Monday, June 22, 2009

Are you Being Creative?

Monday musing...

As I am preparing singers for an upcoming studio showcase, we have been discussing the process of artistic creativity and auditioning and why they are so different!

They are such different energies - and often we can get so busy with the "business" of auditioning - either finding our 5 aria package for opera - or building a music theatre audition book of 16/32 bar cuts - that we lose track of the creative artistry of building a song/aria, character journey, musicality, performance...

If we lose track of the creative energy - it then takes WORK and ENERGY to develop it again!  It just isn't "there" if we don't work at it.  Like any other muscle, we need to exercise it regularly. It just doesn't fall into place!  

When a singer is auditioning and putting their energy into that process, often the true creativity of the artistic spirit is stifled - unintentionally - but stifled nonetheless. The energy goes into the audition NOT the creativity.

Finding performance opportunities that we can create for ourselves is so important - concerts, recitals, cabarets, showcases - ANYTHING that will allow that creative development to find an opportunity to stretch further!  Sometimes we need to seek out those performance opportunities as much as you seek out the auditions to hopefully find a job! 

Sometimes these opportunities can be created by YOU the singer! If you can't attach yourself to something already in place, CREATE IT YOURSELF!  Find a charity you could promote through a concert/recital - by yourself or with some of your colleagues who are seeking the same thing. Seek out a cabaret space and build a set to perform in an already formed showcase, or one you create yourself.  

What other creative energies can you explore that you possess? Do you write, compose, paint, draw? Do you love to cook? Do you arrange flowers? Do you design? Are you great with color? There are so many creative venues we can explore that are fulfilling as we pursue the audition process outside our singing and acting!  If your day is full of auditioning, your creativity isn't being developed - so DEVELOP IT!!!! This is the irony of our business isn't it?

Being creative is ACTIVE so we need to continue to treat it that way.  Potential means nothing if it isn't explored. DEVELOP the creativity - wherever it is! Even if it means dancing an entire song in your room or living room every day! Working through a FULL song EACH day to get it into your body! Exploring monologues for the SAKE OF the character development! 

Dare to FIND your creativity and LIVE it in some form each day - THIS should parallel your "business" work of auditioning!  The creativity of YOU doesn't have to be confined to your singing, acting or dancing - but it can start there...stretch those muscles!!!! They are yours! 




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