opera
2013
Fargo
ND
United States
www.fmopera.org
Munich
Company Name
Program Name
Year Started
City
State
Country
Website
Florentine Opera Company
Opera Studio
2008
Milwaukee
WI
United States
www.florentineopera.org
Florida Grand Opera
1984
Miami
FL
United States
www.fgo.org
Fort Worth Opera
Hattie Mae Lesley Apprentice
Artists Program
Fort Worth
TX
United States
www.fwopera.org
Glimmerglass Festival
1988
Cooperstown
NY
United States
glimmerglass.org/
Glow Lyric Theatre
Graham Apprentice Artist
Program
2013
Greenville
SC
United States
www.glowlyric.com
Hawaii Opera Theatre
Orvis Young Voice Studio
Honolulu
HI
United States
hotyoungvoices.weebly.com/about.html
Hawaii Opera Theatre
Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio
1998
Honolulu
HI
United States
www.hawaiiopera.org/educationoutreach/orvis-opera-studio/
Houston Grand Opera
Opera Studio
1977
Houston
TX
United States
www.houstongrandopera.org
Hubbard Hall Opera Theater
Opera Conservatory
2009
Cambridge
NY
United States
hubbardhall.org/
Indianapolis Opera
Resident Artist Program
1989
Indianapolis
IN
United States
www.indyopera.org
Internationale Meistersinger
Akademie (IMA)
Neumarkt
Germany
meistersingerakademie.com/course
iSING! International Young
Artist Festival
Intensive Western Opera Training
2011
Suzhou
China
www.isingfestival.org
Kentucky Opera
Barbara and Halsey Sandford
Studio Artist Program
2000
Louisville
United States
kyopera.org/auditions/
Les Arts Palau de les Arts
Reina Sofia
Spain
www.lesarts.com/centre-perfeccionament-placido-domingo/
Long Wharf Theatre
New Haven
CT
United States
www.longwharf.org
Los Angeles Opera
Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young
Artist Program
2006
Los Angeles
CA
United States
www.laopera.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan
Opera Center
1974
Chicago
IL
United States
www.lyricopera.org
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Apprentice Program
Kansas City
MO
United States
www.kcopera.org
Mabou Mines
1991
New York
NY
United States
www.maboumines.org
Martina Arroyo Foundation
Prelude to Performance
2005
New York
NY
United States
www.martinaarroyofdn.org
Metropolitan Opera
Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
1980
New York
NY
United States
www.metoperafamily.org
Michigan Opera Theatre
Resident Artist Opera Studio
2015
Detroit
MI
United States
www.michiganopera.org
Minnesota Opera
Minneapolis
MN
United States
www.mnopera.org
Music Academy of the West
Summer School and Festival
Santa Barbara
CA
United States
www.musicacademy.org
Nashville Opera
Fellows Program
Nashville
TN
United States
www.nashvilleopera.org
Nashville Opera
Mary Ragland Young Artist
Program
Nashville
TN
United States
www.nashvilleopera.org
Natchez Festival of Music
Natchez Festival of Music
Natchez
MS
United States
www.natchezfestivalofmusic.com
National Opera Studio
Studio Young Artists
1978
London
United Kingdom
www.nationaloperastudio.org.uk
New York Lyric Opera Theatre
2009
New York
NY
United States
www.newyorklyricopera.org
New York Opera Society
Jeunes Solistes
New York
NY
United States
newyorkoperasociety.com
NI Opera
Ireland
www.niopera.com
The Ohio Light Opera
United States
ohiolightopera.org
Oper Frankfurt
Opera Studio
2008
Frankfurt
Germany
www.oper-frankfurt.de/en/
Opera Carolina
Opera Xpress
1971
Charlotte
NC
United States
www.operacarolina.org
Opera Colorado
2002
Denver
CO
United States
www.operacolorado.org/education/
young-artists/
Opera Company of Brooklyn
2000
New York
NY
United States
operabrooklyn.org
Opera Company of Middlebury
Middlebury
VT
United States
www.ocmvermont.org
Opéra de Montréal
Atelier Lyrique
Montréal
QC
Canada
www.operademontreal.com/en
Opera Experience Southeast
Emerging Artists Program
Rock Hill
SC
United States
www.operaexperiencesoutheast.org
KY
Valencia
1947
2005
2011
Belfast
Wooster
OH
Company Name
Program Name
City
State
Country
Website
Opera Memphis and University of Memphis
Artists-in-Residence and Artist
Diploma Program
Year Started
Memphis
TN
United States
www.memphis.edu/music/future/advoice.php
Opera Naples
Student Apprentice Program
Naples
FL
United States
www.operanaples.org
Opera Naples
Naples
FL
United States
www.operanaples.org
Opéra National de Paris
Artists-In-Residence
Paris
France
www.operadeparis.fr
Opéra National du Rhin
Opéra Studio
Strasbourg
France
www.operanationaldurhin.eu/en
Opera North
Resident Artists Program
Lebanon
NH
United States
www.operanorth.org
Opera Oggi NY
New York
NY
United States
www.operaogginy.info
Opera on the James
Tyler Young Artist Program
2011
Lynchburg
VA
United States
www.operaonthejames.org
Opera Santa Barbara
Mosher Studio Artist Program
2006
Santa Barbara
CA
United States
www.operasb.org
Opera Saratoga
1962
Saratoga Springs
NY
United States
www.operasaratoga.org
Opera Theater of Pittsburgh
SummerFest Young Artist
Program
2012
Pittsburgh
PA
United States
otsummerfest.org
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Gerdine Young Artist Program
St. Louis
MO
United States
www.opera-stl.org
Opera Theatre of the Rockies
Young Artists and Outreach
Ensemble
2002
Colorado Springs
CO
United States
www.operatheatreoftherockies.org
Opernhaus Zürich
International Opera Studio (IOS)
1961
Zürich
