At the srecent Manhattan School of Music Graduation Ceremonies the main speaker was the Tony Award winning Baritone and MSM graduate,  Shuler Hensley.  His remarkable speech focused on these two words – Passion & Discipline.  They resonated so well with me that I want to addres them in this Blog.

It is imperative to have both – Passion and Discipline – and both in good measure.

Having a Passion for singing is the first requisite that a young singer must have as he or she starts on the long journey to becoming a well-trained singer, musician, performer.   As any professionally successful singer knows, the road to reaching this goal is anything but smooth and straight forward.   There will be, without question, in every young singer’s career path many ups and downs that are very often difficult to handle emotionally.  I doubt if any singer has not considered at one time or another giving up on the pursuit of a professional career.   It is at these crisis points  that the passion for what you want to do must be solid and deep.

Passion cannot be learned.  It has to be a part of one’s intellectual and emotional makeup.  When a young singer asks me if they should continue their efforts in becoming a first rate singer I pose one question to them:   When you wake up in the middle of the night, ask yourself, “could I imagine my life without singing and performing?”  If that person needs to stop and consider the answer it may not be such a good idea to continue the expense, the effort, the time it takes to pursue the brass ring.

As a teacher I encounter singers every day who face the challenges of developing their vocal, musical, linguistic skills.  Experience has taught me that it is the student who has a built-in Passion for what they want to do that will surmount the inevitable obstacles. There is a definite sense of self and belief in their chosen path.

Is  Passion enough to justify the long, expensive, often-frustrating road?    There really is no answer to that question as each student is an individual in every way.  Reality must enter the picture, of course.  The talent must be there.  And by talent we must consider the voice quality, the musicality,  the intelligence, the physical health of the aspiring young singer.   When these attributes are in place to a good degree it will be the strong desire to pursue excellence that will be important.  Therefore Passion really has a lot to do with a person’s ability to judge their own potential and their strong, unwavering commitment to develop their unique gifts.  Usually one is aware at a young age if their voice quality or their musicality is strong enough to attract the attention of others – be it a choral director, a church organist, or hearing from others that their voice is very good and worthwhile training.  It comes from a reaction by others in many cases or the joy one feels when they sing a solo in church.   These signs that there is talent there become obvious quite early on.

This is where discipline comes into the picture.  It is simply not enough to have a desire – a passion – a blind faith on one’s potential.  It is a realiztion that, no matter how wonderful the voice may be, it will take a unique set of skills to bring these talents to fruition. There will be no short cuts taken.   There must be an innate sense of self and belief in one’s abilities.  Patience will be one of the virtues they will be needing to develop.  And that, unlike a sense of passion, can be developed and must be developed from the very beginning of one’s studies.

There are no short cuts and there is no straight path. Combining heavy doses of Discipline to the deeply felt Passion is a good combination in starting the journey.

On December 2nd, 2013 Maria Callas would have celebrated her 90th birthday.   I have wanted, for a long time, to pay homage to this great artist and to touch on the characteristics ,  both personal and musical, that made up this remarkable performer.

Most of us never did hear Maria Callas in a live performance.  What we know of her performing  comes from listening to recordings, watching DVD’s and, of course, studying her work on YouTube.  That in itself is amazing.  Yet, she reigns, to this day, as perhaps the finest singer-actress of the 20th century and beyond.   The mere mention of her name to this day, both by artists and the music-loving public,  brings sighs of approval and wonderment.  

I have chosen to quote many of Maria Callas’s statements in various interviews, believing her own words give us a better understanding of who she was  as a person and as an artist.   

THE VOICE:

What was it about Maria Callas that made her performances so powerful and exciting?  Was it the voice itself?  

 “I don’t like listening to myself – I don’t like the kind of voice I have”  she claimed In a 1969 interview in Paris. I find this  amazing. i  She confesses that in 1949, as a young singer performing in Perugia “I wanted to give up singing hearing myself.”

