Posts Categorized: Blog

OK, we’re back on home turf, and the data geekery is done for a while. I’ve churned out the stats on which arias were offered as first choices in each vocal category during this fall’s audition tour. Start at the Aria Frequency page. Observations? Here they are, with the usual caveats. (Completely subjective, read at

I would love to spend time in Chicago some day. Time, that is, that doesn’t include 78 auditions. (Many of which were marvelous, mind you. But still…)  I understand that there’s an amazing architectural tour. There are beautiful neighborhoods I’d love to visit. And many friends to meet at amazing restaurants. But sadly, our Chicago

Fun evening at Brasil with WTOC alumni (and baby!) and the random “Guitar Center Trio.”  (Perfect description. Thanks, NP:)) Houston auditions brought us performances of two terrific American arias: Bea’s aria from Heggie’s Three Decembers (soprano) and Tina’s aria (“Sixty Years Ago”) from Argento’s The Aspern Papers (mezzo). Meetings with colleagues, a startling good performance

My apologies for ignoring California. I had gotten the flu after the New York leg and thought I had bounced back. I was wrong, and it has taken me all of Ohio and California to feel human again. The good news is that things are looking up. Only about 2,500 miles and 350 arias to

The view from the table this week in Cincinnati, from the back of the lovely Werner Recital Hall on the campus of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.  Our pianist, as always in Cincinnati, was the peerless Donna Loewy; and our guest panelist Marie-France Lefebvre was a colleague of mine both at Washington National

I’ve been hearing auditions in Cincinnati for 18 years now, and happily so. But in recent seasons, Ohio has been the victim of overzealous, tight audition tour scheduling. We’ve blown in and out of here, sometimes arriving at dawn and flying out before bedtime, often squeezing in over 40 singers in between. When you tempt