This one could have gone on for hours! Jenna Douglas – pianist-coach and captain of the intrepid ship that is Schmopera.com – joins us this week for a topic that affects each of us nearly every day. Working contract-to-contract means musicians are unusually dependant on a climate of good will. We have to weigh many decisions – whether to tell uncomfortable truths, to stand up for ourselves, to stick with a controversial artistic vision – against the possibility that they will threaten our livelihood. How much is our fear of speaking our minds based in real danger? In theory, people respect self-confidence, but is there some safe point in a career before which you just can't afford to take any chances? And what about when you know the only thing you fear is... fear itself?! Jenna also raises the bar for all subsequent guests (and for us!) by coming prepared with original haiku tailored to the subject matter! Now that's a pro. -=- Show notes -=- Website - Schmopera http://www.schmopera.com/ Article - On the Recording of Opera Singers, Schmopera http://www.schmopera.com/on-the-recording-of-opera-singers/ Video - On the Recording of Opera Singers, Schmopera https://youtu.be/GKN27ZVONRQ Article - 'Shine on, Maureen Forrester', by MJ Buell, theWholeNote http://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/feature-stories/5914-shine-on-maureen-forrester Article - 'Audition season, or the annual Festival of Shattered Dreams', by Anonymous author http://www.schmopera.com/audition-season-or-the-annual-festival-of-shattered-dreams/ Website - Eric Owens, Bass-Baritone http://imgartists.com/artist/eric_owens Website - The Center for Nonviolent Communcation - Needs Inventory https://www.cnvc.org/Training/needs-inventory Website - The Center for Nonviolent Communcation - How we hold "responsibility" and "accountability" in NVC? https://www.cnvc.org/how-we-hold-responsibility-and-accountability-nvc Article - 'In Defence of Singers', by Jenna Douglas | Schmopera http://www.schmopera.com/in-defence-of-singers/ Copyright © 2016 Chris Mayell, Isaiah Bell