By Dana Lynne Varga and Ian Pomerantz Much like the “American Dream” of the past century, the DMA Promise is the equally coveted and elusive aspiration of countless young singers and academics. In our field, the DMA Promise is the widely held belief that a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree is the ticket to having …
DMAs and the Elusive, Coveted Full-Time Faculty Position Read More »
By Zach Finkelstein, Dana Lynne Varga, and Hillary LaBonte Women face extraordinary odds of success in the opera world, from the conservatory to young artist apprenticeships to the mainstage to leadership roles in administration. Middleclass Artist and the Empowered Musician, in an exhaustive analysis of the opera industry from top to bottom, through dozens of …
“If you can see yourself doing anything else, do that.” Sound familiar? All musicians have heard these words, and many have stopped pursuing a music career because of them. I would like to invite you to consider an amendment to this old chestnut: “If you can see yourself doing anything else, do that too.” A …
EMBRACING AND TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR CORRELATING CAREER Read More »
By Dana Lynne Varga and Zach Finkelstein This Fall, music performance majors enrolled or considering U.S. colleges face an impossible choice. First, they need to determine if remote learning is effective for them. Then, they must weigh whether the in-person components of their education are safe enough and if they are comfortable with the risk. …
An Impossible Choice: Music majors, COVID-19 and an uncertain future Read More »
The image of the fat lady with horns is a pervasive one in our field, and this stereotype affects most of us in ways we don’t even realize. I’m here to tell you that bodies and voices come in all shapes and sizes. First and foremost, it is important to know that not all large …
Everyone has an ego and carries around certain insecurities; this is simply part of being human. Voice teachers are faced with a particular challenge due to the up-close-and-personal nature of the work that is done in the studio. The most important takeaways I hope singers have from this article are 1) to be able to …
Five working singer/actors share how and why they made the big switch from opera to MT. Contributing Artists: HEATHER HILL’s career covers a broad spectrum of appearances in opera, concerts, Broadway, television and film. She recently finished a four year run performing as Carlotta and the InnKeeper’s Wife in the Broadway company of The Phantom of the Opera. …
WHY CLASSICAL SINGERS ARE LEAVING OPERA FOR MUSICAL THEATRE Read More »
This is enough. Accepting and appreciating your career at every stage I am all about that hustle. We are in an industry that requires you to be constantly striving, creating and reaching for the next goal. An industry that necessitates self-marketing, up-to-date websites and recordings, as well as careful attention to the instrument and technique …
THIS IS ENOUGH: ACCEPTING AND APPRECIATING YOUR CAREER AT EVERY STAGE Read More »
It is no secret that the cost of college tuition has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the College Board (www.collegeboard.org), the average cost of a Bachelor’s degree is a whopping $35,000 per year for private colleges ($140,000 for four years). The average cost for state residents at public colleges is about $10,000 a year, …
Swimming in opinions: filtering through the noise We’ve all been there… The conflicting information and comments. The confusing or unsolicited advice. Let’s take a brief look two common scenarios, and ways you can filter through all the opinions to find your own unique and truthful voice. Scenario: You and your teacher agree on a piece, …
FILTERING FEEDBACK: HOW TO NAVIGATE THE MANY OPINIONS YOU FACE Read More »
