Why?

When asked, one of the fundamental pieces of advice I offer to young singers about pursuing a career on the operatic stage is to evaluate WHY it is you want to sing. In my most humble opinion, unless you have a rather concrete, secure idea of why it is you NEED to sing, or why you must devote so much of yourself to music, it can be quite easy to stumble and fall, losing your way very quickly. I’m finding that after a few years in this profession, my ideas have perhaps morphed a bit, my goals and aspirations modified here and there, but in the tough moments I pose this question to myself and search for the answer — it is this answer which keeps my determination and passion alive.

I’ve dreamed of posing the question, however, to YOU — the general public, ,my fellow singers, the odd nutcase — why is music so important in your life? I stand on the stage and look out at ‘you’, and I wonder, “Is this touching you? Is this bringing something to your life? It this really worth it?”

As a performer, it is quite easy to get bombarded with thoughts of chromatic scales, double consonants, the french portamento vs. an italian one: but surely these aren’t the primal things that keep you coming back? How much is it REALLY about “PR” these days? How important is the perfect publicity photo? How primed does today’s public need to be that the singer they are hearing is a bonafide (according to the press) “STAR”, and how much can they rely simply on how that singer moves them? Is it really about the cleavage and the high “C”, or is it also about honesty and generosity? Why does one thrill, and the other not?

I’m most curious, and would love your input!

Cheers!