Blog: Playing the Airline Game

When I first began my travel operator company, a travel agent friend told me, “Don’t ever be deceived by the airlines into thinking they are your friends. Airlines are not your friends.”

Singers will likely fly and accepting that concept will help you in dealing with them. That doesn’t mean things get nasty, but you work with them much differently.

This past weekend illustrates that concept. I flew from Salt Lake City to New York City the night before the Jason Storm for a Career Marketing Workshop for singers. My Chicago flight arrived on time but due to other planes stuck at the gate deicing, we didn’t deplane for so long I missed my flight (also on American Airlines) to Newark. The gate agent assured me I’d make the flight and after running from the end of G terminal to the end of K terminal, the door had closed. The gate agent put me on the next flight, but it was going to LaGuardia. She assured me my luggage had NOT been put on the Newark flight that had just left, “It says so on the screen.” In LaGuardia their screen showed, whoops, my bags were at Newark. DELTA means Don’t Expect Luggage To Arrive… and so does American Airlines – or you’re a candidate for AA after you fly with them.

After an enjoyable workshop at NYU Friday night, the snow ended any activity on Saturday and my flight home on Sunday was canceled.

All that happened so far is just weather and people anywhere and I don’t sweat it. But now is when knowing airlines are not your friend means something.

When they correctly notified me that my Sunday flight was canceled, they also told me my new flight was Tuesday night. That means two more nights of hotel fees, food, etc. Hmmm. Not a good plan near Times Square.

On a bright and blue Sunday morning, I called to see if any airports were open. I was told nothing today and probably not Monday. That didn’t make sense. Other airports get that much snow and open the next day. So I called again and was told, again, nothing was flying. Then they used the code words, “nothing is available.” I asked if that meant the flights were booked or cancelled and the agent just gave the party line. I pushed for a Monday flight and she told me there was nothing in a rather grumpy stern voice. Ok. Tuesday morning? Found one open. I knew I had gone as far as I could go with her so I let her go.

An hour later I got online at AA.com and looked up Monday flights. Voila. Flights were showing as having various prices and one or two seats at that price. So I called the airline back and simply told them I wanted a seat on AA Flight 125 Monday morning. She was most pleasant but discovered the computer website was not accurate and that flight had been canceled. She said more flights might come online later.

So an hour later I called and told the agent I wanted AA flight 330 departing Newark at 3:05. She very pleasantly looked on the computer and, yes, that was available and did I want window or aisle.  Success!

And that is what it takes to work with airlines. 1) Don’t accept but be pleasant about it. 2) Keep digging and asking nicely. 3) If one agent doesn’t help you, call back and try another. 4) Be logical. Do your homework and know what is going on. 5) Be persistent. Doggedly persistent.

By the way, when I got to Newark, there, in the baggage office were my two bags. Guess next time I’ll listen to my wife and always pack one change of clothes with my carry-on. And, whatever you do, don’t suddenly decide that coat you wore to the airport is too bulky and pack it in your suitcase – with the keys to your car in the coat. Could have been a real problem if my bags went to Orlando while I returned to Salt Lake City.

That actually happened to me on a return flight from Paris. My big red suitcase was lost. Couldn’t be found for 7 months. I was ready to file a claim. Flew to Orlando for a convention. When I picked up my bags at the carousel I walked by the DELTA baggage office and there, sitting outside the office was my red bag. I didn’t say a word but just picked it up and headed to the convention. I didn’t file a claim and they never called me.

Some blog I’ll have to tell you about my multiple adventures with Aeroflot in the USSR and Russia.

And one last question… why, at check-in. do you give them your luggage and when they give it back to you it has become baggage?

No singer ought to be singing for free

I had the chance to help a great group of singers understand that fact in New York City the night the record snow storm fell on the metropolis. 

I was truly amazed at how quickly they comprehended this concept and got ready to go out and put to use the idea that singers need Never Sing for Free Again.

