By Alexander Simpson & Helen Daniels
3
22 ratings
The podcast currently has 55 episodes available.
Alex and Helen have quickly jumped on the podcast to respond to the recent announcement that the BBC will be disbanding the BBC Singers, and the BBC Concert Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra will face 20% role reductions.
They discuss what makes the BBC Singers unique, what troubles them about the press release and, if possible, how we can look ahead with a positive spirit.
Sign the petition to save the BBC Singers.
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Just like that, we’ve come to the end of Season 3 of the podcast! From the live episode, to the Voice of Black Opera Mini Series, to episodes on boundaries, nepotism and perfectionism, it’s been a total blast. To see you out, this week Alex and Helen discuss the three things they’re fighting for in the future of the operatic industry.
Often opera revels in how it is a relic of the past. That doesn’t need to be the case any more.
This episode was edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Our thanks goes to Daisy for her positive upbeat energy, her creativity and her social media prowess throughout this entire season.
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This week Alex and Helen discuss the pros and cons of perfectionism.
For many artists the desire to create perfection can be overwhelming. Perfectionism can have many benefits including producing work of a high standard, committing to a project with passion and motivation and inspiring others.
However, perfectionism can also have drawbacks. Perfectionism can cause us to hold artists to unattainable standards, forgetting that real live performance can, in no way, be perfect. Such perfectionism can lead artists to becoming overwhelmingly self-critical which can cause issues with creative freedom and performance anxiety.
Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that music is a living, breathing entity. It is not supposed to be perfect.
Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we discuss the fear culture which pervades the opera industry and how we can take care of ourselves in these situations.
We are singers and performers because we love sharing the joy of making good music; however, in certain situations (such as high pressured auditions) we can become crippled by fear.
Is there a way of us reframing this? Do the feelings we experience before our first night on stage at the Metropolitan Opera have to be fear, or could they be anticipation instead? Could they be excitement at having the opportunity to connect with an audience through powerful music? Could they be adrenaline, gearing you up to give the performance of a lifetime?
It’s worth reminding ourselves that a performance on stage or in an audition needs something more than what we deliver in the practice room - could that be this adrenaline, excitement or anticipation?
The opera industry is a complex one, one in which we are all trying to impress our superiors in order to secure another gig, another casting or perhaps another audition opportunity. Not just this, oftentimes when we are working with colleagues we admire, we are fearful of what they think of us.
In situations like this it can be helpful to consider yourself five years ago: who were you afraid of? Who did you look up to? Whose opinion did you worry about? It’s likely that five years on you’ve come to realise these worries and fears were not as important as they seemed at the time.
Often the arts talk about being more open, caring, sharing and collaborative. That works both ways. We need to be less fearful of those in positions of power, but also the people who hold these positions need to make themselves more approachable, more accessible, more human.
A common fear discussed on the podcast is how to make a sustainable career in the arts. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the portfolio career allows musicians the flexibility to remain financially solvent whilst exploring and developing creative projects.
The combined effects of Brexit and Coronavirus have throttled the classical music industry and the government’s continual arts cuts act as a reminder that the UK does not value the arts in the same way other countries do (taking Germany and Austria for example). The realisation that a career in the arts is financially insecure is painful, however once you’ve come to terms with this you can make choices to develop a flexible career that works for you. Combine the skills you have in order to provide yourself with a portfolio career that offers a steady income and room to be creative.
It’s sad to say it, but many music-making groups are guilty of creating a culture of fear, whether it be the fear of making a mistake, the fear of not sounding beautiful, the fear of a memory lapse, or the fear of misreading a gesture.
Environments like these require us to regain some sense of control, and we can do this by making a choice:
In sports such as cricket and basketball, players are trained to withstand trash talk, learning to give their best in a high-pressured, fearful environment. Perhaps opera should do the same?
Much of the operatic industry is based on a culture of fear, meaning we need to learn to protect ourselves. It is our personal responsibility to become robust and resilient enough to manage these difficult situations, remembering that if it becomes too much, it is okay to walk away.
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We all want to try and pretend nepotism doesn’t happen in the opera industry but, let’s face it, it does. So, how can you use nepotism to your own advantage?
If you’re in a room with someone you want to work with, what’s the harm in having a chat? You don’t have to directly ask for work, you don’t even have to directly ask for an audition, instead you can discuss an opera you saw recently, or something you read in the news, whatever! In making the initial connection it’s about making simple conversation and making an impression on said person.
Perhaps you’re not used to making conversation with people you don’t know, or perhaps you’re a socially shy person; if that’s the case then maybe you can use social media to your advantage? Sending a tweet to a casting director or agent in an attempt to make contact can have a lot of value. Form connections in the way that works best for you. You should never have to feel uncomfortable when making connections.
Building relationships with people takes time. As with business relationships, you have to prime people in order for connections to prove fruitful. Take your time - calls, emails, tweets, meetings - it all contributes to the end outcome.
Based on a book Helen read over the summer, here are five ways of thinking that could improve your own luck:
Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week Alex and Helen debate a big question which often plagues the arts: can we separate our work from politics?
In this episode they discuss the three following questions:
Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Finalist in the Voice of Black Opera Competition 2022, Chantelle Grant sits down with Helen and Alex to talk about the experience of performing in such a prestigious competition, how she feels performing Wagner and Strauss and what it’s like to walk onto the stage at The Metropolitan Opera.
If you want to find out more about Chantelle check out her:
Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Finalist in the Voice of Black Opera 2022 Competition, Thando Mjandana, joins Helen and Alex to talk about how he handles nerves, looking forward to the competition final, future roles he’s excited by and how he got into singing in the first place.
For more on Thando, check out his:
Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To kick-start our mini series on the Voice of Black Opera (VOBO) 2022 Competition we were delighted to be joined by the competition’s founder, Vincent Osborne. In this episode we discuss what Vincent is looking forward to in the competition, why he established both this competition and the Black British Classical Foundation, what he hopes to see the opera industry of the future, and just how he ran the Time Out Bar of the Year, The Brixtonian!
Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alex and Helen were delighted to welcome esteemed colleague and old friend Keval Shah onto the podcast to discuss the similarities and differences between singers and instrumentalists. Keval is an internationally recognised pianist who has worked with many world-renowned singers, making him a perfectly positioned guest for this week’s conversation.
In the episode they discuss the physicality of singing vs playing an instrument; how instrumentalists could learn from singers and their use of text; how singers could learn from instrumentalists and their understanding of a musical score; and, most importantly, how we should all think of ourselves as musicians first and foremost.
Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The podcast currently has 55 episodes available.