Monday, April 23, 2012

What Now?

So thanks to the trip I know I can reach the professional level, but there's still plenty of work to be done before I'll really ready to make the move. I have skills I need to sharpen, habits to establish, and tools of the trade to acquire. I'm set to graduate in May, but I can get started (and have started) many of these things while still a student. Let's break down my plans in greater detail:

-The biggest hole in my performance package is my dancing. It's the area I have by far the least formal training in and has been a stopper for a couple Twin Cities callbacks already. To improve this I'm looking into the Hennipen Center for the Arts to enroll in some beginning ballet and jazz dance lessons. I'm also looking to improve my fitness in general. I have been exercising 3 to 4 times a week since returning from NYC, and am hoping to move from 195lbs down to 185lbs. before the summer begins. In addition to the dance classes I'd like to get involved in a martial arts program upon returning to the Cities. I did two years of that in late Middle school, and I remember the level of flexibility, balance, discipline, and confidence it gives you. All useful things for dancing.

-My voice lesson with Claudia Catania was an incredible NYC experience. She gave me some valuable instruction and (equally valuable) encouragement. The techniques she helped me fix made me more open to the advice my current voice teacher (the wonderful Dr. Petillot) has been giving me all this time. This past month there has been some great progress made, but it is progress that is just as easily lost if I don't keep it fresh. I've been able to average 5 days a week at 45 minutes to an hour of voice practice since returning from NYC. That's much more than I used to put in, but still less than I need to do going forward. It needs to be a 7 days a week thing. I need to establish that as a habit now as I leave UWEC for a less structured atmosphere of life after college.

-Thanks to our pre-NYC meetings I have brushed up my resume and have a look for it that I am happy with. My headshots, although workable, will need to be updated shortly after I graduate. With these new materials I plan to submit headshots and resumes to multiple talent agencies around the Twin Cities area. If I can get representation from these agencies I may be able to make some extra income and credits from industrials.

These are just a few of the things I'm looking to improve on, but overall it's about developing the mentality that I am the CEO of my own business. No one is going to force me to practice or exercise, I just have to do it. The knowledge of what is possible is an encouraging thing, however. I think the memories and experience gained from our trip to NYC made my goals clear enough to pursue at full force.

-Evan

Finding the How

My favorite moment of the NYC experience actually took place in Anoka, Minnesota. It was Saturday afternoon, 3 hours after we landed back in MSP, and the weather was immaculate for March in the Midwest. My Mom and I decided to savor a few moments before I drove back to Eau Claire and sat out on our deck in the sun and talked. Unsurprisingly, the trip was the main focus of the conversations. Who I'd met, what I'd seen, what I'd learned, and most importantly, "what now?". As I was recounting and explaining all these things, the first time I had summarized thoughts to someone outside of the trip, I became aware of the level of focus I now had regarding my future. It was a positive change, a firmer, clearer sense of direction that came from a newfound, firsthand knowledge of what it will take to make a living on the stage. There is now a how to the what. Talking to my mom after it was all over made me realize how far I'd come, I could see on her face that she noticed a change. The look of pride she had on her face is one I hope I can keep with me as I move to achieve my goals.

Let's take a closer look at how I answered those questions:

Who I met: In 6 days and change we had 8 large group interviews and 5 small group interviews surveying a total of 19 industry professionals. Their disciplines included Broadway singers, Opera singers, Church singers, dancers, singer-dancers, working student actor/singer/dancers, agents, voice teachers, professional accompanist and film actors. Their experiences ranged from a couple of years to longer than most of us have been alive. Among non-performers I met some native New Yorkers who gave me a much better sense of what Manhattan is like than the romanticized versions in films and television.

What I saw: A mass at an Episcopal Church, 2 events at the Met, 2 shows on Broadway, one show Off-Broadway, and a Juilliard Honors Recital. Again, this is in 6 days. Some in our party added a couple more Broadway shows to the mix.

