What's in your book?

So,  what's in your audition book?

Why?

Where are you?

Why are you?

Who are you?

The audition book,  regardless of your genre - Music Theatre or Opera - is an important part of what you are doing.  It will morph and adjust as YOU do.

I see the excuses "my book is such a mess" regularly.

I see the automatic pilot "but I need this for xyz"  regularly.

I am daring you to re-think ALL of this!!

Look at your audition book as your closet.

Some of us are packrats and can't let go of things;
Some of us wear things that are too old,  too big,  too small,  too last season...
Some of us just keep putting stuff in that closet and can't find anything.


See where I am heading with this?

The audition book should,  first and foremost,  reflect where you ARE.

What are you able to DO vocally and dramatically?
Where is your voice NOW?
What roles would you be considered for NOW?
What do you want to reveal about YOU right now?

Little secret:  nobody does YOU better than YOU.  So it's up to you to find out what that is.

Another little secret:  YOU is constantly morphing so your audition book needs to catch up with that!

When you leave your Music Theatre program your book weighs about 8,000 pounds and you have every possible genre/sub-genre in a 16 and 32 bar cut.  Why?  Because you were in school and you had learn about all of it!!!

When you are in your undergrad/grad studies as a classical singer and you are on a Young Artists Program track,  your audition book will have at least 5 languages and many eras of opera and art song contained.  Why?  Because you were in school and you are still determining your fach!

So,  where are you now?

Are you becoming an emerging professional?  Are you beginning to be seen and auditioning for professional work?

Guess what?  The audition book has to change.

What is your technique ready to handle NOW?  the audition book has to change.

What roles are you ready to take on NOW? the audition book has to change.

What do you actually DO well?  the audition book has to change.

What do you want them to see about you in the room?  the audition book has to change.

What do you actually LOVE SINGING?  the audition book has to change.

Scary?  sure.

Liberating?  absolutely.

It is up to YOU to figure out where you are and how you reveal that in the room.

Holding onto that 8,000 pound book or "my 5 in 5 languages" either says you are still there or says you don't know where you are now.

Time to clean out that book and start fresh.

In Music Theatre,  all the coaches and conductors I know and respect say you often only need 6 - 8 songs in your book.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Why?  Because you aren't going to be right for every genre/sub-genre of theatre.  You need to be aware of them,  but you don't need to waste your time and theirs by going into an audition you simply aren't right for.

You are not going to audition for everything.  You need to figure out what you are best suited for vocally,  technically and dramatically and concentrate on THAT.

What are you going to be hired to do?  What can you reveal in the room that you DO?  Find those songs that reveal that.  Find those song that have multi-purpose so you can change your dramatic intention and make it work for another call,  or choose to reveal something more specific or different to give the repertoire an opportunity to be multi-functional.

"Yes, but I need an operetta piece."  Why? Are you going to sing operetta?
"Yes, but I need an R&B piece."  Why?  Are you an authentically charged R&B singer?

See where I am heading here?

You need to know WHAT YOU DO WELL.  RIGHT NOW. Not what you wish you did.  Now what you'd like to do.  You need to do YOU.

No wishing, hoping, wannabe...

You have to figure out what you do.  Vocally,  technically,  dramatically,  physically,  emotionally,  psychically.

If you don't know why you are doing what you are doing,  then you are simply back in school jumping the hoops and not creating a professional mindset that you need.

That reads in the room.

When you are asked "what else do you have?" that question is often to find out more about what YOU DO.  It doesn't mean they want something else that is show specific.  Or,  it could mean,  what you just offered didn't reveal anything authentic and they want to know if you really know how to do YOU.

Quit trying to please, to second guess,  to "cover all the bases" and never really reveal yourself and what you do well.

In opera,  same things apply.

Do you know what you DO?  Does your repertoire reflect that?

If you sing Mozart brilliantly and could sing those roles forever then why aren't you offering it?

If you are a bel canto singer,  why don't have you have THAT in your book?

If you aren't any good at modern opera and dislike it,  why are you offering it?

"But I need a German aria..."  Why?  Are you going to be offered a German role?  Are you sure?

"...and there just isn't a lot for my voice."  Doesn't that answer things for you?

What do you love to sing?  What roles and basic fach are you living in right now?  What are you going to get considered for,  or hired for NOW?

If you are past the YAP then lose the mentality and claim your new emerging professional focus.  You aren't a "baby" fach anymore - you need to reveal what you DO.  What you LOVE.  What you can inhabit fully without reserve or technical difficulty.  We want to see YOU embody the aria,  and the joy that allows!  We want to see your list in an audition that reveals what you do right now,  in fach, voice, in technique,  in dramatic embodiment. If you have 3 Italians, and 2 moderns in English, so be it!!! That's what you DO!

So,  give yourself a minute.  Take a breath.  Sit down and begin to really focus in on what you do,  what you love,  what you choose to reveal and why.

Then begin to go through that book and ask yourself why it's there.  If it doesn't reveal anything authentic about you, if it doesn't give you joy,  if it is a struggle,  or a "have to",  or even a "meh" - toss it.  And if you have anxiety about tossing,  then put it in the "other" binder.

Your audition book will be lighter.  It will reveal room for something new,  something more real,  something more you.  It gives you permission to explore what else you can add,  or maybe what doesn't need to be added in.

Suddenly there's more clarity.  It may mean more focus about what you actually DO instead of just jumping hoops.  It may mean it's time to work on your technique and get some clarity there.  It may mean some dramatic work.  It may mean something else.  It may create confusion which is an opportunity to grow and find the right clarity for now.

So what's in your book?  Why?
What does it reveal about YOU?

Start your spring cleaning and see what possibilities you come up with!!!

Don't dread it - look at it as an opportunity to grow and become and discover.

Only YOU can DO you.  I dare you.

Inhabiting Your Craft

Happy Sunday!  Happy April!

I was tagged in a post on Facebook this morning...which got me to thinking...

The post was very complimentary: “…XYZ is a wonderful actress…BUT, her voice needs the tender and intelligent ministrations of SEY.  Her voice is in pieces - you could hear her move from one register to the next, and the “high” notes would crack in between.  It was painful to hear.”

I thank the person who wrote this - I am honored.  And it broke my heart. 

Why do we do this to ourselves?  Why do we neglect or reject a portion of our craft, thinking or hoping or praying, that another aspect will make up for it?

It breaks my heart for many reasons.  One is personal.  I have done this.  I have relied on my acting intelligence when my voice was a mess.  I knew it was a mess.  I knew WHY it was a mess.  I was stubborn (my best and worst trait!) and made myself get through.  Did it work dramatically?  Yes.  Did it work vocally?  Oh hell no.  Was it reliable?  absolutely not.  Was I in survival mode only?  Pretty much.

So, I get it.  I get it more than you will ever know.

This is why I am vehement as a teacher to try to instill the absolute NECESSITY of CRAFT.How does one inhabit one's own craft?What does it demand of you?What does it reveal about you?These are the big questions we have to be strong enough,  stubborn enough,  willful enough,  to ask - and then to ANSWER.

It directs us from opposites.  The "actor" feels the story telling is enough to mask the lack of vocal development.  The "singer" feels the voce will supersede any flaws that the lack of acting intelligence may have.

WRONG.Both, and I do mean, BOTH are crucial to truly inhabiting your craft.

It doesn't matter what genre you are in - music theatre, opera and all its manifestations - CRAFT is CRUCIAL in order to fully inhabit what you say you do and who you say you are.

