The Singer's Audition & Career Handbook is available for pre-order and will be released November 15, 2019. The following is an excerpt from the Introduction.
from Introduction
A broad range of skills is required for classical singing, and a successful singing career is the result of sustained dedication, excellent training and effective professional management. My aim in writing this book is to provide a comprehensive survey of the many and varied skills a singer must master in order to meet the requirements of both artistic pre-eminence and professional viability.
Opera singers must master not only vocal technique but also acting technique, musicianship, and lyric diction in several languages, among other things. As none of us is born with a natural aptitude in every one of these areas, training to become an opera singer means achieving proficiency in skills that may not come easily to you. Classical singing teaches us to embrace rather than eschew such challenges.
The heightened development and integration of mind, body and heart that vocal education facilitates yields a heightened self-awareness and authenticity that can make all of one’s endeavors and experiences more satisfying. Immersion in music theory, music history, and foreign languages expands mental acuity. Learning vocal technique and stage movement promotes physical coordination and stamina.
Opera and concert productions are collaborative endeavors on a massive scale. In contrast, the cultivation of individual technique and artistry calls for solitude and introspection. Life as a classical singer therefore fosters both independence and interdependence. Long sessions in practice rooms and libraries instill self-reliance and ingenuity. The pace of production schedules teaches singers to forge swift social connections and creative synergy with fellow company members. Whether you are by nature more introverted or extroverted, this is a career that takes full advantage of your predominant orientation while also forcing you to adapt to uncomfortable social paradigms.
Classical singing is an endeavor that will urge you outside your comfort zone on an ongoing basis. If the idea excites you, then you will find this practice infinitely rewarding. You will also find that both the skill set required and the discipline to achieve it are transferable to many other pursuits and professions.
The first piece of advice I am going to offer to the aspiring opera singer is that, when conversing with admirers who assume that your vocal prowess stems from divine, mystical origins, be gracious – but do not let them walk away with that misconception unchallenged. Share your story with them. Let them know that singing is a craft that can be taught, that a naturally exceptional voice is not, in fact, a prerequisite for learning to sing beautifully, and that no one achieves mastery in this field without attaining skills for which they had no natural aptitude.
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