What I learned: Claudia Catania said to us that the best way to learn from someone is to go in knowing what you want. I had a number of specific questions that I wanted to have answered over the course of the trip, but it all fed into one overarching question that I needed to answer for myself: Can I make it? Do I think, after getting a closer look, that I have the means and the know-how to make a career as a Broadway actor possible? I found answers about my future from the pasts of others. I explained the wide range of professionals we had talked to earlier. Their stories are all unique. Some of their roads to NYC were straight shots, others had a few more twists, turns and detours. The absolute greatest thing about interviewing all of them was when the things they all had in common started to shine through. They all are extremely busy people, pushing themselves constantly to the limit so that they can make the most ends meet that they can. Some have it more comfortable than others, but even the comfortable ones never rest. They all have an insatiable drive to perform. Something is in them that makes the long hours of practice and rehearsals and second jobs worth the precious moments onstage. It is not an automatic things to posses this drive. They have all suffered downs in their careers and fought through them. Every one of them mentioned that, make no mistake, you will be discouraged to the point where you want to quit. There is only one solution: DON'T. You'll bounce back.

So as the week went on I gathered my notes and thoughts and observations, what I'd heard from those gracious performers, and what I'd seen at the stages. I took the experience of my private voice lesson with Claudia Catania and the moment Tuesday night when I finally "got" the Subway. I reflected on these things and much, much more and I found my answer: I learned I can. This goal is within my reach.

Which leaves only one question...





Sunday, April 22, 2012

On meeting fantastic, very talented people

I was very fortunate to interview two succesful female conductors, which is a very male dominated profession, so that was very encouraging. They were both extremely interested in helping me in whatever way they could, and I could have easily talked to them for hours more! But I'm very grateful for the hour they both took out of their incredibly busy schedules to talk to me.

Something that one said that I just loved was that conducting is, for her, all about solving problemsputting the puzzle pieces together to get to the big picture. Its about the love of a challenge and the love for bettering other's lives with music, both your musicians and the audience. I just connected with that so much, and it reminds me how excited I am to teach music.

Overall impressions I got from these interviews were how important it is to be exposed to, and expose others in the community to as many different experiences as possible. It helps young people grow as individuals and figure out what they want to do with their lives, and generally enriches the lives of others. And the more my life is enriched and the more knowledgable I am, the more I'm able to bring these experiences to my classroom and my community.

Other miscellaneous things picked up from these and other various interviews: Do what makes you happy. Only take a job if it has 2 of these 3 criteria met: it looks good on your resumé, it pays, and you love it. Don't take a job if it makes you miserable, not even for the job experience. Take care of and support your fellow performers/co-workers, you never know when you'll need support yourself. Say yes to as much as possibleit  keeps the opportunities coming and helps you grow creatively. Surround yourself with positive people. And finally, be patient, you'll get there!

-Jennifer

Reflections on a marvelous opportunity...

So, it's over a month later and I'm just starting to make sense of everything we have accomplished from this trip. As others have said, I have discovered that networking is not nearly as daunting as I originally thought. Before this I never would have considered emailing complete strangers for an interview, especially professional conductors. But I found that in general, people are very willing help out students and give some time to answering all of our questions. This has probably been the most valuable thing that I have learned from the experience, and I'm considering doing this again the next time I travel. I learned so much about NYC and the arts culture there just from talking with professionals there.

In an interview with Jennifer Peterson, a professional conductor and wonderful person, she told us how important it is to be creative and assertive in this business, which is not something that comes easily to me (I would say it's the Midwest nice thing, but I'm not technically from here). She talked about a job that she really wanted when she was just out of college, and after calling about it, they told her that they already had "stacks of resumés". As a way for her resumé to stand out and be taken seriously, she left copies in the mailboxes of the director and the hiring director in the opera building. It was a simple thing, but she stood out and got the job.

Long story short, I've learned a simple yet valuable lesson about being polite but assertive, and meeting new people who are more than happy to help you be successful.

