Author Archives: Auditions Plus
Springtime in Boston
As evidence from the past month’s events, Boston is a resilient city. It is full of strong Americans who love their country and care for each other valiantly. We’re fortunate to have the Classical Singer Convention and Auditions Plus Vocal Competition finals in the heart of the city next week. My wife and I were able to visit the city last summer and we loved the brief time we had to walk the historic streets, sail around the magnificent harbor, … Continue reading
The Audition that Change My Life
An audition in 1986 changed my life. It wasn’t even my audition. I attended Indiana University for my Master’s degree in Piano. My parents had offered financial help for my undergraduate degree, which I began at Eastman and finished at the University of Louisville (another story). Graduate school was up to me, however. In order to continue my education, I needed some kind of paid assistantship combined with student loans. I applied to Indiana. I was accepted to the … Continue reading
Auditions: The Accompanist’s Perspective
When you are a pianist playing auditions, it’s a day of sight-reading. Singers with high hopes and jangling nerves parade through the door, put a well-thumbed binder in front of you, point to a (hopefully) well-marked spot on the page, give you an approximate tempo, and then step to the front of the room to be judged. They are all praying the judgment will be positive, which means they can pay their rent, buy their kids a Christmas present, and … Continue reading
Business Etiquette
It’s a battle out there for jobs–especially singing jobs. With so many qualified and talented singers vying for the same roles, it’s the little things that may stand out the most and get you that gig! Libby Moyer is the Artistic Director of the new light opera festival CHLOE. She is in charge of auditioning and hiring singers. She offers some great advice from real working experience. As the Producer of a new light opera festival this … Continue reading
Moving Too Fast: Aiding an out-of-control accompanist
When I was a kid, I loved “The Jetsons”. For those of you too young to know, it was a television cartoon about a family living in the future. They had flying cars, robots that served as housemaids, and moving walkways to take them from place to place. During every episode’s final credits, our hero, George, took his dog, Astro, for a walk on one of those walkways. It was like a treadmill. The treadmill started going faster and faster … Continue reading
Your Accompanist and Your Audition: How to Prep
A singer at an audition is on a blind date with a pianist. This date takes place in front of people who can give the singer a job based on the audition’s outcome. The blind date lasts between four and eight minutes, but its result could mean weeks, months, or even years of work. So why do so many singers act as if the pianist isn’t there? Perhaps it’s fear-auditioning is intimidating! But the pianist is your best ally. … Continue reading
Build Your Base
Who is your audience? Who are your customers? You need to build an audience and fan base and then perform to them. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about them! Here’s a note from one reader, Eric S., who definitely has it right. His daughter is a professional classical music singer : Hey Singers! Think of your fans and their email addresses as your clientele, or your house list. What’s the lifetime value of your client or customer? … Continue reading
Build, Measure, Learn
Does your product–your voice and performance–have to be perfect before it is put in front of an audience? Don’t fall into the trap of waiting until you have a final, polished product before you perform. Don’t waste your window of opportunity. Go out and try something today. Perform. Assess. Learn. And Grow! In his book The Lean Startup, Eric Ries re-introduces an idea most of us were taught in the 7th grade: the scientific method. Or, as he calls … Continue reading
Achieve Greatness: The Hedgehog Principle
Are you striving to be the best? Are you trying to achieve greatness? Then find your hedgehog and get to work. Jim Collins, author of the bestseller Good to Great, details his theory of finding our hedgehog. A hedgehog concept is not a goal to be the best, it is an understanding of what you can be best at. The hedgehog principle is illustrated by the story of the hedgehog verses the fox. The fox is a smart animal … Continue reading
Foundations of Marketing – 5 Simple Keys
Want to know which principles of marketing and advertising will guarantee you success in singing and any other profession? Here are five for starters: The Law of Concentric Circles Utilize your credibility efficiently and with leverage. Make all of your materials and advertisements about “them” and not you. Know and promote the product of your product. Knowing no one cares what your product is, but only what it does for them. Develop and maintain a … Continue reading
