Music festival time!

I am just getting ready to head out to a number of festivals to serve as voice adjudicator but before I leave, my own city is hosting our annual Rotary Music Festival. As I pop from church to church, I have heard some wonderful adjudicating! Currently my favourite line has come from Dr. Luba Zuk of McGill University. She just likened advanced performance to playing at a high stakes lottary table! How true...

To all students preparing to sing and play over the next few weeks - have fun and commit to your music!

A Canadian at the MET tonight!

Where would i LOVE to be tonight?  Why, at the MET of course!  Canadian soprano Jane Archibald (whom I have blogged about before) will be singing Ophelia in the MET production of Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet.  This is Jane's debut season at the Met after a number of years making herself heard in the big house of Europe.  She will be taking over from Marlis Petersen who was replacing Natalie Dessay.

Check out more at the New York Times site, Sarah's Endless Pursuit blog, and the Met press release.

Have a listen to Jane below:
  

Arts Integra Emerging Artist Program - Unionville, ON

This year from Arts Integra: Emerging Artist Program

July 5th - 9th, 2010

The Arts Integra International Summer Program is a wonderful opportunity for young emerging artists to develop their craft, hone their skills and enhance their repertoire while receiving instruction and guidance in a full range of innovative classes and experiencing “hands-on” how to be entrepreneurial and competitive in the global marketplace by some of the most highly regarded professionals in their fields.

Participants will work one-on-one in an open, fun, interactive and nurturing Master Class environment while they learn important repertoire, roles for experience and resume building, solve difficulties or develop new ideas and perspectives and experience all aspects of performance from conception to stage & concert hall as a stepping-stone to professional engagements, conducted by Internationally renowned Directors, Coaches, Conductors, Master Teachers and Professionals in the Performing Arts.

Daily activities may include active participation in score study, technique, artistry, interpretation, audition preparation, performance practice, role & scene preparation, language & diction, character development, improvisational skills, blocking techniques, costuming, makeup, props, participation in rehearsals, coaching, career development and stage management, culminating in a complete and final performance for the public. All classes will cater to the repertoire brought by the participants.

*All Faculty, classes, venues and programs are subject to change without notice.

The Big Push to the End...

Many of you reading this are in the last few weeks of the university semester, are just coming off March Break, are in the middle of university auditions or are ramping up for the local music festival. It is easy at this time of year, despite the promise of spring, to get bogged down and overwhelmed (even keep up with this blog!). It is when we are hitting the panic button that we are least productive. Here are a few ideas that get me back on track and focused:

1. Stay on Message. Just like the Canadian government right now, we flounder when we lose track of our goals and responsibilities. Take a few minutes to remind yourself what your general technical singing goals are and how you are working on them on a daily basis and applying them to your repertoire.

2. Check in on Repertoire. It is easy to forget the little details of a song you haven't sung through in a few weeks or a month. In preparation for your jury, audition, upcoming festival, etc. make a list of each song and create a practice log (or log into your Music Teachers' Helper website) so that you are reminded each day to do a run-through of all your songs. Then pick one or two songs to spend some detailed work time. Rotate through the songs during your practice week and you will find that by the end of a week (or two depending on how long your list is!) you have will sung everything each day!

3. Review your Notes. I encourage each of my students to keep a log book where they can transcribe the highlights of their lesson recording. I usually encourage them to write the various technical exercises and any notes associated with these exercises in addition to various notes on the particular repertoire they were working on that day. Go back and review this journal/log to make sure you are on track with your goals and you have the little details in the fore-front of your mind. This log is a great resource not just during the year but in the future!

4. Go Take a Hike. When we are the most stressed or tired, getting 8 hours of sleep and a good workout can explode your energy and therefore your productivity!

5. Dump Your Brain. Many business and life coaches use this as a jumping-off point for getting started on planning and goal setting. Sit down with a blank piece of paper and write out a list of all the things you need to do in your life. Go through the list and start to prioritize. Put a to-date on the things that are important and dump the rest. This clears the brain and helps us to see what is important and what is just brain filler or a distraction.

Opera and Cheese: A natural combination

I had to laugh this morning when I found this blog from the Cheese Boutique in Toronto. It would seem that food (and cheese) have been elevated to operatic standards. April 21 will see the Cheese Boutique host its 7th Annual Festival of Chefs...

...World renowned Canadian Opera singer Rob Gleadow returns this year to sing each chef to the podium in grand procession, where we will present them with their festival trophy. Chefs will mingle with and grant the media interviews and photo-ops throughout the evening. For this special occasion, nothing less than Taittinger Champagne & Fresh Truffles...

Makes my stomach rumble as I head to la belle Provence aka cheese capital of Canada!

Regina Symphony asks: Are you a singing star?

Yes, I’m Star Material!

Regina Symphony is getting in on the reality programming that has run its course on TV. Think American Idol crossed with Bathroom Divas at the casino and voila! a fundraising front! In this day of financial crisis around the world, an orchestra can be hard pressed to come up with new ways to entice new audiences out of their TV-watching daze. So i say, GO FOR IT!

If you are in Regina, I would love to hear about this event - check it out and get back me here at from the voice of...

When: Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Where: Cornwall Centre, Regina, SK

Deadline for Audition Applications: Wednesday, April 21st – 4:00pm CST

Canadian Baritone Jeffrey Carl releases new CD

I recently attended a concert in Kingston to hear a student sing the solo in Faure's Requiem and was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by the voice of Canadian baritone Jeffrey Carl. A striking stage presence and dramatic repertoire got me to wandering the Internet for more information.

Making his career primarily in Europe he has created roles in the Harry Somers premier of La Serinette and the R. Murray Schafer premier of In Search of Zoroaster here in Canada for CBC. His impressive list of collaborators include recording La Boheme with Roberto Alagna and two roles in Lehar's Giuditta with Richard Bonynge and a Kurt Weill role in The Firebrand of Florence with Thomas Hampson.

He has recently released his first solo CD of arias using the Canadian independent artist label Indie Pool Canada which can be found on iTunes. He includes arias from I Pagliacci, Rigoletto, Trovatore and of course, Iago's Credo from Otello. Priced at a mere $9.99 it is certainly worth the download to hear an artist at this level. It is also worth noting that we are seeing more and more artists finance and record their own recording in order to get their singing "out there"...another great reason to support a talented Canadian artist!