The life of a musician might seem glorious and exciting all the time. But the truth is that musicians don’t really spend all their time at concerts and parties. Writing and singing music is not an easy job and it requires a lot of hard work and talent to make it in the world of […]
Musical theatre developed in part from the operatic tradition (and in part from "lower" art forms, like Vaudeville), and from this tradition, came the idea of "legit" singing versus everything else.
While many think that making a music video is easy, making it in a way that makes you look fantastic and enticing to an audience is another thing to consider.
Total ticket sales for developing artists (including DIY musicians and unsigned artists) rose to 50% in 2019 from 36% in 2016 — demonstrating a growing demand for live music from lesser-known performers, Billboard reports. Touring is crucial for any singer or musician serious about developing their career. Live performances help get your name out there, win fans, and generate income. As long as you’re properly prepared, you can have an amazing first experience on the road as a rookie musician.
A few years ago, I wrote a post with 11 choirs that adults can join in Orange County, California. The post was met with so many wonderful singers writing in with their own choir for me to add that I decided to write a new post that included all the additional adult choirs I’ve learned […]
For kids and teens growing up in Orange County with a passion for musical theatre or choral music, there are many performance outlets. But what if you sing commercial music and want to hone your pop music performance skills? Check out this list of 11 OC Venues for Kids and Teens to Perform At!
When I was a kid, I constantly felt like there was more to learn before I could perform. I just needed to improve my volume, my stage presence, my range, and THEN I’d be a force to be reckoned with. I kept waiting for that teacher or authority figure to say, “Now you’re ready!” But […]
The following was written by our voice teacher and resident opera singer, Anne after her audition for San Diego Opera, one of the top opera companies in the country. Friday night, I stood outside a building in San Diego at 9:10pm. I double checked the email again, and punched in the number code written, slowly […]
When you see singing audition notices, you’ll often see instructions like, “32-bar cut,” “16-bar cut,” “one-minute cut,” and the like. But what does that mean, and how do you cut an audition song. And more than that, how do you know which section to choose or what latitude you have with these cuts and the […]
The hardest thing for a young actor is making the monologue not sound memorized. It is, of course, memorized. That is a requirement for any actor. But the trick is to make it seem not memorized. And that is where the difficulty comes in. How do you make something that is memorized seem to not […]
People who don’t work in the music industry (or who look toward a career in it as a distant and hazy possibility) often think of it in extremes: either you’re a superstar touring the world in embarrassingly lavish cars, or you’re starving for your art, performing open mic nights at your minimum wage coffee house […]
One of the most common issues singers have when they perform is how best to find accompaniment; that is, what kind of backing they will be singing against. Sometimes you don’t have a choice in accompaniment: a pianist, band, or backing track, for example, is arranged by the venue. But if you’re in charge of […]