Virtuosity consists in seeing, hearing in advance everything that we perform with ease. – Lamperti
The greatest concepts are those that scale – an idea that when applied to the smallest of details also works when you pull the zoom out and see the bigger picture. One of these concepts that I come to over and over again in the voice studio is that of AIM.
Whether you are developing long-term career goals, sketching out an artistic vision for a solo recital, building a successful organization, or even just trying to organize your [i] vowel, you need to have a vision and a clear goal. You first need to ask yourself what you want. What do you want to build, to create, to sing? Much like being an entrepreneur, a young singer first needs to establish what world they want to live in. With all the world’s genres at your fingertips, the musical landscape is no longer limited to your zip code, FM dial or even country of origin. Artists are connecting and creating at the speed of wifi. With all of this content, it is easy to feel schizophrenic about one’s own artistic journey and vision. The primary questions for a singer should always be, who are you and what do you want to say? What musical community do you want to contribute to? Where do you come from? Where do you hope to go? What can you bring to the table? Know your influences, create your goals and your voice will follow.
This is the road to success in career. As Angela Duckworth asserts in her book, Grit, “a combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal—is the hallmark of high achievers in every domain”. Have a vision for success in your career and build small goals on the road to that destination. Then just keep hitting those benchmarks. You may find that your path winds a bit and you may have a course correction, but the more clear you are about the direction of your path, the greater the likelihood of success.
This is the road to success in the studio, as well. Know your goals. What do you want to sing? What style? How would you define that (based on the history of the art)? What are the indicative characteristics of that style? Define that style. AIM for that style. Focus every day on developing the color, shape and space that is the essence of that style. Be clear in the standards that you observe and work every moment to master those standards. With every vocalize and every phrase, say to yourself (BEFORE you even inhale), “What do I want from this phrase?” Ask your voice in every moment for the sound you want. Be intentional. Be consistent. Be persistent. Be mindful in every moment of your singing. Have a clear vision. Aim. Inhale and Aim again. and again. Accept nothing less than your goal. If you miss the mark, think. Where was I off? What did I do to miss the target. Adjust. Inhale and aim again. You will get there, If you persist, If you accept nothing less. Above all else, set your target and Aim. Hear in advance.