-Jennifer

Friday, April 20, 2012

Meagan Moment

I happen to have my own blog, and while unknowingly still signed in to that account, I accidently posted my last blog in that one, so let's get this straightened out for partial credit :)
I have made a big decision recently: where I am going to grad school. It was a battle between the impressive, big ol' Indiana, Jacobs School of Music and small and fierce Oklahoma City University. I had great experiences at both campuses and really couldn't decide. But after making some discoveries about what I know of large cities (New York) I actually did know which one I was going to choose: OKC. I absolutely loved Indiana. It was a friendly place, and had an immense supply of resources at my fingertips. It was so tempting! However, I knew that it was HUGE! The grad program there had around 200 graduate students. I realized I probably wouldn't have gotten in any lead roles until I was almost done with my second year. I knew that OKC was the answer for me. It was small, and I adored how beautiful it was. The opera there was just as impressive as Indiana, but you get more experience faster, and I wanted to get my feet wet right away. I also loved the professor I had worked with at OKC. He spoke my "language" and I understood what he was trying to accomplish with his students.
Needless to say, NYC helped me decide my future. It made me realize what I was ready for, and what needed to wait. I can't wait to go to grad school!
Meagan

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Some more reflection...

It's incredible to me that in a couple of days it will be the one month anniversary of the day that we left for NYC.  Since coming back to Eau Claire, life has been very busy - we've had a voice area recital showcasing various settings of texts by William Shakespeare, I gave my first Faculty Recital here at UWEC, performed in the faculty April Fool's Day concert, as well as with the Voice Faculty Quartet for the Viennese Ball this weekend.  Now that the dust has settled, I've been thinking a lot about the trip and all of the wonderful performances I experienced.  While I heard a lot of wonderful singing, a few performers really drew me in to their performance, one such example was Paul Appleby's recital.  What made this performance so special?  The word that keeps coming to mind is "specificity."  He had a specific meaning and intention for every phrase of music and poetry that could be clearly read by his voice, musicality, and physicality.  When you're studying a song or an opera role, the possibilities for interpretation seem endless.  One of my favorite parts of being a singer is exploring all of these possibilities in my own study, practice, and rehearsal.  However, at some point you have to make a choice and go with it.  If you try to express all the possibilities, you can end up expressing very little, giving a generic performance.  This then led me to think about something one of the cast members of Anything Goes said about choosing to be great at two things, rather than trying to be great at everything.  I think that the students were amazed by all of the possibilities and various paths one could take in pursuing a career in music.  The possibilities are endless!  BUT - at some point you have to make a choice and go with it.  This doesn't mean you're stuck with the choice forever, as Logan Tracy reminded us, you can always make another choice, but make a choice!  It is my hope that the students start making their "choice" and then take steps to realize that choice.  Most are starting to do that.  I'm excited to hear about their various plans for creating their own summer program, and I hope they know I'm here to encourage them in any way I can.
For myself, I'm going to go for more specificity in my performances; I'm going to allow myself more time with a piece to make a specific choice and realize that choice.  I'm also looking to take on Caroline Worra's suggestion that we should all find something more difficult to do than singing.  Right now, it has been working on my dissertation.  I'm looking forward to having time this summer to really focus and devote my complete attention this project.  I'm also looking for various ways to stop and "smell the roses."  After being in college for over a decade, all while starting and maintaining a performing career,  and now teaching music full-time, it's time for me to find a few non-music activities for my life.  Maybe after the dissertation is done it will be time to start training for that marathon...

