Thoughts on my recital

Well, December 13th, in nearly every way, was a success.  Somewhere around 350 people showed up to support me and the feedback has been very good.

I hope to have something to release to those who were unable to attend:  perhaps a DVD or a CD.  But as of right now, I don't have anything that I feel confident enough to release.  Such is the nature of live performances, yeah?

One More Day To My Recital!

Down to about 20 hours to the recital...  Starting to get a little nervous.  I haven't really gotten nervous about a performance in a while, mostly because I haven't done anything that depended so much on me.  This is MY recital, and other than my wonderful accompanist and one guest artist, I will be on stage alone... for the entire performance... something I haven't done in a very long time.  It's been a bit like preparing for a marathon, but one where I run alone.  I've torn up and rebuilt my voice several times in the last three months, constantly testing it for quality and endurance.  I've run through the entire program (25 + songs) twice, once with flying colors, and the other time I felt pretty fatigued at the end.  Tomorrow will the tale...  How much do I warm up?  Do I try to warm up as I go?  Should I even test the upper voice before the performance?  I've dealt with a bit of a cold nearly this entire time-just won't go away.

And then there is the producing aspect.  For the first time in 15 years, I'm producing this myself.  No one asked me to do this.  Well, actually, in a way, people have been asking me to do this for a long time (More on that later).  But, financially, the risk is considerable.  As in any business venture, everyone else gets paid first, and the owner gets the left-overs.  Which also means that the owner assumes the risk if the venture looses money.  He takes the hit.  The possibility to turn a profit is there, but not a given (As I'm finding out).  What's needed, and I'll actually do this next time, is an underwriter(someone who covers the production costs and shares in the profits),preferably someone that will also help in the actual promoting of the event and who would then share in the publicity.

Anyway, this all comes together tomorrow, and it will be then when we find out how much we have made or lost.

I'll try to give a review later.

2 More Weeks!

Time is getting shorter, as are the days.  I have performed three mini-recitals in the last week, made several promotional appearances at different meetings and organizations, shot a cable TV "freemercial", passed out my flyers at various concerts and halls and continue to sing and memorize daily.  I've never tackled anything musical from this many sides before (most of which are non-musical sides).  I have a new appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes of recitals and concerts.  Usually I'm asked to sing, I show up to rehearsals and the performance, collect my fee and go home.  NOT SO THIS TIME.  


As a performing artist, I am constantly faced with programming conflicts.  Often, what I'm asked to sing by directors or producers is not what I want to sing, and the public may want to hear something completely different.  How do we make our selections?  While programming my  recital, I'm constantly faced with what I want to sing and what the audience wants to hear.  Who should have priority?  "Well, the audience, of course", you might say.  I'll agree that your half right.  "Know your audience" is a mantra that goes way back, and for the most part, I agree.  But, as professional artists, we also have an obligation to take our listeners on a journey to places they've never before ventured, to expand their horizons.  It's difficult to do that while singing all tried-and-true standards.  On the other hand, leave out any familiar tunes, and the audience may become lost and alienated altogether.  Balance is the answer, I suppose(Master Yoda would be proud).   

Working hard...

I've been working hard to condition my voice and learn all the new music I'm doing in the recital.  I hope now to sell more tickets...  Have just over a month until the big day!  Hope you all can be there!

My Recital Flyer

For anyone who would like a flyer, I can send you a pdf file by email.  Just email me at mclainster@gmail.com, write "Flyer Please" in the subject box, and I will get one off to you as soon as I see it.

I hope to see you there!

Michael

I spent about an hour yesterday at the printers in Hitachi, going over final touches on my recital poster, flyers, tickets and program.  It is coming along nicely.  I hope to post the poster here, though I'm not sure if I can show or link a pdf on blogger.  If I can figure it out, I will.  Later.

Experiment in using Youtube for my recital.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eiK2V81P5s&feature=related  This is the incomparable Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano from New Zealand.

Self-Promotion

Well, it's been a long time since updating (for a lack of having anything significant to update) this blog. Other than the obligatory appearances in front of elementary or junior high school students, or the occasional guest appearance at someone's ballet or piano recital (all of which I enjoy and am grateful for), all has bee quiet on the performing front. I have had to resolve myself to the fact that all of the gigs that used to come my way are no longer available or are not going to come my way. There are probably a number of factors for this. One might be that I'm no longer a novelty (i.e., foreign opera singer), or that others better than me have taken those positions. That is probably the case some of the time. Admittedly, being an outsider here makes me more difficult to deal with probably than local talent. But, by and large, the economy struggles have put arts on the back burner again. This is an international phenomena to be sure. When people are struggling to put food on the table, they aren't very likely to shell out $30-$100(or more) for tickets to the opera, ballet, symphony or recital. The company I am a member of, The Fujiwara Opera, used to produce several operas and concerts every year but has cut down to one or two a year-and Fujiwara is one of two leading opera companies in Japan. The phone has been silent locally also. I used to be a member of three different opera companies locally that produced one production per year. All of them but one have seemingly gone the way of the dodo. The sponsorship is just not there anymore. Hitachi, the local employer of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, has been struggling as of late.

All of this to say, I have embarked on a new project: Michael Dean McLain in Recital. I am producing my own concert this December (December 13, 2009, at Palti Hall in Hitachiota) and have decided to take matters into my own hands, so to speak (In reality, I rely on the grace of God and all of the good people he has surrounded me with, first and foremost being my beautiful wife, Tomoko.). I have secured a thousand-seat auditorium, have begun creating and printing posters, fliers, etc, and am in rehearsals. Hopefully I'll also make a cd as well to complete the package. At every performance, I want to invite the audience to another performance of something fresh and new. Right now, I'm considering an "opera in the park" performance for the summer of 2010 in some local outdoor or indoor/outdoor space.

As soon as I finish the flier, I will post the info here. I hope you can make it!

Ciao.

Michael