CLA France Blog: Final Concerts

The last week at CLA France is hectic yet exhilarating.  In the first two weeks, we work on specifying our vowels, cleaning our French diction, and finessing musical details.  Once the concerts begin, our hard work is put to the test.  Personally, I can fall into a bit of a practice obsession when I take part it in intensive studies.  With all my necessary improvements in mind, I find myself preferring to practice in solitude then to present my new skills in public.  

This is how I felt when the concerts approached: hesitant to perform.  However, the concerts proved to be the perfect opportunity to test out, and, in fact, practice our recently acquired lessons.  Moreover, the sheer quantity of concerts allowed me to feel comfortable taking risks and experiment with my voice and musicality. 

For an idea, here is the schedule of public events during the last week of the program.  (This does not include the first two concerts that occurred slightly earlier, as well as continued classes during the final week)

Wednesday, June 19 - Concert at Abbaye de Saint-Avit-Sénieur
Friday, June 21 - Public Masterclass at L’église Saint-Dominique de Monpazier
Friday, June 21 - Concert at L’église Saint-Dominique de Monpazier
Saturday, June 22 - Concert at L’église de Naresse
Sunday, June 23 - Concert at L’église de Cadouin
Tuesday, June 25 - Concert at Les Jouandis (our house!)

For the final concert, we performed at our own house as the ideal farewell.  We were immediately shocked that the audience filled our satellite building - since Les Jouandis is isolated in the countryside, it is hard to believe that a full audience of opera-appreciators would find themselves there.  We really shouldn’t have been surprised.  An enthusiastic audience filled each of our concert venues, with numerous repeat attendees.  There is clearly a special community that looks forward to the CLA concerts each year - I like to call them our CLAudience.  ;)

The staff successfully transformed the room which we affectionately call PPP (after the Ping-Pong and Pool tables that are inside) into a beautiful and intimate concert venue.  It was hard to believe that long days of rehearsals and late nights of games and wine took place in the same room that was then our elegant concert venue. 

The room featured a long walkway for the singers to enter and exit, which felt like a grand celebration as we passed our teachers and mentors after performing each piece.  There was a special energy in our green room as each of us cherished the opportunity to collaborate one final time.  The concert concluded with a resounding standing ovation, but the night was not over yet!

After the last concert, we always invite the audience to remain at the property and enjoy a grand garden party.  Champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and revelry filled every inch of the house’s exterior.  We enjoyed a wonderful meal with the audience, which happened to include my parents.  I was so grateful to be able to share my experience with them and also hear about their experience as audience members.  I think it is wonderful that the CLA staff is so accommodating and encourages the audience to feel like part of our musical family. 

Naturally, there was more music to be had.  I turned around for one moment, and the next, there was an electric keyboard outside ready to accompany singers for an impromptu garden concert.  Somewhere Over the Rainbow kicked off the light entertainment, followed by favorites from Carmen, Don Giovanni, Porgy and Bess, and even some popular Mexican music.  Requests were being made and one person noted that it felt like an “on-demand karaoke event”.  I found the spontaneous singing to be extremely heartwarming, as an indicator that this group of singers truly loves to sing.  It reminds me of Gaspard’s encouragement to “take pleasure in the music”, and I will certainly remember these moments of levity as I move forward in my career.

Photo by Elina Akselrud - elinaakselrud.com

Reflections: CLA France 2018

A snapshot of the countryside by the chateau.

Reflections:  CLA France 2018

Life is loud.  In the city, working a graduate program, running errands, the daily stuff of life, it is all part of a rhythm.  I am thankful for all of it, because the routine is part of happiness and a life as a singer.  We are always up and moving, meeting new people, acquainting ourselves with new repertoire, blending backgrounds to make some good music.  

I was down in Charleston recently for a series of performances during the Piccolo Spoleto Festival.  We did a send-out concert at the beautiful Mepkin Abbey, a place rich with musical history.  The leading monk there was a career organist and pianist before turning to monastery life.  On the way back to our cars, we walked down the pathway lined with live oak trees. One of us commented on how quiet such a life would be.  No technology, no connection to the outside world — just the work.  Folks go on meditation retreats to have this great escape.  A place to reset, a haven.  In the life of an artist, we rarely get the chance.

When I woke up today, I opened my window out to the Dordogne hills.  Other than the birds singing, the occasional distant car driving down the country road, and the voices of the 10-12 singers that have come here to the chateau, it’s just us.  There is still the intensity of learning all the new repertoire, but the hassle is gone.  Food is provided, we don’t have to go anywhere (only to go for morning jogs next to the cow pastures...)  It is a retreat, and there is nothing but the language, the music, and the landscape.  

M
June 6, 2018

Sitting down with John Hunter, Chairman of the Board

Maria Miller, Development Coordinator for Classic Lyric Arts, Inc. sits down with John Hunter, Chairman of the Board, to discuss his CLA experience.

MM:  How did you become involved with CLA?

JH:  A few years back, Glenn Morton, the artistic director for CLA, asked me to attend a planning session in the home of one of our board members. I agreed based on the wonderful experience my daughter had at CLA. I thought it would be a good thing to lend my support and experience in strategic planning for the private sector.

MM:  What has been most gratifying about being involved with this program?

JH:  Indeed the most gratifying thing has been to watch CLA grow as an organization and influence the artists who attend our programs. When I see artists developing careers in opera who are able to discuss how their time in France or Italy changed the trajectory of their work, it’s really exciting.  I think the focus on language and culture is an important differentiator for CLA. The native instructors who specialize in the understanding of certain composers and what their intent was for each word that is expressed is truly unique. More importantly, for the artist who has not been brought up in the countries where opera began, the opportunity to understand the culture and language at a deeper level is unique and invaluable.

MM:  Any favorite moments?

JH:  I’m always excited to hear the artists perform during the November CLA gala. Last year's gala, in particular, was very exciting because of the diversity of the group and the way in which the voices combined to present a deeply moving performance.

MM:  Ten years have flown by.  What’s ahead?

JH:  I think we’ll provide CLA with a platform to increase its visibility in the USA with opera lovers and young artists. Increasing performance opportunities in the states and exposing others to CLA through master classes given by our wonderful instructors will be a couple of ways we’ll achieve this.  We will put a strong emphasis on increasing our funding for deserving artists to attend the programs in Italy and France.