Where's My Freaking Dressing Room?!

For the final episode in Series 2 (can you believe it?!) Alex and Helen are honoured to be joined by good friend and esteemed colleague, Richard Robbins. Richard is an in-demand tenor who has soloed with ensembles such as The Southbank Sinfonia and the Academy of Ancient Music; he is a City Music Foundation Young Artist for their 2020-2022 season and he has also been a young artist for Handel House, Leeds Lieder, Oxford Lieder, and Brighton Early Music Festival.

Most importantly, Richard studied at the Royal Academy of Music for his master's degree in 2015-2017 which was where he met Alex (and through Alex, Helen) and their friendship was born.

Alex and Helen invite Richard onto the Dressing Room Pod to discuss how, following his studies at conservatoire, he has built his career in classical music . The chat covers all kinds of topics, not least:

Music College

• How it is the people, not the institution that will define your music college experience.

• How conservatoire can help you understand the next steps you need to take to build your career, although it may not directly lead you there.

• How the music college experience is not egalitarian, which seems unfair. As a place of education should conservatoires not be able to offer all students equal opportunities? Of course, equality of opportunity can never mean equality of outcome, but each student deserves to feel that their institution believes in them and is working to channel their energy into a successful future career.

• Our tips for those at music college: be brave, ask for what you want, and develop the self-knowledge to take from the experience what you need and leave what you don't.

Career path

• How in 2022 we are not able to identify solely as singers. We must build a patchwork quilt career, a smorgasbord of work opportunities. Now having many strings to your bow can be perceived as a strength.

• To what extent can we manifest our next steps? Richard feels his career happens somewhat in retrospect, whereas Alex and Helen are more inclined to feel that they set goals and work towards them.

• 'The industry wants you but doesn't need you, and you've got to want it but not need it.'

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Alex and Helen have a laugh discussing what it's like to study and work abroad. Alex has extensive experience performing across Italy and in September 2021 Helen moved to Switzerland to join the Swiss Opera Studio programme. The pair talk language barriers, finding common ground, how mainland Europe approaches the opera industry and taking the plunge to move your life to another country.

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Opera as an art form requires our imagination. Whether we be entering into the world of Die Walküre, The Cunning Little Vixen or Tosca, each opera asks us to leave behind the every day and suspend our belief.

Why is it, then, that singers often face visual discrimination? Time and again singers in auditions, rehearsals and even performances are criticised for their size, their age, and their 'beauty'.

This week Alex and Helen talk about image in the operatic industry. They discuss size, age and beauty in opera; asking the industry to do better but also highlighting companies and artists (such as Jamie Barton with the Lyric Opera of Chicago) who are championing body positivity and bucking this unfortunate trend. They note how most often the female leads face the greatest discrimination and they wish to remind the industry that ultimately, the voice is what matters.

They close the episode with a short discussion on race in relation to image in the industry. Contradicting their previous discussion, they argue that on the topic of race, we are not in a position to suspend belief. Given the power imbalance which exists for countless underrepresented voices in the operatic industry, roles written for people of colour should, in every case, be performed by people of colour and they stress the need to continue diversifying the art form.

Episode edited by and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Alex and Helen mythbust some of the common misconceptions surrounding diet and singing.

Caffeine

A huge topic in the vocal world, there are many conversations about caffeine being a vocal irritant, drying out the cords and preventing healthy singing.

Mythbust: It’s important to remember that nothing you eat or drink directly touches the vocal folds; that is a physical impossibility. Caffeine is a diuretic and therefore dehydrates the whole body. In understanding that we can combat the effects with caffeine by drinking a healthy amount of water throughout the day. It’s also worth considering how much caffeine you ingest a day. It’s unlikely that 1 or 2 coffees will have a major effect, however, 6 or 7 might!