FEAR is a big obstacle.  I get that.  The "but what if..."  can often be truly in the way.  But what if I can't?  Hey,  but what if you CAN?What scares you?  failing?  or succeeding?

So what are you doing to inhabit your craft?  Where are the weak spots?  Are you just doing a patch job, or are you truly looking at it objectively and seeing it fully - big picture - and are you ready to work on the overhaul?

Craft as a singing actor is CONSTANT.  We work,  we discover, we hone, we physicalize,  we gestate,  we incubate,  we "ah-ha!",  we create behavior,  we create consciousness,  we observe,  we step away,  we internalize,  we materialize...

It's a lot.  It is.  I know that.  But we MUST.  We must honor the craft we say we do.  

I see great actors simply not discovering what they can do for a HEALTHY singing voice.  That's a choice.  A choice NOT to.   We see all their commitment into their acting craft,  and even their SPEAKING voices - but then not what is needed to sing with the same level of authenticity.  The study and discovery has to happen in order to create a fully realized characterization.  The voice doesn't have to be amazing.  An actor who sings may not have a beautiful voice,  but they can create beautiful technical behavior to access what they DO have,  and access their talent at will.

Study doesn't just happen when you book a show.  Study happens in the in-between.  However, when you BOOK,  you better be studying in order to have that 2nd set of ears and eyes keeping you healthy in order to do your work!  The maintenance is KEY.  Maintenance cannot happen if the behavior has not been achieved.

The same goes for singers who act.  I have heard incredible voices and as soon as I see them on stage - I can't watch.  They are awkward.  They have no idea what to do with their bodies,  how to move,  how to physicalize their voices with any dramatic choice.  We lose how magnificent the voice is,  because we SEE the awkwardness or the self-involvement with the SOUND and the craft of acting doesn't exist.  A character is not realized.  This isn't inhabiting the fullness of craft either.

With both singing and acting -  you must look at each specifically before you can integrate fully.  You need to discover the physical behavior of EACH in order to embody BOTH.

"It's good enough" my darlings, is bullshit.  It's your stress management talking.  Trust me, been there, done that, have the tattoo.

Inhabiting your craft takes time,  perseverance,  tenacity,  stubbornness,  willingness,  desire,  passion and drive.  

It's not over till it's over.  It will be enough when you aren't over thinking and overcompensating and aren't making excuses for something.  And then,  the muses will reveal what more you can do!Inhabit because you MUST.  

Your craft demands all of you.

The Artists 4 Artists Newsletter Released!

If you subscribe to my Artists 4 Artists Newsletter,  it was released at midnight last night and should be in your inbox somewhere!

If you don't subscribe,  and still want to take a look at the many resources in it,  the link below will take you there!

http://eepurl.com/cvjAr5


This newsletter,  although heavily NYC-based,  has many other cities/areas with resources as well as ONLINE WORLDWIDE resources.

From coaches in opera and music theatre,  to classes for performance,  to skin care and makeup artistry,  to fitness,  to photographers,  to finance specialists for artists,  to composers,  to social media and website design and MUCH more - I hope there is something you can find that you might need now, or tuck away for when you may need it!

The newsletter is a labor of love for me and a chance to give back a little to my community of artists.

Hope you enjoy reading through and if you are interested in subscribing to this particular newsletter you can sign up here:

http://eepurl.com/cbxMVj


Here's to the artists that support other artists!  Our community is STRONG!

The Voice Competition, The Audition = THAT ROOM

Saturday musings after reading some heated exchanges online...

What about THAT ROOM?  That room that you enter as a singer for an audition, or for that first or second round as a competitor?

THAT ROOM that those who have been asked to "judge" are sitting at a table waiting to hear you?

As someone who has frequented both sides of that table lo these many years (!),  it is a fascinating observation.

Too often,  when nervous,  when unsure,  our defenses go up and our egos take over as the adrenaline kicks in.  We often over-think,  over-analyze,  over-criticize ourselves and possibly others,  as well as just hyper-extend our energy beyond what is necessary.

So,  what about THAT ROOM for the singer?

First and foremost:  BREATHE.  Nobody is there unless you have decided to be there.  The pianist isn't going to play for a ghost.  The adjudicators, audition panel wouldn't be there unless you had shown up.  Nobody is out to get you.  Everybody is there because YOU are.

So breathe. 

Be present.  In your body.  In your breath.  In each step you take and each observation you make.

If you are prepared you will have practiced the entire process.  You know how to walk;  you know how to talk;  you know how to smile;  you know how to speak with the pianist;  you know how to prepare to sing in that moment.

However,  it is a surreal moment and it's THAT ROOM.  It can be nerve-wracking,  it can be intimidating,  it can start "those voices",  it can create anxiety,  questions,  and panic.

BUT, it doesn't have to!

Those people at the table have been where you are.  They are on your side.  In the moment, you cannot judge nor pledge their behavior.  All you can do is be present in YOUR energy and bring that in.  As soon as you start questioning THEM ("do they like me?" "why did they not look up?" "why is that person frowning?" "why did they look at me like that?")  you are not aware of YOU. 

"Self-centered"  truly must be taken seriously here in a positive way.  Center yourself.  You are not going to know what they think,  what they know,  what they want,  and I am going to tell you a little secret:  IT DOES NOT MATTER.

All that matters is that you are doing YOU.  Authentically YOU.  Real YOU.  Not what you think they want,  but what you DO and who you ARE.

You have no control over what they do,  what they know,  what they are looking for.  You DO have control over YOU.  Knowledge is power.  You know you, so DO you!

What you sometimes DO NOT know is someone on the panel may need to pee.   Someone may have low blood sugar.  Someone may have had a disagreement with a colleague on the panel prior to you walking in;  Someone may be overwhelmed;  Someone may just have resting bitch face even better than yours when they concentrate and listen!

The competition and the audition is a giant puzzle.  A panel is there to try to find pieces that fit together.  It isn't easy,  and it can cause fatigue,  frustration & and more. 

What you see or what you do not see,  on the faces of the panel,  really doesn't matter if you are doing YOU! 

Sometimes people need to snack or eat or sip their coffee.  God knows, I need my coffee if I am going to be doing a full day of adjudication or auditions.  You bring your water in,  and your panel probably needs to bring their coffee or tea or water too.  If their day is insanely busy - they need a pee break!  You want their attention,  so don't take it personally if they excuse themselves for a few minutes to use the bathroom,  or fill up their coffee mug.  You want them fresh and accessible.

I always encourage singers to sit in if possible on some auditions to allow them to see things and experience things from the other side of the table.  It can be an eye-opening experience and isn't just about "being good enough".  So many facets and pieces play into decisions made from that table.

Ultimately,  those of us sitting at that table are rooting for you!  We want your best!  We want you to succeed!  We want to encourage and give constructive criticism for you to walk away with some information that can be helpful and allow you to continue to grow!  Remember, we are simply another set of ears,  hopefully informed,  and another professional opinion.

Opinion.  Not gospel truth.  Nobody has a monopoly on that!

We hope it is an informed opinion and decision that has relevance to the level of whatever audition or  competition you are there for.

We, when sitting at the table,  must remember and conjure what it felt like to be that singer in THAT ROOM.  We have to take control of the situation if it needs an adjustment so we are comfortable,  and that the SINGER is comfortable.  This is not an opportunity to belittle,  to have an ego-attack,  to go into passive-aggressive mode or to play politics or head games. 