Switzerland
www.opernhaus.ch/en/
Pacific Opera Victoria
Artist Training
Victoria
BC
Canada
www.pov.bc.ca
Palm Beach Opera
Benenson Young Artist Program
West Palm Beach
FL
United States
pbopera.org/
Pensacola Opera
Artists in Residence Program
2003
Pensacola
FL
United States
www.pensacolaopera.com
Pine Mountain Music Festival
Resident Opera Artist Program
1998
Hancock
MI
United States
pmmf.org/
Pittsburgh Opera
2012
Pittsburgh
PA
United States
pittsburghopera.org/
Portland Opera
2005
Portland
OR
United States
www.portlandopera.org
Ravinia
Steans Music Institute
1992
Highland Park
IL
United States
www.ravinia.org
Royal Opera House
Jette Parker Young Artists
Programme
2001
London
United Kingdom
www.roh.org.uk
San Francisco Opera Center
Merola Opera Program
Santa Fe Opera
Apprentice Program for Singers
Sarasota Opera
Apprentice Artists Program
Savannah VOICE Festival
Festival Artists Apprentice
Program
2012
Semperoper Dresden
Junges Ensemble
2004
Dresden
Soirée Lyrique
2014
Elgin
SongFest
1996
Cincinnati
St. Petersburg Opera
Company
Emerging Artists Program
2006
St. Petersburg
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
International Opera Studio
2007
Staatstheater Nurnberg
State Opera of South
Australia
James and Diana Ramsay
Foundation Opera Program
Sugar Creek Opera
2004
San Francisco
CA
United States
sfopera.com/about-us/opera-center/
Santa Fe
NM
United States
www.santafeopera.org
Sarasota
FL
United States
www.sarasotaopera.org
Savannah
GA
United States
www.savannahvoicefestival.org
Germany
www.semperoper.de/en
IL
United States
www.soireelyrique.org
OH
United States
www.songfest.us
FL
United States
www.stpeteopera.org
Berlin
Germany
www.staatsoper-berlin.de/en_EN
2003
Nuremberg
Germany
www.staatstheater-nuernberg.de/
2014
Netley; SA
Australia
www.saopera.sa.gov.au
Danis Wilson Apprentice Artist
Program
2007
Watseka
IL
United States
www.sugarcreekopera.com
Syracuse Opera
2008
Syracuse
NY
United States
www.syracuseopera.com
Teatro Alla Scala
Academy of Lyric Opera
1997
Milan
Italy
www.accademialascala.it/en/music/
department.html
Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20
Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques
1994
Canada
www.l20.ca/jal.php?lang=en
Ticino Musica International
Classic
1979
Switzerland
www.ticinomusica.com
Toledo Opera
Toronto Summer Music
Art of Song Program Academy
Fellows
1957
2011
QC
Lugano
Toledo
OH
United States
www.toledoopera.org/learn/residentartists/
Toronto
ON
Canada
www.torontosummermusic.com
Company Name
Program Name
Year Started
City
State
Country
Website
Tri-Cities Opera
Resident Artist Training Program
1971
Binghamton
NY
United States
www.tricitiesopera.com
Tulsa Opera
Tulsa
OK
United States
tulsaopera.com/
University of Georgia
Opera Theatre
2006
Athens
GA
United States
www.opera.uga.edu
University of North Carolina
School of the Arts
A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute
2001
Winston-Salem
NC
United States
www.fletcheropera.com
Utah Festival Opera and
Musical Theatre
Festival Artist Program
1993
Logan
UT
United States
www.utahfestival.org
Utah Opera
1978
Salt Lake City
UT
United States
www.utahopera.org
Vancouver Opera
Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists
Program
2012
Vancouver
BC
Canada
www.vancouveropera.ca
Virginia Opera
Herndon Foundation Emerging
Artist Program
Norfolk
VA
United States
vaopera.org/
Virginia Opera
Emerging Artist Apprentice
Coach Program
Norfolk
VA
United States
vaopera.org/
Vulcan Lyric
Philadelphia
PA
United States
www.vulcanlyric.org/youngartistprogram/
Wagner Society of Washington D.C.
American Wagner Project
2012
Washington
DC
United States
www.wagner-dc.org/
Washington National Opera
Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist
Program
2002
Washington
DC
United States
www.kennedy-center.org/wno/mto/
Auditions
Westminster College
SummerSong Music Festival
2014
Salt Lake City
UT
United States
westminstercollege.edu/voice/
Wichita Grand Opera
2003
Wichita
KS
United States
www.wichitagrandopera.org
Wichita Grand Opera
2003
Wichita
KS
United States
www.wichitagrandopera.org
Winter Opera Saint Louis
St. Louis
MO
United States
www.winteroperastl.org
Wolf Trap Opera Company
Filene Young Artist Program
1971
Vienna
VA
United States
opera.wolftrap.org/
Wolf Trap Opera Company
2007
Vienna
VA
United States
opera.wolftrap.org/
The Yorke Trust
Summer Opera Program
United Kingdom
www.yorketrust.org
1974
South Creake
Singers! Preparing for a Fall or
Spring European Audition Tour?
We offer letters, labels and organizers with
the right contact in the right language to all
the Opera houses in 28 European
countries and to select Agents in 24
European countries, (plus International
Competitions).
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Tel: 212-879-0144
The Classical Singer Voice Teacher, Coach,
and Accompanist Directory
This printed directory includes all Premium Listings to help you find a teacher, coach, accompanist, or conductor. Go online to
view the full listing with more details about studio information, costs, areas of specialty, availability, and more. The online directories
contain an additional 800 Basic Listings as a free resource to you: www.classicalsinger.com/directories.