Alcohol

Like caffeine, alcohol dehydrates the body (note we’re saying the body, not the larynx/voice). And again, like caffeine, you can take in enough water to offset the alcohol you drink. However, we know that there are times when we all have a little too much to drink and we need to be conscious of how alcohol affects our ability to sing.

For some, alcohol is no problem and they can sing on a hangover without any difficulty. For others, it’s not so easy. When it comes to alcohol we recommend getting to know your body and how your body copes when hungover. It might sound lame but if you’re unable to sing when hungover it might be helpful to plan nights when you know you can enjoy a few drinks because nothing is required of you the following day, allowing you enough time to rest, rehydrate and recuperate.

Dairy

For many, dairy is considered a big no-no. Whether it be milk, chocolate or cheese, dairy is often said to thicken the vocal folds and create more mucus which can obstruct healthy and efficient singing.

Mythbust: Dairy cannot thicken vocal folds as it has no contact with vocal folds. In addition, dairy does not increase the body’s mucus production, however, there is a reaction between the enzymes in dairy and the body’s saliva which can create a somewhat thick liquid that then coats the mouth. There are a number of ways to combat this affect such as steaming, gargling salt water and drinking warm liquids. Similar to alcohol, your diet is about knowing your body. If you struggle to sing after eating chocolate or drinking milk, perhaps avoid it before a rehearsal or performance.

Acid

Acid reflux is considered a major vocal fold irritant. Unlike caffeine, alcohol and dairy, acid reflux can directly affect the vocal folds. Stomach acid created by acid reflux can rise into the oesophagus and when the throat sphincters are not functioning well this acid can then flow into the throat and touch the larynx.

Acid reflux does not affect everyone but for those it does, it’s important to consider your diet. Foods such as bell peppers, tomatoes and onions can be major irritants alongside orange juice, citrus fruits and even chocolate. For acid reflux we would recommend using a food diary, writing down what you eat and making a brief note of how it affects you in the following 12 hours. You can then see which food groups and which recipes work well for you, and which ones you might need to avoid.

Our diet is something that can considerably affect the way we sing and so it’s worth taking it into account. Athletes know exactly what they put in their body before they train and compete, and singers should not be so different.

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody likes talking about it, Alex and Helen certainly don't like talking about it, but in this episode they get into the uncomfortable topic of money.

Money is hard to come by in the arts. From the start of education to attempting to make a stable living, we all know how it feels to worry about paying the next round of exam fees/audition fees/rent(!!!). Alex and Helen discuss how money affects every area of a singer's life and offer a range of ideas on how to create greater financial security in his industry:

• Ask. If there's a programme you want to take part in, or an audition you want to travel to, contact the organisation and ask if they have any ways of supporting those with less financial means. If you don't ask, you never know what they might be able to do in order to help you.

• Trusts and Foundations. The United Kingdom is blessed with a wealth of trusts and foundations, many of whose aim are to support those in the arts. To search for ones which might be able to help you there are a number of tools at your disposal:

Help Musicians Funding Wizard

The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding

Directory of Social Change database - you can make an appointment to search their trust and foundation database in their Highbury offices.

• The Power of Zoom. Post-pandemic we're seeing many institutions and programmes carry out their first round auditions via Zoom which has the potential to save you numerous accommodation and travel costs. With more auditions happening via Zoom, might that encourage you as an artist to apply for an opportunity that you would never have considered before?

• Building Relationships. If an application to a scholarship, competition or trust and foundation is successful, build that relationship. Let the board of trustees know how the scholarship/competition/grant has helped you, update them on your progress and, when possible, invite them to a live performance. In building that relationship, this scholarship/competition/trust and foundation can be an immediate go-to should you need financial assistance in the future.

• The Portfolio Career. Pair the unpredictable nature of the creative career with something a little more stable which you also find fulfilling. Love this idea? Want to know more? Check out our episode on The Portfolio Career!

