Well, it’s been quite a long time since I’ve written here! I won’t make excuses for my absence except to say that life has happened, and my writing took a backseat.
But that won’t be for much longer.
I’ve had a number of conversations over the last few weeks about the state of the operatic field. How do we prepare singers to enter the field? How do we define a successful career? How do we support singers as they transition from performing into other fields?
I’m afraid that there still is a lot of shame around leaving the stage; I need both hands to count the number of conversations I’ve had under the aegis of secrecy with singers who are considering leaving the field but are not sure how, or whether it’s the right time, and are paralyzed by the double whammy of losing a professional identity AND having to forge a new one almost immediately.
If you are a singer/performer? Let me peer into my crystal ball and tell your future:
You’re going to be FINE.
In fact, you’re going to be able to find a career path that allows you to have those things that you’re not getting from singing, and that allows you the very same activities/feelings that singing feeds for you.
I promise.
In this space in the coming months I’ll be sharing stories of folks who began their college studies as singers, actors, dancers, and now have fulfilling careers offstage. Some had capital-C careers, some made the switch while studying. Some are still performing as their desires and schedules allow, some have found new creative outlets: all of them credit their training and performance education in helping them find their path into a gratifying career.
As a bit of a review, please click over here to read some past profiles. (Caveat: some of these folks have moved tracks yet again and are doing new and awesome things. I’ll round up some updates for you in a few months.)
And as always, if you are game to be profiled, or know someone who has an interesting or helpful story to share, you can email me at indirectroutes@gmail.com
Indirect Routes 