State
Role
Name
Location
E-mail
Website
Languages
En, Fr, It, Ge
CA
Teacher
Cameron, James
Encino, CA
[email protected]
CA
Teacher
Fischman, Stephen
Mission Viejo, CA
[email protected]
www.stephenfischman.com
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
CA
Teacher
Hansen, Robin
San Mateo, CA
[email protected]
www.joyfulvoicestudio.info
CA
Teacher
Howe, Eric
Oakland, CA
[email protected]
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp
En
CA
Teacher
Kasdorf, Kathleen
Scotts Valley, Ca
[email protected]
www.kathleenkasdorf.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp
CA
Teacher
Kaye, Sharon
San Jose, CA
[email protected]
www.sharonkayevocalstudio.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp
CA
Teacher
Kreitzer, Jacalyn
Los Osos, CA
[email protected]
www.jkreitzer.com
CA
Teacher
Lash, Sharmila
Oakland, CA
[email protected]
sharmilaguhalash.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp
CA
Accompanist
Levina, Elena
Mountain View, CA
[email protected]
www.elenalevina.com
CA
Teacher
Martin, Kathleen
Laguna Niguel, CA
[email protected]
voiceclassicsstudio.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp
CA
Teacher
McMasters, Christine
San Rafael, CA
[email protected]
www.christinemcmasters.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp,
Ru, Jap, Lat
CA
Teacher
Panush, Rena
Culver City, CA
[email protected]
www.classicalsinger.net/rena panush
En Fr, It, Ge
CA
Teacher
Roemer, Katya
San Jose, CA
[email protected]
www.KatyaRoemer.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp
CA
Teacher
Sabin, Stephanie
San Diego, CA
[email protected]
www.stephaniesabin.com
En, Fr, It, Ge
CA
Coach
Schuler, Michael
San Francisco, CA
[email protected]
michaelanthonyschuler.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Cz,
Ru, Sp, Chi, Jap
CA
Coach
Zoolalian, Linda
Glendale, CA
[email protected]
En Fr It Ge, Sp, Lat
DC
Teacher
Sewell, Maryann
Washington, DC
[email protected]
En, Fr, It, Ge
FL
Teacher
LaVoy, Jeanette
Sarasota, FL
[email protected]
www.jeanettelavoy.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp, La
Fl
Teacher
Randall, Kimberly
Orlando, Fl
[email protected]
kimberlysaundersrandall.com/ksr-voicestudio.html
En, Fr, It, Ge
FL
Teacher
Tintes-Schuermann,
Helen
Naples, FL
[email protected]
www.tinteschuermann.org
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
GA
Teacher
Burchinal, Frederick
Athens, GA
[email protected]
www.music.uga.edu;www.opera.uga.edu
En Fr, It, Ge
GA
Teacher
Callaway, Patricia
Atlanta, GA
[email protected]
www.healthyvoicestudio.com
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
GA
Teacher
Fontaine, Melissa
Atlanta, GA
[email protected]
www.melissafontaine.net
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
GA
Teacher
Howard, Bradley
Atlanta, GA
[email protected]
www.music.emory.edu
IL
Teacher
Bickel, Jan
Aurora, IL
[email protected]
www.drjanbickel.com
En
IL
Teacher
Bulgrin, Deborah
Chicago, IL
[email protected]
www.deborahbulgrin.com
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
IL
Teacher
Myers, Myron
Chicago, IL
[email protected]
https://myersmyron.musicteachershelper.
com
En Fr, It, Ge
IL
Teacher
Pantazelos, Janice
Chicago, IL
[email protected]
www.professionalsinging.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp
IL
Coach
Parker, Beth
Chicago, IL
[email protected]
parkeropera.linuxchamps.com
KS
Teacher
Copley, Rebecca
Lindsborg, KS
[email protected]
www.rebeccacopley.com
KS
Accompanist
Werner McAllister,
Kimberly
Wichita, KS
[email protected]
En, Fr, It, Ge, Ru,
Sp, Lat
LA
Teacher
Howe, Martha
Baton Rouge, LA
[email protected]
Marthahowe.com
MA
Teacher
Pope, Jerrold
Brookline, MA
[email protected]
BU School of Music website
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
MN
Teacher
Hassan, Sahar
St. Paul, MN
[email protected]
saharhassan.com; ladyslipperensemble.org
It
MO
Teacher
McIntire, Michelle
Parkville , MO
[email protected]
www.mcintiremusic.com
En Fr, It, Ge
State
Role
Name
Location
E-mail
Website
Languages
MO
Teacher
McKenzie Patterson,
Heather
Saint Louis, MO
[email protected]
www.stlvocalarts.org
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
MO
Teacher
Rocchio, Michael
St. Louis, MO
[email protected]
michaelrocchio.musicteachershelper.com
En, Fr, It, Ge, Sp,
NC
Teacher
Outland, Randall
Waynesville, NC
[email protected]
www1.appstate.edu/~outlandrd
En Fr, It, Ge, Sp
NH
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Stevens, Pamela
Hancock, NH
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Coach
Burrows, John
Riverton, NJ
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Hagerman, Karen
Haddonfield, NJ
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Conductor
Kronrot, Hugh
Collingswood, NJ
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Ru, Sp, Du
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Peterson, Claudette
Paramus, NJ
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Schoch, Clarissa
Clifton, NJ
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Rebecca
Jersey City, NJ
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Fort Lee, NJ
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En, Fr, It, Ge
En, Fr, It, Ge, Cz,
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Wever, Wilma
Long Island City, NY
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www.performanceempowering.com
En
NY
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Byrne, Richard
New York, NY
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En Fr, It, Ge
NY
Teacher
Capalbo, Michele
New York/Ridgewood, NY
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New York, NY
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home.earthlink.net/~maestrosteve
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New York, NY
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New Rochelle, NY
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Ardsley, NY
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New York, NY
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New York, NY
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New York, NY
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New York, NY
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Horvath, Jan
New York, NY
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JanHorvath.com
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Kennedy, Jane
New York, NY
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New York, NY
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New York, NY
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New York, NY
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New York, NY
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En, Fr, It, Ge
The Doctor Is In
Singing a Different Tune?
