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You've had a job interview at some point in your life, right? Actually, you probably had way more than one. Then one magical day, you were offered a job, you accepted it, and now you're set. You'll keep this job for years to come, before you get promoted or before you decide to move on to something else. It's pretty much how it goes.
Now think about this. Classical singers go through these steps, multiple times a year. Each job lasts a few weeks, and is seperated by intensive training and travelling. Auditions are the same as job interviews. And these job interviews are fierce competitions. I took a deeper look in the inaugural Tafelmusik Vocal Competition and asked the three winners how they get ready for those job interviews and what this competition means to them. What you need to know. The Vocal Competition is the newest addition to Tafelmusik's artist training programmes for professional musicians. The Baroque ensemble believes in the importance of not only mentoring emerging artists in the art of period performance, but also of giving them the unique opportunity of performing on their stage. Now the actual competition took place in January, but! The winners will be performing the solo roles in Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir's upcoming concert Zelenka & Bach, alonside German soprano Dorothee Mields. Why should you go? "These young singers are poised to establish important international careers, and it's exciting for the audience to be among the very first in Toronto to bear witness to their debuts with one of Canada's most successful cultural ambassadors abroad." Tafelmusik has 9 Juno Awards. Just saying. #bigshot Zelenka & Bach is presented at Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, from Thursday April 28 to Sunday May 1st 2016. If you like Q&As with the artists, you go on Thursday night. If you are 35 and under, tickets start at 15$ and you should go on Saturday night for the Intermission Party. Yes, concert AND party! Meet the 2016 Tafelmusik Vocal Competition Winners
Jacques-Olivier Chartier, Tenor
Jonathan Woody, Bass-Baritone
Kim Leeds, Mezzo-Soprano
What does winning this competition mean to you?
Any win is definitely a self-esteem booster! However, Tafelmusik is a very well known and respected organization so it really stands out on your resume when you're being considered to sing for other Baroque ensembles. How confident were you about winning? I think no matter how well you sing, there's always going to be that voice of doubt in the back of your head. It's hard not to take it personally, but I always try to remind myself that a loss doesn't mean you're not as good, you just might not have been the right fit for the part. In our field, you have to deal with a lot of rejection and you just have to take it in stride. Bet you didn't know this! April tend to be performance heavy month for singers so I'm really looking forward to having some down time in May to spend time with my husband and our birds (we have two parakeets and a cockatiel who likes to whistle along to Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik)!
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