Many will honestly say that the first time they heard the voice, myself included, I was not taken with its quality.  Being a Tebaldi fan from early childhood, the Callas voice was not as beautiful and round  to my young ears.  Yet, as time went on I began to understand  that she put the voice at the service of the text and the music in a way that was direct, immediate, multi-faceted and, yes, unique.  In studying her recordings you will hear that she uses a brighter and lighter color in singing the  more girlish roles, i.e. Gilda, Rosina,etc.  To the more heroic and dramatic roles she brought a vast palette of colors that conveyed the essence of the character being portrayed.  It is as though she took the raw material (the voice itself) and moulded it into many shapes and colors.  

She continues:    “Even though I did not like my voice I learned to accept it and to be detached and objective. My voice is unique as is everyone’s.  It is not how we  sing but the uniqueness we bring – like the way we walk or talk…one’s own unique personna.”

EARLY STUDIES & EARLY CAREER:

Callas had one voice teacher –  Elvira de Hidalgo, a well-known Spanish soprano in the the 20’s.  Hidalgo speaks about those early days in this very same 1969 interview.  “I knew when I met her first that she was unique — her dark penetrating eyes and her wide, full mouth”.  She would come to my studio first thing each morning and stay right through my teaching day, listening to all the other lessons.   She was inquisitive and wanted as much knowledge as I could give her.  If I gave her a new aria one day she had it learned and memorized by the next lesson – often a day or two later.  Her dedication was complete.  ( Throughout her career Callas also attended all rehearsals in order to hear the orchestration, the other singers, etc.) 

“I was always able to relax when Callas performed, unlike the anxiety I would experience in listening to my other students.  I always felt at ease and comfortable, knowing she would sing beautifully.”  (Hidalgo)

Early in her career  she was singing Wagner.  During that run she sang for Maestro Serafin who told her she would be singing “I Puritani” in a week due to the cancellation of the soprano.  It was an enormous gamble but she had faith in the conductor and knew she could do it with his blessing. “Being young you have to gamble.  I had not sung a bel canto role beforehand but was willing to take a chance.”  Of course, the rest is history.

“Singing Wagner is much easier  to sing than  Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, etc.  One is not as exposed in the former repertoire as in the latter.”  It was Callas who spearheaded the renaissance of this repertoire known as Bel Canto.  

 

ROLE PREPARATION:

In a BBC interview with Lord Harwood she talks about learning a new role in this way:

“I choose a role based on the last act of that work.  This I learned from Hidalgo, her teacher  as well as  Maestro Tulio Serafin, who made my career.    Even if the  1st, 2nd, 3rd acts are interesting and the last act is weak I do not do the opera.  I want to know that the characteristics of the heroine agrees with the music.  This does happen frequently.  Once I have accepted the role  I learn it as a conservatory student — exactly how the composer wrote it –  no more and no less”.  She continues:  “The embellishments chosen by the conductor must serve the expressions of the character – be they happy, sad, etc.  Music must always have a flowing rhythm and that comes from having spoken the recitatives over and over to oneself. This I also learned from Maestro Serafin.   This work never ends.   After all of these preparations  (the A.B.C’s) you can then take wing.”   She adds:  “It is like reading a letter, you must read between the lines.”  It was the famous Italian Maestro Serafin, of course, who first recognized the musical and interpretive potential  of this artist and was her guide into the bel canto repertoire.

 Again in her own words from 1969 “A performer must understand the atmosphere of the piece  – the hundreds  of colors to choose from.  It is all in the music.  It is not only about singing, it is about interpreting.”  Later on she comments: “If you seek applause you are cheating.”

“To be successful an interpretive artist must work 20 hours a day to be successful.   When you think you have reached 100% you must then strive for 200%.”  

