As I was walking to my audition, today, the themed music for the Death Star from the 'Star Wars' kicked into my head with a bit of 'Spamalot' glitch thrown in for comic relief.
Why is an audition so scary? In my head I can run through all the logic in the world, but all I could think of was the Death Star music, like I was going to be executed! How nuts is that? No one is going to kill me in front of a firing squad. Yet the fear is real. Why is singing such a scary business? Well the 'No's' out weigh the 'yes' by odds I hate to think of on the rejection scale, that could have something to do with it. I look at all my fellow hopefuls, who are getting younger, than me, by the minute, and I wonder, what's it all about? I hear the nerves cracking in my fellow auditionees; I've seen and experienced the tears of disappointment and all this for the strangest job interview I've ever heard of.
How often in normal jobs, do people walk into a room, say 'Hello', sing and say 'Good-bye'. That's it! No 'how do you do's?' or 'how was your trip to the audition?'. At least actors get to speak a monologue. We singers have to sing it, look natural and sound fantastic on the first time through.
I'm not sure why I'm even questioning my fear? That part of the 'job interview' is the only part which seems normal. At least my Death Star had some comic relief which helped bring a smile to my face as I made my way through the building....and the firing squad, no I mean the audition panel - the ones I keep being told are on my side, even though they are on the other side of the room facing me....hm?!, seemed nice enough, especially the hunky looking director in the middle.
So how can I round this up, well, I think my fear is perfectly normal and the situation isn't. Thank God, I have a great sense of humour to add the 'Spamalot' kick to my Death Star music.
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
A Delicate Balance - Work/Life
Well, this is not an original topic but, it seems to be one I’m always battling. I seem to spend a lot of time working at the administration work of being a singer and a lot less at the actual act of singing! It always seems like everyone else just gets work so easily, so how do they do it? If you are one of those, who the work just keeps rolling in, please let me know your secret. I have got all the usual systems in place – website, an agent, constantly trolling wherever I can for auditions, etc… It’s just never ending and it never seems to take off of its own fruition. To give you any idea, take a look at my diary on my website (www.debbiebridge.com). That will give you an idea of what is actually on the horizon. There are a lot of possibilities, but only a few confirmed events.
So if any of you have any pointers on what I could do to help get more performing work, please get back to me, I’d love to hear from you or if you are struggling like me, I would love to hear your struggles as well!
Speak to ya soon!
So if any of you have any pointers on what I could do to help get more performing work, please get back to me, I’d love to hear from you or if you are struggling like me, I would love to hear your struggles as well!
Speak to ya soon!
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Boycott the Sony Radio Awards
There’s all the noise in the press about the Olympics and boycotting because of Tibet, well, there is something right here in the UK which needs to be boycotted and that’s the Sony Radio Awards. I’m saying this because I submitted one of my shows that I produced from the COMMUNITY radio station Radio Reverb, only to find that not one COMMUNITY radio show made it to the finals. In fact, not only are ALL the finalists from commercial radio stations, it’s also a listing of the who’s, who of the BBC and other top COMMERCIAL radio shows.
Naturally I’m not happy that my show didn’t make it to the final listing, but there is no feedback, I don’t even know if they even listened to it, but to find not one lesser known or community based radio show on the listing, just made me feel like this whole thing is a sham. It’s only for the ‘big boys’ of radio and they have taken my £100 entry fee and ran, not to mention the hours I’ve spend putting the entry form together and for what? They don’t even seem to look at community radio. I was told to send a letter explaining the lack of technical ability and it would be taken into consideration. I have no idea whether that was the case, but it doesn’t seem to be, as the results only show that the big commercial radio stations will receive awards because they have the money behind them.
One last beef, is that the list of judges, also reads as a who’s, who of the producers and managers for these radio stations. How are these people going to be unbiased, when the shows and radio stations which are in the finals are, funnily enough, from the same places that these people work.
My suggestions are that the Sony awards, give me back my £100 and consider setting up awards for community radio stations as well. Stop taking money from the little guy and saying they will be treated equally as the commercial shows and then secretly ignoring them and just putting your buddies in the winning positions!
Boycott the Sony Radio Awards; send a message out to the ‘big boys’ of radio that this isn’t right or rename name the Awards the ‘mainly’ BBC COMMERCIAL Sony Radio Awards.
