I was socializing at a dinner party the other night when someone inquired what I do for a living. I stated that I am an actress and musician.
“What do you play?”
“I’m a soprano,” I replied smilingly.
“Oh, you’re a singer…,” came the lackluster response.
Ugh. I’m sure my eyes rolled.
What is it that causes people to classify singers in an order separate from instrumentalists?! Whenever a person hears the term “musician”, s/he immediately–and only–thinks “instrumentalist”. The consistent dissociation of “singer” from the superset of “musician” is baffling to me. As singers, do we not read music? Do we not interpret what the composer has set upon on the page? Do we not use an instrument to produce sound? True, our instruments are embedded within our bodies, but this makes it no less of an instrument. In fact, studies have shown that the act of singing engages more regions of the brain than does the playing of any instrument. Perhaps we, as singers, are … Read more »
Last Thursday, the whiteboard near my practice room greeted me with the following question: “What does music mean to you?” Without hesitation, I picked up a black dry-erase marker and scribbled, “love, freedom, purpose & happiness”. In retrospect, the immediacy with which the response sprang forth surprises me. Surely it can only be prompt responses like this one that reveal the honest inner workings of artists toiling in all media, and my reply in this situation must reflect my truthful relationship with music and the importance it carries for me. It is also a stimulating reminder of why I pursue and perform music.
The following evening I had the privilege of attending an open symphonic rehearsal conducted by Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. The vibrancy and vigor with which he conducts only enhances the direction he provides in his lovely Venezuelan accent. He asks the musicians with which he works to be big-picture thinkers, understanding the path of the composition as a whole … Read more »
I’m a fan of savvy and witty marketing campaigns. Some of my more recent favorites include: The Most Interesting Man in the World (great TV spots!); GEICO’s satirical television campaign with dry cameo appearances (James Lipton!); Samsung’s Extreme Sheep LED Art; the Truth Campaign’s television commercials; BMW’s “Expression of Joy” spot for the Z4 Roadster (not to mention the extensive behind-the-scenes videos); and Give It a Ponder (again, James Lipton!). I just came upon this recent Heineken campaign, involving Italian soccer fans and an important match between Real Madrid and AC Milan, and found the product disappointing. I genuinely enjoyed the use of the premise of misdirection, but I could not help but feel the success of the outcome was hinged greatly upon the detriment of the entertainment value provided … Read more »
Last week, in a surprising turn of events, I won tickets to the first performance of the Punch Brothers at Carnegie Hall. (Thanks Nonesuch Records!) The location of the seats could not have been better.
As a musician, I could not have asked for more from these guys. They’re highly-trained, phenomenally-skilled and enjoyed every minute of their excellent Carnegie Hall debut. They love what they do and epitomize what a great ensemble and performance should be: punctual, friendly, fun, energetic, interesting, witty and technically unparalleled.
As a professional auditionee, the process of winning this contest got me thinking about the means by which it happened and how the experience could aid me in winning auditions. Specifically, I reviewed the factors that seemed to affect the outcome of the ticket give-away and determined the components that were, perhaps, the most influential. Given these, I’ve identified four conditions to apply to future auditions:
- Be enthusiastic about the situation and/or … Read more »
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