r-e-s-p-e-c-t. Find out what it means to me. Or not, whatever.
I've never been one of those people who listens to opera in their spare time, or reads opera books or watches YouTube videos of people famous for playing the shit out of Mahler. So there are actually very few opera singers and coaches whose names I recognise. Some people are all "You don't know SO-AND-SO??" and they just get back a blank stare and a shake of the head. But I've found that not knowing people is great. Why? Because when one of them comes to town to do a masterclass, I don't turn into a crazy fangirl who is all of a sudden incapable of playing her instrument. To me, they're just a person, same as me.
Now, I've known some crazy fangirls (and boys) who still rock the house when a famous person comes to town, but I'm pretty sure I'm not one of them. When people psyche me out about things ("Thingme McStuffinstuff is coming to town OMGOMGOMGOMG), I psyche myself out too and sometimes I sing like shit because of it. So when I sang for a certain famous person not too long ago, exactly that happened--I didn't sing my best.
Now, I'm ok with singing not too great; it happens. But sometimes, whomever you're singing for, who probably doesn't know your voice from Adam's, will assume that you've sung your best. I'm pretty sure that this only happens when whomever you're singing for is an idiot. Any good music teacher can tell when a student isn't living up to his/her potential, and if they're a good person, they might ask the student "How did you feel after that?" so that you can get everything out on the table and then get the ball rolling.
I've been in school in some form for about 23 years now. I've also been studying singing for 10 and been teaching for 8. I'm not a moron. I know how to be a good student, and I actually know how to be a good teacher. When Thingme McStuffinstuff took 30 minutes to tell me what it was about my interpretation they wanted me to change, they managed to make fun of my diction, imitate my "boring" performance, tell me my piece was too low for me and that women have a hard time telling the story during the low notes ("better a baritone sings it") and when I said that I'd prefer not to sing it up a step, informed me that, dear, any respectable mezzo has a high F.
All this was said to someone who sang the SHIT out of Madame de Croissy with orchestra, and to critical acclaim, a few months earlier.
It should be possible to get a student to change and improve some things about her performance without crushing her spirit, and without putting on a show for the drooling onlookers. In about 3 minutes, it became very evident that this person was not really a teacher. I will never go out of my way to sing for this person again, nor will I ever again be afraid to sing for someone well known for being a genius performer. Oh you're famous? Congratulations. But unless you're famous for being a good teacher, I don't give a frak. If I'm supposed to respect you, then you need to respect me. Period.
I've met so many well-known artists who are WONDERFUL people and GREAT teachers and I appreciate them so much more after this experience. This is my first real encounter of this nature, and sadly, I'm sure it won't be my last.
Now, I've known some crazy fangirls (and boys) who still rock the house when a famous person comes to town, but I'm pretty sure I'm not one of them. When people psyche me out about things ("Thingme McStuffinstuff is coming to town OMGOMGOMGOMG), I psyche myself out too and sometimes I sing like shit because of it. So when I sang for a certain famous person not too long ago, exactly that happened--I didn't sing my best.
Now, I'm ok with singing not too great; it happens. But sometimes, whomever you're singing for, who probably doesn't know your voice from Adam's, will assume that you've sung your best. I'm pretty sure that this only happens when whomever you're singing for is an idiot. Any good music teacher can tell when a student isn't living up to his/her potential, and if they're a good person, they might ask the student "How did you feel after that?" so that you can get everything out on the table and then get the ball rolling.
I've been in school in some form for about 23 years now. I've also been studying singing for 10 and been teaching for 8. I'm not a moron. I know how to be a good student, and I actually know how to be a good teacher. When Thingme McStuffinstuff took 30 minutes to tell me what it was about my interpretation they wanted me to change, they managed to make fun of my diction, imitate my "boring" performance, tell me my piece was too low for me and that women have a hard time telling the story during the low notes ("better a baritone sings it") and when I said that I'd prefer not to sing it up a step, informed me that, dear, any respectable mezzo has a high F.
All this was said to someone who sang the SHIT out of Madame de Croissy with orchestra, and to critical acclaim, a few months earlier.
It should be possible to get a student to change and improve some things about her performance without crushing her spirit, and without putting on a show for the drooling onlookers. In about 3 minutes, it became very evident that this person was not really a teacher. I will never go out of my way to sing for this person again, nor will I ever again be afraid to sing for someone well known for being a genius performer. Oh you're famous? Congratulations. But unless you're famous for being a good teacher, I don't give a frak. If I'm supposed to respect you, then you need to respect me. Period.
I've met so many well-known artists who are WONDERFUL people and GREAT teachers and I appreciate them so much more after this experience. This is my first real encounter of this nature, and sadly, I'm sure it won't be my last.
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