Naturally I’m not happy that my show didn’t make it to the final listing, but there is no feedback, I don’t even know if they even listened to it, but to find not one lesser known or community based radio show on the listing, just made me feel like this whole thing is a sham. It’s only for the ‘big boys’ of radio and they have taken my £100 entry fee and ran, not to mention the hours I’ve spend putting the entry form together and for what? They don’t even seem to look at community radio. I was told to send a letter explaining the lack of technical ability and it would be taken into consideration. I have no idea whether that was the case, but it doesn’t seem to be, as the results only show that the big commercial radio stations will receive awards because they have the money behind them.
One last beef, is that the list of judges, also reads as a who’s, who of the producers and managers for these radio stations. How are these people going to be unbiased, when the shows and radio stations which are in the finals are, funnily enough, from the same places that these people work.
My suggestions are that the Sony awards, give me back my £100 and consider setting up awards for community radio stations as well. Stop taking money from the little guy and saying they will be treated equally as the commercial shows and then secretly ignoring them and just putting your buddies in the winning positions!
Boycott the Sony Radio Awards; send a message out to the ‘big boys’ of radio that this isn’t right or rename name the Awards the ‘mainly’ BBC COMMERCIAL Sony Radio Awards.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
A Singer's Personality - what's that got to do with it?
Well, I've read an article this month in the Singer magazine, Personality traits by Mark Glanville, about how the personality of a singer doesn't always align with their voice type and the problems that can arise from such a situation. In fact, it goes so far as to say, "Many Singers less talented... and less accepting,...though with enough quality to have made a good career, would seem to have fallen by the wayside simply because they have had the misfortune to be gifted with a voice which was out of kilter with their personality."
This really struck a chord for me, forgive the pun, but it wasn't intentional, I've always had a very flexible voice, so it has fitted to a variety of genres, but I can honestly say, they have not all 'fit like a glove'. I've always been a soprano who has wanted to be a mezzo - fatal. It has caused me to look outside myself to find the identity of my voice, which, really at the end of the day, is not for anyone else to tell me, only I really know the answer to that. I've just been fishing around and boy is that evident in the CV and by what people have said over the years!
This article really made me look at what I've been doing and to take a closer look at myself; at what I am doing and thinking, so I can be more accepting and appreciative of what I do have, so I can then use that to its best potential. So what if I'm not a Handelian, Mozart or Wagnerian soprano, there is a lot that will fit me just fine in-between, such as Puccini and Strauss.
I must admit it hasn't always been easy nor have I always liked what is most suited to me, but the road a head offers me many more opportunities, I just need to be more aware of what I like and what really does work best for me.
The glove that tends to fit me is in the Romantic period with its lushness and beauty, so I look forward to shopping around for just the right colour and size. What glove type are you?
This really struck a chord for me, forgive the pun, but it wasn't intentional, I've always had a very flexible voice, so it has fitted to a variety of genres, but I can honestly say, they have not all 'fit like a glove'. I've always been a soprano who has wanted to be a mezzo - fatal. It has caused me to look outside myself to find the identity of my voice, which, really at the end of the day, is not for anyone else to tell me, only I really know the answer to that. I've just been fishing around and boy is that evident in the CV and by what people have said over the years!
This article really made me look at what I've been doing and to take a closer look at myself; at what I am doing and thinking, so I can be more accepting and appreciative of what I do have, so I can then use that to its best potential. So what if I'm not a Handelian, Mozart or Wagnerian soprano, there is a lot that will fit me just fine in-between, such as Puccini and Strauss.
I must admit it hasn't always been easy nor have I always liked what is most suited to me, but the road a head offers me many more opportunities, I just need to be more aware of what I like and what really does work best for me.
The glove that tends to fit me is in the Romantic period with its lushness and beauty, so I look forward to shopping around for just the right colour and size. What glove type are you?
Monday, 21 January 2008
Hyper-extended Soprano
Just recently I went to the doctors in regards to physical ailments I’ve been having with one hip. It seems I have joints which hyper extend or as I know it are double jointed. I’ve heard about this when I was a child and I would see other girls be able to do the splits and I struggled, but it seems you can have hyper mobility, but not necessarily everywhere. In my case, it seems it’s in a lot of places I don’t necessarily notice it except in my fingers. It’s been a great one for making people feel quite ill when I bend them right back…he he!
