Where's My Freaking Dressing Room?!

Alex and Helen have quickly jumped on the podcast to respond to the recent announcement that the BBC will be disbanding the BBC Singers, and the BBC Concert Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra will face 20% role reductions.They discuss what makes the BBC Singers unique, what troubles them about the press release and, if possible, how we can look ahead with a positive spirit.Sign the petition to save the BBC Singers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just like that, we’ve come to the end of Season 3 of the podcast! From the live episode, to the Voice of Black Opera Mini Series, to episodes on boundaries, nepotism and perfectionism, it’s been a total blast. To see you out, this week Alex and Helen discuss the three things they’re fighting for in the future of the operatic industry.BoundariesIt would be impossible for us to talk about boundaries on this podcast any more than we already do. However, in this difficult time for those working in the creative arts we think it’s more important than ever for us to feel safe and capable of asserting our boundaries. If you’re not sure what your boundaries are, perhaps take some time to think about it and consider how, if required, you could communicate your boundaries to a colleague. Moving opera into the 21st centuryMany of the episodes this season have discussed the modernisation of opera - be it turning nepotism on its head, understanding the relationship between politics and opera, asserting boundaries and our mini series on the Voice of Black Opera Competition. Alex and Helen are also passionate about modernising opera in its own right; it would be exciting to see more contemporary opera at the forefront of artistic seasons and it would also be exciting to see more new young opera stars taking to this country’s greatest stages. Often opera revels in how it is a relic of the past. That doesn’t need to be the case any more.SolidarityWhen Alex and Helen first began this podcast in 2020 it was to create a community of like-minded musicians that would support each other as they developed their artistic careers. The podcast’s first live episode in October 2022 was a reminder that this community is very much real and filled with singers and musicians committed to looking out for one another.In order for us to create lasting change in our industry we can’t do it alone. We have to work as a team and support one another. The podcast has your back, and we very much hope you have ours too. This episode was edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Our thanks goes to Daisy for her positive upbeat energy, her creativity and her social media prowess throughout this entire season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Alex and Helen discuss the pros and cons of perfectionism.For many artists the desire to create perfection can be overwhelming. Perfectionism can have many benefits including producing work of a high standard, committing to a project with passion and motivation and inspiring others.However, perfectionism can also have drawbacks. Perfectionism can cause us to hold artists to unattainable standards, forgetting that real live performance can, in no way, be perfect. Such perfectionism can lead artists to becoming overwhelmingly self-critical which can cause issues with creative freedom and performance anxiety. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that music is a living, breathing entity. It is not supposed to be perfect. Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we discuss the fear culture which pervades the opera industry and how we can take care of ourselves in these situations.Performance AnxietyWe are singers and performers because we love sharing the joy of making good music; however, in certain situations (such as high pressured auditions) we can become crippled by fear.Is there a way of us reframing this? Do the feelings we experience before our first night on stage at the Metropolitan Opera have to be fear, or could they be anticipation instead? Could they be excitement at having the opportunity to connect with an audience through powerful music? Could they be adrenaline, gearing you up to give the performance of a lifetime?It’s worth reminding ourselves that a performance on stage or in an audition needs something more than what we deliver in the practice room - could that be this adrenaline, excitement or anticipation? Fear towards our superiors The opera industry is a complex one, one in which we are all trying to impress our superiors in order to secure another gig, another casting or perhaps another audition opportunity. Not just this, oftentimes when we are working with colleagues we admire, we are fearful of what they think of us.In situations like this it can be helpful to consider yourself five years ago: who were you afraid of? Who did you look up to? Whose opinion did you worry about? It’s likely that five years on you’ve come to realise these worries and fears were not as important as they seemed at the time. Often the arts talk about being more open, caring, sharing and collaborative. That works both ways. We need to be less fearful of those in positions of power, but also the people who hold these positions need to make themselves more approachable, more accessible, more human. Fear for our career securityA common fear discussed on the podcast is how to make a sustainable career in the arts. