The 21st Century Singer

Professor of voice and opera and professional classical singer, Susan Mohini Kane truly bridges the gap between the university and the world. She performs with local symphonies and opera companies as well as doing concerts and recitals with her own duo: Kristof & Kane. Her CD, A Moment of Joy is available on iTunes and she is working on another for health and wellness communities. Kane teaches Bridging the Gap and opera workshops, master classes, voice lessons, and courses at universities and opera training programs throughout the United States and Internationally.

Table of Contents ; Acknowledgements ; Dedication ; Preface ; About the Website ; Introduction: A Brave New World ; The University and the Stage ; The Problem ; Change ; Paradigm Shift ; Willingness to Innovate ; Chapter One: First Impressions: Taking inventory, Taking Auditions ; Part I: Taking Inventory of Skills ; Performance, Business, & Personal Skills Assessment ; Repertoire Assessment ; Performing Assessment ; Handling Success & Rejection Assessment ; Part II: Taking Inventory of Support Teams and Resources ; Skills Support Team ; Mind, Body, & Spirit Support Team ; Financial & Business Support Team ; Social & Community Support Team ; Inner Circle ; Part III: Taking Auditions ; What is Under My Control? ; What's my Larger Reason for Auditioning? ; Summary ; Chapter Two: Inner Compass: Singing with Purpose and Destination So You Won't Quit ; Part I: Your Purpose/Mission ; Excavating Your Calling ; Personal Truth ; Ideal Day ; Values ; Philosophy ; Balanced Life Goals ; Finding Direction: Artist's Mission Statement ; Part II: Your Work and Its Destination ; Your Product or Act ; Finding Your Mandate ; Reframing Your Singing as Service ; Singing Products and Services ; Singing Matters to the Most Unlikely People ; Coming of Age: Public Launch Event ; Part III: "Making It" ; Take the Focus off Dollars ; Positive Affirmation ; Practice Feeling Good ; Meditation ; Service and Gratitude ; Summary ; Chapter Three: Innovative Stages: Trend Spotting, Finding Your Niche ; Part I: Bright Spots and Trend Spotting ; Bright Spots ; Current Trends ; Free-lance Artist and Entrepreneur ; Career as Service ; Part II: Finding Your Niche ; The Traditional Artist's Path ; Summer Opera Programs ; Graduate School ; Young Artist Programs ; Competition ; Audition Season ; Opera Jobs in the US and Europe (Also Try Canada) ; Carving Out Your Niche ; Professional Chorus/Opera Chorus ; The Teaching Artist's Path ; Educational Outreach ; Voice Teacher ; The Independent Artist's Path ; The Artist as Entrepreneur ; Non-traditional Venues ; Making the World a Better Place ; Busking ; Non-Traditional Act ; Fundraising and Business Issues ; The Specialized Artist's Path ; Churches and Synagogues ; US Government ; Local Government ; Cruise Ships ; Hospitals and Nursing Homes ; Hospice Care ; Corporations and Private Parties ; Recording Companies ; Museums and Libraries ; Your Own Niche ; Give It the Old College Try ; Summary ; Chapter Four: A Living: Added Value, Authentic Image, Strategic Plan ; Part I: Added Value to Your Singing ; Vehicle Maintenance Adds Longevity ; Truth and Beauty Add Integrity ; Right-Side-Up Thinking Adds Stability ; Logging your 10,000 Hours Adds Experience ; Honing Your Skills Adds Quality ; Engaging Your Audiences Adds Depth ; Part II: Professional Public Image ; Authenticity ; Learn to Speak Well of Your Self and Your Work ; Audition, Interview and Pitch Materials ; Brand/Title ; Professional and Social Networking ; Conscious Self-Promotion ; Social Networking Sites ; Website ; Age and Tech Savvy Considerations ; 21st Century Materials ; Headshots ; Resume ; Recording ; Part III: Strategic Five-Year Plan ; Step 1: Visualize Yourself Five Years from Now ; Tribe ; Be Specific ; From Dreams into Reality ; Quality ; Maintaining Success ; Step 2: Three-Year Goals-Medium Range Goals ; Yearly Schedule ; Step 3: One-Year Goals ; Monthly Schedule ; Step 4: Where Can I Be in Six Months? ; Step 5: Where Can I Be in One Month? ; Weekly Schedule ; Step 6: What Can I Do By Friday? ; This is Just the Beginning ; Appendix A: Evaluator Note ; Appendix B: Young Artist Programs ; Appendix C: Career Summaries ; Appendix D: Values Checklist ; Bibliography ; Index