Those of us who sit at that table in that room have a great responsibility to teach;  to inform;  to encourage;  to reveal truth;  to LEAN FORWARD and create safety and energy that a singer can feed off of and give us their best work in that moment on that day.

We deserve respect on each side of that table.  We should show respect from each side of that table. 

THAT ROOM is filled with possibility, and no matter which side we are currently on,  we can choose to make it a moment that means something real,  or not. 

Negative knee-jerk reactions have no place in THAT ROOM;  from either side of that table. 

I remember being told a young singer said "she hates me" after I had given her adjudication.   She didn't win,  so her feelings were hurt.  However,  I chose to address it publicly as an overall observation:  I cannot hate you,  because I don't know you at all.  Not winning/not getting a callback/not getting the role doesn't mean more than you didn't win, you didn't get the callback, you didn't get the role.  If you are only concerned about whether someone who doesn't know you,  hates you or likes you,  then you aren't doing YOU while you are performing or auditioning.  You are not staying present in what you say you were prepared to DO.

Just as the singer must be present,  so must the panel sitting at the table.  If they are tired, grouchy, crabby, hungry,  needing to pee - then they must take control of the situation and take 5 minutes to re-balance in order to be fully present to hear the singer who walks in next. 

Simply saying "My apologies, my blood sugar is taking a nose-dive and I have to take 3 minutes to chew some food" to a singer will NOT send you to hell!  In fact,  a singer recognizes you as HUMAN.  What a concept THAT is! 

THAT ROOM may be surreal but it's filled with many complex human beings.  Recognizing and honoring those complexities and respecting them and the process of being there would save us all a little angst,  a little grief,  and a little panic!

THAT ROOM is created by YOU.  Honor it,  don't despise it! 
Take the process seriously and learn how to giggle at yourself;  It adds a little more joy into how you got there in the first place!

What about YOU?

Saturday musings...

This audition season for music theatre and opera performers has been what many of you are referring to "the hunger games".

It has left so many of you exhausted, frustrated, angry, defeated, sad, and second-guessing what you are doing.

It breaks my heart.  I see your commitment,  your struggle,  your desire,  your drive...

Yes, there is much that is wrong with the system.  There are flaws in every aspect of the business.  We have little control over that, and must watch it hit critical mass before it changes,  IF it changes.

But, more importantly, what about YOU?

You the performer;  you the artist;  you the human being.

What have you done for YOU during this hunger games season?

When you feel depressed, sad, exhausted, wondering, what do you DO?

If you are a performer wanting a career,  that focus can be exhausting if you actually ignore YOU.  Now you might say,  but Susan, I am studying and taking lessons and classes and going to seminars and intensives and and and...

Okay...but I ask again,  what about YOU?

Does auditioning give you joy?  Does spending all that money on application fees make you warm and fuzzy?

These are the necessary evils to become viable in the business...this is NOT YOU.

Remember when just stretching your body and making sounds and singing gave you JOY?

What is your goal?  Yes, working and being paid for your work is a goal;  Having reliable craft is a goal;  Sustainability in your work is a goal.

What about nurturing yourself THROUGH your voice?

What made you love to sing in the first place?  Do you remember?

How did it make you FEEL?

Listen,  I am goal-oriented as the next type A personality! I get it.  However, pursuing, and working toward something, and focusing - all good things - can sometimes exhaust us.  It is outside of us, and we forget what brought us to this aspiration in the first place.

Who inspired you?

Who believed in you?

Who inspires you now?  Who believes in you now?

Do YOU inspire you?  Do YOU believe in you?

How does it FEEL to take a singing breath?  To just sing because,  oh I don't know...YOU LOVE IT.

What happens when you let all that pursuit release for a few minutes and just come to a song BECAUSE YOU WANT TO;  because you love it;  because you love how it makes you FEEL. 

Nothing more,  nothing less.  Just how it FEELS.

The depletion we feel during and after a hard audition season where we must focus on the DOING to get seen to be called back to have a chance to be hired,  can not just fatigue us;  it can get in the way of us remembering WHY we do the actual singing;  the actual acting;  the actual dancing.

If you can find the joy again and re-discover and re-commitment to the JOY we experience with no value judgement and no pressure, then perhaps there's a chance to be still enough to recuperate from the fatigue.

Maybe, just maybe,  we change our focus to ourselves in the truest form, and our artistry and commitment to the nurturing of self reveals more truths and allows us to TRUST again. 

Perhaps,  finding that space for self will allow for a still moment to release and discover why  it feels GOOD to sing;  why we wanted to in the first place!

Feeling, and letting all the real and positive and beautifully overwhelming feelings envelop us might be EXACTLY what each of us needs right now.

I dare you to nurture YOU.  Shift your focus just a little bit inward and trust it won't betray you.

I dare myself the same thing.

It's New Year's Eve...

The book on 2015 is coming to an end...

Slam it shut,  close it carefully,  close it firmly,  close it gently...but CLOSE it.

Time to pull out the new book and begin to write,  to discover,  to get excited,  to remember in order to adjust;  to create,  to nurture,  to trust your curiosity and your excitement.

Today,  on the eve of the new book gives you opportunity too.  To reflect,  to rejoice,  to shake your head,  to let your breath out!

YOU DID IT!!!

You succeeded in another year.

Do you have an Eve Ritual?  Do you take time for YOU today to create a moment to reflect,  release, &  respond to your past year?

Whether you meditate,  or go to the gym and sweat it out,  go for a walk,  burn a candle or incense,  or write the year out and release it by burning the paper it's written on,  DO IT TODAY.

The year isn't all or nothing.  It is a part of you and will remain thus.  It is up to you to finish up, tidy up,  and release it today FOR YOU.

Tomorrow begins a clean slate.  How will you embrace it?

Are you excited?

Are you seeing possibilities?

Once you release whatever 2015 offered and whatever you worked with during this year,  then you can fully take a breath and release it behind you.


Tomorrow there is magic,  excitement,  possibilities and freshness.

Find time today to be still and write in the final page of 2015 "The End".   Turn the page and discover the Epilogue that is TODAY.

Acknowledge,  release and close that book.

Be still.

Reflect.

Breathe.

Wherever you are,  BE there.

Magic and excitement and possibilities all await you...TOMORROW.

Just finish the book.  Give yourself that moment to let it resonate and then put it on the shelf,  or burn it,  or release it fully.

Laugh, scream, sigh, roll your eyes,  cry,  swear!  Give yourself permission to release the book of 2015 however you choose to.


Commit to living in your NOW;  discovering your now;  embracing your now.

Now.

You.

Gift yourself with that.

Here's to YOU and the absolute uniqueness you are!

Ignorance is not Bliss

It really isn't. 

Many of us, when we look back at things we did in our studies, in the business,  when we didn't know what we do now, CRINGE at how we handled things.

It happens to ALL of us.

However, it doesn't mean you cannot be as prepared as possible and when you know better, you do better.

Let's talk auditions, shall we?

In music theatre,  things are a little slower now for holiday season and will ramp up again soon enough.

In opera, deadlines are coming for summer program applications,  many YAPs and general auditions are happening now.

What are YOU doing?

Here's just a quick check list to see if you are ready to truly be taken seriously for whatever you are focusing on.

1.  Are you studying?

This doesn't mean once in a while,  or calling a teacher or a coach for a "quick fix" the day before or the week prior to an audition.  This means, are you studying regularly?  Figuring out what that means for you is CRUCIAL for you!

2.  Are you ready to audition for what you are want to be seen for?

Do you know the business landscape you are entering?  Do you know what is required?  Are you accessing that fully enough in your current development to be seen as a viable candidate?