“The voice is the main instrument of the orchestra – thus the word “Prima Donna”.  We must  understand the score intimately in order to be a part of the orchestra.”   As a result  she would color her voice according to the instrumentation of a specific aria, duet, etc.   She was able to find the exact  color for all human emotions.  This came from her mode of preparation and, of course, her intimate knowledge of the whole score, not only her own role or vocal line.

PERFORMING: 

In the famous 1969 Paris interview Visconti claims, in front of Callas who is sitting beside him on the couch, that her near-blindness was a good thing in that she was able to be in her own world on stage without being aware of the public or any other distraction. She agrees.   It is also the reason that she learned every aspect of the score perfectly.  She could barely see the conductor.

“Do you believe in repeating an aria a second time (i.e. ”  Ah, Forse Lui” or  “Addio del Passato” from La Traviata) she was asked?Her answer:  “Never repeat  – dont risk it a second time.  We must be an instrument of the theater”.  However, she agreed that in same operas repeating the main aria following a cabaletta is justified i.e. in “La Sonnambula”.  She was not discussing, of course, the Handelian repertoire as she rarely, if ever,  performed his operas.  

“Always dig deeper to find what the composer wanted was Serafin’s advice to me.  The ‘feeling’ musT be real – deep feeling always will be real.   An interpreter’s first duty is to try to feel and recreate what the composer wanted.  I would become the audience, the performer all at once in order to be faithful to this principle and to give it the breath of life”.  

REVITALIZING AN OLD ART FORM:

“Opera has been dead for a long time now.    Audiences change, of course, through the years and a bit of ‘twicking’ here and there is necessary but as long as we keep its dignity and emotional truthfulness the audience will be moved.  Otherwise it is not giving pleasure.  If music fails to agree to the ear – to so
othe the ear – it has failed.   Opera is not old-fashioned but often the interpreters are.  We cannot modernize too much but we have to give it freshness in order to be credible to the eye and ear.

 PERFECTIONIST:

In the  1969 interview with the great director, Luchiano Visconiti, with whom Callas worked closely, the word “Perfectionist” comes up many times.   The director repeats several times that perfection was her goal.    She agrees to a great extent  but claims that, not only in her art was she reaching for  perfection, but in any other task she took on in life.    She talks about her need to have everyone she worked with uphold  the same high standards and that it is why she gained a reputation of being difficult to work with.

However, there is one statement she makes that is fascinating in the face of her Perfectionist goals:  “Perfection does not exist. I don’t want my singing to be perfect. I thought my recording of Lady Macbeth was perfect as did my colleagues.  It was vocally, but I had forgotten the character’s mood.  Verdi asks for a particular color — dark, even acid-like.  It was all in the music.”

In listening to her speak of her work ethic and her great drive to be as faithful to the composer as possible may lie one of the reasons for her demise. Who knows?  She was relentless in trying to achieve more and more of what was in the music and text.  But, as far as I am concerned, I am grateful she did persist in this goal.  Although often described as difficult, she was a very humble servant of the creators and a true “interpreter” in the very best sense of the word.  This often does take a toll as she later stated herself.

VOCAL CRISIS:

Again, it is in Callas’s own words that we understand the struggle she had in making her decision to stop singing around 1965.

“I would return home after a performance where the public applauded wildly, but I knew it was not up to my standard.  My voice simply was no longer able to execute for me what I needed to say.  It was a decision I had to make by myself alone and I had to be honest with myself.”

In the Paris interview of 1969 she admits that she has stopped performing and has returned “as a young conservatory student” to work with her one and only teacher, Hidalgo.  She needed to learn from the ground up once again.   She anticipates a La Traviata in 1970 with Director Visconti.  However, the recordings of her Farewell concerts with tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano only too obviously prove that she was not able to return to the stage as “La Callas”, the most famous of opera singers in the mid-20th Century.  

HER HERITAGE TO US:

Without Maria Callas and the intelligence of Maestro Serafin we may not have found the bel canto style and technique again.  Each singer and teacher from the 1960’s on have benefited from the renaissance of these great works.  Long may it live.