• Invoice Hack. We all know the feeling of chasing late invoices. To try and avoid that, make sure to include in your invoice, as stated on the Musicians Union website: ‘Strictly 30 days net. I/we reserve the right to claim statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate at the date the debt becomes overdue, in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.’

• Let's talk about it. The more we don't talk about it, the harder it is to support one another and also, the easier it is for artists to be paid poorly.

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New year, same dressing room, and this week Alex and Helen have a double bill for you.

To start, they discuss the seasonal nature of the career as a performer and how it often involves intense periods of work (like Christmas!) followed by intense periods of quiet (did someone say January blues?). They suggest using your off-season to reflect, plan and work on personal development as well as managing your on-season in order to avoid three months of chaotic work without a break.

Following that, they offer you a January self-care package. With the seasonal nature of the career in mind they understand that January can be a difficult time for many performers and so they suggest:

• Let the Christmas cheer spill over!

Why does all the fun have to stop as soon as we hit January 1st? January can often be cold, dark and difficult, why not warm it up with a nice cheese board and mulled wine with friends? Use the January downtime for things you won’t be able to do in the busier months, whether that be visiting family, reading or cooking.

• Let yourself cocoon

Christmas can be an intense period for performers so recognise if your body needs to rest and LISTEN! Give yourself the time to recover that you deserve. Others may be setting intense goals and attempting to follow resolutions but it’s important not to compare. The seasonal nature of the performing career is unique, let your body tell you what it needs.

• Manifest 2022

Alex and Helen like manifesting because it isn’t goal-bound or time-bound. It uses your imagination and gives you a creative opportunity to consider your future. Ask yourself where you’d like to be at the end of 2022 and see what your brain throws up! Do you like what you see? Can you make decisions which align with that manifestation in order to help bring you closer to that ideal?

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's our last episode of the year so we decided to take a look back at the New Year's Resolutions we made back in series 1 on the pod in January and see whether we stuck to any of them or just totally ignored them.

Before we get started don’t forget to tag us on social media #AlexSimpsonFail and tell us whether you think Alex passed his driving test this week!

Resolution 1: Let it Go

Helen: 'I feel like I'm a lot better at letting go of bad rehearsal experiences, and even on a smaller scale bad notes or bars of music when I'm performing. I understand better now that there's no point getting hung up on those things, you just have to let them go. Having said that I still have massive issues with posting on social media so I didn't do so well there.'

Alex: 'I got a lot better at letting go of my worries in the rehearsal room. I was always so concerned about what my colleagues thought of me but over the course of the last year I've been able to let go of that worry and focus more on being in the actual moment.'

Resolution 2: Get It Done

Alex and Helen: 'As two people that love to control things, we both nailed this one. We love to plan our days, to schedule and organise our time and be as productive as possible.'

Helen: 'HOWEVER, that can have some set backs. You can get so used to creating your own ideal schedule that when someone else asks you to rehearse at a date/time you dislike, you really struggle to adapt. The scheduling has to be flexible.'

Resolution 3: Feed Yourself

Helen: 'Too easy. Just kidding! If I'm honest I don't think I was as successful with this as I wanted to be. It's been a really unusual year and so although I've found time for things I love such as reading, running, cooking, theatre, I haven't given myself to these things as mindfully as I probably should.'

Alex: I approached this resolution slightly differently - seeing it as making sure to make time for myself. I know now that in the morning I hate being in a rush to get the day started. I like to take my time when enjoying my breakfast and morning coffee. I see that process as a little ritual, something that I keep for myself and in that time I have the headspace to think, plan, consider. Making time for myself is really important.'

Alex and Helen: 'This resolution did make us both think about the fact that singing simply isn't the be all and end all for us. Yes, we absolutely love it and yes, we are passionate about this career but there are so many other things that are important to us and it's about being able to find the balance of those things.'

Resolution 4: Don't Make Resolutions

Helen: 'Har har. We're such losers. Having said that, I think this is something really important which I will take into 2022. The world is so unpredictable right now and your life can change overnight (I would know!) so try and adopt flexible goals that you can change and adapt as you see fit, rather than unrelenting resolutions.'