BY DR. ANTHONY F. JAHN
Singing in tune can make or break an audition or performance for a singer. But
what is the cause of out-of-tune singing? Dr. Jahn puts forth a few theories. E-mail
yours to [email protected].
I
n this column, I wanted to share
some personal thoughts on
something that seems pretty basic:
Why do singers sometimes sing out of
tune? There are a number of reasons that
this may occur, even in singers who are
well trained and musically sophisticated.
Can I preface this by saying that,
right or wrong, these are only my own
conclusions as a laryngologist, and I
welcome any suggestions from singers
and voice teachers, who know more about
this than I do. One of the best perks of my
profession is that I constantly learn from
my patients.
It is assumed that a singer, whether
professional or avid amateur, is musical.
That is to say, they can distinguish tones
and intervals and can reproduce them
vocally. Pitch matching is a pretty basic
requirement if one wants to be a singer—
or, really, a musician of any sort.
But step back for a minute and consider
how the voice is different from other
instruments. Some instruments—such
as the piano, harp, and some wind
instruments—provide a series of fixed
pitches. Other instruments—such as the
non-fretted strings, other winds and, of
course, the human voice—have no fixed
pitch. The performer must re-create
every pitch every time, choosing from a
seemingly endless series of options.
In this sense, instruments (including
the voice) can be classified into two
groups, either digital or analog. On
digital instruments (such as the piano),
the pitches are predetermined: you
either hit the correct note or not. You’re
right or you’re wrong. On the violin,
however, the sound you make can be
anywhere, hopefully in the range of
“correct,” depending on finger position,
bow pressure, etc. If a pianist plays out of
tune, it’s time to call the piano tuner. If,
however, the singer sings out of tune, she
and her teacher need to figure out why
that is happening.
Also consider that singing may be a
solo activity. Unless you’re singing with
a piano or orchestra, there is no ongoing
pitch comparison except for an internal
one, your memory of the correct pitch,
and of the previous notes just sung. And
the quality (harmonic spectrum) of a
piano or orchestra is quite different from
a human voice. So, while comparing
the sound of the voice with a piano or
orchestra is not exactly comparing apples
and oranges, it is at least comparing a
Granny Smith and a Golden Delicious!
Singers performing a cappella, such as
in vocal quartets, are familiar with the
difficulties of being unable to rely on a
fixed pitch accompaniment, just as string
quartets are.
There are other differences that
affect a singer’s pitch sense vs. that of
an instrumentalist. A violinist tunes his
instrument carefully and then, while
playing, relies on a combination of airconducted sound, which travels from the
instrument to his ears, as well as finger
position and muscle memory in his
fingers. But these latter are not acoustic
phenomena.
The singer, on the other hand, monitors
pitch by air conduction (the voice
travelling from the mouth and around
to the ears), but also bone conduction
(resonance in the chest, mask, or head),
two different acoustic cues, in addition to
muscle position and proprioception (the
mechanical appreciation of vibrations in
the vocal tract). All of this information is
then coordinated in the brain, measured
against other sounds (like the piano or
other instruments in the ensemble) and
the singer’s own pitch memory (absolute
or relative)—and, miracle of miracles, the
voice comes out on pitch and in tune.
The brain stores a set of variables (sound,
vibratory sensation, muscle position, lung
pressure) specific for each sound. This
is why a singer (or a violinist, for that
matter) can just begin with a specific pitch
and doesn’t have to “find it” every time.
So, what about singing out of tune?
There is obviously a tiny pitch range that
is “correct” for each sound, and the note
must land within that range to sound
right. Small variations are acceptable and
can be used musically, such as sharpening
a seventh slightly or flattening a second,
to lead to the tonic. Jazz musicians often
“bend” a pitch on purpose. In singing,
the obvious example of a vibrato also
produces a range of pitches centering
around the correct pitch. But when the
variation is too great or lacks a tonal
center, or when the ear perceives too great
a distance between the sound expected
and the sound produced, out-of-tune
singing results.
There are situations when a note
(especially at the end) is simply too high,
and the singer is unable to reach it. This
may be a technical problem, which may
have an anatomic basis. The tightness and
elasticity of the vocal folds, the muscular
The Doctor Is In: Singing a Different Tune?
strength and control required to produce the proper laryngeal
configuration, and possibly the shape of the resonators may
be involved. These are the parameters that control the pitch of
the voice. There is, after all, a reason why one singer can sing
Olympia, another Sarastro. And of course with age, singers
often lose some top notes they had earlier, as vocal folds become
atrophic and less pliable.
On the other hand, we sometimes hear great singers in their
prime, fully capable and with solid technique, sing flat. I believe
the reason for this may be overblowing the larynx by using too
much air. A telling analogy is a string instrument such as a violin
or cello. If the cellist digs in the bow and pulls it very firmly
across the string, he deforms the string and changes its length
and vibratory characteristics, altering the pitch. Similarly, a reed
player can overblow his clarinet or saxophone and change the
pitch of the note. Singing softly is not always an answer, if the
dynamics require a loud sound or if the singer needs to muscle
the voice to get that high pitch out.
