I have a few more bits to add …

When I was in graduate school, I had a writing professor remark that “there is a publication for every poem; it’s simply a matter of finding the publication that wants YOUR poem.”

Similarly, I recently entered a competition for Scottish Fiddle Music, and although I did poorly (as I expected), I learned a great deal from the whole experience. I particularly liked the judge’s comments; he began the entire competition by saying (in a broad Scots accent), “don’t let any of the competition results get your goat. No matter what happens today, all it really means is that on this day, given these circumstances, and this particular collection of fiddlers, this is how one particular judge viewed your performance. On another day, with another judge, who knows how it would play out?”

With this in mind, I totally plan to continue competing. These events are really more about building community than deciding who’s best. And, I already play professionally to an audience who enjoys what I do, so winning any competition is more of a personal achievement than anything else …

And I totally second Chris’s comments above: create your own performing opportunities. Being a musician is like being self-employed. You can’t sit around and wait for work to come to you.

Good luck everyone!

On the one hand, there is the “Keep on trying!” You can do it!” approach, which doesn’t ring true most of the time with professional singers. On the other hand, I liken the audition scene to telemarketing–if you’re successful 5% of the time, you’re actually doing rather well.

The most constructive advice I have for singers in this situation is to motivate them to create their own performing opportunities and projects and work to expand the breadth of the arts scene, rather than trying to fit into a pre-existing mould.