AN INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH BUCKLEY
With a background as a singer, organist, pianist, and choral conductor, mezzo soprano Elizabeth Buckley is a wonderful example of an artist who has combined the many diverse aspects of her talent into a highly successful career. Critics praise her as a “brilliant actress” and “thrilling voice,” and her performances span repertoire that includes opera, oratorio and lieder.
Her most recent CD release, Must the Winter Come So Soon? features Brahms’ Zwei Gesänge with Grammy award winning violist, Masumi Per Rostad of the Pacifica Quartet, and is available on iTunes and at Amazon.com.
Dr. Buckley is a 2010 winner of the Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition, and her full bio can be read at elizabethbuckley.com.
It is a real pleasure to speak with you again, and to see how even in the short space of a year you have added still more accomplishments to an already long list. Clearly, between your work as a choir director, teacher, and performing artist, there has to be a focus on priorities and time management, especially for a Renaissance woman like yourself. How do you do it all, while still managing to make it look so effortless?
Being selected as the 2011 First Place Winner of the Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition, and performing at Carnegie Hall brought immense joy to my life and was truly the experience of a lifetime. Looking back, I can’t believe it has been a year since I performed in Weill Recital Hall. Much has happened since that moment of great pride for my family, friends, and myself. I produced my first solo album, “Must the Winter Come So Soon?” and have sung in numerous competitions, performances, and have organized and performed in many benefit concerts. I also am fortunate to share my love of music with my adult and children choirs through my position as Director of Music at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Urbana, IL. Most importantly, I am the mother of two wonderful children ages four and six who keep me grounded and provide for a busy household for my husband and me. As for managing it all, it is a constant balancing act. Fortunately, I am a list-maker and I like to set goals and dream big. So, I keep an ongoing “to do” list. I categorize by day, week, month, and year, and I try to accomplish as much as I can in the hours between my two part-time jobs as Director of Development for Champaign County CASA and Director of Music at Saint Matthew Lutheran along with the responsibilities of being a mother, wife, educator, and active performer. Overall, it’s about letting go of little things so I can prioritize and concentrate on the goals I would like to accomplish in my life.
Every singer has to learn music, study languages, perform, and carry out the general preparation that is part of any career. Your interests however go well beyond these responsibilities. For example, there is your focus on Baroque performance practice. Tell us a bit more about this, and how you think this kind of knowledge helps to round out your artistry as a performer.
I began my musical training as a pianist, violinist, and organist before studying voice. My early years were spent accompanying and playing in orchestras and leading worship services. I was fortunate to attend the Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Hungary during my undergraduate studies where I received significant training in solfège and methodology. After this, I began conducting and have found an immense sense of joy in helping people find their true voice and express themselves through solo and choral music. As for my love of Baroque music, I believe this stems from my love of chamber music and the importance of emphasizing the text being sung. I also greatly enjoy the timbre of singing music down a half step, A=415 Hz, from modern concert pitch, A=440 Hz. The intimacy of singing with smaller ensembles comprised of period instruments with gut strings lends itself well to the warmth of the mezzo-soprano voice. In addition, I completed a significant portion of research on Baroque performance practice and the cultural milieu of Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre’s scriptural cantatas for my doctoral dissertation. By choosing music that I have researched extensively and am extremely passionate about, I bring a depth of understanding to these pieces, which I will be recording with harpsichord and viola da gamba this summer.
We hear a great deal of talk about the world of classical music diminishing, and yet conservatories are actually having to turn away students. What do you think it is going to take for the newest generation of artists to enjoy truly successful careers? How will their career strategies and approaches differ from those of say a Renata Tebaldi, a Richard Tucker, or even a Pavarotti or Sills?
