(lips smacking)
- So when someone is approaching the end of their schooling,
normally a master's degree.
(lips smacking)
We begin to talk about
the next level of training,
which could be young artists studios
and summer programs.
Even if they've done some summer programs,
there are higher levels
of summer programs.
And so,
the so-called Big Four,
in Opera training would be Houston Grand Opera where I work,
the Metropolitan Opera,
the Chicago Lyric Opera,
and the San Francisco Opera.
Most of these programs are watching
the very very talented people for several years,
leading up to the time that they may be invited
into one of these programs.
And they all take people through different means.
So there's no one way to get in.
They have either a summer program,
like San Francisco has an Maryland program
where they watch singers for the summer,
and then you might be invited into the Adler program,
which is the year-round training program for the very best.
Much as Houston has the McCollum Competition
to identify people.
But even that is no guarantee
that you would get into studio.
Metropolitan Opera has the Metropolitan auditions
but they often take people who are not in the auditions
that they've had all around the world.
So there are many ways to get into those places.
And since there are so few spots,
and obviously there're so many more singers,
the singers who don't get in those
on their first or second try,
have to look at all the other companies,
that have training programs.
The so-called B or C level programs.
And, you know, all these programs have different focus.
You might be working, doing educational outreach
with singing
but it's pretty safe to say you won't have
the same level of intense training in
vocalism,
musicianship,
acting skills,
language skills
that you might have in the longer year-round programs
that are tend to be better funded.
So if a person doesn't get into one of those programs,
then what do they do?
After school, If they're going to continue this,
they have to,
the primary objective is to remain in contact
with a voice teacher,
with a coach,
and then start to build a group of people around them
who are supportive of what they're doing.
That understand, you know, what they're working on
and understand their strengths and weaknesses
because every singer,
every musician has those.
And try to figure out what their niche,
what their particular niche might be.
There are many many stories of singers
who did never won a competition,
or who never got into a major training program.
And they're some of the most famous singers in the world.
That used to be more prevalent than it is now.
Most of the better singers that are hired in America
come through the major training programs
and there may be a progression of a smaller program,
to a larger program.
That's very common.
And there may be also a progression
of smaller summer festivals
to more prestigious summer festivals,
because some of the festivals are clearly educational.
Some of the festivals are
pre-professional.
Or professional.
Meaning that you're already out working
and you go there
and continue working during the summer.
But these are launching grounds
because agents,
managers
come and listen.
And at all of these places,
the people who hire singers are listening
in all the major festivals,
that present pre-professional talent.
Which, you know are going to be places like Wolf Trap,
Glimmerglass,
Des Moines,
Santa Fe.
And then they're all the programs
Tanglewood,
Aspen,
Music Academy where there's clearly professional talent
but it's at a younger age,
and it's not yet at the level of professional singing.
So, it depends on where the student is
and that's how you advise them
to seek out what might be right.