Mr. P

Friday, April 13, 2012

Life Lessons
I feel truly blest to have been given the chance to partake in this immersion class. It is a completely unique experience and really gives young performers an edge when starting their careers. Many of the people we met with said if they only knew the information they know now ten years ago life would have been easier. Going on this trip really was an eye-opening experience and each and every one of the students benefited from the trip in one way or another. I am going to now share some of the life lessons I learned from this trip.
1. People are people. This seems fairly simple but I know many young people have misconceptions about other groups of people, specifically those who grew up in a different culture. What I have learned from this trip is that you can make connections with almost anyone, and have the same experiences as a person on the other side of the country. Once I embraced this simplistic idea the world seemed a less daunting place, and New York seemed less scary.
2. Don't justify what makes you happy. As young college students we often think that we have to achieve a certain goal in order to be successful but then life becomes a task. Going to school, earning your degree, this is important, but your degree is just that, a degree. There are so many options that one doesn't think about while in school. There is no cookie-cutter version of life, and you don't have to do the same things other people in your major end up doing. Every one is different and whatever ends up making you happy is what you should pursue.
3. Persistence is one of the most important aspects of success. If you keep trying, and continue to work you will be successful. Everyone has talent, but not everyone has perseverance and the willingness to get up every single time they fall and try again. If you keep pulling yourself back up you will outlast many of the people that you started out with.
I could go on and on about the things I learned but these are three things that really stood out to me. None of these 'lessons' are completely new ideas to me or mind-blowing, but they are ideas that have become more solidified because of this trip
~Britney Shattuck

It's Never Too Late...

What's better than sitting down and talking to one of your favorite pop musicians that happens to be super gorgeous?...Sitting down and talking to one of your favorite pop musicians that happens to be super gorgeous AND has some words of wisdom that leave a lasting impression.

One day into my immersion experience (Sunday, for those of you who have lost track), I set off to Union Square for an interview with popular singer/songwriter Derek James. I had met Derek a few times before after gigs he has done while on tour in Eau Claire, so I knew how down-to-earth he would be. I was expecting a half-hour interview. What I got was multiple hour of sitting around chatting, just getting to know about each other's worlds.

This interview was the beginning of a huge realization for me: networking is not that daunting of a task. At the end of the day, networking is making friends, whether they be professional or otherwise.

The biggest lesson to be taken from this interview is that, no matter what your passion, it is never too late to change your mind or start something new. Derek graduated with a degree in psychology. He decided that music was his true passion, though. Upon his decision to write music instead, he didn't even have the piano background to know where middle C is. Today, Derek supports himself solely through various avenues of music.

He also made is clear that you have to figure out who you are, both as a musician and a person. Never deviate from who you are. It's ok to change but only if you are changing for yourself and not for what others expect you to be. Some people may not like your sound or the vibe you give off. That's fine, because some people will absolutely love that sound and that vibe. Most importantly, YOU have to love it.

It was also nice to get coffee with Derek the next morning in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, his place of residence. We discussed jobs and the Williamsburg area. This is a nice (more affordable) place to live. It is filled with families, pop musicians, and Broadway singers.

Although I discovered the sad fact that coffee is not very good anywhere in NY, I did learn alot of valuable lessons from the immersion experience. My whole path of self-discovery really got rolling with this first interview with Derek James. I'm looking forward to visiting this summer and learning even more.

~ Nicole A. Korbisch

The Mind and the Body

I've been thinking about performing--there are so many approaches to take as one prepares for a performance.  I teach the students here to GOTE their characters (Goals, Obstacles, Tactics, Expectations) and we work on the personal/mind connection with the character's circumstances to find motivation.  This is very successful for many performers.  I heard an interview with the great Natalie Dessay (who I will see tomorrow as Violetta in a live broadcast to a Saint Paul movie theatre) and she basically said who cares what the character is thinking and why they are doing what they do.  The audience must SEE those things.  Her approach is entirely physical.  And she is a stunning performer.  She relies heavily on her director to help her realize her physical characterization and if you've seen her perform hearing her say these things comes as no surprise.

We work on the physicalization to some degree in opera workshop, but perhaps that is what we should take on in the fall's OW.  I always have a theme for each semester--last fall we did American opera, the year before we did Magic and Mystery, before that Bel Canto, etc.  It is a fantastic way to teach students of opera literature and history that they don't know much about.  I was also thinking French opera, but those two actually would have a natural affinity to be approached together.

The performers we saw in NY clearly varied in their approach to presenting themselves and their character.  Some clearly put the voice first, some have deeply psychological interpretations, and still others are so physically connected to singing and performance. And of course, many performers do more than one--this is an oversimplification.  But one thing I need to remember is to work more specifically with students so they can figure out what acting approach works best for them.