3.  Are you taking workshops about the business of show?  Do you take advantage of blogs, webinars, online skype sessions, and in person workshops to get to know what the business of show is really about?

4.  Do you have a team around you that can give you TRUTH about where you are in your current development to help you with recognizing the mine fields, what to avoid,  where to be seen?

5.  Are you doing regular research about casting directors, opera companies,  conductors,  directors, agents, regional theatre companies,  summer stock and the like, in order to recognize the people who are in the position to hear you and hire you?

6.  Are you working on the "other" aspects of your craft - not just singing - like acting,  audition protocol,  dancing and/or moving well?

7.  How is your online presence?  Are you up-to-date with your website?  Are you visible professionally on social media?  Are you on audition sites for submissions?

8.  Do you know how to prepare for the actual AUDITION with repertoire,  presentation,  what you wear,  how you approach things?

9.  Are you overwhelmed yet?????

That last one was supposed to make you laugh.

It CAN be overwhelming.  It doesn't have to be.  Breaking things down for yourself will help you figure out where you are,  show you were you might need a little more time,  a little more attention,  and help you organize what can be an overwhelming process.

There is no reason to feign ignorance anymore.  It often is used as a stress management tactic,  but it never really fools anybody.  The only person it might fool,  is you.

If you commit to your process,  you will find what you need in order to access what you are ready for NOW.

NOW is all we have.  Use it wisely.  Don't wish,  just get it done.  One step at a time.

Theatre isn't going anywhere.  When YOU are ready to be seen and heard,  it will be there.

Don't panic,  don't whine.  Don't claim ignorance in this day & age.  Find what you need;  if you don't know what you need, ask for some guidance!  Many of us are here to help you get on the right path for YOU.

During this upcoming holiday season,  take stock,  be real with yourself,  begin to discover more about yourself and prepare to step securely into your NEW YEAR as you pursue this crazy, wild and wonderful business, called show!

Professional IS as Professional DOES

happy Sunday!

My blogging life has dropped off considerably so apologies to those of you who have been waiting for a post!

Much has been happening and often, the same issues recur over and over again.

One of the recurring issues I have seen as ongoing,  is the lack of professionalism when it comes to social media.

But Susan,  someone is going to say,  social media isn't meant to be professional!

Ah, but APPROACH means everything!

Approaching a professional in the business is requesting a moment of their TIME.  And in that moment, you might be requesting their time to enquire about their services, or a question that will take their time.  Just because they are on Facebook or Twitter or any platform that gives you access to their profile,  does not mean you should  approach with a casual flair.

Social media is a double-edged sword.  It makes us accessible,  but it also seems to eliminate personal boundary. 

HOW you approach someone in the business reveals more about YOU than it does about them.

Before you just start messaging someone,  stop for a second and figure out exactly what you want to say and why you want to say it.

Be respectful.  If your time is valuable, so is theirs!

If you are asking a professional question,  don't assume a freebie.  Any professional's time is worth something.  They determine that worth,  not you.

Figure out how that professional wants to be contacted.  Social media?  Via their website?  Via phone?  If you aren't sure,  ask.  When in doubt,  an email is often the most respectful,  as it allows the person you are contacting to get back to you in their own time;  it also shows you have taken the time to find their website,  discover their contact information and made an initial enquiry, instead of just pm-ing them via their Facebook page.

I often get inquiries via FB and simply send the link to my website and request they email me once they have read through.   Most inquiries then come through the channels I prefer and can deal with effectively.  If they don't,  then the inquiry was not that serious.

If you are asking for a professional's time and expertise,  don't assume they are going to be your "friend" or "peer" in the asking.  Every professional I know has worked hard to develop their expertise, and that isn't for free.  They are not simply going to meet you for coffee to talk about your career when you are someone unknown to them.  You are saying "but Susan, nobody does THAT!" Oh yes, they do my sweet snowflakes,  yes they do.

A professional's time is worth whatever they decide it is worth.  If you are seeking out their TIME in relation to their expertise,  then you are approaching said professional,  with professionalism.

Many of us are more than willing to go the extra mile to help you,  if we see what you are willing to do,  how professional you are behaving,  if your talk matches your walk,  if you truly are looking to develop your knowledge, your craft,  your career.

Most of us have a fairly strong bullshit detector.  This allows us to see and discern quickly.  We have to.  This is something YOU must develop too. 

So, how do you develop this professionalism and etiquette even if you are green in your craft and/or in the business?

A few things to consider:

1.  Approach with respect,  and ask for clarification if you are unsure.
2.  Do NOT assume.  Ask.  Request. 
3.  Know who you are approaching.  Do your research. 
4.  Know what you are requesting.
5.  Follow up, follow up, follow up!


It's not rocket science,  and should be common sense,  but even that is lacking these days.

A professional in ANY business will respond more favorably to someone who approaches them WITH professionalism. 

Your behavior toward someone reveals more than you know.  That you have complete control over.  Don't feign "but I didn't know".   Find out. 

Simply treat others the way you would want to be treated.

Behavior is as behavior does.

Your professionalism is revealed through your BEHAVIOR not your resume.

Needs & Wants

happy September!

We are into the middle of the month already,  and I am not sure how that happened, but ONWARD!

As the academic year as begun, and audition season starts in full force,  here come those questions again:

What do I want?

What do I need in order to do what I want?

Will my wants change if I really focus on my needs?

Am I willing to be honest enough to truly figure out what my needs are first in order to discover if my wants are actually viable?

It's time to take stock and question in order to find the answers and then put those answers into action!

Do you make lists?

Do you create a vision board?

Do you write in a journal?

What gives you a more focused and somewhat tangible accountability outside your own thoughts?

Whatever works for you,  do it.  This helps to keep things clear as you can stand with some distance and objectivity in order to create some order of the chaos!

There is no direct path - however, needs & wants when it comes to a balance of craft and business of show,  should be there to bring each other into higher relief.

The clearer you are the more concise you can be to discover what you have to do to focus on those wants and needs and how they feed each other in a positive way.

Wanting to be a working actor or working singer,  and being told you aren't ready because you refuse to acknowledge what you NEED to get there,  isn't serving you.  You are spinning your wheels,  wasting time and probably money,  and getting little of what you need and ultimately nothing that you feel you want.

 I see too much "cart before horse" activity. As an example:  if you are a dancer and your singing is holding you back,  then do your research,  find out who is teaching voice and will give you the tools (not the tricks) to SING WELL and find your voice and build the craft of voice to access what you NEED to be able to feel confident and strong walking into that callback or audition.

 If part of what you NEED isn't developed enough,  you've got to address it in order to access your craft more fully.

Don't use the crutches - throw them away and get to work!

If I tell you that I want to wear this gown,  and can't because I am 20 pound heavier than I want to be and do nothing to get off my ass to lose those 20 pounds and just complain that I can't wear that gown - the responsibility is not on the business, or the gown, or the 20 pounds! 

The responsibility is on ME!!!
 How badly do I want to wear that gown?  What do I need to do in order to do that?
Do I have what it takes to DO what I need to do in order to reach that goal and wear that gown?  What is actually important to me?  Wearing the gown?  Taking off the weight? Feeling good and healthy?  Just talking about it?


See where I am going?

Often we get cluttered in our wants/needs,  and end up feeling overwhelmed,  and then, do nothing, or give up.

Fall season is a chance to slow things down,  go inward and start to get real with ourselves.

What are we doing?

What are we doing too much of?  Why?