SUMMING UP:

There are three interviews done in America at the time of her vocal and personal crisis.  The most embarassing of all is  with Mike Wallace who literally needled her relentlessly as to why she had to stop – did she lose her voice – did she like Jackie Kennedy, etc.  Nothing was mentioned of her craft, her artistry, her great career.  The other one is with Edward R. Murrow which is of the same type — mean-spirited and personal questions are asked that were completely out of place.   In these interviews she becomes very uncomfortable and ill at ease.  However, the interviews with Lord Harewood (BBC) and with Emilio Pizzi (Paris, 1966) and finally the interview from Paris in 1969 tells us so much more about this unique artist.

“I am embarrassed by compliments.  I cannot have the same perception of myself as the public has.  I cannot judge myself and I have a hard time realizing what I have done.  But if you manage to persuade and to thrill the public then you have won.”

I think the following sums up for us all where the art and craft came from in the person of Callas herself:

“We serve this unique art – the music most of all.  It takes a lot of worry and a lot of anguish.  It was left to us as a heritage and we must carry it on against all odds  –  even at our own health’s cost.  

 

Joan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several singers have asked that  the perennial topic of singers’ nerves be discussed in one of my blogs.  I am happy to do so  both as a performer and as a teacher.

Iit is safe to say that all performers have, do and always will deal various nervous reactions .  They “go with the territory”.  It is a fact that nerves are an indisputable part of performing, be it in audition, live performances, recordings, etc.   Rehearsal situations also can trigger the “nerves” button in us all.  The first rehearsal with a new conductor, new stage director, first rehearsal  in front  on the whole company – so many things.

President Roosevelt’s now famous words ”  We have nothing to fear but fear itself” should be every singer’s mantra. But it takes work to be able to do this successfully.

It is important to be able to recognize the difference between “positive ” nerves, which get our adrenalin up and running, or “negative ” nerves that cripple us psychologically, physically and, of course, emotionally.  Both types of nerves can be listed under one heading – “Performance Anxiety”.

The most prevalent type of performAnce anxiety , of course, is the negative type..  But the successful and, yes, comfortable performers,  manage to control them through various intellectually sound approaches.

There are tried and true truths  to “dealing with the obvious symptoms of the”bad” nerves such as heart palpitations, sweaty palms, dry throat, shaking legs, high breathing, shortness of breath, memory problems, etc.  They all lie,I believe, in the singer’s careful preparation.

The intelligent,  slow, solid preparation is multifaceted, especially for a singer, who must deal with words and music, interact with other characters, move easily and fluidly, create a believable character, etc.

A singer who devotes him or herself to preparation will slowly and meticulously address the following steps:  1)  A complete study of the music to be performed, not just the pitches, but the composer’s markings, the composer’s chosen rhythm and key .  Why did Mozart put a certain  aria in the key of ………. ?  These things are  in themselves a fascinating study and brings the singer into closer and closer context with the work.

2) Intimate knowledge of the text – in the language of the work…. not a loose, vague translation into our own language.  The wonderful collection of libretti  and translations  published by Nico Castel is an indisputable tool to help the singer know the syntax of the language, be it Italian, German, etc. followed by the way (the syntax) that phrase would be said in English.. He also, of course, uses the IPA symbols brilliantly.

A word of caution re IPA. Using it alone without knowing the text intimately, is only a tool to guide us but it is too often used as a short cut to truly relating to what the poet or librettist wrote. A singer who uses IPA exclusively in singing a foreign language ends up making sounds — sounds without real meaning.   That singer will remain “outside” the emotional power of the text and only makes  room for one to be a nervous performer.