OK, but what about those who sing sharp? This is certainly
not a lack of ability to hit a high note. Rather, I believe, it has to
do with relying more on bone-conducted sound and vibration
sense to place the note. The performance situation may be such
(like in a loud orchestral tutti section or singing loudly with an
ensemble) that a singer cannot hear the air-conducted sound of
her voice and needs to use alternate stratagems to monitor the
pitch.
Singing only (or mainly) by bone conduction and
proprioception is a bit like instrument-guided flying for a pilot.
Bone-conducted hearing is not as good as air-conducted hearing.
One problem with bone-conduction sound is that high-pitched
sounds have a shorter wavelength and don’t travel through the
skull as easily as low-frequency sounds. There is a damping effect
when sound enters another medium (in this case, going from air
to solid, such as the soft tissues and bones of the skull). Although
we teach medical students that sound travels across the skull
bone to both ears freely, without any loss of energy (expressed
in the audiological statement “interaural attenuation for boneconducted sound is zero”), this is not quite so. Experimental
studies (by Dr. Richard Goode and coworkers) have shown that
above 700 Hz, bone conduction drops off progressively as the
pitch rises.
I believe the singer simply doesn’t hear the high frequencies,
whether fundamental or harmonics, via bone conduction as well
as through air and needs to rely more and more on the physical
vibration sense as the pitch rises. And the feeling of vibration,
or the memory of position sense (which, for example, tells a
pianist how wide to open the hand and where to place it to hit an
octave), is not as reliable a guide for singers as air conduction of
sound to the ear. Feeling, rather than hearing, the pitch can lead
to over-singing, and the pitch becomes sharp.
Hearing the pitch of the voice is further compromised if the
singer is in a situation where her ears are further distracted
by competing sounds (such as in choral or operatic ensemble
singing), and the need to rely on these internal guides for pitch
becomes greater. Listening to competing sounds while trying to
produce one’s own on-pitch vocal line is an example of crossmodality masking.
I would like to end this column on an up note. Pitch issues
are complex, having to do with issues both in the control and
outside the control of a singer. They relate in part to changing
of the voice as it develops, learning technically to coordinate
the multiple modalities of information reaching the brain about
the sound being produced and developing the ability to use
that information in the feedback loop back to the vocal tract.
These are all within the singer’s abilities to manage—and
staying vocally healthy, working with a good teacher, and being
aware of your instrument’s changing capabilities over the years
are some obvious suggestions.
Anthony Jahn, MD, 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.
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Appl Deadline: Aug 5, ‘16
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Vocal/Choral Pedago
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English Touring Opera - London, UK (B, Paid, Pro)
Gen’l auds in London sum ‘16.
Website: http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/about-eto/
work-with-eto/auditions/
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Contact
Music byInfo:[email protected]
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Appl
Deadline:
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NEW Asheville Lyric Opera - Asheville, NC (D, Paid,
EmgPro)
Upc auds for ‘17 seas. Rep: The Marriage of Figaro,
Showboat, Carmen.
Pavane Publishing
announces
Cantabile Voice Class
For the vocal student, this is the follow-up
classroom text to CANTABILE, the
comprehensive volume that is now the
Katharin
preferred course text for vocal study in
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studios and colleges
throughout the
United States
and abroad.
CANTABILE VOICE CLASS - $14.99
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Canta
bile
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A Manual about Beautiful Singing for Singers,
Teachers of Singing and Choral Conductors
Center Stage Opera - New Cumberland, PA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds for upc prods: Faust, Pagliacci, L’amico Fritz, La
forza del destino, Tales of Hoffmann.
Website: www.csopera.org
Contact Info: [email protected]
Appl Deadline: Ongoing
Gilbert & Sullivan Yiddish Light Opera - West Hempstead, NY (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Seeking new members for lead and chorus roles.
Website: www.gsyiddish.com
Concert Solo
Hellenic Music Foundation - East Elmhurst, NY
(Volunteer, EmgPro)
Seeking vocalists for upc concerts.
Website: www.HellenicMusic.org
NEW 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
Church/Temple
NEW Boston Society of The New Jerusalem - Boston, MA (Paid, EmgPro)
Seeking soprano, mezzo-soprano and bass section
leaders.
Appl Deadline: N/A
CANTABILE - $59.95
P5023 - HL# 08301877
Desk copies are now available (teachers only - restrictions apply).
Email [email protected] and put “Cantabile” in the subject line.
Pavane Publishing is exclusively distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation
Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Seeking all voice types for remainder of ‘16 seas.
Contact Info: 215-224-0257
NEW Boston Society of The New Jerusalem - Boston, MA (Paid, Pro)
Seeking Children’s Choir Director/Conductor.
For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com
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.
NEW Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond Richmond, VA (Paid, Pro)
Seeking prof’l singers for permanent and sub section
leader positions for all voice parts as well as cantor opps.
Website: www.richmondcathedral.org/music.html
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph - Brooklyn, NY (Paid,
EmgPro)
Seeking substitute tenor section leader/soloist.
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Grace United Methodist Church - Valley Stream,
NY (Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds for add’l chorus members.
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis Annapolis, MD (Paid, Pro)
Seeking Choir Director.
Appl Deadline: Jul 15, ‘16
Young Artist Programs
Staatstheater Nurnberg - Nurnberg, Germany (A, Paid,
EmgPro)
Accepting appls for ‘17/18 Int’l Opera Studio for eight
singers and one accomp.
Website: www.staatstheater-nuernberg.de/index.
php?page=oper,opernstudio
Contact Info: susanne.hoerburger@staatstheater.
nuernberg.de
Student:
Currently enrolled in a university or
conservatory music program.
Emerging Professional: 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.
Professional: In the last year has performed a principal
role in a company with Opera America Budget
NEW Arcady - Simcoe, ON, Canada (U, Paid, EmgPro)
Appls accepted thru early fall for upc YAP.