What are we wanting but not achieving?

What are we being told we need to do?

Are we looking into that?

Are we ignoring that?

Are we dismissing that?

Why?

Yes, sometimes it's bullshit.  Sometimes it's not.  Sometimes it will reveal what we really need to see.  Always remember the source.

What are we afraid of?

What are we ready to claim?

 And guess what,  it's okay to say "I'm not ready to do that yet."

We have to be ready.

We have to be ready to identify the differences between needs and wants.

We have to be ready to dream.

We have to be ready to put action into acquiring those dreams.

We have to be ready to realize what those wants REQUIRE OF US.

We have to be ready to have an honest conversation with self,  and seek out those who will be straight with us and help build us up - not tell us what we would like to hear in order to stay comfortable and complacent.

Write out what you want.  Create a vision board.  Work one want at a time.  Don't overwhelm yourself.

Then start researching and discovering what you need in order to move you closer.

DESIRE your NEED,  not just your want.

The journey and the work doesn't have to be overwhelming.  In fact,  committing to the realization of the NEED can be more fulfilling than you ever imagined. 

The work can then illuminate the deeper truth of the want.

Dream, aspire,  create the big picture.

Then desire and focus on the steps to create a journey that is uniquely yours and yours alone.

Desire the need.

Plant the seeds to fulfill your needs.

Watch what happens!

 

I wanna be on Broadway! I wanna sing at the Met!

Sunday musings...

When asking singers new to me what their goals are,  inevitably I get one of these two answers from time to time:

I wanna be on Broadway.

I wanna sing at the Met.

As we enter another audition season,  another performance season,  another academic year,  we shall hear these two lines, and many others similar,  in many places:  the voice studio,  the audition hallway, the student lounge...

And as a music theatre veteran gypsy said to me last week while rolling her eyes: "So do a lot of people honey,  get in line!"

I shall go one further.

What does that MEAN to you?  Being on Broadway?  Singing at the Met?

Since you haven't done it,  you don't know what the reality of that is.

So what does it represent to you?

Often when inexperienced, or naive,  or something else that is vague,  we come up with pat answers like this.  It reveals MUCH as to where you are in the bigger picture of the journey.  Don't worry, we've all been there.

I just want to challenge your language in order to help you find out what you REALLY want.

If you don't know you can't figure out how to do it, or how to get there.

What is it about "Broadway" that appeals?  Why?  Is it the actual location?  Is it the prestige it evokes? What do you need to do to "be there?"   Do you even know?

What about The Met?  What does that represent?  What makes you qualified?  Why?  What would it give you?  What can you give it?  What do you need to achieve and develop to allow you an opportunity to be there?  And if that opportunity comes,  what does it mean?

The more "pat" your answers are,  the more questions I will have!

What do you KNOW about the location you want so badly?

Is it the place or what it represents?  What does it represent to you?  Why is that the goal?

How do you do that?

How do you develop knowledge,  craft & tenacity to achieve it?

Is wanting it enough?  What do you actually have to DO????


Start with your answer,  or your supposed answer.  Allow yourself permission to change it,  once you have started to structure what is needed to get there.

If destination is important, then how you get there has to be precise.  Do you know what it takes to find that precision?  Are you prepared?

Do you even know the questions to ask?

Or,  are you beginning to wonder if that "pat answer" has more flexibility?  Maybe the journey,  maybe the discovery,  maybe the work and the self-awareness will actually reveal less rigidness and more fluidity to take paths of possibilities you won't see right away.

The more we learn,  the more questions we have,  and the more we seek,  and the more we learn, and the more we discover,   the deeper we become and the clearer we become and the more questions we ask and....


If your goal is a destination only,  perhaps it's time to start asking questions.

What's the first question?

Why.

Always,  why.

Why am I doing this?

Why am I here?

Why is that my answer?

Why?

Happy questions!   There should always be more of those than answers anyway!  Otherwise,  why bother seeking the answer if the question isn't asked?

ASK QUESTIONS!  LOTS OF THEM!!!!!

They will lead you to more questions,  to possibilities, and answers that morph and flex with the growth of YOU!

HAPPY DISCOVERY!!!

Dear Singer...What is it about the Business?

Dear Singer,

First,  you have to identify the difference between making music and being an artist AND making a living making music.   You have to know how to separate those two.  They are not,  nor have they ever been the same.

There are rules that apply to each of those facts,  and you have to find them and acknowledge them and follow them.  You haven't done that yet or you wouldn't be feeling they way you are feeling.  Acknowledgement of rules,  prevents you from taking it personally.

Even if you were Equity,  the stats are 95%  unemployed at any given time.  This is BUSINESS of show.

You have chosen a profession that has a ridiculous unemployment rate.  You have to want it badly enough to stick to it.

Knowing how your voice works, or  how to be an actress and all the craft associated,  is NOT how the business works.  The two are not the same, nor do they necessarily go hand in hand.

You have to learn how the business works and the time it takes to figure out the game and how to play it.   You have to be prepared to be in this game long enough (sorry sweetie - 2 years is no time - or 6 months or even 5 years...)  to find out whether it's what you want to be bothered with long term,  or simply walk away and find another way to keep making music for your well being.

Just wanting something doesn't make it so.

We work not because we are good enough,  but because somebody thinks we are,  and sees us playing the game to their reasoning.

The game is often bullshit and it has NOTHING to do with craft or artistic integrity - but it is what has to happen in order to work.

So - prepare to learn the game.  That takes time. A lifetime really.  There are no assurances in this business.  None.

There are no answers but the ones you discover for yourself,  about yourself and about how you function or not, in the business.

The level of the business doesn't matter:  same game, just another day and another process.   Community theatre, regional professional theatre, Broadway - ARE ALL THE SAME.  The players and venue change.  The stakes may change.  Learning to play the game in the venue you are in is what the business is about.  Discover your game.  Play it.  Get good at it,  or walk away.

I am just trying to be honest with you.  The work you do on your artistic self will always be there;  don't misunderstand that.  Artistic self has NOTHING at all to do with BUSINESS self.

Learning the business,  learning the game,  and how you navigate those land mines - is up to you, and takes more time than you realize.  If our artistic selves continue to evolve and develop over a lifetime, then so,  do does knowledge of the business and the business self within the business of show.

Chin up!!! Your path is your path.


Accept it,  experience it,  walk it - or choose to walk elsewhere.  Wherever you,  BE THERE.  Fully, honestly, and completely.




Sending you good wishes,
Susan

What is Vocal Technique Anyway?

happy Fathers Day!

First and foremost,  you aren't going to learn to sing from this blog post.  You aren't going to get any 'vocal tricks'  (because they don't exist!) but I hope I can give you some solid information and clear some things up.

Lately there has been so much misinformation,   pseudo-information,  kinda true kinda not information,  being thrown around via blogs, or websites, or YouTube videos.  The age of immediate information via the Internet is always a double-edged sword as you still have to wade through it to find what is real,  who is offered the knowledge and does it make sense.

There was a blog post that was being talked about that dismissed "classical style".  Two words that have no meaning unless they are connected to something.  The young man making these statements has since made his blog "private" which is probably a very good thing,  and sadly doesn't realize what he doesn't know.  I am not linking anything of it here. 

Many singers and teachers are not clear enough about what technique is and how it layers fully.

To dismiss a style or genre just because you don't do it, or understand it,  has no validity. 

When asked if I "teach opera"  or "teach music theatre"  or "teach pop or jazz",  I respond with:
"I teach the singers who sing in these genres."

