Becoming a performer, not a singer

A mark of an intelligent person is being able to see similarities in different universes. Anyone can point out how one person is different from another. It’s the hallmark of racism. We see a person with a different skin tone and draw conclusions. But race is a terrible predictor of behavior. I won’t get off on racism, but instead use it to illustrate the point that it is a prime example of finding differences in different universes.

(Picture: the great classical singer Carol Vaness and yours truly.)

When I lecture on college campuses I enjoy watching students come to grips with this concept. Those in the more intellectual or artistic pursuits have the most difficult time comprehending that they could possible be one who takes the easy way out and points out differences. But, they do. It’s almost reflexive in their chosen professions. Show why something is deficient.

Anyone, however, can do that. As Teddy Roosevelt once said, “It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”

Being a critic is easy. Being a creator is tough.

Back to finding similarities in different universes. Here’s an example: quickly list how a cat and a refrigerator are similar. Very different universes. If we asked how they are different... no problem. But how they’re similar is tough until you change your view point. Then it’s fun. Go ahead. Make your list.

When I do this exercise with students, artists have the toughest time. They are almost overcome by a stupor of thought because they aren’t asked to think like this. Normally they watch a singer and point out flaws. As I said, that’s the easy part. I once wrote a comedy and entered it in a university play competition. The audience loved it. I sat in the back and enjoyed the actor’s performance but particularly got a kick out of the audience. Once gentleman sitting near me laughed so much and so hard he was on the floor on his hands and knees. The next day I quietly attended a “critique” of all the plays. When it came to my play, the moderating professor said, “I didn’t see it but heard there were some problems.” It had won, but the professor couldn’t overcome her training and just had to focus on the differences in the universe thinking it does some good. She just made herself look foolish while trying to appear important.

Okay, back to cats and refrigerators. How many similarities were on your list? Most people mention they come in an assortment of colors, both hold fish and milk, both are cold and won’t come to you when you call. Once people change their mind sets, they start getting creative (hmmm, is there a lesson here?) They start noticing that both have four legs, a tail, they both purr, have hairballs, sit in a corner, and so forth.

We recently attended a performance of some singers. They were terrific. Blended voices, active music selection, great range... and in fact were quite at home on the range. They were the Bar J Wranglers, a cowboy singing group. Every singer could learn some lessons from these guys. These guys were performers first, singers second. Robert Swedberg of the now defunct Orlando Opera once told me he was tired of hiring singers and only wanted to hire performers. Apparently his audiences tired of singers too.

People go to theatrical events to be entertained, not educated. If we learn something as well, that’s the clotted cream atop the butterfat rich ice cream.

Performance is all about blending art and reality. Great music elevates the soul but for a singer to stand and sing aria after aria after aria is mind numbing. Performance is all about engaging the audience. Getting the audience involved enthralls. That means speaking to them, tell them stories about the music, joking with them and making them laugh, touching their souls and making them weep. You’ve got to have a schtick. An entertainment routine.

Developing a performance is tough work. It takes talent to conceive of routines that add to the music rather than distract. More than that, it takes experience. You must perform to enough people that you know what moves them, makes them laugh, cry or chuckle. You must organize the music so it crescendos to a climax that drives the audience to leap to their feet and demand more.

Watch the Bar J Wranglers and you’ll see a finely tuned performance. They touch all the buttons. In college courses we tell students plagerism is stealing from another person. But research is taking from many! Bits here. Ideas there. But only from the best and only that fit you and your stage goals.

One tip from Gladys Knight contradicts advise I’ve heard voice teachers give too much. One rather stuffy teacher once preached to classical singers to never look their audiences in the eye because that diminished the music. Let the music speak for itself and don’t get common. Nice advice if you want to bore people. Instead, consider that tip from Gladys Knight. She states that every time she enters the stage, as she walks to the center or her starting mark she scans the audience for the most positive, receptive person and then zeros in on that person as she sings her first song. She draws energy from that audience member that flows through her and back to the rest of the audience. Gladys is a great performer. She knows. Take her tip.

That’s enough for now.

One last tip from Carol Vaness, the famed Met opera singer. "Enjoy your craft. Love your craft." It’s the best marketing advice ever.

Marketing tip of the day: If you believe it, they’ll believe it.