Here’s a few of the paradigm shifts that must take place for a singer to Never Sing for Free Again:

1.      Money and Value. You have to get rid of the idea that money is the only way to get paid. It’s not a word game. It’s a paradigm shift. Seeking a small payment for a night’s work is short sighted and understanding this concept can lead, rather quickly to larger pay outs of money. More value received for your talent. When offered a job for no cash, the performer who knows this is his or her business and knows Money and Value are distinctions without a practical difference in the long run, will know how to discuss or negotiate with the producer and get far more value from the producer and at the same time bringing more value to the producer. To learn all of the various ways, either check out this blog as they techniques are discussed here, or read my book, Marketing Singers and sign up for 3 months of email consulting at http://www.classicalsinger.com/store/product.php?id=145

2.      Singers are their own business. Keeping that paradigm active, a singer can parlay their talent into making a living. Without an agent. Or, as some in the audience Friday concluded, they could have their agent go after the kind of work he or she is an expert in tracking down, and the singer could take their career by their own hands and significantly increase the number of non-theatrical jobs…which in turn can lead to more theatrical jobs.

3.      Becoming a Performer not a Singer. Many producers and directors of the stage of clearly declared that they no longer hire singers, but are looking for performers. Enrico Caruso began as a singer at a pizza bar in Italy. In an early performance a drunk ran into him just before he delivered his “money-note.” That threw him so far off his routine that he had to recover and restart the song. After many performances in that raucous mad house he became a performer, and knew it when another drunk bumped into him and Caruso made him part of the act without missing a beat. When he broke that barrier, he was ready to be hired for the stage.  To become that kind of performer takes… many singing performances. It’s the concept of Mastery so clearly illustrated in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers. To achieve Mastery of any skill/talent he has found takes 10,000 hours of practice, and performance. He demonstrates this in violinists, Mozart, the Beatles and many other professions.  

We’ll discuss this more in later blogs.

That’s it for now, I need to leave for the airport and hopefully get out of LaGuardia Airport before it snows again and shuts down New York.

Social Media Use for Singers

Now, more than ever, your future really is in your control. That is because the tools for reaching your future fan base are at your fingertips in social media. This ever-advancing means of reaching people is something you ought to be quite familiar with right now and be using it so you can stay on the technology improvements.

A combination of today’s social media platforms needs to be used. Let me give you a recent example of how I’ve been reaching a much larger audience for one of my projects.

I write a column for an international magazine called Meridian. Normally an article gets a rating of 200 or so. That is an indication of the number of hits on the actual magazine site, those who click on their Facebook page, those who share to their Facebook page and how it goes viral to others and their friends and then the further sharing.

As soon as the magazine posted my column (article), I immediately Tweeted “Here’s my latest article on Meridian about (gave them the headline of the article). Hope you’ll enjoy it and share it with others.” That stimulated a number of reTweets.

I then posted a similar statement on Facebook and Instagram. I asked my wife and each of our children to do the same.

Within one day, we surpassed the normal rating of 200 and hit 1,000. Within a week we hit 15,000, one of their highest ratings ever. I got lots of emails asking me for the free photograph I said I’d send to them. All of those people are now on my “House List” / email prospect list. On Facebook we were soon over 900 shares and the Likes were much higher.

This practice is perfect for singers. It can be an article written about you performing. Or can be a YouTube video of you performing. Whatever. Use it.

In doing so you develop a fan base or House List with the email or Followers or Friends or whatever that media calls people who you are now linked into.

When you have a concert or some other performance you’re in or wish to promote a CD, this provides a marketing foundation that will attract attention and attendees.

Many of your older patrons will be on Facebook, but probably not on Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. Build your lists for each and utilize them all. Of course a few key people might only be reached by snail mail, so keep that list and use the U.S. Postal Service. It’s all for your benefit.

All of this performing and marketing action gives you a chance to improve your stage presence and ability to be hired with a contract rather than single gigs. But it starts here.

There’s so much more to discuss on this, but, that’s for another blog or workshop. Join in the action.

What to Do about music education

Last time I provided information about the reality music schools are facing. Simply put, university tuitions have risen dramatically in part because so many students can afford to attend higher education due to easy money in the way of student loans and grants. Demand is greater than the supply allowing the supplier to boost prices. But what goes up may come down hard on the students. 

As usually happens legislators will feel another pinch and pull back on easy student loans, putting a cap on the amount of subsidies a student can receive. When that happens, the number of available students with money will shrink and universities will scramble to find ways to get students – including lowering tuition. Budgets will contract and some schools will close.

So… what must universities, students, singers and vocal teachers do?