3)  Learning to “Be” rather that to “Act” will put the singer into the very heart of the aria, the role, the song.  That entials the individual imagination of each performer — using one’s own life experiences, one’s knowledge of the plot, the period in which the opera takes place, etc.  This is the most fascinating and wonderful part of all.   There are no limits.  When one comes up with a definite “Point of View”  negative nerves on stage will not have room to get into one’s psyche.

3) Technical preparaton is, without question, at the top of the list.  It is often said that “one must put the technique on the back burner when performing” but we must have a technique to put on that back burner.

“Am I afraid of high notes — of course I am.  What sane man is not?” was the response Pavarotti gave in an interview.  Despite that honesty, he will always be remembered as “King of the High C’s”.  How did he conquer that fear?   Because he had a solid, clear image of what he needed to do in his mind before he actually executed a challenging phrase.   He had a flight plan and that prevented doubts and fear from taking over.  Knowing your instrument and how it works comes first, of course.  The mind will make a blue print of how to coordinate its parts, and all in the service of beautiful singing.   Technique will be a means through which he can go to the level demanded of a performer on stage. It is not and end in itseLf but allows us to express the music and text in a profound way.

Of course, there are simple and proven physical exercises to allow the body to release negative tensions prior to performance.  Breathing is, of course, one of them.  Leontyne Price writes that she would take long, slow, releasing breaths and then sigh them away (Yawn/Sigh) and she would do this 20 times the day of a performance and before going on stage.  Here are a few movements that are very helpful: marching in place; putting your hands against a wall with one foot behind the other and “leaning into the wall”; shoulder rolling (backwards only) or beginners’ easy T’ai Chi moves. These all help coordinate the body and calm the mind.

It is well documented that famous divas of the distant past would not even read a murder mystery the day of performance for fear that they would become agitated.  Makes sense.  In our world, of course, the successful singer does all kinds of stressful things around performance time and on a performance day such as interviews, contractual discussions, jet lag etc. etc.  The privacy the older singers knew no longer exists, of course.  Our time is filled with a million distractions a day. However the day of performance should be “free” of mental or physical stress. Going over the text, reading it aloud, sensible vocalizing of short duration are essential to your performance preparation.

When finally on stage the hours of preparation will put you at the ready to share with your public all that you know and feel about the work you will sing.   With this as your goal you will feel the often crippling symptoms of negative nerves disappear or diminish greatly. The fear of being accepted or not by the public will not be your mind set.The great coloratura soprano Edita Gruberova claims that she needs to feel the audience is not there. Thomas Hampson has a wonderful way of handling the “facing the public” anxiety — “Bring the audience into your world – do not go out to their’s looking for acceptance”.   It was the legendary soprano Licia Albanese who shared with me her way of handling this anxiety when she said “I learned early on that if I went out to ‘tell a story’ my fears about singing disappeared.” These mental concepts allow the performer to focus on conveying all he or she knows and feels about the song or aria through the voice and through their whole  being.

Summing up, negative nervous reactions to performing  can, as we see, be brought  under control by what we do long before we arrive  At the performance stage., which includes auditioning. Then  Postive nervous energy will be the fuel that makes us feel we are at the starting gate and we that just cannot wait for someone to open it so we can enter the stage with energy and exuberance and confidence.

Several months ago I realized that some of the most important words used  as we become and remain   good singers, artists, musicians begin with the letter “P”.  From these I have latched onto 5 of what I consider to be among  the most important tools we can use  to develop our craft.

They are POISE, PERSEVERANCE,  PATIENCE, PREPARATION & POINT OF VIEW.

POISE:  This is a very descriptive word and has a good “feeling” about it.  The concept of Poise, in our context as singers,   is both physical and vocal .

The physical is, of course, the way we hold and use  our instrument which happens to be our body.  T’ai Chi, Yoga, Alexander Technique are all great ways to be conscious of our posture and the coordination of its parts.   As a recent devotee of T’ai Chi, I am amazed at the similarities it has to beautiful signing:  physical coordination, concentration  – long lined movements, lyricism, timing, etc.  It involves both the mind and the body.

