Date sent: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 14:35:02 -0500
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Copies to: M_Mclind-at-yahoo.com
Subject: Re: before I give it all up....(long)
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Molly McLinden wrote:

< sight-read the piece after rolling out of bed got the
part. >>

< cancels them....when I should be getting an hour.
Then he yells at me when I am not 100%! >>

< here from another school. I think my next step is a
switch of a major (to something where I can make
money, like computer science). My parents say I should
think it over during semester break. It is going to be
a hard semester here this spring, seeing someone who
didn't deserve the part have fun with it...when I was
really prepared . It is going to be hard to say
goodbye to singing for good, but it looks like I have
no choice.>>

Dear Molly:

I'll start at your last sentence quoted above...."it looks like I have no choice". That's not true on the face of it. You always have a choice, and I'd like to see you start from there!

Singing ain't easy, and making a career in singing is even harder!
I think learning how to deal with, and bounce back from, the inevitable heartaches and disappointments is crucial if you want to sing. And I think you do want to sing, based on what I read here, and what you've written in the past.

On think on your side is that you're young. You have lots of time to sort things out for yourself. There's no need to rush to act or make decisions for the future, in my opinion. But your being young also makes it harder to deal with these disappointments and unfairnesses, because you're not
used to them. Believe me, as you get older, these things get much easier to deal with - everything's more in perspective, and you've learned from your experiences.

So my first advice is to experience and be aware of your feelings about your disappointment, cry in your pillow, to your nearest and dearest (like you've done here!). Then dry your tears, be good to yourself over the holidays and don't worry too much about the future for a little while. Then
when you feel more together, decide what you want to do. I think your parents are right - don't even try to decide anything right now while you're in the middle of your strongest feelings.

Then, when you're ready, I think the first issue to address before you make any life-changing decisions is what you said about your teacher's cancelling your lessons, and only giving you 20-minute lessons. If you feel you can, I'd suggest that first thing next semester you talk to your teacher
about your concern (because those are performance deficiencies on his part, especially if it happens often). Then, or alternatively if you feel you can't talk to your teacher, talk to the Department Chairman or the Voice Department Chairman, etc. about the problem of cancelled and too-short
lessons. Perhaps the teacher will be directed to correct this deficiency or you will be assigned to a new teacher.

About not getting the part you auditioned for....that's how the cookie crumbles (and I know you know that). This isn't the first time and certainly won't be the last time you won't get something you know you deserve, and that you can do better than the person selected. All those different
opinions make the ballgame, and I know from personal experience all the many factors that go into casting decisions. Sometimes I agree when I know everything (and neither you nor I know everything involved in this casting decision), and sometimes I disagree. But I do know one thing for sure --
unless I'm doing the casting, my opinion will make no difference in the outcome. So I put my eggs and my energy in other baskets.

Regarding those other baskets....I think you already know this, because you mentioned your Messiah gig and how well you were singing it. If you don't get cast in the opera, you can work on taking advantage of the performing and learning experiences that you know you can get.

If it's performing your repertoire in retirement homes with a couple of friends - do it! Sing in church and do as many solos as they'll let you do. Work on song repertoire, and really get into the poetry and the texts (take the German or French poetry courses your school offers). Work your
butt off on all those foreign languages, while the resources are all there for you to use. Check out summer opera/singing program opportunities--raise the money to go to a program abroad. Jam with your fellow music-majors, especially the instrumentalists - use your college time to work on
repertoire for singer and non-piano instruments. That's at least a hundred times tougher when you're not at school. Get great grades on all your music academic courses, and get an interest and expertise in some area of music history or literature. That goes for music theory too.

Good luck, and let us know how you're doing!

--
Peggy Harrison, Alexandria, VA
mailto:peggyh-at-ix.netcom.com
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"