There IS a distinction.  To teach or sing a certain style or genre ASSUMES you already have access to your instrument fully enough to wear that style.

THIS is technique.

Technique is the true access to the behavior of the instrument in order to work with it fully with ease and clarity in order to move into the genre you say you do.

Great technique develops as behavior.  Physical behavior that is developed over time,  and honed and crafted in subtle ways as one grows and develops in one's craft.

Great technique is not a quick fix.

Great technique is not SEEN - but allows a style,  a genre,  a character to have a place to revealed fully.

Great technique is going to allow you access more of your physicality in order to do what you say you do or what you say you want to do.  It should lengthen your singing life,  not exhaust it.

We often call great technique,  be it voice, acting or dance,  "classical".   Why?  Simply because we are working for a balanced neutral to fully access the FORM of what we do.

The form of what we do always begins and ends with the athleticism of the body,  the breath and the alignment.  Its function is to find a balance of resonance in the vibration of the tone we produce.  Its function is to find a full elasticity of register,  of range, of dynamic;  to develop a physical and buoyant legato as well as an ease and finesse of movement.

Notice, NONE of these things have ANYTHING to do with style.  Style then informs that form.

Vocal behavior must come first.  It must be what we go back to in order to discover without value judgement, what our instrument does and what it needs.

What do great dancers do no matter the style they are dancing?  They go back to the barre.  Back to neutral.  Back to the basics.

If you are an opera singer then you can develop further operatic technique,  and stylistic technique depending on the genre and the composer.

If you are a theatre singer,  then you can further develop specificity to traditional legit technique, or contemporary legit technique,  or belt technique.

If you are a jazz singer,  then you can further develop specificity to register technique, mic technique, use of language technique.

And on it goes...

So often we put the cart before the horse.  We try to develop stylistic technique into the physicality before that physicality has had time to develop,  to understand and to create a place to reside.

This is when we often have to "redo" our technique.  Discovering physical behavior is a constant in our lives as singers.

Asking WHY we work the voice the way we do is crucial in developing the physical knowledge of what it allows for.  If we don't know WHY we cannot make it behavior.

A teacher's job is to find the singer where they are - physically, emotionally, intellectually - and where they are in their physical behavior technically and how they process.  It's work!

As  a teacher,  I am going to demand as much from myself to find you as I do from you to ask the questions to find you too!

So let's consider calling vocal technique what it really is:  an athletic physical behavior that develops the body and the vocal mechanism to allow full access to the instrument in order to begin to develop authenticity in the styles and genres we want to sing in.

Let us not confuse the term "classical" with anything but developing FORM.

Is your voice building or isn't it?

Can you access what you say you do?

Do you have the physicality to access the stylistic techniques in order to be authentic in that style?

Find your instrument first.  THAT is alpha and omega of vocal technique.  It doesn't have a value judgement.  It doesn't have a style or genre.  It's just about you.  What YOUR instrument does when it finds its truest form and can access itself fully there.

You aren't going to know what your voice can do until you actually create a place for it to reside!

So,  drop the wrapping of the style for a moment,  as scary as that may be,  and dare to find what what is REALLY underneath....


https://soundcloud.com/susan-eichhorn-young/10-ah-but-underneath

You are the Product!

Sunday musings...

Do you recognize YOU are the product you are selling?

If you choose to be a developing artist or performer in the business,  are you aware of your product?

If you are making excuses,  frustrated,  and simply not focusing on what you are offering, or have to offer,  then it's time to get your shit together NOW or find something else to do.

Is that harsh?  I don't think so.  Why?  Because there are simply too many people saying they want to work in the business.  There are way too many people given the number of jobs available. Why should someone hire you if you don't really know what you are doing or what you have to offer?

If you don't know the product you want to sell,  and more importantly HAVE,  then don't expect the business to figure that out for you.

GET TO WORK!

Several casting professionals have spoken to me over the last few weeks about the lack of understanding an actor/singer has when finding a great head shot to submit,  and even the quality of a video or audio clip.

So let's talk about that shall we?

If you want to work,  you have to be prepared.  Two KEY ways to reveal yourself are through your head shot,  and through your reel or clips.

Why are you not committed to making those things sizzle?

You don't have to sell a kidney or your first born to find a great head shot photographer.  You DO have to do your research. 

The research starts with you.

Again, I quote the great choreographer/director, George Faison: "What are you doing?"

(those of you who know or have worked with George know EXACTLY what I am talking about!)

Your head shot needs to reveal YOU.  Who is that?  It needs to look like you,  and it needs to evoke an energy that draws the person looking at it to pause for a minute and take you in. 

You need to know what you are evoking.  You need to figure out what you are going to be called in for.  You need to find a way of showing us that in a head shot through your EYES.

The set up of a photo can be spectacular but if the eyes aren't saying anything, then the head shot is thrown in the "no" pile and never looked at again.

What are you saying? 

Figure it out! 

An head shot is NOT artsy fartsy.   A head shot is often the first thing a casting director or director sees and responds to or fails to respond to.  How are you going to get the right kind of attention?

Know your product.  YOU are the product.  Do you know what you have and what you wish you had and do you know the difference?  Wanting to reveal something that isn't there is not helping you. 

What are you saying in that photo?  What are your eyes saying?  "I want you to call me in"  isn't enough.  So does everybody.  Next...

What are your eyes saying about YOU?

You can't be ambiguous.  You have to figure out who you are, why you are, what you are, and evoke that.  Simplify. 

What are you singing?  What roles are you suited for vocally, dramatically? 

Make a list of your repertoire.  What does it suggest? 

Make a list of possible "types" within your repertoire.  Start to hone in on adjectives to evoke those types.  Do those adjectives connect to your personal energy?  Can you reveal a combination of those in how you look at the camera?

Vacant, scattered,  disassociated and confusing head shots just don't sell a product.  They dismiss it.  Why take the time, energy and money to do a photo shoot if you ultimately don't know what you want to say? 

Talk to photographers.  Interview them.  See how they respond to you and how you feel with them.  Look at their portfolios.  How are they capturing that energy? 

And what about your reel?  Do you have one?  What are you making public on YouTube and can you actually use anything to submit with?

Again,  with electronic submissions you need a reel.  Period.  You need clips of you doing what you say you do.  Those clips need to reveal what you DO WELL.  You would think that would be a no-brainer, but sadly,  again,  several casting professionals have told me recently that I wouldn't believe what is sent in for them to view and consider for a personal audition.

And I then quote my niece Ruby:  "Seriously you guys?! SERIOUSLY?!"

If you don't know what is good enough or exceptional or is going to catch a CD's attention enough to listen to the full clip or want to hear more of you,  then you have to figure that out.  Sending out a poor video is worse than not submitting at all.

Commit to making a reel or recording a few short clips that show what your voice does well, and  reveal the possibilities of what roles you would could be seen for!

YOU are the product.  If you want somebody to stay interested, you have to have something to sell!

You need to sell your product CURRENTLY.  CURRENT head shots.  CURRENT clips be they audio or video. 

If you believe you are continually evolving as an artist and performer, then you have to show that through your head shot and reel.  What are you CURRENTLY evoking, revealing & discovering.

This is part of the business of show.  This is part of how you market and produce your product for others to get a glimpse of. 

Given that those you are sending these things to only have a second to make a decision,  it has to be a strong glimpse,  enough for them to take an extra second to pause,  not to wonder what you are doing, but to be intrigued enough to call you in. 

