Canto

In his Canto column, historical oboist Geoffrey Burgess argues that modern circumstances too often take us far from the collaborative nature of early music and the shared goals of singers and instrumentalists. Understandably, many singers feel the need to become generalists. But now is the time to re-evaluate our current practices.

'We’re all keenly aware of the stigma in classical music about people with hearing loss,' writes tenor Thomas Cooley. 'The doctor asked why I was crying. I responded: I just don't know other singers who use hearing aids.'

'The kinds of roles written for my voice type, as an operatic bass,' writes Michael Galvin in a personal essay, 'have never fit the roles that have excited me as a stage performer. It’s why I’ve been so drawn to early music — the farther back one goes in history, the more the lines blur between what is prescribed and what is possible.'

Even before the ubiquity of Zoom, we were all conditioned to think that in-person musical interactions are always superior to anything online. Always. But what if a musician can't spend the money or time to connect in person? The author argues that newer technology allows us a more nuanced approach: we can pick solutions that are financially, logistically, and artistically preferable.

Reflections from a whirlwind summer of singing and travel: “It’s hard to be an 'emerging artist.' Even though I’m working more each season, my calendar is a patchwork of jobs I’m constantly worrying over. The upshot of being young and ambitious is that my schedule is more flexible than established artists...so when last-minute opportunities come up, I can often say yes. Still, it’s hard to know what work to accept.”