Here are some very abbreviated courses of action each much take:

Universities                       Become more relevant by teaching singers not only great techniques but practical ways singers can get jobs. Start thinking like most university departments do – placement in jobs makes a university become attractive to consumers (students) so they can justify what they’re paying for their education. Julliard has a great program like this at Snow College in Utah as well as other locations. I mention Snow because it is a small school stuck in the middle of nowhere (Ephriam, Utah – you can’t get there from here).

Students                            Demand your music school include a healthy dose of marketing, advertising and business classes related directly to helping singers and musicians become professional (paid) musicians. And if they don’t, go sign up for the classes on your own. It’s your future.

Singers                                If you’re making money singing, go to your favorite music school and volunteer to advise musical students. If you’re not making money singing, read books on this subject, and get professional advice. You’ve paid too much to leave singing as a hobby. Your talent is too great to hide under a bushel. Many singing jobs are available right now if you know how to find them. I’ll plug my book, Marketing Singers, but Carol Kirkpatrick, Cindy Sadler and many other singing/marketing experts can be found in Classical Singer magazine’s resources.

Vocal Teachers                 Become more relevant by including help to your serious vocal students on how they can find auditions, competitions and schools that teach singers to be professionals. Share with singers practical ways they can find jobs. There are plenty of resources at Classical Singer magazine to help you with all of these matters.  

As universities and singers pay attention to the market place, they will become more relevant and find ways to share their great talent performing wonderful music with the paying public. People will pay for quality.

Straight Talk About University Vocal Education and 

What It Is NOT!

On a blog called Music School Central, they posted an article, Why Music Schools Will Go Out of Business If Music Education Is Not Improved by  Bill Zuckerman

I don’t know who the author is nor anything about this organization, and I don’t care. Too many people only read something when it “comes from a credible source.” I care more about the credibility of the ideas, and his ideas are spot on.

Simply put, if music schools don’t start teaching students HOW they will earn back the $200,000 or so they’ll spend on their education, the school deserves to go out of business.
Right now nearly everyone can either get a grant or student loan and it is assumed this benefit is a right. Not so. Music schools operate budgets based upon students getting loans to continue paying tuitions. Mark Cuban, a successful entrepreneur (one of the investors on the hit ABC show Shark Tank) stated that with colleges and student loan debt: 

It’s inevitable at some point there will be a cap on student loan guarantees. And when that happens you’re going to see a repeat of what we saw in the housing market: when easy credit for buying or flipping a house disappeared we saw a collapse in the price housing, and we’re going to see that same collapse in the price of student tuition, and that’s going to lead to colleges going out of business.


Art for art’s sake is a tough sell, even to wealthy donors in the best of times. With the Obama economy making the worst recovery from a recession, those easy donors are scarce. Instead, music students must be taught ways to earn money from their music – a distasteful thought to some.

The author’s summary is: “If there is a remedy at all for college music institutions to survive, it is this: by teaching students real skills for monetary success in music, students will have at least a fighting chance at paying for their education and student loans, thus reducing the incentive of the federal government to create a cap on lending money that would force colleges to dramatically reduce their tuitions and then go out of business.”


Here are some other quotes from the article worth considering:

“(Music schools must) make music marketing and business classes a Requirement…the ability to market your talents effectively will have you stand out above the competition. It is often said that your success as a musician has less to do with your abilities and more with how people perceive you – the only way to promote your image properly is if you understand marketing and if you perform frequently…you do have to understand how your audience perceives you in and out of the concert hall.”

“Having a fantastic website that you can effectively use for marketing and getting gigs will most certainly be of incredible benefit to your career.”

“… basic music business knowledge – like understanding royalty rights, mechanical licenses, negotiating, work-for-hire agreements, copyright, and the universal studio & performance fees associated with the Musician’s Union – would only benefit the careers of people who wish to make their business music!”

“Whether it is in (singing,) arranging, studio music, … or just simply understanding how to successfully get performance gigs outside of the orchestra hall, it is critical that musicians start being taught the skills of becoming a paid musician.”

“We need to throw out old-world ways of teaching and embrace new ideas to make sure tomorrow’s musicians are well-paid professionals.”

*****

I agree if singing is your professional calling, not a side light or hobby. It’s what I’ve been preaching to singers since 2000 when my niece told me her student loans from San Francisco Conservatory exceeded $100k but she had never been taught how to get singing jobs. When Classical Singer magazine asked me to educate singers in marketing I jumped on the soap box and have been teaching singers how to create perpetual job machines for their careers ever since. Too many singers are like the body of the atheist in the funeral parlor – all dressed up and no place to go.

