There are teachers and colleagues who will always tell fellow vocalists that a professional never works for free — and that position isn’t wrong, exactly, but it ignores semantics and situational details. “Never” doesn’t account for passion projects, learning opportunities, family culture (!), or judgment calls that don’t fit neatly into a rule. Every singer … Read more
It’s February, which means the first High Holy Day inquiries have begun. Over the next few months, we’ll receive requests from congregations across Southern California looking for singers for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We don’t contract these services or take a fee — we simply connect temples with singers who are likely to be … Read more
If it feels like everyone you know is rethinking something right now—career, schedule, genre focus, income mix, long-term plans—you’re not imagining it. The world is shifting fast, and the arts always feel it early. For singers, that often shows up as questions like: Do I double down? Pivot? Add something new? Let something go? Let’s … Read more
I’m writing you all a note. —> If you’re not sure who Epstein’s Mother is, look it up. There is another story behind this, starting with a mini-rant I posted recently in our Listerhood group on Facebook. (Have you joined us yet?) The idea has not only stayed with me, it has garnered some interesting … Read more
Have you ever had one of those unicorn days where everything goes right and you somehow end up with (gasp!) time to spare? Probably not often — but when it happens? Pure gold. I recently had a Tuesday that certainly didn’t start out so beautifully, but it astonished me. But by 1:30pm, I’d wrapped my … Read more
Several years ago, I saw Angela Duckworth’s remarkable TED talk about the importance of grit and the ability to move on after difficulty. As we all face a certain amount of conflict in our lives, grit and resilience are key to success for most of us, regardless of the level of difficult we face, or … Read more
Yesterday was Patriot Day, and of course the Jewish High Holidays are coming up later this month. While most of this month’s big holidays are not necessarily intended as fun-loving days off, they are moments to acknowledge what’s meaningful and profound in our lives. I hope you’ll get to take advantage (or at least take … Read more
Planning is absolutely essential. But you can’t stop there. If you’re spending too much time making and organizing your lists and notes rather than taking action to check those things off, here’s a way to reset on a regular basis: It’s an ACTION-FOCUSED DAY. The technique is simple, and you’d do well to make room … Read more
Next week marks the start of spring, and I have a little suggestion: Whether or not you made New Year’s resolutions this year, it might be a good time to pick something NOW to change between now and next spring. Spring is a time of rebirth, renewal, energy and inspiration. We’re also facing a lot … Read more
This month’s download tackles embarrassment head-on, inspiring performers to get in the habit of moving on when things go awry.