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the portfolio career allows musicians the flexibility to remain financially solvent whilst exploring and developing creative projects.The combined effects of Brexit and Coronavirus have throttled the classical music industry and the government’s continual arts cuts act as a reminder that the UK does not value the arts in the same way other countries do (taking Germany and Austria for example). The realisation that a career in the arts is financially insecure is painful, however once you’ve come to terms with this you can make choices to develop a flexible career that works for you. Combine the skills you have in order to provide yourself with a portfolio career that offers a steady income and room to be creative.Fear in the creative spaceIt’s sad to say it, but many music-making groups are guilty of creating a culture of fear, whether it be the fear of making a mistake, the fear of not sounding beautiful, the fear of a memory lapse, or the fear of misreading a gesture. Environments like these require us to regain some sense of control, and we can do this by making a choice:You can choose to stay, recognising it is just a job and you feel able to handle this situation.You can choose to leave. You know your boundaries and you’re not prepared to work in such an environment so you make the decision to move on.In sports such as cricket and basketball, players are trained to withstand trash talk, learning to give their best in a high-pressured, fearful environment. Perhaps opera should do the same?Much of the operatic industry is based on a culture of fear, meaning we need to learn to protect ourselves. It is our personal responsibility to become robust and resilient enough to manage these difficult situations, remembering that if it becomes too much, it is okay to walk away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all want to try and pretend nepotism doesn’t happen in the opera industry but, let’s face it, it does. So, how can you use nepotism to your own advantage?Make your own connectionsIf you’re in a room with someone you want to work with, what’s the harm in having a chat? You don’t have to directly ask for work, you don’t even have to directly ask for an audition, instead you can discuss an opera you saw recently, or something you read in the news, whatever! In making the initial connection it’s about making simple conversation and making an impression on said person. Make connections in a way that works for youPerhaps you’re not used to making conversation with people you don’t know, or perhaps you’re a socially shy person; if that’s the case then maybe you can use social media to your advantage? Sending a tweet to a casting director or agent in an attempt to make contact can have a lot of value. Form connections in the way that works best for you. You should never have to feel uncomfortable when making connections. Use a business brainBuilding relationships with people takes time. As with business relationships, you have to prime people in order for connections to prove fruitful. Take your time - calls, emails, tweets, meetings - it all contributes to the end outcome.Create your own luck!Based on a book Helen read over the summer, here are five ways of thinking that could improve your own luck:Be more relaxed (ha!) If you’re open to the situation in front of you, rather than desperately trying to achieve one single thing, you can be more open to new situations and ideas, and form new connections.Be open to new things and new experiences. The more people you meet, the more things you do, the bigger your chances are to create your own luck.Build and maintain a social network - create new connections, sustain old ones. (N.B. this can be tiring so make sure to schedule to appropriate rest time in response to this kind of work.)Expect good luck. Many people walk into auditions telling themselves that they WILL get this role. Can you do the same? Often people that expect good luck are able to turn difficult situations on their head and see the positives - is that something you can try?Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Alex and Helen debate a big question which often plagues the arts: can we separate our work from politics?In this episode they discuss the three following questions:Can we put our opinions aside to perform music by people whose views we disagree with?Can we put our opinions aside to work with colleagues whose actions/views we disagree with?How are we able to reconcile our morals in the world of opera, an art form that is still plagued by misogyny, sexism, racism, homophobia and much more?Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finalist in the Voice of Black Opera Competition 2022, Chantelle Grant sits down with Helen and Alex to talk about the experience of performing in such a prestigious competition, how she feels performing Wagner and Strauss and what it’s like to walk onto the stage at The Metropolitan Opera.If you want to find out more about Chantelle check out her:WebsiteTwitterInstagramYoutube ChannelEpisode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finalist in the Voice of Black Opera 2022 Competition, Thando Mjandana, joins Helen and Alex to talk about how he handles nerves, looking forward to the competition final, future roles he’s excited by and how he got into singing in the first place.For more on Thando, check out his:Agency ProfileInstagramYoutube ChannelEpisode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To kick-start our mini series on the Voice of Black Opera (VOBO) 2022 Competition we were delighted to be joined by the competition’s founder, Vincent Osborne. In this episode we discuss what Vincent is looking forward to in the competition, why he established both this competition and the Black British Classical Foundation, what he hopes to see the opera industry of the future, and just how he ran the Time Out Bar of the Year, The Brixtonian!Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex and Helen were delighted to welcome esteemed colleague and old friend Keval Shah onto the podcast to discuss the similarities and differences between singers and instrumentalists. Keval is an internationally recognised pianist who has worked with many world-renowned singers, making him a perfectly positioned guest for this week’s conversation. In the episode they discuss the physicality of singing vs playing an instrument; how instrumentalists could learn from singers and their use of text; how singers could learn from instrumentalists and their understanding of a musical score; and, most importantly, how we should all think of ourselves as musicians first and foremost. Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.