Alex: 'Resolutions don't have to be about looking at the bad things of 2021 and going into 2022 and saying I MUST FIX THESE. Resolutions can be celebrating things that went well and aiming to continue on that path, or making a commitment to try something new or different. We should see resolutions as a positive thing.'

This episode we're encouraging you to 'Hit the Refresh button' as we draw a line under 2021. Let's celebrate the end of the year and get ready to rock for 2022. We've got lots of exciting plans on the way so watch this space!

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Christmastime, for many performers it's audition time, which also means it's acceptance/rejection time.

Performers in the creative industries have to audition for opportunities in order to further their careers, and it's likely that for every ten auditions a performer does only one of those will be successful. Therefore, 90% of the time performers are facing, handling and processing rejection.

Alex and Helen can't help but ask themselves why it is they were never taught to handle rejection?

This week Alex and Helen get stuck in at the deep end and talk about Rejections. They talk about normalising rejection, they discuss how to find fresh motivation following rejection and they share their techniques for handling and processing rejection.

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder and it's almost an acceptable time of year to be eating mince pies which can only mean one thing: Christmas is on its way! There's no denying that for singers and performers Christmas is an intense period of time including carol services, Messiah concerts, midnight masses and so much more. With that in mind Alex and Helen thought it was about time to offer you some tips, tricks and ideas on how to handle your crazy Christmas diary.

For this episode Alex and Helen are delighted to be joined by special guest and old friend, Sam Cobb. As a freelance soprano, Sam regularly performs with acclaimed groups such as The Monteverdi Choir and alongside her singing work Sam is co-artistic director of the celebrated Echo Vocal Ensemble. Sam is no stranger to the madness of the Christmas diary and on the pod this week they discuss:

• Preparation: How do you accept work? How do you say no to work? Do you take rest days? How do you manage your portfolio career during such a busy time?

• Stamina: How do you keep your voice in a good condition? How do you avoid getting ill? To what extent do you embrace the social element of the Christmas concert season?

• Peaks and troughs: How do you handle the big highs and lows of the Christmas season? How do you feel about the inevitable January blues?

• Their top pieces of advice for coping with the Christmas season

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Although we don't care to admit it, almost all artists experience crises of confidence. From panicking during the final minutes before you go on stage, to experiencing a few weeks feeling slightly under the weather, crises of confidence can affect us in many different ways. This week Alex and Helen share strategies and techniques they've used in the past to help battle their crises of confidence.

For the 'in the moment' Crisis of Confidence:

1. Practice mindfulness backstage: notice your feelings, acknowledge them, do not judge them and try, if you can, to allow them to pass.
2. Practice mindfulness on stage and use it to your advantage: if you become aware that your left arm and hand are unnecessarily tense, make the conscious decision to relax them.
3. Try the 'Zooming' technique, alternating your focus between external and internal stimuli. Use this technique to cultivate mental focus and clarity before going on stage.
4. To encourage confidence, try embodying the characteristics of a performer you admire. (We're not recommending this is something you regularly do in performance, but if you're feeling highly concerned in the hours leading up to a concert this technique can help cultivate a sense of power and confidence that can be highly beneficial.)

For the 'long-term' Crisis of Confidence:

1. Baby steps: try not to push yourself and set manageable goals. Expecting too much of yourself when feeling underconfident can be the catalyst for a downward spiral.  
2. Take a break. Go to a concert, visit an exhibition, read a book, or practice other completely unrelated repertoire. Feed your brain in other ways in order to give yourself some breathing space and perspective. 
3. Go with what you know. Trust your technique and what you have been taught.
4. Lean on your people. Talk to those who you trust and who know you best as an artist, seek out their support and advice.
5. Most importantly, remember that this mindset is a product of feelings and in time, all feelings pass.

Edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.