Anyway, what I didn’t know that there is a lot of problems that come with such lovely tricks. It seems that chronic pain, hyper sensitivity; depression, fatigue, and much more are some of the down sides of such move ability. For me, it’s help me to understand the years of tiredness are a direct result from being in pain a lot of the time.
I would love to hear from other singers to see what they have found to be the benefits are drawbacks for the same sort of problems, especially on how they’ve managed over the years, as opera singers. Also, if you know of any websites that are particularly good at helping out or giving information on such ailments, in particular in relation to singers!
Keep it flexible!
Anyway, what I didn’t know that there is a lot of problems that come with such lovely tricks. It seems that chronic pain, hyper sensitivity; depression, fatigue, and much more are some of the down sides of such move ability. For me, it’s help me to understand the years of tiredness are a direct result from being in pain a lot of the time.
I would love to hear from other singers to see what they have found to be the benefits are drawbacks for the same sort of problems, especially on how they’ve managed over the years, as opera singers. Also, if you know of any websites that are particularly good at helping out or giving information on such ailments, in particular in relation to singers!
Keep it flexible!
Thursday, 27 December 2007
A Healthy Singer
I did an event recently where I had to leave before the end of the event. I always hate doing it, but often I find I need to go to rest. I would love to stick around for that drink and chat afterwards but….
Like many singers, my health is a huge part of taking care of my instrument. I’ve tried all sorts of therapies and doctors to help keep it on an even keel, but the one thing I find which a struggle is the stress. I know it’s had a huge impact on my physical body because of the extreme highs and lows of someone who has chosen a career where the common cold can cause irreparable damage to my instrument, if it is not looked after.
Let me step back a few paces and explain a bit of my story. As a child I caught every illness in close proximity. Now-a-days, I’m at a point where I hardly get a cold or flu, mostly allergy problems. Something I didn’t understand as a child. It seems I’m allergic to dust, so if I do catch a cold, which normally only should last a week at the most, I suffer for longer, as it turns into an allergic reaction because my poor body is always fighting off the dust allergy, but gives up the ghost when a cold hits. So all those years I was thinking I’ve got no resistance to colds was a misunderstanding that I’m really someone who is on constant allergy fighting mode.
Now-a-days, I take much better care, but it has taken its toll. I have to adjust my lifestyle a lot to help give my body the rest it needs. As I see it, my poor immune system is constantly having to fight various dusts (new country; new dirt; new problem adjusting or new room; new dirt; new problem adjusting or animal;….well you get the jist of it!), so my immunity is on 24/7 on full, rather than moderate for someone without such an allergy. It’s not surprising I used to catch everything going and get tired so easily. I’m now changing lifestyle and eating habits as my body is tired from the irregular, stressful lifestyle of a performer.
I often wonder if I seem like the diva that leaves parties early, leaving others to wonder if I’m just too good for them, but really it’s not true! I just need a good nights rest, which I don’t think is a bad thing for anyone, but it’s particularly true for those of us who work such peculiar hours. It’s not great for my comradely, but it’s for my voice and health. Seems a bit of a catch 22, as being social and networking is a huge part of getting work, so now I try to do a little of both, but in moderation – ah, that age old adage.
What’s a poor singer to do? So the next time you see that singer who leaves earlier than the rest, consider they may have to, rather than want to…;)
Enjoy the holidays; hope they are restful and healthy!
Like many singers, my health is a huge part of taking care of my instrument. I’ve tried all sorts of therapies and doctors to help keep it on an even keel, but the one thing I find which a struggle is the stress. I know it’s had a huge impact on my physical body because of the extreme highs and lows of someone who has chosen a career where the common cold can cause irreparable damage to my instrument, if it is not looked after.
Let me step back a few paces and explain a bit of my story. As a child I caught every illness in close proximity. Now-a-days, I’m at a point where I hardly get a cold or flu, mostly allergy problems. Something I didn’t understand as a child. It seems I’m allergic to dust, so if I do catch a cold, which normally only should last a week at the most, I suffer for longer, as it turns into an allergic reaction because my poor body is always fighting off the dust allergy, but gives up the ghost when a cold hits. So all those years I was thinking I’ve got no resistance to colds was a misunderstanding that I’m really someone who is on constant allergy fighting mode.