Some Straight Talk About Performing

Contrary to the stiff and dull recitals at the university that I keep getting invited to where it is deathly quiet between numbers, where the artists are so tight, a real performance is a joy to attend. Next time you hold a recital, loosen it up and start practicing performing.

Let me take a bit of a curve and discuss recitals with grand kids. They are always fun just because they are my grandkids. But that didn’t stop me from trying to make them even more fun recently. I tried to get my eight year old granddaughter, Holly, to loosen things up at her Christmas recital. She was going to play Feliz Navidad on the piano. I told her she ought to go up to the piano, turn to the audience and say, “Thanks for coming. I’m now going to play Feliz Navidad on the piano and tonight I’m going to play it in Spanish!” I told her she should then sit down, begin playing crazy notes, stop, turn the music around and say, “Sorry, it was upside down.” (That’s an old Victor Borge stunt.) Then play it straight. That’s a bit much to ask of an eight year old, even a brilliantly delightful one like Holly, but, of an 18 year old I would challenge him or her to start learning to throw some curve-balls into the performance… enough so your professor squirms.

And now for a segue that sort of works… after spending considerable time with talented professional singers I’ve come to a conclusion: great, successful singers come in two suits… 1) the opera stage performers and 2) the circuit performers. That was circuit, not circus although it might seem that way.

1. The Stage Performer. The path to the opera stage is fairly well chronicled but certainly not easy. Start early with voice lessons, sing in high school and college productions, take more lessons, practice, take on small gigs, sing where ever, get into a Young Artist Program, participate in community productions, borrow money to survive including $100k in student loans, get sponsors for pay to sing summer programs for great role experience, enter competitions and audition, audition, audition hoping for a break. Odds are 100,000 to one you’ll make it at best to such a degree that you’ll pay off the student loans.

2. The Circuit Performer. The path for this is much the same but diverges at the audition, audition, audition stage. At some point the singer says, “that’s enough! No more cattle calls!” At this point the Circuit Performer begins to seriously examine alternatives to the stage. It’s often a gut wrenching ripping away of a profound childhood dream. Sometimes it feels like a sell-out. But once reality sets in and the desire to sing trumps the opera theater, the singer looks around to see who will pay the singer to sing.

Something magical begins to happen. In my book, Marketing Singers, I list 50 venues where singers can perform and get paid. They are all around us and they pay well. But elaborating on those venues will be left for another article.

What really intrigues me about these circuit performers is the unique performing skill – that what they do when they are NOT singing on stage is even more important than when they’re singing. Let me say that again another way. Anyone can sing. Many sing well. Some sing great. In all of this I’m assuming you are an accomplished singer – you can work a number and knock it out of the hall. But that’s not enough on stage.

Once the song is finished, the real performing begins. Now comes the personality; the embracing of the audience and the reciprocation back to the singer. Fans are made in the moments between the numbers.

The entrance is important, but not that big of a deal. You’ve got to come on and sing that first song. It better be big and memorable and get the juices flowing – yours and the audiences. But now comes the moment of truth. After the applause you can quickly sing another number, which is fine, but make it short because you’ve got to get to the break in the music. The real performance now begins. Relating to the audience. Endearing yourself. Being funny. Making them smile. Making them comfortable, at home and knowing you own the stage and theater or hall. You’re in control and they love you. From here on out, how you handle the breaks between the songs is even more important than the songs. Remember, I’m assuming you’re talented and can sing.

You watch the masters be they Bryn Terfel, Deborah Voight, Elvis, Alfie Boe, Gladys Knight, Donnie and Marie, Celine Dion, and Carol Vaness. And they all know and master the art of the break. They love their audience and the audience loves them back because they talk to them between songs. It’s planned. It’s rehearsed. It’s studied. It’s an essential part of the performance. Not too much. Not too heavy. Not too light. Just right.

The master of doing this was Victor Borge who was an excellent pianist but found greater fulfillment in making the piano and classical music very approachable to regular folks. And that brings us full circle to my granddaughter Holly and what I was trying to talk her into doing.

All of it connects the songs together and creates a masterful performance that leaves the audience believing that they’ve seen a once in a lifetime performance – letting us believe she’s never said those words to any audience and gotten that response before. It’s personal. That’s performance magic.

