The Classical Voice Studio of Diana Farrell

Life is slowly returning to normal, with live music and theater events being some of the last venues to emerge from pandemic restrictions. Many actors and singers are scared about starting their careers again and finding opportunities to work and engage with an audience. The fear for many people is that they are out of practice or that their instrument no longer works or sounds the same way it did in March of 2020. I'm here to tell you that your fears are shared, but I hope they are not holding you back. Here's a story for the seasoned singer or emerging professional who is concerned about their place in the musical world as life reopens and theaters are filled with music again: there was a period in my life where making music was simply not viable at the level I'd hoped. Financially it had become a strain, constantly paying for lessons and traveling for auditions, but not booking performances that paid enough to sustain a healthy life. I was told my voice was "too large" for the opportunities available at my level, but my voice had not yet reached the maturity required for the roles and music everyone told me I should be singing. I found myself living in a circumstance where I had to make a personal choice. I walked away from music, not knowing if it would be temporary or permanent and it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. It took a toll on me physically and emotionally and I was not in a good place. Without further baring my soul to the internet, I will tell you there was a 3-year period where I had no music in my life. I even stopped listening to music and seeing performances because it was too painful to be reminded of what I'd given up. If you are not a performer yourself, then that probably sounds dramatic, but it was a very real and dark time for me. At one point I knew it was no longer sustainable. Without the fear of failure and the weight of expectation, I started making music for the joy of it and my life changed. I put away all the music that I was told I "should" be working on, and started to explore music I loved because it spoke to me and it *felt* appropriate for me to sing. I didn't worry about whether or not something was too big or too small for my voice and I pursued opportunities for fun, as well as created some of my own. Over the next year, I felt more fulfilled by my artistic life than I ever had before and was presented with opportunities I'd always dreamed about. It became a career when I let myself be honest about what I wanted and how I wanted to do it. That sense of empowerment is something that cannot be taken away by anyone or any circumstance and I still carry it with me. Embrace what is new and possible in 2021 and beyond and I hope you will love the opportunities that unfold before you!