Following up on last week’s post, I thought I’d write about
a few other books which I've read in the past.
Now these books are a bit less recent in my memory, so please bear with me while I
dust off their jackets and recall what made them so great…
The Inner Voice – Renee Fleming
It's been a while since I read this, but I have vivid
memories of being completely enchanted with it when I was younger. A singing career is a mysterious thing,
especially when you're 18 and just starting out in undergrad. You know some people have it, but you're not
really sure how they got it in the first place.
It seems to be something vaguely magical which just sort of happens to
you… or doesn't. This is why it can be
so helpful as a young singer to read the biography of a successful artist – to hear
it all straight from the horse's mouth.
There are a lot of opera singer biographies out there, but few singers
have been as generous or as honest as Renee Fleming has been in describing how
she got to where she is.
In The Inner Voice, Ms Fleming is writing directly to young aspiring
singers, which I think is a lovely idea.
She wants to pass something on to the next generation, and tell us what
it's really like to make it in the business.
And it's not all a fairytale.
Although Ms Fleming is now a successful international superstar, she
also had her share of challenges and rejections. She talks about her bad auditions, her year
struggling to learn German on an exchange programme, and the experience of getting
booed at La Scala. Beginning with her
childhood with singing teacher parents, she describes her education and career
development, and paints a vivid image of a typical day in her current working
life.
At times Ms Fleming's writing is a bit saccharine, but as a
whole I find the book to be a charming read, full of warmth and wisdom. If you're a young aspiring singer who wants
to know what it's like "out there", then this book is definitely worth the
read.
The Inner Game of Tennis – W. Timothy Gallwey
I was recommended this book years ago when talking to someone
about my high notes. I used to really
struggle with my high notes you see – I couldn't sing anything above the
staff. This is actually kind of
hilarious to remember, because I now sing a lot of coloratura repertoire which
is chock-full of high notes. But there
was a time when my high notes were a real technical block, and I had no idea
what to do about them. It may have been
partly a question of physical maturity and training, but for the most part I
think it was more psychological than physical.
I was afraid of heights – I really didn't believe I could make it up
there. So my friend told me that I had
to read this book. It would completely
change the way I thought about singing.
The Inner Game of Tennis, as its title implies, is written
for tennis players. However its
philosophy can easily be applied to any kind of sport or performing art. It's all about the psychology of practice,
and how we often sabotage ourselves unknowingly.
As Gallwey explains, we all have two selves within
us. There is the physical, intuitive
self, and there is the thinking, judging self.
Unfortunately a lot of us allow this second self to take over
completely, and thus psych ourselves out of performing well. Have you ever started talking to yourself
when you're practising? "No, not like
that" "You idiot, that sounded terrible!!" This is your thinking/judging
self talking to your physical/intuitive self.
And unfortunately, as is often the case, it's being a bit of a
bully. The truth is that if we get out
of the way and trust our physical/intuitive self more, we will be amazed by
what it can achieve. It's all a matter
of balance between the thinking and intuition, between mind and body. If we overthink things and judge ourselves
too much, we can interfere with our performance and sabotage ourselves. But if we learn to work with both selves, and
trust our body's muscle memory to work under pressure – rather than constantly
telling it what to do – we can perform with real skill and flow. The Inner Game of Tennis is about the "game" that is always playing between these two selves, and how to keep them balanced
and working in harmony.
Apparently there is now an Inner Game of Music, which has
adapted the text to be aimed at musicians.
But I don't think it's necessary to buy this rather than the
original book. It's pretty clear what Gallwey is saying, and how it can be applied to any kind of skillset. The Inner Game of Tennis is a great little
book – easy reading and incredibly beneficial for every athlete and artist. If you haven't yet read it, you should
definitely check it out.
What the Fach? – Philip Shepard
This is essential reading for any singer who is moving – or
considering moving – to a German-speaking country. Whether you're moving to Germany, Austria or
Switzerland, you should consider this book your bible. Written by an American singer who has made a
successful career in Europe, this book addresses all the questions and
concerns of an opera singer moving abroad.
Where should you audition? How should
you write your CV? What are German
companies and agents looking for in a singer?
Philip Shepard has been through it all, and he has lots of
valuable information and experience to share with us clueless newbies. He explains the fach system and its importance,
and discusses the differences between a “fest” contract and a freelance
career. He talks about agents,
contracts, and audition etiquette. He
also highlights various organisations and schemes –such as NYIOP and the
Fullbright Scholarship – which give singers opportunities to live in Germany or
sing for German houses. At the end of
the book, he includes a series of interviews with people in the business, which
give some fantastic insight into how the German opera world works. Don’t miss the Appendices either – most
appendices are boring, but I promise these ones are incredibly useful! Shepard includes lists of German opera
studios, affordable travel companies, and helpful books for further
reading. There is a glossary of useful
German phrases, from finding your way to the audition room to ordering a cup of
coffee. There is a list of American
medications and their German equivalent.
Honestly, this guy has thought of everything.
If you are thinking about moving to Germany, Austria, or
Switzerland, and are feeling lost at sea, you need to buy this book. NOW.
Make sure to get the most up-to-date version, as there have been a few
different editions published now. This is
the most exhaustive catalogue of practical knowledge which you can find on the
subject. It's an invaluable resource.
Well, that's all my reading recommendations for now. But I'm sure I'll have more to share with you in the future. Until then, happy reading!
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