Website: http://arcady.ca/?page_id=137
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Staatsoper Unter den Linden - Berlin, Germany
(U, Paid, EmgPro)
Now accepting appls for ‘17/18 and ‘18/19 International
Opera Studio.
Website: www.staatsoper-berlin.de/en_EN/internationales-opernstudio#audition-opernstudio
Appl Deadline: Oct 31, ‘16
Musical Theatre
Broadway Theatre of Pitman - Pitman, NJ (Paid,
EmgPro)
Auds Jul 23-24, ‘16 for Will Roger Follies.
Website: www.thebroadwaytheatre.org/?go=auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Connecticut Theatre Company - New Britain, CT
(Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds Jul 31-Aug 1, ‘16 for Sweeney Todd.
Website: www.connecticuttheatrecompany.org/
sweeney-todd/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Derby Dinner Playhouse - Clarksville, IN (Paid, Pro)
Next open auds will be held Aug 26, ‘16.
Website: http://derbydinner.com/auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Long Beach Playhouse - Long Beach, CA (Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds Aug 8-9, ‘16 for Sweeney Todd.
Website: www.lbplayhouse.org/show/auditions-sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Virginia Opera - Norfolk, VA (B, Paid, EmgPro)
Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist Program auds Dec
5-7, ‘16 in New York, NY.
Website: http://vaopera.org/education-training/emergNEW Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma - Oklahoma City, OK
ing-artist-program.html
(Paid, Page
Pro) 1
Krieger,Caroline-4563 7/13/15 2:20 PM
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 singing-related.
Many of these artists have management.
Established Professional: 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.
Auds Sep 11, ‘16 for upc shows. Rep: The Rocky Horror
Show, A Christmas Carol.
Website: http://lyrictheatreokc.com/auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Maltz Jupiter Theatre - Jupiter, FL (Paid, Pro)
Auds for Aug 15-18, ‘16 for Me and My Girl and Oct 1013, ‘16 for The Producers, both in New York City.
Website: http://jupitertheatre.org/auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
North Shore Music Theatre - Beverly, MA (Paid, Pro)
Auds Aug 26 & 29-Sep 1, ‘16 for West Side Story.
Website: www.nsmt.org/auditions.html
Appl Deadline: N/A
Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) - Greensboro, NC (Paid, EmgPro)
Fall auds Sep 11-12, ‘16 in Atlanta, GA.
Website: www.setc.org/auditions/fall-professional
NEW Titusville Playhouse - Titusville, FL (Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Jul 18-19, ‘16 for Little Shop of Horrors.
Website: http://titusvilleplayhouse.com/home/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Opera Chorus
NEW Metropolitan Opera - New York, NY (A, Paid,
EstPro)
Chorus auds Sep 29, Oct 5, Oct 24, and Nov 8, ‘16.
Website: www.metopera.org/About/Auditions/Chorus/
NEW Royal Swedish Opera - Stockholm, Sweden (A,
Paid, Pro)
Auds Sep 24, ‘16 for Bass 2 chorus member.
Website: www.operan.se/jobb
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Metropolitan Opera
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NEW Austin Opera - Austin, TX (B, Paid, EmgPro)
‘16/17 seas chorus auds late sum/early fall ‘16.
Website: www.austinopera.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Portland Opera - Portland, OR (B, Paid, Pro)
Chorus auds Aug 14-15, ‘16.
Website: www.portlandopera.org/auditions/chorus/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Gilbert & Sullivan Yiddish Light Opera - West Hempstead, NY (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Seeking new members for lead and chorus roles.
Website: www.gsyiddish.com
Other Chorus
NEW Columbus Symphony Orchestra - Columbus, OH
(A, Paid, Pro)
Chorus auds Aug 23, ‘16.
Website: www.columbussymphony.com/musicians/
chorus/auditions-1/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Pacifica Singers - Vancouver, BC, Canada (A, Volunteer,
EmgPro)
Auds throughout/yr for emg prof’l singers.
Website: www.vancouverchamberchoir.com
Santa Fe Desert Chorale - Santa Fe, NM (A, Paid, Pro)
Aud mats for all voice parts welcome on a rolling basis.
Website: www.desertchorale.org/auditions.html
Vancouver Chamber Choir - Vancouver, BC, Canada
(A, Paid, Pro)
Ongoing auds for prof’l chorus members.
Website: www.vancouverchamberchoir.com
NEW Chorus Pro Musica - Boston, MA (D, Volunteer,
EmgPro)
Sum auds for new singers.
Website: www.choruspromusica.org/about/audition
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus - Atlanta,
GA (E, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds Aug 28-29, ‘16 for ‘16/17 seas.
Website: www.asochorus.org/audition.asp
Appl Deadline: N/A
San Francisco Choral Artists - San Francisco, CA (E,
Paid, EmgPro)
Interested in hearing talented singers of all voice parts,
esp basses.
Website: www.sfca.org/about-auditions.php
NEW Pittsburgh Camerata - Pittsburgh, PA (U, Paid,
Pro)
Auds for ‘16/17 seas.
Website: www.pittsburghcamerata.org/auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Cantemus - Ipswich, MA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Fall auds Aug 30 & Sep 12-13, ‘16.
Website: www.cantemus.org/about-us/auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Cantilena - Lenox, MA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds Sep 12 & 19, ‘16.
Website: www.cantilena.org/audition_information.htm
Appl Deadline: N/A
Handel and Haydn Society - Boston, MA (U, Paid, Pro)
Auds fall ‘16 for substitute position in prof’l choir.