Getting More Out of Summer Programs Then Even They Know

Some call them “Pay to Sing” programs. That’s just cynical and useless banter. Yes, they charge money. So do universities. But if you shop Summer Programs and study them you’ll get plenty of value for the money and even more if you’ll follow some simple tips. And no one is paying me to say this – I don’t work for any of them although I’ve been a guest speaker at many universities and summer programs.

First, let me tell you why I think these programs can be terrific. Most of these programs are simply summer schools of universities or programs created by university professors who believe that having a place for students to sing in Italy, France, Austria, Germany, and various places in the USA will give singers an intensive singing experience. Without exception the ones I’ve attended are staffed by professors of noted universities, professional singers and accomplished opera personnel. Typically they know the stage and performing arts world. They are driven to get their clients – you-- a chance to perform a real opera stage role because that is how the notoriety of their programs spread.

They know their programs are expensive because airlines, accommodations, and facilities in these exotic locales aren’t cheap. But these locations are selected not for their romantic settings but because the area has a history of local citizens who love opera and look forward to the program’s many performances each summer. That’s why the summer programs can boast of opportunities for you to perform.

So relax on the price. No one is going to get rich off you. Most of the programs are lucky to break even and require sponsors to help cover the costs that your tuition doesn’t cover.

Let’s get to the meat of how you make the program work for you.

1.      Get sponsors yourself. You need a fan base and that fan base will gladly help you defray the costs of the summer program. Let them know that you have the honor to have been selected to perform in Graz, Austria, or Amalfi, Italy, or the Poconos in New York or wherever. Why? Because getting into most of these programs requires an audition. You’ve got to be good enough and ready to step on their stages. For that you need support. Hold a concert at your parent’s home, or the home of a friend. Don’t’ charge them to come, but let them know this is an evaluation concert where you want their feedback. Give them a feedback form. At the bottom of the form will be a place where they can state if they’d like to be a sponsor. If you would like a sample form I’ve created that has worked for other singers, just email me at mark@mjstoddard.com and I’ll send it to you. Most singers who hold Evaluation Concerts correctly get enough funds to significantly defray the costs of the summer program. And they start developing their fan base.

2.        Select the summer program that fits your area of music best. Most have excellent websites and archives that can show you past programs and what they’ve done.

3.      Research the background of the coaches and teachers. Know them thoroughly. Don’t hesitate to call them before going and get their thoughts on any preparations you need to make. Let them know your excitement and appreciation. Follow through with their suggestions. If they tell you to read a book before coming, do so. It’s easy to spot a phony. I’ve had students ask for advice and when I’ve asked them later if they followed it they had forgotten I’d even given it. Tough to be in a summer program in close proximity with professors who know you’re a phony.

4.      Consider that when you get to the summer program that this is a sprint and a marathon combined. Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep and appropriate vocal rest… but outside of that, work your tail off. You might be in an exotic locale, but your first job is to get training and to sing great. If you’ve taken people’s money in sponsorship (including parents), you owe it to them to take advantage of every class, every tutorial, every coaching session, lesson and opportunity. And you owe it to yourself. I’ve watched students fritter away their summer programs like it was a fraternity or sorority fun house on spring break. I’ve had classes I’ve taught half full and the reason given, from a disgusted director was, “some students came to party.”

 I’ve also judged competitions where it was clear participants were deadly serious about this experience and were becoming masters of voice. By the time the program is finished you should be exhilarated and exhausted. There’s time to sleep on the plane flying home.

5.      Pigeon hole coaches, teachers, professors, guest speakers. Set up private meetings. Ask a million questions in class or in private meetings. Probe. Question. Wonder. Get everything you can out of everyone you meet.  Everyone is there for you.

6.      Get the name and email of everyone you meet. Put them in your House List. If you don’t know what a House List is, we’ll discuss that another time, but briefly it’s a listing of everyone you know, their contact information, and how you met and when.

7.      Have cards printed up with your contact information AND your picture. Hand them out to everyone. If you’ve been reading my blogs you should already be doing this. This is your business. You are the business that needs promoting.

Summer programs are another chance to learn and, more importantly, perform. And the key to a singing career is to perform anywhere, anytime and always – at least once a week. Break a leg.

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” Abraham Lincoln