Paul Appleby sticks out in my mind as someone what has a pretty amazing combination of all three.  He really is one of the best performers I've ever had the privilege to hear in recital.

But, as always, there is no one right answer.
Mitra

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Reflecting: One Month Later

It is always interesting to see how the "trip high" lasts after you return home from an amazing experience. You always think, "This will always be how I feel for the rest of time. My life has been changed. I have new-found purpose and drive in life." But how often does that ever hold up two weeks later?

Well, here we are, nearly a month after our return from the Big Apple. My life still feels changed. I am still filled with a whole new sense of direction and focus. The only difference from my initial reaction? Now, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with how to get there. It's tough to get the ball rolling. I have a lot of plans and have made a lot of decisions. Execution? That needs a little more of a kick in the pants. Since our return, I have felt so tied down to my everyday responsibilities that I haven't had much extra time to devote to starting my future now. I need to set deadlines for myself. Better yet, I need someone else to help me hold myself accountable for meeting my deadlines. Starting a "career club" was brought up while we were in New York. Essentially, that means having a friend or group of friends that check up on one another to help each other stay focused (and guilty if your focus slips). Figuring out my personal deadlines and my "career club" will be my two most immediate goals.

~ Nicole A. Korbisch
Network and "The Hustle"
Networking and stepping out of my comfort zone are two things I became more familiar with while in New York and leading up to the trip. One of the assignments included setting up a meeting with someone while in New York. This was quite a scary concept for me when first starting the class. The only person I knew in New York was my cousin Ingrid, and I hadn't talked to her in quite some time. I didn't know how to even begin finding someone that I could interview about being a performer or living in New York! I was even hesitant to contact my cousin, not wanting to be a bother. But being the diligent student I am, I gritted my teeth and sent a seemingly desperate message to cousin Ing asking if she had any connections or oppurtunities for me in the city. I wasn't sure that she was even going to respond, but the next day I recieved a lengthy message with perhaps the most valuable information I have learned from this whole experience, or at least the beginnings of what I was about to learn. She told me many of the networking tips and the differences in culture that she had come to learn in her 10 years of being in the city. She had also grew up in the midwest and was a student at UWEC, so she experienced many of the pitfalls of a midwestern culture and manner. An important lesson she had to give was to go after what you want, and don't be ashamed to ask for it. This was a completely eye opening idea for me, especially because of the culture I was born into. She also introduced me to Logan Tracey, who led "The Hustle" class for the entire group. Logan had so much advice for young performers starting out from how to be memorable at an audition to tax information. We focused mainly on networking and being the CEO of your business. Being a professional businessman is something singers often don't think about in their careers, and it was very beneficial to recieve some insights into starting a successful business for yourself.

If I hadn't had the oppurtunity to take this class I don't think I would be as confident in standing up for myself and going after what I want as I now am. Being professional in emails, classes, and personal interactions is important, and so is being confident and comfortable with who you are. These are some of the things I have taken away from this experience, and specifically the assignment given.
~Britney Shattuck

Interview with a Liturgical musician

I had great interviews in New York with people who help others pray. I was interested in church music and how the music is created. Being a student, I am interested in solo music and choral music. After talking to my interviewees, I learned these things.
  1. Music helps the community pray.
  2. Music must have variety.
The most important thing is to reach out to the community. I saw this two ways. The church I went to had many different choirs and services to have them at. Contemporary and solemn settings to help different sections of the community pray. They also have a concert series which takes up much time as well. The second church had it focus on the masses. There is also a concert series but not to the same extent.

The most exciting thing is the idea that music must have variety. Not only must the music be singable, it must be accessable. The purpose of music in the catholic church at least is not just to wash over you. It involves participation. This was stressed by both places.

I also learned that as a church singer, you can still have a career in music. The woman I talked to at the first chruch still has jobs that take her places, but her job at the church was a full time position. I love singing for the church and I am glad to know that you can do that and do other things.

I am excitied to bring some of the ideas I learned back to my parishes and help spread the musical message.

