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Cindy
Austin, TX
I'm not a character mezzo ... I'm a mezzo with character!
Interests: opera, classical music, writing, theater, cooking, health, hiking, travel, outdoors, wine, dogs, organics, locally grown food
Recent Activity
Alas, Ellen, it's true. It's kind of shocking to me that a VOCAL competition would treat you so badly, though!
Commented Feb 16, 2015 on Why you shouldn't sing for your supper at Mezzo with Character
Why you shouldn't sing for your supper
The Whole Bolivian Army (a band) explains why music should be paid for. A couple of years ago, a small publishing house decided to come out with a new edition of Prosper Merimee's Carmen novella, and they wanted to publicize this event by having singers perform bits of the opera in various ...
If sports were reported the way some critics review opera ...
Posted Feb 16, 2015 at Mezzo with Character
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Why you shouldn't sing for your supper
Posted Feb 13, 2015 at Mezzo with Character
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UnholyMezzo, you just made me splorf. BRAVA, SISTAH!
Commented Jan 24, 2015 on You may be a Che Dice mezzo if ... at Mezzo with Character
You may be a Che Dice mezzo if ...
**The following is submitted with love, and the tongue at least partially in cheek.** Once upon a time, as a callow young apprentice in what was then called the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists (now the Ryan Center), another mezzo and I were traveling by car with a soprano. Thi...
You may be a Che Dice mezzo if ...
**The following is submitted with love, and the tongue at least partially in cheek.** Once upon a time, as a callow young apprentice in what was then called the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists (now the Ryan Center), another mezzo and I were traveling by car with... Continue reading
Posted Jan 23, 2015 at Mezzo with Character
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We love to kill our gods
So, apparently Idina Menzel screwed up a high note in the most public of ways, singing her signature tune live in Times Square for Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve, which was of course broadcast. The Twittersphere went nuts and it's been a point of discussion on singer bulletin boards... Continue reading
Posted Jan 2, 2015 at Mezzo with Character
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Body slam
New Year's resolutions are not really my thing. For one thing, after so many years of formal education, fall seems like the real beginning of the year to me. For another, if there's anything I learned from cognitive therapy, it's that there's no time like the present to begin the... Continue reading
Posted Dec 30, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Put on some pants and have a sandwich - a competition for the average person
Posted Dec 14, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Pumpkin madness!
Posted Nov 6, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Us vs. Them Part III: Proposals for Improving the Audition Process
Posted Oct 23, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Shirley, if an opera company has an AGMA apprenticeship, then AGMA might have some influence, but it's possible for a company to be an AGMA signatory for chorus only, or mainstage only, or mainstage and chorus, and STILL not have an AGMA apprenticeship. And if you want AGMA to be involved, then you as an AGMA member have to demand it. AGMA is a union and unions are made up of members. Although there is a paid staff that runs administrative things, it is the membership that decides what it wants and makes things happen. So, if you are an AGMA member and you want changes in the way AGMA signatories run their apprenticeships, you need to bring it to your fellow union members and start making it happen. There is no Big Daddy who is going to make things happen for you.
Also, this would only affect AGMA apprenticeships, and there are plenty of companies that are non-union.
Commented Oct 23, 2014 on Us vs. Them Part II: Why Singers Are Angry at Mezzo with Character
Us vs. Them Part II: Why Singers Are Angry
Last year, inspired by (anonymized) singer shenanigans my friends in administration were sharing on social media, I wrote an article for Classical Singer Magazine entitled “Singers Behaving Badly”. You can read it in their archives if you have a subscription. It chronicled some of the more ...
1timeadmin, thank you SO much for adding to the dialogue. I can't tell you what a soapbox issue singers' education is for me and it's great for someone who's been on your side of the table to speak out about the way things really are.
There's a lot to be said about education reform for musicians and that's the next big conversation I hope to have. Not only are those music degrees being handed out willy-nilly, kids are being encouraged to run up crippling amounts of debt they will NEVER be able to pay off with a job in music. NO ONE SHOULD GO INTO DEBT FOR A MUSIC DEGREE.
