As we explore some ideas for surviving the world of singing, here are a few ideas that that have helped me in today’s current climate.
Suggestions:
- Your idea of success is unique to you.
- There is always a way to do what you want to do.
- Develop multiple streams of revenue.
- Make sure your teacher or coach is a good fit.
- You must love what you do enough to do it every day.
- Cultivate your fundamental skills.
- Don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
Let’s elaborate on these points.
Your idea of success is unique to you
I hear a significant number of auditions and pre-screenings each year. I talk to a lot of singers at all stages of development on a regular basis. It always surprises me to hear what singers want to do with their music training. There is the common response: “I want to sing at the MET,” and who wouldn’t? It’s the MET for crying out loud!
However, almost as much as I hear that response, I hear sincere responses such as:
“I had a choir teacher who really made a difference in my life and I want to give back,” or “I’m good at this,” or “I LOVE to sing.”
Occasionally, people will refer to a specific transformative experience that first drew them to music. They don’t really know what they want to do, but they are so enamored with the idea of singing for a living that all they know is they have to do it as much as possible in any way they can.
Some are drawn in by the language component. They want to learn to sing and speak as many languages as possible. Some love the drama and the historical aspect of the libretti or the composers associated with opera. Others are “stage beasts” and crave the adrenaline rush and roaring applause that accompanies a performance. Others simply want to travel the world, meet new people, or to be a better musician and bring music back to his or her community.
The point is, the reasons for becoming a singer, seem to be as diverse as the number of people trying to sing for a living!
What I do NOT hear however, is: “I want to wonder if I’m going to be successful or not,” “I really want to struggle to make a living,” or “I want to invest years of time and money only to discover that I don’t really want to do this after all.” Weird, right?
So, what is to be done? The first step? Decide what YOU want to do and be specific!
What is your idea of success? Is it singing with a specific conductor, or in a certain opera house? Is it singing a dream role, or supporting yourself entirely on income from singing? Getting a good review from the New York Times, Opera News, or the Wall Street Journal? Is it getting a chance to use your training and making music in whatever shape and form you can?
If you are in school, your idea of success may be something more along the lines of “sing a G without hemorrhaging,” “learn an art song in French,” or “get the rhythm right in that blasted Bernstein piece.”
Whatever success is for you right now, the important thing is to define it for yourself. It’s not enough to wade through the musical waters of academia and hope the revelation comes. That can be a long and expensive trip.
Coaches and teachers are often unintentionally working against you when you aren’t up front what you want out of your training. It’s not enough just to say “I want to sing well,” yes, hopefully you do, otherwise you’re just making a donation to the arts.
Will your idea of success change as you get older? Yes, that’s the point, we must frequently re-evaluate, semester to semester, year to year. Singers move in to different repertoire, find a specialization on which they decide to focus or decide that they love teaching more than performing.
Ask yourself these questions on a regular basis:
- Do I still love singing, if so what do I love about singing?
- What do I dislike about singing?
- What would I change about my career or training experience right now?
- Do I feel successful right now at whatever stage of development I may be?
- What is my constant worry or fear?
Don’t feel that have to have all of the answers right away. As you evolve, develop, mature and progress, so will your idea of success. The important thing is to have a plan, a goal, and something to tether you to forward progress.k
