DIY: Concert-construction
There's a common misconception that being a singer involves practicing concert repertoire a couple of times with a pianist, getting dressed up, culminating in singing for people. Of course, only industry practitioners know how much is really involved. But for students just stepping into the professional arena, knowing how to "put on a show" can be quite daunting. As a humble offering towards bridging this knowledge gap (in a SA context), I am volunteering information on how I was taught, have, and am now going about staging a concert. See it as a checklist of what-not-to-forget.
Just as there is a concert etiquette for audiences (to be discussed in a later post), so too is there an agreement of behavior between performers.
Aside from communicating rehearsal schedules timeously, there are other things that must be discussed & put in writing. These are:
- At what times, and how many rehearsals your concert will demand, in order to feel prepared.
The admin can get quite hectic, so you have to better your time-management with a diary and / or phone reminders. Arrive five mins before each rehearsal to ensure your rehearsal space is ready.
- Permission to rehearse in public venues.
Preferably have more than one, so you have a plan B when one becomes unavailable last minute.
- Agree on whether the pianist will be paid for rehearsals and/or petrol.
It has been my experience that as someone starting out, accompanists don't ask for both. But eventually, you will be expected to foot both bills. Also, know what kind of collaborative pianist you are working with - do they time an hour and then leave, or are they the kind that would rather rehearse until they feel you've both had a productive session?
- It's vital that there be a rapport between you. There's nothing worse than discovering that a musician you've committed to working with clashes with you, personality-wise. Save yourself the pain, and know / research who it is you're approaching. And acknowledge what things you do which make you difficult to work with, and work on them!
There are many hidden costs involved in putting on a concert / show etc. It's best if you outsource as many of these as possible, in the form of sponsorship, or in agreeing what your host venues are prepared to assist you with. Some of these are:
- programme &/or business card printing
- piano-tuning
- royalties
- photo-copying
- microphone & / or lighting hire
P.S. It's unlikely that this will happen, but it happened to me recently. Most traditional concert venues have a piano, but if you perform in an "unusual" space, a piano is not necessarily a given. Make sure you know of reputable piano hire companies, lest you should need them one day. And try and strike a mutually beneficial bargain with them. For example, I came across Lona from "Lona's Pianos", a piano-hiring company in the KZN Midlands. Lona was a prolific piano teacher for a number of years, and found herself constantly being asked by her students to find pianos for their concerts. This was why Lona founded the successful business she has today. It was so special to have her continue that legacy of supporting young performers, by generously sponsoring the hire, transport, set-up & take-down of a (not so baby) grand piano! For more info on their services: lonaspianos.co.za
Repertoire Choices are a big one, and they change depending on where in the world you stage the show. I have been reliably informed that the difference between a South African classical concert, and one in Europe, is diversity versus speciality. In SA, in order to bring in the numbers, we have to have a multi-genre classical programme. Opera arias are scattered amongst German lieder, Spanish folk songs, Art Songs, and / or Oratorio. Overseas, however, you are expected to do "one at a time": an hour-long Richard Strauss recital or Opera recital etc.
Aside from language diversity, other considerations should be:
- Drama: How are you going to shape the programme so that the audience members are taken on a journey or emotional & thematic roller coaster?
- Translation or conversation: Are you going to provide translations for each aria in the programme, or speak about them to your audience as you go along? Different concerts demand different choices, but the more you engage with your audiences, the better.
Securing Sponsorship
- It's about what you know, but also who you know: I landed my first major corporate sponsored gig recently, which took place at Teachers Restaurant in Garlington Estate, Hilton (KZN). It was sponsored by @vennsattorneys and #garlingtonvillage, to entertain the estate's residents, & bring public attention to the estate's relatively new Garlington Village (retirement sector). Apart from having established a strong musical reputation in Hilton over the years; and aside from working with a prolific, not to mention musical & generously-spirited pianist (Lara Kirsten); we landed this gig because I au pair the sons of the co-manager of Garlington Sales & Rentals. She knew Garlington Village & Garlington Estate would flock to An Evening Soiree of Classical & Operatic Music, and that it would be beneficial for all corporate & individual parties concerned. She was right. We had the biggest turnout for an estate-event in five years!
- Approach is key: Think about how all parties will benefit - about what you have to offer, aside from your musical skills. From my side, I offered free advertising to all sponsors concerned, on all of my established social media brand profiles; & my musical reputation guaranteed that there would be an audience from the wider public.
Finally, decor & seating
The only thing you need to remember to set up is a props table (if you need it). Also, I highly recommend that you invest in at least two portable lights for the pianist and yourself. There's nothing scarier than squinting at your score in front of an audience. If you're performing on the floor rather than a raised stage/platform, ensure that seats are arranged in such a way that audiences won't be sitting on top of you.
So there you have it! I hope these ideas empower you to take a brave step and start planning your first show! If it did, please give this post a like, comment and share.
Love and Light
The Forest Weaver xx