Commented Oct 22, 2014 on Us vs. Them Part I: The Petition and The Problem at Mezzo with Character
Us vs. Them Part I: The Petition and The Problem
In recent days, a strongly-worded petition has been making the rounds on social media. It decries the "predatory fees" young singers are charged and demands that Opera America work with independent businesses such as YAP Tracker and Classical Singer Magazine to "prohibit" advertising any organ...
Us vs. Them Part II: Why Singers Are Angry
Posted Oct 22, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Hi friends,
Thank you all for such a great discussion! Please keep it going! I am in the process of compiling a list of "What Singers Want", which attempts to encapsulate the collected concerns and proposals that singers have for improving the system from the various social media discussions I've been monitoring. I'm also putting together a list of questions which I will then present to a panel of admins for response. The results will be published on this blog and I will submit them to Classical Singer as well.
If you have questions, anecdotes, proposals, commentary, etc., please feel free to post them here or email them to me directly at Info @ TheBusinessOfSinging dot com (or you can do it through my website).
I would also VERY much welcome the input of any administrators who want to comment on this thread. If you prefer to be anonymous so that you can speak freely, please email or FB message me.
Thank you all, and let's keep talking!
Cindy
Commented Oct 21, 2014 on Us vs. Them Part I: The Petition and The Problem at Mezzo with Character
Us vs. Them Part I: The Petition and The Problem
In recent days, a strongly-worded petition has been making the rounds on social media. It decries the "predatory fees" young singers are charged and demands that Opera America work with independent businesses such as YAP Tracker and Classical Singer Magazine to "prohibit" advertising any organ...
Anon4, thanks for your comment. I've created a file of questions singers are asking, and intend to present them to a panel of administrators who agree to answer them. :) I believe we'll see that there's no one-size-fits-all response, but I also think that if we as a community can come up with some proposals that work, some of these companies might be willing to revise their policies.
Commented Oct 20, 2014 on Us vs. Them Part I: The Petition and The Problem at Mezzo with Character
Us vs. Them Part I: The Petition and The Problem
In recent days, a strongly-worded petition has been making the rounds on social media. It decries the "predatory fees" young singers are charged and demands that Opera America work with independent businesses such as YAP Tracker and Classical Singer Magazine to "prohibit" advertising any organ...
Us vs. Them Part I: The Petition and The Problem
Posted Oct 19, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Gender reassignment and the three-hour mammogram
Posted Oct 13, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Crab Louis Salad and Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Posted Sep 7, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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All Fached up
Singers spend a lot of time worrying about Fach. For the civilians in the audience, Fach is a German word meaning strength, sort of like forte; but more specifically for singers, the specific type of repertoire, the collection of roles, they might be required to sing. There are a lot... Continue reading
Posted Sep 5, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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The tip of the iceberg
Posted Aug 4, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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What are you doing, David? Good luck!And thanks for your good wishes. :)
Commented Jul 28, 2014 on Hairier than Baba's beard at Mezzo with Character
Hairier than Baba's beard
Oh dear! It's quite dusty in here ... hold on a minute, let me get the lights .. and what IS that smell? It seems so one's been in here for quite some time. Well, let's just remedy that, shall we? Sorry for the long absence. Things got rather hairy for a while. In fact, they are still pretty hai...
Hairier than Baba's beard
Posted Jul 27, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Roses among the ashes
Posted May 11, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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Death Match: Opera vs Theater
"This is a safe place. I want to you explore, take chances, embrace the character," the coach said warmly. She'd been welcoming me for what seemed ... well, longer than necessary in our introductory session, attempting to put me at ease. It had exactly the opposite effect. All this kindness... Continue reading
Posted Apr 24, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. " - Opera
The time: early 90s. The scene: a shopping mall in Champaign, IL The action: some fellow students and I are singing arias to advertise our upcoming production of The Marriage of Figaro. A little boy of about 4 stands, mesmerized, a few feet away. He does not want to leave... Continue reading
Posted Apr 6, 2014 at Mezzo with Character
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