Vocal poise is the earmark of belcanto singing, of course and it is heard in all of the great singers both past and present as they sing long legato lines,  smoothly blend all registers of the voice, have total control over vocal dynamics and are able to execute breathing-taking crescendi and dimuendi (messa di voce) . This too requires mental and physical coordination plus a great dash of musicality.  Just listen to the messa di voce of Giuseppe DiStefano of the 50’s and 60’s and the same vocal elegance of  one of today’s finest singers, tenor Matthew Polenzani.

PERSEVERENCE:  This  “P” is very, very important to develop.  The singer’s state of mind is the key.  For instance, in not winning a role, or a first prize it is so easy to wallow in a defeatist frame of mind.   A less-than-stellar audition or performance may have a singer very depressed and discouraged.  But would it not be more productive to patiently address what could make that audition or performance more beautiful and hopefully successful the next time round ?   Sometimes we learn more by a negative than a positive outcome.   Most successful singers have known disappointments but they have a firm belief in their abilities and long-term goals.   Only a calm sense of patience and faith in one’s potential will help a singer or any artist reach the bar they set for themselves.  That bar is yours – you develop it and you work towards it despite the setbacks or disappointments.  Instead of thinking of there being a “problem” think of there being a
“challenge”.

PATIENCE:

In today’s world,we  are so used to instant gratification – technology allows us to do amazing things in a flash.  We also are exposed to media shows that give a performer instantaneous exposure to millions of people, be they ready or not.  I call this “The American Idol Syndrome”.  Some of them go on to earning outrageous amounts of money.  Its philosophy is the opposite of patience in one’s craft and focuses on fame and fortune – not necessarily hard-won success.

So many of us become “impatient” at not being able to execute a vocal challenge instantly and just keep pounding away at it relentlessly. Rather than just stopping, taking a breather, going onto some other aspect of your vocalizing they become frustrated, discouraged and, of course, vocally exhausted.    It is amazing how vocal challenges end up solving themselves if we “take a breather” and come back to it later.

In a recent talk with Mr. Polenzani  on that very subject he considers his art a “work-in-progress  – as do so many, many other singers that we respect a great deal.  When asked in an interview  how it feels to “have made it” – he emphatically responded that he does not think of his career in that way.  Instead he is constantly growing as a singer, artist, actor, etc.    To listen to the interview between Joyce DiDonato (one of the great singing actresses today)  and Dame Janet Baker ( a living legend) is to hear how they carefully prepare their new roles.  It is done slowly, carefully and meticulously.

PREPARATION:  This “P” requires a much longer discussion, of course.   And I look forward to doing just that in an upcoming blog.  But suffice to say now that it is best to develop a system that works for you in learning a new piece.  Some singers say they first begin with the words, and others begin with the music.  Then there are those who do both at the same time.   But a successful singer does  his or her  homework and does it well.  This Preparation has to be painstakingly done – learning the meaning of each word, the syntax & punctuation of the language,  complete rythmic & pitch  accuracy, musical values, vocal command of the works’  demands, the background of the opera,  etc. etc.    Maria Callas called it “The Wedding Cake” approach – learning one layer at a time and putting the bride and groom at the top (words and music) only when all the layers have been carefully prepared.  

POINT OF VIEW:

Stephanie Blythe, in her wonderful Master Classes at Manhattan School of Music, uses this “P” as the premise for working with singers.

It is so easy to be “told” by a teacher, a coach, a conductor, a stage director, what to feel about a specific character.  This tends to diminish the singer’s own input.   The way to being able to handle  this is, of course, to already have a definite idea about what the character’s goal is in saying the words they say and why the composer set it in his or her way.   The imagination is the key to this skill and should not be hemmed in by the opinions of others exclusively.  Half the fun of learning a piece is getting to the inside of the “why, who, where”. Finding the goal a character might have in exclaiming the text is a wonderful challenge.  Using your own imagination will allow you to absorb and try what others suggest but you, at least, have a starting point.