Tenor so in Manhattan - Review

I wrote a lot when I was in New york and I still havent gotten myself a blog. It will come, do not worry. But I want to take some time to review my experience.

Best Musical Experience
While seeing Juan diego rip up the Met in L'elisir was amazing and shows me how you can emote on stage, I have to say my most musical experience was seeing Godspell.

Being at the met was great and I know that being in the presence of such great performers is fantastic. I love this music and hope to sing as much of it as I can. The differences are what really set apart the broadway show from the opera. I was sitting very close to the stage and the actors interacted with me. I love the grandeur of opera, but something still gets me in the musical setting. It was very powerful and in a different way than opera. I hope to be good enough to one day do crossover.

Best NewYork Experience
I think running around New York is awesome. There are many ways to get to the same place. Me and Steph were late to the met and we still need to change. I decided we had to take a taxi. It was an experience. Not bad, not cheap, but not terrifying. I like traveling around new york with no real destination in mind. So many things to see and do.

Best Group Experience
Me and two other girls were traveling back to the hotel after going to the Mannes student recital. We were having tons of fun. My favorite part is the fact that the girls had no idea where to go and when the subway stopped at one place, one of the girls stood up. I said this was not our stop and to sit back down. She did. She fell on her butt because the seat she was on, folded back up into the wall. What a laugh we had.

Personal review
I know it sounds rediculous, but I learned that I do not need to be in New York right now. I am not planning on going to Grad school in New York. the city is not calling me right now and I know I will be there often enough. I loved being there, but I do not need to rush my life ahead. My life will take me to New York and some point.
Second, I know I can do it. Singing has gotten much better for me since the trip and I love the way singing feels now. Easy. More relaxed (not completely... yet). Expressive, and much more than whe I was trying to be. Singing is not to be dreaded any more and this realization makes practicing much easier. Performing bears more fruit and the music I sing always can teach me something new.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

It's Really Sinking In

Every day I am getting readjusted to normal college life in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  and every day, New York City feels like a dream.  But now it's a dream that I can go back to and live in for good in just two years!!  
It's 11:00 pm on a wednesday night, and like a responsible student I am diligently doing my homework, trying to catch up on what seems like a never ending to-do list.  About ten minutes ago I needed a break.  That usually entails clicking my way through the world wide web to youtube and looking up past Tony Performances.  I stumbled upon the cast of anything goes  performing their show-stopping, toe-tapping finale number at the end of Act 1.  But this time I remembered I met some of the people who were in the cast; who were performing at THEE tonys, and dancing next to some of the most famous Broadway Stars, like Sutton Foster! It hit me like a ton of bricks all over again.

The NYC Immersion experience has given me a self-assurance and fire that I have been searching for for the past three years.  All of my fears of going into this profession have completely vanished.  I was so grateful that I experienced this before my recital, which was a week ago Thursday.  It felt wonderful to perform with that new-found confidence.   I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is obscured by the New York City skyline!!
Still, I do have a few uncertainties about the future, like how I'm going to support myself, living paycheck to paycheck.  But I believe more than ever that everything that is meant to happen will happen.

Sincerely yours,
Marie

Here's the link I mentioned!  If you pause at 3:54, you will see Tari Kelly (who performed Reno Sweeney at our show!), Andrew Cao, and Raymond J. Lee dancing right behind the incredible Sutton Foster!  They graciously gave us their time after the performance to speak with us!!  This was my favorite part of the entire trip :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo6lPifGnGA
  

Three Weeks and Time to Think

Three weeks ago we were at the end of this fantastic Immersion experience--we've now had some time to think and apply what we experienced to our everyday work as artists and CEOs of our own businesses.  As a mentor, I've seen new fire in many of the students upon returning--Marie, Evan, and Emily have given recitals that glittered and gleamed with new influences and Meagan's recital is tonight.  Many others have also shared their new perspectives with me, their peers, and in their performing.  We are indeed a lucky group to have a University that supported this type of project.  Everywhere we went, people told us they had never heard of such a program.  Thank you UW-Eau Claire.

