Special Guest Blog: Anne Briggs, Bachelor of Music in Performance: Sophomore
Summer is most often associated with ice cream, the beach, tanning, and weddings. And while my summer has most definitely included a little of each of those, it has been mainly comprised of opera. Yes, opera. From attending full staged productions to learning music for workshops, my months off have consisted of hours and hours of listening and practicing. And while this doesn’t seem like a break for most people, it was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. The two workshops I am attending are allowing me to grow as an artist and encouraging me to work hard and prepare for next semester and beyond.
The first program I have attended was held at Sarah Lawrence College just outside the city limits of NYC. Getting there was an adventure in and of itself with nothing but my MapQuest directions and intuition guiding me through the complex, construction-filled and detour riddled roads between Washington, DC and New York City. Once I arrived, unpacked, and settled in, I was immediately hit with the gravity of the journey about which I was about to embark. With names like Lauren Flannigan, John DiConstanzo, and Audrey St. Gil on the list of faculty at this program, I knew I was in for a true “growing experience.” And I was absolutely right.
Westchester Summer Vocal Institute, or WSVI for short, was one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences I have had. The program is geared towards post-graduate and pre-professionals, so my in-progress technique and lack of general opera knowledge was very apparent as soon as I opened my mouth. However, everyone was supportive and helped me along the way, giving advice left and right. There were a few other attendees in a similar position and we banded together and took as many notes as possible. (I also recorded many of my lessons and masterclasses, if anyone is interested in listening to them. While my singing is not yet Grammy-award-winning material, the information on them is invaluable and I’m happy to share them.) Sherry Overholt, the director, warned me in advance that I would be on the younger end of the spectrum and probably a bit behind, but that did not prepare me for exactly how intimidated I felt throughout the week. Despite that, it was wonderful to work with people so much farther along than myself. They taught me more than I could possibly imagine or probably even fully understand yet.
The days consisted of 3 main sections/masterclasses: One in the morning at 10, followed by lunch at 12, one in the afternoon at 1, followed by dinner at 5:30, and a final one at night at 7 which ran until 9 or 10. Interspersed throughout these were lessons and coachings with the different faculty members. The topics of the masterclasses ranged from “How to Audition” to “The Other Side of Opera” with different students singing on each one. We had several masterclasses with an instructor on Alexander technique, something I strongly suggest all singers take a quick look at on Google. We also had a day in which the New York Repertory Orchestra accompanied several singers, allowing them to learn what it’s like to sing with a full orchestra and conductor. Watching and singing on these provided me with new insight into how much practice, preparation, and focus is required for our art form.
Now that I’ve had some time to reflect and recoup from WSVI, I can look back and see how amazing an experience it was and how much more aware I am as an artist after attending. During the program, however, I struggled with my confidence and was forced to seriously consider if I wasn’t in over my head. Was opera really something I could do? Did I want to do this for the rest of my life? Could I make a career out of this? What the heck was I doing!? However, as the week went on, I realized everyone was struggling with their own dilemmas and questions, whether they were on technique, interpretation, or career direction. I was right where I was supposed to be, listening and learning as much as possible. Each lesson, masterclass, conversation, and rehearsal provided me with a deeper understanding of what opera truly was and how much I love it.