I will welcome your ideas and thoughts on these 5 words — they will have specific meanings for each individual.

Joan

 

 

 

 

 

 

As this is officially the Audition season – for summer programs, young artists’ program,s many of you have asked for a Blog on the various aspects of this topic.

WHEN TO AUDITION: The decision to audition is a major one for every young singer – both for the young professional and those still in conservatory or university.   It is a best discussed with your “team” – that is your voice teacher, primary coach and one other knowledgable person i.e. manager, conductor, etc. Experience shows that it is best to weigh the pro’s and con’s of each one separately.

In an interview recently Jimmy Levine claimed that instrumentalists do not present a work in audition unless it is “camera ready” – technically, musically, etc. but  that singers tend to audition even if the repertoire they offer is not fully ready for prime time.

SUMMER PROGRAMS – Have a list of your priorities in auditioning for programs, i.e. focus on a foreign language in the country of that language, to perform a complete role, scenes program or simply to coach a specific repertoire. .  Cost and what you receive for the fee  should also be considered.    Perhaps there is a voice teacher you are interested in working with at a particular program.. Looking into what each program offers is essential.   Audition fees are pretty high therefore carefully choosing one or two that offer what you are looking for and that you are  ready to audition for becomes imperative.

YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAMS: Being part of a young artists’ program is very important these days.  Therefore timing when to audition is imperative as there is a great deal of talent graduating and hoping to get into one of these programs.   It is best to be sure you are ready to audition for specific programs – there are various levels.  Again, it is a decision that should be thoroughly discussed with your team.

AUDITIONING FOR OPERA COMPANIES:  The key to knowing when to audition for a bona fide opera company is to be aware of the operas being cast by a specific company. It is a waste of the company’s time to listen to singers that are not vocally and/or  age appropriate. This could influence the company’s reaction to your taking up a spot,   and it may be difficult to get an audition when there is a role that is right for you at the time of casting. You do not want to turn up at all auditions.  Be selective and wise.

COMPETITIONS:  It may be best to first “get your feet wet” by choosing competitions that are not the major ones.  This way you can get the feel of auditioning without too much being at stake.  This will allow you to get your “sea legs” as it were for the more competitive competitions and a chance to try out appropriate repertoire.

IN GENERAL:     Auditioning  is a major step in career advancement.  Some young singers choose to audition just for the sake of auditioning,   believing it is best to be out there even if the repertoire, the program itself, etc. is not right for you and/or you are not right at this point in time for the audition. Trying to second-guess the auditioners’ tastes, is counterproductive.  Rather, go with your own knowledge and that of your team.  Remember that once you are heard the comments of those auditioners remain long after that audition is over  and could trip you up if you are not at that point of readiness. Again,  if the first audition is not impressive it may be difficult to get another audition later on for the same company.  Auditioning when you are ill or not in good vocal estate is a definite negative and should be avoided.  That  company will hear you again if your resume, your website or reputation covers their needs.

MENTAL APPROACH:  Levine also gave his advice to young singers who are auditioning.  “Do not go out to impress – go out and share with the people listening what you feel about the music” In other words bring them into your world – do not go out to theirs.”.  He adds “Do not second guess the result of the audition. He  strongly advises singers to mentally audition with a positive attitude – not one of “over anxiety” ie. “I hope they like me”.   Keep your own bar high – and bring to you those that are  listening  – do not go to them.  If the audition does not result in a role assignment, an invitation to a program, etc. do not necessarily feel you did not sing well or they did not like you. They have their own criteria as to what they are looking and listening for.  It is imperative that you set your own standard, using that as your benchmark – not trying to please everyone who is listening.

There are legendary stories of famous singers who were overlooked in their early auditioning years.  Belief in yourself is imperative therefore you must set your own bar.