Please keep checking back with this blog--each student will be posting at least two more times now that they have had time to reflect, and of course we'll be doing the immersion program again next year.

I've been reflecting on lots of things, many of which I am journaling personally about, but something I'll share is re-arriving at the conclusion that one really must allow oneself time to think.  If all your time is spent running from one thing to another, when do you ever get to process what you've experienced?  Sometimes staying on the run like that might be a self-protective mechanism to avoid reflection.  Reflection is hard.  If we do it right, we realize what we've learned but we also realize our own areas of weakness and both are scary.  It is difficult at times to admit what we are good at, and it is difficult to admit what we're not good at.  Human beings are so complicated.

So, I've been trying to give myself "down time" to think about things and just be.  The difficult part of slowing down is that I feel I am not accomplishing enough.  And in fact, I am accomplishing less than I am used to.  But hopefully the quality of what I do will improve.  It will require an entire change to how I have lived my life, but it is something that I am bound and determined to do.

It is interesting to reflect on the same experience that the students had, but from an entirely different point in life.  They see what they want to be doing and what they need to add to their repertoire and their routine of being a working artist.  I am inspired to refine, improve, and frankly cut back on, what I already do.  I know who I am. They are discovering who they are.  Both are special.
Mitra

More thoughts from a soprano who wants her life to be an opera!


We’ve been back for a while and I’m starting to think about the bigger picture.  I’m now starting to realize that while the thought of starting a singing career is a little intimidating, it’s certainly not too frightening for me!

The biggest thing I’ve learned from this trip is that life is all about choices, and that it’s okay to make a choice and then later decide that it’s not for you.  I have a tendency to think that there is only one particular path to my goals, and that any variation of that path is not acceptable because I have to do everything following that one particular plan.  If I make choices, it’s okay to change my mind.  That is so huge for me right now, and I think it’s starting to sink in.

Another big part of what I learned is about networking.  Yes, it’s very important, but it’s also heartening to learn that it’s incredibly easy!  It can be as low-key as facebook messages to someone (who you already know) who does a summer program that you’re interested in.

Other things I learned on this trip:

New York.  So incredible.  I love everything about it and can’t wait until I move there.  I love the constant amount of energy and all of the inspiration for everything:  New York is truly the one place in the world with everything.  It was so striking to me to see all of the differences brought together – beautiful old buildings right next to modern skyscrapers, the glamour of the Met compared to the simplicity of the backstage areas, the mixture of urban and nature (not just Central Park, people even put plants on roofs in order to create beauty), and all of the different cultures coming together to thrive in one area.  The mixture of all of these things is just so intriguing to me. 

I need to stop and think before doing anything, especially with directions.  If we ever went the wrong way going anywhere, it was because of me.  I need to really be aware of what I’m doing and not do things mindlessly, because that creates problems.

The life of a performer is the right one for me.  It’s so liberating to be able to say that I want to do this – because I do.  I love opera so much and love being onstage.  This trip has made me realize that I have the abilities to succeed as a performer, and has made me so much more confident in myself.  

Jordyn

More thoughts and reflections about my lesson, or how I'm starting to figure things out!


I know I posted as soon as we got back about my lesson, but looking back, it was more of a list of what we did instead of my thoughts about it. So, here goes!
When Britney and I got to the Manhattan School of Music, I was nervous.  My thoughts were a jumbled mess:  “What if I’m not up to the New York standard?  What if she tells me she never wants me to even think about coming here for grad school?  What if I don’t like the lesson?”  

It turns out that all of my over-thinking was pointless; there was so much that I learned and was able to process from hearing everything in a different way.  I learned that I understand the concepts for good singing, but I’m not applying them.  I have all the tools for success, and now I need to put them all to use.   

The biggest thing we worked on in my lesson was breath.  We worked on other things, such as a legato line, but that is tied so completely to the breath.  If I’m not working with my core, my breath will be off.  When my breath is off, not only do I not sound like I am supporting myself (because I’m not), but I also am unable to create a legato line. 