Website: http://handelandhaydn.org/about/employment/auditions/
NEW Highland Park Chorale - Dallas, TX (U, Paid,
EmgPro)
Now scheduling ‘16/17 seas auds for all voice parts.
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW International Orange Chorale of San Francisco
- San Francisco, CA (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds sum ‘16.
Website: www.iocsf.org/auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Kansas City Symphony Chorus - Kansas City,
MO (U, Volunteer, EmgPro)
‘16/17 seas auds Jul 15-17, ‘16.
Website: www.kcsymphony.org/StaticCtl/chorusauditionAct
Appl Deadline: N/A
Marin Baroque Chamber Choir - San Anselmo, CA (U,
Volunteer, EmgPro)
Seeking all voice types for Baroque chamber choir.
Website: www.marinbaroque.org/
Appl Deadline: Sep 15, ‘16
NEW New Trinity Baroque - Atlanta, GA (U, Paid, Pro)
Accepting mats from all voice types for upc concert seas
as soloists or singers in chamber choir.
Website: newtrinitybaroque.org
The Princeton Singers - Princeton, NJ (U, Paid, Pro)
Seeking vocalists of all voice parts for avail vacancies.
Website: www.princetonsingers.org/get-involved/auditions/
NEW Riverside Choral Society - New York, NY (U,
Volunteer, EmgPro)
‘16/17 concert seas auds Aug ‘16.
Website: http://riversidechoral.org/auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW San Antonio Mastersingers - San Antonio, TX (U,
Volunteer, EmgPro)
‘16/17 seas auds Aug 6 & 13, ‘16.
Website: http://samastersingers.org/wp/auditions/
Contact Info: (210) 843-9237
Appl Deadline: N/A
Other
NEW Seattle Opera - Seattle, WA (A, Volunteer,
Student-Univ)
Currently accepting appls for various internships.
Website: http://seattleopera.org/about/careers/
Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Paid, EmgPro)
Seeking accomps for remaining ‘16 seas.
Contact Info: 215-224-0257
NEW St. Maries Musica - Leonardtown, MD (U, Paid,
Pro)
Seeking Conductor and Artistic Dir.
Website: www.smchoralarts.org/job-announcement
NEW WFMT Introductions - Chicago, IL (Volunteer,
Student-HS or Younger)
Seeking pre-college classical soloists, duos, choirs,
small ensembles and large ensembles for 98.7WFMT
radio broadcast.
Website: http://blogs.wfmt.com/introductions/audition/
For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com
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.
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
NEW 2016 Sullivan Foundation Auditions - New
York City, NY
Sponsored By: The Sullivan Foundation
Competition Date: Nov 13-14, ‘16
Age Limit: N/A
Website: www.sullivanfoundation.org/howToApply.html
NEW Fulbright Grants Competition
Sponsored By: Institute of International Education
Age Limit: N/A
Website: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/
getting-started
NEW Grants to Professional Musicians - Ottawa,
ON, Canada
Sponsored By: Canada Council for the Arts
Age Limit: N/A
Website: http://canadacouncil.ca/music/find-a-grant/
grants/grants-to-professional-musicians-individuals
Appl Deadline: Nov 1, ‘16
No Age Limit/Unknown
NEW 28th Annual International Vocal Competition
- Ft. Lee, NJ
Sponsored By: New Jersey Association of Verismo
Opera
Competition Date: Nov 7, 9, 12, 14 & 19, ‘16; J
an 4, ‘17
Website: http://verismopera.org/causes/vocalcompetition/
2016 Young Concert Artists International Auditions - New York, NY
Sponsored By: Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Competition Date: Oct 31, Nov 2-3 & 5, ‘16
Website: www.yca.org/auditions/
Death-By-Aria/Public Auditions - New York, NY
Sponsored By: Opera Company of Brooklyn
Competition Date: Jul 16 & Aug 6, ‘16
Website: http://operabrooklyn.org/?page_id=14
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Paris Opera Awards Competition - Paris,
France
Sponsored By: Paris Opera Awards
Website: www.paris-opera-awards.com/
candidats.html
Age 18 and Under
2016 Ron McNicol Vocal Award - Hawthorn, VIC,
Australia
Sponsored By: Musical Society of Victoria
Competition Date: Aug 7, ‘16
Age Limit: 18
Website: www.msv.org.au/currentawards.html
Competitions
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
Sanford Sylvan
opera workshop
Nic Muni
acting workshop
Lynn Hawley
Age 25 and Under
NEW 5th Annual Young Artist Vocal Competition Gulfport, MS
Sponsored By: Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus
Competition Date: Oct 22, ‘16
Age Limit: 25
Website: www.messiahchorus.org/yavc-forms.html
NEW Young Artist Competition - Provo, UT
Sponsored By: Utah Valley Symphony
Competition Date: Aug 27, ‘16
Age Limit: 25
Website: www.utahvalleysymphony.org/
youngartists.php
movement
Amii LeGendre
professional
development
Carol Yaple
alexander technique
Gwen Ellison
The Bard Vocal Arts
Program is pleased to
welcome baritone
Sanford Sylvan
to the voice faculty.