REPERTOIRE CHOICES:  Remembering that competition is keen for singers is the main reason to choose wisely when and what to audition with.  Choosing a “show stopper” aria is not always the right goal. Do not do so  unless the aria suits the singer perfectly and does not stretch them beyond their current capabilities.  Just to be heard is not good enough.

Choose a varied audition repertoire regarding languages, style and tempo.  Mozart and Handel are, of course, imperative for major auditions as to be able to sing this repertoire beautifully means the singer is skilled in all aspects of his or her craft.  The first aria or song should not be a long one so that there is time for your to sing something of their choice from your audition list.    Choose a work that you love and feel very secure with.  It is not wise to present  a newly learned  work for the first time at a major audition.  Test the waters first.

A FEW USEFUL SUGGESTIONS:

1) DRESS:  This applies primarily to women, of course as men usually have little problem choosing a nice jacket and trousers.  It is best to dress well but not to overdress as the color or style could upstage your performance.  Makeup is essential as the auditions usually take place on a stage or a large hall with strong lighting.  High heels are not good for singing, but attractive shoes that go well with the whole outfit is very important to consider.

2)Arrive early rather than late for the audition.  Have time to “catch your breath” and to  mentally prepare before it is your turn to sing.

3)Have a good copy of the music for your pianist – pages in order – the right key, etc. It is also helpful to discuss certain aspects of the aria or song ie. tempo, where to retard, repeats, etc. with the pianist if there is time.

If the pianist is not taking the tempo to which you are used to singing it is quite alright to stop and politely ask if you could begin again at your tempo. .  It is generally wise not to bring overly pianistically difficult repertoire to sightread  if you are not using your own pianist.

4) Often a company or a program director will ask you to sing something you have not come prepared to do.  It is best to say you would be pleased to come back after you have a chance to look at and prepare that piece.

Above all — have a positive attitude and always be cordial and pleasant.  If you present yourself as a prince you will be accepted as a prince – if you present yourself as a pauper you will be accepted as a pauper.

I hope some of these thoughts are useful to all of you out there on the audition trail this season.

 

One of the first requests I have received since starting “Singing With Many Voices” is to discuss the difference between Portamento and Slurring (strisciato).    Often singers are confused between the two words and will ask if they are both the same.   

Portamento, of course, is the joining of two notes together with a clear precision and skill. A finely executed portamento is and always has been  one of the most beautiful and important characteristics of the bel canto style and technique.   Slurring is a lazy, unprepared and sloppy way of going between two pitches.  

A portamento between two notes, regardless of the interval, is impossible to achieve without full attention paid to the Legato line.   In fact the noted pedagogue, Giovanni Battista Lamperti (1839 – 1910)   joins the two words together and emphasizes the importance of the latter to achieve the former. 

Here is how the master teacher  of the bel canto style, Emanuel Garcia  (Treatise On Singing 1841) discusses its execution:  “Portamento is the joining of one sound to the other, passing through all the intermediate pitches.  It can be from an interval of a semitone or it can embrace the whole extension of the voice.  Taking into account the duration of the first note is how one avoids dragging it  to the next note.  In fact, the first note anticipates the 2nd prior to the end of that first note.” 

He goes on to say:  “In executing a well planned portamento regardless of the interval, the voice does not actually touch the notes between the 1st and 2nd note to which it is to be joined.  This requires Legato Energy.  The manner of executing a portamento also serves to equalize the registers as well as equalizing the strength of the  voice .”

Lamperti reinforces this difference between a true Portamento and a Slur this way:   “There should be no “sliding” up or down to the intervals.  The sound must be pure, immediate, in tune and this is done by paying close attention to the breath energy.”   If the singer abandons the breath line (legato) the 2nd note will likely be out of tune, weak and indistinct.”

I hope you find this, my first real Blog, of interest and I look forward to your comments.  More later. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“