So no more excuses.  Figure it out.  Ask questions.  Prepare for honest answers so you can get it together to package a strong, clear, concise and REAL product.  YOU.

Artists for Artists

The most recent studio newsletter went out last night.

If you don't subscribe, please feel free to do so - otherwise you can simply read it here.

http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=0e10ca677256a28338c9cdabf&id=09a6390ac3

This newsletter is "Artists for Artists" - a Resource Guide.

In it, you will find artists who have parallel and side businesses that can benefit other artists, as well as MANY resources that help the performing artist on their journey.

From acting and performing coaches, to voice coaches and repertoire coaches, to makeup artists to head shot photographers, to Alexander Technique to massage, to dance class and fitness, to ENTs,  there are TONS of INVALUABLE resources in this newsletter.

One of my missions is to support my colleagues in the business, as well as support my singers who create other work that artists need.

This is one way.  Just to make them more visible.

I hope you find it useful!

The many kinds of "singer" and study!

So many kinds of "singer" out there - and I am not talking about genre.

How do we define a "natural" singer vs an "organic" singer vs a "musical" singer?

Again, I hate boxes and labels so this is always difficult for to make generalizations so let me just begin to shape ideas...

I believe truly and honestly that singing by a physical definition is an athletic activity.  Some singer simply have the physical athleticism to do this.  Some do not.

Just as there are "natural" athletes and "learned" athletes there are singers in the same vein.  They both must have the physicality.  The "natural" athlete also has easier access to that physicality,  whereas the "learned" athlete has the physicality but may have issues they need to develop or overcome in order to access that physicality.

So it could be said for singers.  Some have the physicality and nothing in the way to access it.  This, to me, is the natural singer. However, this does mean that the natural singer KNOWS what they are doing.  They just simply do it.  Until they cannot. 

The "learned" singer must discover how to access their physicality.  These are the singers that might have physical issues, tensions, imbalances etc that through ongoing technical behavior can access the athleticism they can develop.

The "organic" singer seems to find what they can do within the limit of the talent, or the excess of their talent and discover the voice and the place that voice is best suited.

The "musical" singer could be an organic singer, or a natural singer, or not as natural physically singer - but has incredible color and ability to exude musicality and style in their singing while overcoming some physical issues in technique.

Before anybody gets their panties in a wad, I am oversimplifying.

Even the most "natural" voice still has to develop it.  A "natural" voice doesn't mean it is musical.  A musical voice isn't necessary a natural physicality. 

What a natural voice can do without training earlier on in development can be astounding.

What a musical voice can achieve can be moving and remarkable.

Some singers have exceptional physical gifts;  some have exceptional musical gifts;  some have exceptional interpretive gifts;  Few have all three in equal measure.

Regardless - you as the singer - need to figure out what you have and how you DEVELOP IT.

Even if you are a "natural" singer - it means nothing if you can't access what the music demands of your instrument.  The music, the craft demands you hone and develop.

If you are a "natural" athlete you have to decide what you are going to develop with that physicality and what sport best exemplifies it.

If you are a musical singer, you must find a physicality that you can rely on in order to access that musicality fully through your developed and rebalanced athleticism.

Regardless of the "voice" - it is up to you to HONE THAT CRAFT: physically, athletically, musically, dramatically, spiritually, organically. 

This is just the beginning - so let's explore this in the following days and weeks ahead!

We can want but if we cannot DO it is fruitless.  We must recognize, and simply be honest enough to develop what we have, and who we are.  Even the most "natural" of us will not be able to sustain without knowledge and development and clarity of how we do what we do.

So let's delve in shall we?

Let's find YOUR voice and make it uniquely YOURS.

AUTHENTIC VOICE WORKSHOP/Master Class ***OPERA EDITION**** In NYC THIS FALL!

I am thrilled to announce that I am developing a voice workshop/master class called
 "AUTHENTIC VOICE: OPERA EDITION"

This master class will work with singers who are wanting more freedom to explore DRAMATIC EMBODIMENT AND INTENTION in the audition room.

I draw on my unique background of theatre to develop an opportunity to really work with the singer's unique gifts and how to access them easily.

What we do NOT do:

We do NOT discuss technique
We do NOT discuss fach
we do NOT discuss language or musicality or composer's musical style

What we DO do:

Discover what makes the singer UNIQUE, both dramatically and physically
Discover what the singer brings into the room
Discover what the singer can choose to reveal
Discover how the singer can authentically create a dramatic intention that reads in the room and from the stage
Discover the difference between pretend, affectation, and real acting for the singing actor!
Discover the physical behavior of the actor in the singing voice and the singing psyche!


Interested?  Know someone who might be?

Please send along the information.

The class will remain small to ensure participation and time with everyone!

AUTHENTIC VOICE OPERA EDITION MASTER CLASS

WHEN: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 30th
TIME: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
WHERE: SUSAN EICHHORN VOICE STUDIO
               300 W 43rd St #608-2  (43rd & 8th - Times Square Arts Center)
                New York New York

ONE TIME FEE:  $75.00 

Pianist will be provided.  Each singer will prepare one aria they currently are using, or going to be using in auditions.

To register: email me at susaneichhornstudio@gmail.com
Subject Line:  Authentic Voice Opera Edition - REGISTER
please attach your resume and head shot with your registration email.

If you would like further information,  do not hesitate to email me!

Happy Fall Season!
best,
Susan

What is it about YOU?

Sunday musings...

Forget about trying to be all things, do all things,  what the business "wants" - for just a minute, k?

What is it about YOU that is memorable?

What do you DO?

What makes you UNIQUE?

How can you possibly find versatility if you don't know what you have first?

Tis the crazy-ness of music theatre audition season again.  The frantic nature of trying to get the book together,  deciding on what auditions to show up for and hope to get seen at,  the hundreds at calls,  the sitting all day and not getting seen...

It's exhausting.  You are exhausted.  With exhaustion comes panic,  and we try to do too much,  try to assume too much,  try to become too much.

STOP.

Breathe.

Sit down.

Breathe again.

What is it about YOU that will make that other side of the table look up and take notice?

Don't give me an answer you think I want to hear - because you don't know what I am thinking.  Therefore, you don't know what THEY are thinking.  You don't know what they are looking for.  Guessing, second-guessing,  wondering,  worried,  does NOTHING for you.  In fact, if goes against you,  because now you aren't even thinking about what YOU do.

So,  I ask again,  what is it about you that is unique?  that is genuine?  that is real?

What can you show in that room that you CHOOSE to,  and want to reveal?

And,  then,  once you decide on that,  why do you choose to reveal that?

Time to get real.  Time to get personal with yourself.

You cannot reveal what you wish you had,  or wish you could do,  or want to be able to be.  You can only reveal what is there;  otherwise,  you stand there like the emperor with no clothes on.  We all see what you simply are not. 

"I really want them to see I want the job".  What does that reveal?   Isn't everybody that is auditioning there to try to get a job?  Revealing your desperation isn't a positive thing. 

"I really want them to see I want to be a belter."  Are you a belter?  If you aren't - then revealing you want to be,  shows them you aren't. 

This is deflection.  This is hiding.  This will not read as authentic,  and just won't make them look up,  get still,  stop typing or put their pen down,  let alone get you a callback.  Even if you aren't "right" for a show or a season or a project,   wouldn't it be better going in with that authenticity of what you choose to show about you so they remember you,  than going in trying to be something you are not?

Fake it til you make it?

I don't think so.

How about choose to reveal what it is about YOU that is real and intriguing and true?  Why fake it when you can actually DO something?