Being back in classes and being able to take what I’ve learned into my voice lessons has been so helpful.  Right now my biggest problem is breath – I’m not supporting myself with my core and that throws everything else off.  I've figured out that my lack of support is what I've been working on recently - my lack of being grounded.  Since I am not supporting myself physically, I cannot possibly be supporting myself in my breathing.  I have been working on feeling downward energy toward the floor to try and make myself more supported and more in control of myself.  My lesson yesterday was really exciting - because I struggle to not "perch" so much when I'm standing, we had me sit (with good posture, feeling like I could stand up at any minute).  It was incredible!  I could feel my breath doing so much more work, and as a result some of my other vocal issues went away.  When I was only focusing on one thing while singing, I didn't feel as overwhelmed as I usually do.  Yes, it was work, but I felt more joy instead of worry.  It   feels so good to be able to start figuring things out!  I'm going to sing, and I'm going to keep learning as I go.   

Jordyn

Monday, April 9, 2012

An Interesting Thought

Since we've been back, all I have been thinking about is my upcoming recital on this Wednesday. I've been in the practice rooms non-stop, while working hard on program notes, and scheduling rehearsal times for other things, while getting in my homework for my other classes. My schedule is similar to the hustle and bustle of NYC: never-ending.
I absolutely loved dropping all that I had to do back here in little Eau Claire for experiencing New York. I didn't have to worry about everything listed above, and it was a wonderful feeling. All I had to worry about were my scheduled meeting times to go to shows, or to interview someone. It was a relief to be able to enjoy myself. Once I got back to Eau Claire, yes, I could hear the birds chirping outside my window in the morning, but it was back to being responsible me. I am now imagining what it would be like to have all those responsibilities come to New York... woof! I would go absolutely insane! This is partly why I know New York is not the place for me now. Reason 2 of figuring out why I don't like big cities is complete (the first being assertion). Now onwards to find a third reason...
Meagan

A Klink Think

I thought that coming back to school after spring break would be overwhelming, anticlimactic, and just in general, a bummer. I knew that I would lose the "spring break high" and that that would be bad. At first, it kind of felt that way because we all of the sudden had to get back into a routine, but I'm realizing that even though I felt like my excitement kind of faded away, I am still constantly thinking about the concepts I learned on the trip without even realizing it. For example, I've automatically been using some of the warm-ups Susan gave me in my lesson when I practice. I also had some good follow up emails or facebook messages with people we met in New York, even though I didn't necessarily talk to them personally. And I am constantly reminding myself to "keep my blinders on" and to believe in myself. That sounds really cheesy but it is absolutely necessary and true and often hard to do.

People keep asking about how the trip was and I loved telling people about it! (Until after about the 50th time), but then I realized that I am glad that I have to keep retelling the story because it makes me say again the things I learned, reinforcing them into my brain and reflecting deeper each time that I tell someone what I did and learned in New York. Every day I get to practice being confident and proud of what I am working toward. I also have been thinking about how there are so many possiblities and directions to go in a singing career; it doesn't just have to be singing at the Met. If one thing doesn't work out, I can just keep going and/or find another direction to go.

Something Claudia said was that we are singers, so we should be singing! Don't go and do something else if singing is what you do. (She said it much better than what I am paraphrasing). So if you're waiting to be ready for a career in opera, keep singing it or practice singing other genres while you're waiting and learning. Even if you have a regular temp job, find someplace to sing while you're growing because that is what you do! I really like that idea. It kind of goes along with something Susan said in my lesson. I need to be content where I am right now and to use this time to learn all kinds of things. There are so many aspects to a performance career besides the singing technique. I can be using this time to grow in all of the areas and to not get discouraged that I can't sing like Diana Damrau right now. I'm not supposed to be able to sing like her! I need to be patient.

It is still daunting but also exciting to think about the future now that I have all these new ideas to think about. I am looking forward to achieving little goals along the way and to see my progress and how all this new knowledge effects the way I do things, see things, plan things, and think about things from here on out.

-Emily