I think we as music educators and advocates for classical music and the tradition of classical singing must continually access what we are teaching students. In today’s world and economic climate, I fear that having solid vocal training and a marvelous God-given instrument is simply not enough. Therefore, vocal instructors and music educators have a moral responsibility to train students how to market their singing and reach their audiences and build a fan base through personalized websites, blogs, Facebook pages, engaging the services of an arts consultant or PR manager, designing press kits, professionally recorded CDs, posting video footage on YouTube, and utilizing Twitter accounts. These are invaluable tools in bringing singers to the larger market, and providing music directors, conductors, and agents with current materials. In addition, we need to teach students business skills. It is imperative that today’s singers understand contracts, management fees, and how to organize their singing expenses and correctly set up their taxes as an independent contractor. I would suggest that young students inquire whether the conservatory or college program they are considering includes courses in these areas, and I would strongly encourage singers to talk with current students at programs and speak with actively performing singers whenever possible. Some are even willing to mentor younger singers and share their experiences. Books, workshops and training courses in arts business management can also be found through local arts councils, arts organizations, and many concerned individuals and educators like Mr. Barry Alexander and Mr. Cosmo Buono who understand the myriad of skills and training that singers need beyond lessons and performances to compete in the present classical music market.
You are constantly applauded for your entrepreneurial approach to your career, and it is clear that you handle everything about it in a very proactive way. How essential do you feel it is for other performing artists to do the same, and why?
Today’s performers and artists need to think of themselves as business owners. They are running a small company with themselves as the CEO and President. For singers, how they market themselves depends on the type of voice they have and the repertoire they sing. Understanding these key components can guide a singer towards the appropriate direction and shape how they want to represent themselves. This in-depth discovery takes time, experience, and a deep understanding of classical vocal repertoire. It is also imperative that singers work with reputable vocal instructors, coaches, and directors in finding the best repertoire for their voice which utilizes the healthiest and most authentic singing technique and approach. When singers find they are singing the repertoire that best represents what they have to say and feel, then it is time to market themselves. This marketing takes many forms and begins with the photographs one chooses to put on one’s website, marketing materials, and [what one chooses to] distribute at auditions. Therefore, I would spend significant time researching the best photographer for what an artist would like to achieve. Inquire amongst current singers and teachers and find the best photographer who is available for the allotted budget available. From this point, I would hire the assistance of a PR or marketing expert in classical music and author a clear, well-composed bio for use on a professional website, press kit, and a shorter version for programs. I would then suggest integrating the images and text along with a few professionally recorded tracks on a website. With the availability of Wordpress templates on the internet, creating a website is increasingly easy and user-friendly. This website will then serve as a calling card and a vehicle for marketing and linking with additional social media. The final steps involve printing a press kit, business cards, and polishing audition techniques and overall appearance so that a singer shows her readiness to the world to be an actively engaged performer.
No one can deny that you market both yourself and your career in superlative ways. All of your materials, your website, and the way you present yourself on stage are considered noteworthy. What advice do your offer artists who are about to embark on a career in terms of how they should prepare not only their media image, but the way in which they present themselves to the general public?
I would strongly advise young singers to work toward an understanding of what they would like to convey with their singing. I would encourage them to think of themselves as not simply a singer, but a communicator. What makes them unique and what life experiences can they bring to their singing. For example, I have great success with singing Baroque repertoire due to my extensive studies in this genre and my voice’s natural timbre. I also have had great success in organizing and performing in numerous benefit concerts for organizations and causes for which I feel a strong connection. By serving in the area of outreach, I have found that I am able to share my singing with a larger audience outside of the classical music scene and I am able to add an extra layer of depth and meaning to the songs I program for these events. I also would encourage singers to visit their local schools and sing for children. A twenty to thirty minute presentation with a few arias and an explanation of the historical significance of classical singing is not only a wonderful opportunity to build future lovers of classical music, but is also a great way to perform for audiences and build unique programs which can be in many different venues such as museums, galleries, retirement centers, and hospital settings. This provides excellent PR for a singer and demonstrates that the singer understands that it is not simply about performing, but cultivating a fan base and giving back in unique and interesting ways with their talent by performing advocacy and outreach in the arts. So, I encourage singers to use their talents in new and interesting ways and perform not simply in opera productions, but perform recitals for organizations, and sing for children and for those who are in hospitals and can’t travel to live performances. The personal rewards are staggering and the long-term benefits of reaching out into communities through the gift of song will be realized in a larger, more diverse fan base and a more nuanced and mature approach to singing.