What is it about YOU that makes you memorable? 

Start making a list.  Start taking those thoughts in with you as you work on your craft,  discover new music,  new monologues,  new roles;  as you choose how to dress for an audition;  as you choose how to walk into that room,  head held high,  purpose of being first and foremost in your mind.

What is it about YOU?  There is a great deal.  We just want to see it because you have claimed it,  and have chosen to reveal it to us.

What do I DO? What do I NOT do?

Sunday musings...

After many years doing auditions in multiple genres,  speaking to many casting directors,  directors, producers,  working with singers/actors to prepare for auditions,  I feel I can address these questions.

We would hope so much of this is common sense, however, since the dawn of the American Idol mentality,  people show up at auditions who truly aren't prepared,  and frankly, have no business at the audition.  Period.  Yes, I said it.

What do you DO in the room?

Are you studying your craft?

Do you have an audition book that is well marked,  with music cuts that are chosen because they show what you DO well?  Are your cuts in the right KEY? 

Do you have your resume and head shot in HARD COPY stapled back to back in case the team at the table needs it?

Are you dressed appropriately?  Do you know what appropriately is?

Have you chosen your cuts to show specifically what evokes the show/style/character you are wanting to be considered for?


If you do not know what you want to evoke or what you want to reveal in the room,  then think again.  If you are confused or ambivalent so will the team.  YOU control that room.  Make your decisions clear and firm and commit to them!

I would think all of these are common sense, but alas, they are not.  I have seen and heard about people walking into an audition without music,  without a head shot,  not dressed properly,  not prepared vocally or musically,  not, not, not...

WHY?!?!?!?!?!?

You have so much information at your fingertips.  Literally.  Why are you not making the best of any opportunity you have?

I know many of you are - but come on the rest of you!!!

What does the genre of your audition require???? Be it opera or music theatre or straight theatre or cabaret - know what that requires.  Period.  And do it.  Period.

So what NOT to do?

Do NOT apologize.  Ever.

If you know enough to apologize for it,  then you know enough to have fixed it prior to the audition.

"I am so sorry I forgot the music"

"I am so sorry I forgot my resume/head shot"

"I am so sorry I am so sick" cough cough cough.

"I am so sorry I am not what you are looking"

STOP IT.

Not apologizing doesn't mean you give attitude.  Know what you are there to do;  DO IT. 

If you are too sick to sing, don't go to the audition.

If you are not prepared to audition, don't go to the audition.

If you don't have your materials and they are needed,  get thee to a Kinko's and print them off!

Yes, you can say "my apologizes - I have somehow misplaced my head shot, may I print it off and drop it by after I sing for you?"

Wait for the answer.  Accept the answer.  Don't keep apologizing!!

If you are sick,  but not sick enough to cancel,  it's okay to say "I'm dealing with a slight cold, but I didn't want to cancel at the last minute."

You don't have to keep coughing or going on and on about it. 

Ongoing apology in the room sounds like excuses.  If you look like the singer that is always full of excuses, nobody wants to work with that.  Suck it up princess.  If you are there, just do your best. 

If you don't think you are good enough,  that will read in the room.

If you are auditioning for the wrong character, with the wrong material,  you shouldn't be.  Learn how to discern.  Learn how to see yourself objectively.  Learn what you actually DO well, and do it.  Don't do what you would like to do well.  Do what you DO.  RIGHT NOW.

Know what you want to reveal in the room and simply reveal THAT.  Nothing more nothing less.  Leave the baggage at the door.

Don't try to stay in the room longer than the team wants you there.  Trying to chat or ask questions, if not instigated by the team in the room,  is not your place.

Do your work,  be gracious,  be professional,  be respectful of the TIME (yours AND theirs),  be respectful of the PROCESS.  It is yours after all!

Do not make excuses.  Do not blame the pianist,  or the acoustics in the room,  or the size of the room,  or the CD texting on his/her phone,  or that it was 10 a.m. and not 2 p.m.,  or that you didn't get enough sleep,  or didn't have enough coffee.  Nobody cares.  Yes,  bad acoustics can suck;  learn how to sing well to find your physical acoustic.  Yes, some members of the team look like they aren't paying attention: trust me, they are.  Yes, sometimes we have to sing at times of day we aren't happy with.  Big deal.  That's the gig.  Sleep? Coffee? Up to you.

Do not try to be too familiar with the team.  Even if you know them,  or have sung for them a million times.  This is still a professional situation.  You aren't out for drinks or coffee.  Again,  respect for the process is key.  You are there to AUDITION not to apologize, to visit, to be buddies.

Use your common sense.  Find out what you need to do,  and what you don't.  If you don't know, ASK!  Use all the resources that surround you. 

Embrace the process, and show yourself in the best possible light,  no matter the details.  If you are prepared,  the "do nots" are simply not relevant.  The "dos" will be there, because you have worked for them.

Audition with purpose,  not with apology!

Welcome 2014! Goals & Processes!

Happy New Year!

This is always a somewhat melancholy time for many of us...and an opportunity to allow clearing the clutter (literally and figuratively) and discover what we want to focus on at the beginning of this year.

I read a great article this week http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230333.

It looks at the difference between goals and systems.  It really spoke to me. 

We all have goals.  Yet, somehow, it's not always easy to reach them.  We aren't always in control of the goal.  But we ARE in control of the system we take on.

Committing to the process, not the goal makes complete sense to me.

I will use myself as an example.  I haven't written "this book" yet...you will fall over and hurt yourself when I have finally completed it and published it I know...

I realize now,  I was too focused on the "I will complete my book this year" instead of the process of creating "writing time" each week.

Daily schedule/weekly schedule of process takes the pressure of "deadline" off, and allows us to find the creativity to evolve.

Have you created some of your "dream big goals"?  Sometimes they seem daunting,  unattainable,  too good to be true.  However, if we work from a process,  we find the reality that supports the possibility of those dreams to come true.

Perhaps one of your dream goals is to perform on Broadway.  That is a very broad goal.  So if we start with process - dreaming doesn't get you there.  Do you study your craft regularly?  Are you auditioning regularly??? Are you getting regular call backs?  Are you trying to take classes with major casting directors to gradually become known?  What are you being recognized for?  What do you want to be recognized for?  Are you developing that skill?  that talent?  that possibility?  Have you done any professional performing?  Do you have an audition book that you can sing solidly?

The embracing of the process puts it in YOUR hands.  You have to be realistic.  Process takes time.  It takes practice.  It takes a realistic view of where you are and where you are going.

Goals are great - if you are willing to embrace the process.  I can't write a book and publish it, if I don't make time to write.  Well, DUH. 

You can't work as a professional artist if you don't work your process to become professional in craft, and in business.  Wanting it, setting the goal and not reaching it happens when the process is ignored.

Some people are big ideas people.  Some people see the detail.  As artists in the business of show,  we need to be both.  Or we need someone in our circle we trust to balance that which we do not see, and can point it out clearly.

This is why we study;  this is why we have coaches and teachers, and mentors and the like - to not tell us how great we are,  but to challenge us to think beyond what is comfortable.

What do you want????  That is the big picture, no matter the answer.

How do you get there??? Those are the details.  That reveals the process.

Sometimes the process reveals another goal.  Imagine! 

Choose to reveal the authenticity of you in every aspect of your process.  The more authentic you are,  the more your process develops,   and the clearer those goals appear.

It's your journey.  You are entitled to change your direction if your process takes you there.

Welcome to a new year to each of you!