WWW.BARD.EDU/CONSERVATORY/VAP/
[email protected]
NEW YoungArts Award - Miami, FL
Sponsored By: National YoungArts Foundation
Age Limit: 18
Website: www.youngarts.org/voice
NEW 2016-2017 Collegiate Vocal Competition Grand Rapids, MI
Sponsored By: Opera Grand Rapids
Age Limit: 25
Website: www.operagr.org/education-programs/vocalcompetition/
diction and
phonetics
Erika Switzer
845-752-2409
NEW Senior Performance Competition - Cincinnati,
OH
Sponsored By: Music Teachers National Association
Age Limit: 18
Website: www.mtna.org/programs/competitions/
senior-performance-competitions/
Age 30 and Under
2016 Armstead Singing Award - Hawthorn, VIC,
Australia
Sponsored By: Musical Society of Victoria
Competition Date: Aug 7 & Sep 11, ‘16
Age Limit: 30
Website: www.msv.org.au/currentawards.html
NEW 2016 Mario Lanza Institute Scholarship Auditions - Philadelphia, PA
Sponsored By: Mario Lanza Institute
Competition Date: Oct 17-18, ‘16
Age Limit: 28
Website: www.mariolanzainstitute.org/programs/scholarships/
NEW Young Artist Performance Competition - Cincinnati, OH
Sponsored By: Music Teachers National Association
Age Limit: 26
Website: www.mtna.org/programs/competitions/
young-artist-performance-competition/
For new and complete listings, go to
www.AuditionsPlus.com
Age 35 and Under
67th Gian Battista Viotti International Music
Competition 2016 - Vercelli, Italy
Sponsored By: Gian Battista Viotti International Music
Competition Vercelli
Competition Date: Oct 21-26 & 29, ‘16
Age Limit: (M) 33; (F) 31
Website: www.concorsoviotti.it/page.php?id=65053
ede1821f180eac0ef40cc030ce3
Jessica Jones
NEW 2016 Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship - RI
Sponsored By: Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship Foundation
Age Limit: 33
Website: www.belcantoscholarship.com/calendar-2016
at
S
E
I
D
U
T
S
VOCAL
iversity
te Un
Sta
Kennesaw
Eileen Moremen
Oral Moses
Photo by Jason Braverman
NEW 2016 Heida Hermanns International Voice
Competition - Westport, CT
Sponsored By: Connecticut Alliance for Music
Age Limit: 35
Website: http://camusic.org/competition/
2016 John Kerr Award for English Song - Kent, UK
Sponsored By: John Kerr Award
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.johnkerraward.org.uk/apps.php
NEW 2016 Wagner Society Singing Competition London, UK
Sponsored By: The Wagner Society
Age Limit: 35
Website: https://wagnersociety.org/events/thewagner-society-singing-competition-2016/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Leah Partridge
Age 40 and Under
Age 45 and Under
NEW 8th International “Vox Artis” Voice Competition - Sibiu, Romania
Sponsored By: Vox Artis ArtCor Artists Agency
Competition Date: Sep 12-16, ‘16
Age Limit: (M) 45; (F) 43
Website: www.voxartis.at/regulations/
Voice Faculty
NEW “Città di Alcamo” International Singing
Contest - Alcamo, Italy
Sponsored By: Associazione Amici della Musica di
Alcamo
Competition Date: Sep 29-Oct 2, ‘16
Age Limit: 36
Website: www.amicimusicaalcamo.it/ConcorInter2016/ConcorInter2016ENG.html
Valerie Walters
Todd Wedge
Jana Young
musicKSU.com
VERISMO OPERA, INC.
28TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL VOCAL COMPETITION
Apply Now!
Vocalists of all ages worldwide may apply to the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera's 28th Annual International
Vocal Competition.
Free Master Classes • Free Coaching • Judges' Feedback • Performing Opportunities • Cash awards
Winning the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera's 26th Annual International Vocal Competition was one of the
best experiences I have had as an artist...The master classes and coachings were a treasure chest of knowledge that I
have used and will continue to use, as a stepping stone to reach a higher level of artistry. --Tenor José Heredia
Preliminary Auditions: November 7, 9, 12 14 and 19, 2016 • Final auditions: January 4, 2017
Auditions will be held in New York City, U.S.A.
Deadlines
• Early Bird Registration: July 31, 2016. Fee, $55.
• Application fee effective August 1, 2016: $75
• Application Deadline: October 31, 2016
The New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera's 27th Annual International Vocal Competition was a great experience. I
learned a lot, especially from the judges' feedback, and am grateful for the opportunity to have participated in this
wonderful competition! Singers, apply to this competition.--Soprano Janani Sridhar, third place winner
Esteemed Judges
Lucine Amara
Maestra Lucy Arner
Met Opera legend
Verismo Opera
Verismo Opera Artistic Director Music Director
Evelyn La Quaif
Verismo Opera
General Manager
Maestro Anthony Morss
Emeritus Music Director
Verismo Opera, Inc., P. O. Box 3024, Fort Lee, NJ 07024-9024 - Download an application.
For complete information, visit Verismo Opera’s web site. www.verismopera.org.
Submit inquiries to [email protected].
OBERLIN
CONSERVATORY
OF MUSIC
Envision yourself here.
VOICE FACULTY
Salvatore Champagne
Kendra Colton
Tim LeFebvre
Daune Mahy
Lorraine Manz
Marlene Rosen
Marilyn Horne Residency
OPERA THEATER
Jonathon Field
VOCAL & OPERA COACHING
Thomas Bandy
Tony Cho
Philip Highfill
Daniel Michalak
CHORAL ENSEMBLES
Gregory Ristow, director
www.oberlin.edu/con
YEVHEN GULENKO
Your musicianship and technical
command are your calling card.
In Oberlin’s undergraduate haven,
you begin to craft that artistic
identity. Oberlin students are
mentored and challenged. They
grow comfortable with risk. They
perform with ensembles small
and large, on operatic stages
and in concert halls, in recording
studios and on tour. They envision
the sounds of tomorrow. ENVISION
YOURSELF
HERE
From rehearsal
to performance,
prepare yourself
for a career in a
rapidly changing
environment.
www.du.edu/lamont
Yearly auditions in February
for fall admission.
Newman
Fellowship
Offering full tuition and
$25,000 per year stipend to
an entering master’s student
in voice performance.

Expect the Unexpected

Transcription

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