Now-a-days, I take much better care, but it has taken its toll. I have to adjust my lifestyle a lot to help give my body the rest it needs. As I see it, my poor immune system is constantly having to fight various dusts (new country; new dirt; new problem adjusting or new room; new dirt; new problem adjusting or animal;….well you get the jist of it!), so my immunity is on 24/7 on full, rather than moderate for someone without such an allergy. It’s not surprising I used to catch everything going and get tired so easily. I’m now changing lifestyle and eating habits as my body is tired from the irregular, stressful lifestyle of a performer.
I often wonder if I seem like the diva that leaves parties early, leaving others to wonder if I’m just too good for them, but really it’s not true! I just need a good nights rest, which I don’t think is a bad thing for anyone, but it’s particularly true for those of us who work such peculiar hours. It’s not great for my comradely, but it’s for my voice and health. Seems a bit of a catch 22, as being social and networking is a huge part of getting work, so now I try to do a little of both, but in moderation – ah, that age old adage.
What’s a poor singer to do? So the next time you see that singer who leaves earlier than the rest, consider they may have to, rather than want to…;)
Enjoy the holidays; hope they are restful and healthy!
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Singers aren't Musicians - myth or truth?
Well, personally, I feel this is hog wash, but I am biased, as I am a singer who took the 'higher education' route. I studied music in high school, college and then ended up with a degree in Music Voice Performance. While I was studying it was drummed into me the importance of the equal partnership of working with instruments; such as piano, guitar or orchestra. To this day, I do not use the word accompanist for anyone who I perform with as it seems to mean someone as an added accessory, rather than the equal partnership it truly is.
Saying that, I'm frustrated at the myths which abound in regards to singers: we're difficult, arrogant and don't know anything about the music we sing or disregard what the other person is playing. It's just not true! In fact, I find that working with others I often need and want their input as to how they feel the piece works. If there isn't that vital pull and push with one another, it just doesn't work. I've had so many times when I've asked the person playing with me, what they think the music needs and I just get a blank face, expecting me to tell them how it's meant to go - ack! My worst nightmare.
While this is my experience, I've also experienced the singer who is insensitive to who they are working with and the stereo type I've mentioned, but they are few and far between. They are often either young and/or amateur. Professionals can't afford to have that kind of attitude in today's very competitive market of opera singing. With all these reality shows promoting opera/classical singing as a great career and colleges/universities pumping out singers by the dozen, well, you have to be on top of your game to compete. Especially if you are a soprano. Also, I've met this type of person in all musical genres and players. So why is it that singers are singled out and put to the side. Is it because we don't play an instrument outside of our bodies?
I think part of the problem is supported by the industry, through the fact that singers aren't a part of the Musicians Union, but rather Equity. Even within Equity, we are put in the category with the clowns, contortionists and the like. I'm not saying anything against these roles in the entertainment industry, but I believe I have more in common with a trombonist, than I do with a contortionist.
So I would love to hear from those of you out there that can either explain this or just give me your view point, but please be nice. I am human. I'd like to see that the 'poor second cousin' attitude towards singers moves into the age of now, where a singer is a musician and not just a pretty face.
Saying that, I'm frustrated at the myths which abound in regards to singers: we're difficult, arrogant and don't know anything about the music we sing or disregard what the other person is playing. It's just not true! In fact, I find that working with others I often need and want their input as to how they feel the piece works. If there isn't that vital pull and push with one another, it just doesn't work. I've had so many times when I've asked the person playing with me, what they think the music needs and I just get a blank face, expecting me to tell them how it's meant to go - ack! My worst nightmare.
While this is my experience, I've also experienced the singer who is insensitive to who they are working with and the stereo type I've mentioned, but they are few and far between. They are often either young and/or amateur. Professionals can't afford to have that kind of attitude in today's very competitive market of opera singing. With all these reality shows promoting opera/classical singing as a great career and colleges/universities pumping out singers by the dozen, well, you have to be on top of your game to compete. Especially if you are a soprano. Also, I've met this type of person in all musical genres and players. So why is it that singers are singled out and put to the side. Is it because we don't play an instrument outside of our bodies?
I think part of the problem is supported by the industry, through the fact that singers aren't a part of the Musicians Union, but rather Equity. Even within Equity, we are put in the category with the clowns, contortionists and the like. I'm not saying anything against these roles in the entertainment industry, but I believe I have more in common with a trombonist, than I do with a contortionist.
So I would love to hear from those of you out there that can either explain this or just give me your view point, but please be nice. I am human. I'd like to see that the 'poor second cousin' attitude towards singers moves into the age of now, where a singer is a musician and not just a pretty face.
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