Dedicated to all of the wonderful Masterclass presenters all over the world, but especially at NYDV, who patiently listen to all of our questions…
Caption: The answer to the question in my earlier post: Should I attend the program at school or at home? The answer? BOTH
I don’t know about you, but I love to ask questions. All kinds of questions. Why do prisms make rainbows? What happens when you mix blue and chartreuse? What am I supposed to be doing with my life? And sometimes, we love to ask the same question over and over, not necessarily hoping for a different answer, but just to make sure.
In the business of singing, we ask a lot of questions. What music is right for my voice? What do you think about headshots/audition attire/websites/etc. Should I go back to school? When am I ready for management? What do I do when I’ve aged out of the Young Artist Programs? Do you like me? Am I singing this right?
The funny thing is, there are no right answers to these questions. And everyone you ask will give you a slightly different answer. When I began my Masters’ degree a year ago, I remember walking in with trepidation. I’m older than most of my classmates, will they hold that against me? I have a lot of work to do on my voice, I haven’t properly auditioned in years, is this the right path for me?
One of the voice professors said something very interesting to me when I first arrived. She said, “Being older, you’ll be able to take everything you hear with a grain of salt. You won’t be as swayed by the different opinions and answers you will get from all sides.” I thought that was a very interesting thing to say. Aren’t I supposed to be learning, to be changing, to be figuring out all of the answers?
Turns out, no one has all the right answers. And no one has the right answers for YOU. As many wise individuals have said, it’s all about the journey. Not the destination. And in the business of singing? In the arts? Maybe it’s all about the questions. Not the answers.
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