by Katy Carnaggio
When a horn player gets a request to teach a soprano singer, you know things are about to get interesting.
One chilly January morning, I opened my inbox to find a life-changing email. The sender, who we'll call “Beyoncé” for the sake of anonymity and dramatic flair, had spent the previous year auditioning for graduate programs in vocal performance. Though stunningly talented and powerfully expressive (as I’d soon learn), she had received no offers. Now back on the audition circuit with another disappointing audition under her belt, she was on the hunt for a teacher.
Her message melted my heart:
I find it virtually impossible to sing freely and openly. It’s a losing battle between my mind and body. I’ve tried breathing exercises and positive thinking, but no matter what, I end up in the same terrified, tense state.
I knew instantly that I was perfect for the job.
Of course, I had no singing skills and zero experience teaching vocalists, let alone the ability to speak loudly enough to be heard in a crowded restaurant. And opera? Not my specialty. But so what? I know a thing or two about body vs. mind battles, and I was determined to help.
What I didn’t know was what to expect for our first lesson. So naturally, I panicked and did what any rational person would do: I tried to learn everything! With her next audition just a week away, I spent 48 hours in impassioned hyperfocus, writing out everything I knew about performance science, organizing it into an easy-access database, and frantically filling in my knowledge gaps.
Now, before you get too excited, I should mention she ended up getting into her top-choice program, but it had almost nothing to do with my heroic database of answers. What quickly became clear was that she didn’t need answers. She needed questions to help her notice, trust, and follow the tiny sparks already within her that lit her path forward better than if the real Beyoncé herself had been in the room coaching her instead!
As a musician (and, really, in life), I’ve learned that when I’m struggling to move forward, it’s often because I’m trying to force an answer that just isn’t there. Instead, I need to step back and ask a different question. Interesting questions help us uncover approaches which are uniquely and perfectly suited to us—ones that no one else could ever offer. It’s not just our music that reflects our artistry. When we take a break from searching for answers externally and instead look within, our process, our way of being, and our connection with the audience all become expressions of our artistry, too.
So if you are trying to change something in your practice or performance, but you’re feeling stuck, I made this monthly reflection and planning guide for you! (Well, actually, I made it for “Beyoncé,” but you all can use it, too!)
It’s a simple start to help you track your wins, leverage your lessons, and give you essential info about how to get to where you want to go next.
Who knew that asking just the right questions could make designing a strategic plan for the month ahead easy, breezy, and fun!?
Click here to save it to your Google Drive for when you’re ready to knock out a planning session for June!
