Idit Arad

Being fond Socrates, I believe in asking questions, and that asking the right questions is far more important and complex then finding the right answers. I believe if you arrive at the right questions the answers are come fairly easily! :)

I therefore put down some general rules of researching a theatre piece, be it opera, a musical or a play. At the bottom I added a few general rules for working on stage, in the hope they will be useful for some talented actors and singers.

Research in your passport the world of musical and theatrical imagination

Concentrate on useful -not useless research - don’t confuse heritage with history. What do you think the difference is?
What social and historical background did the composer/playwright come from?
Where did his world come from and what was his position in it?
Why did he choose/write this particular piece?
In that context – where does the social background of your character stand?
When was the piece written and for what sort of audience?
What were the external influences on the composer?
What in your opinion is the most important thing you discovered about your piece?
Read a good biography of your composer/playwright.
When performing always be clear where you are, and what is your personal/secret motivation.
Show through the musical language/vocal intunation what is your secret motivation, staying as still as possible.
Always be clear on aspects of the musical linguistic era you are working on, and the clues in each individual piece spark your own imagination
Your relationship with your pianist is much like two actors on stage. Never treat him as a side salad!
Play from moment to moment
Don’t ever be afraid to think and feel!
Working on stage – general rules

Make it your own and don’t go for a stereotype.
Find out how your character fights through its obstacle course in the piece/play order to achieve its want/objective.
Play from moment to moment.
Does the audience identify with you or not? Clues are in orchestration in the case of an opera/musical, and in a play – the subtext.
Hopefully this has sparked someone’s imagination! Enjoy!!!!

As renowned singing teacher Vera Rózsa used to say, a great singing teacher needs not be a famous singer. But she or he needs to have trodden the boards of a real theatre. She/he needs to have had the experience and understanding of the demands the profession make upon a singer, in order to give to their students what they need.

A true teacher needs to love people, to be interested in helping people, to have been a musician – not only a singer, i.e. to have played a musical instrument.

To have knowledge of languages, styles, and not only the styles that suit them. They need to have great physical understanding of the voice.

To know and be interested how another person’s body, mind and talent work. And they need to be able to exercise good judgment on what and when to say what it is they think.

One does not become a good teacher in a day, or only by knowing the theory of how teaching works.

One needs lots of experience of teaching before one can be good at it, and one needs to observe how first class professionals of experience teach.

I would like to wholeheartedly recommend one of my favourite books about music of all time - "Music, closed societies and football" Hans Keller.

Hans Heinrich Keller (11 March 1919 - 6 November 1985) was an Austrian-born British writer and musician who made significant contributions to musicology and music criticism, as well as writing articles of great insight in fields such as psychoanalysis and football. In his later years he invented the method of "wordless functional analysis", in which a piece of music is analysed by musical sound alone, without words being read or heard.

A prominent figure of the "contemporary music" scene (He also worked for several years as assistant chief in the Department of Contemporary Music of the BBC), he had close personal and professional relationships with many composers, and several dedicated works to him, such as Benjamin Britten, Benjamin Frankel, Philip Grange, David Matthews, Jan Northcott, Buxton Orr, Robert Simpson, Robert Matthew Walker, Judith Bingham and Israeli composer Josef Tal.

This book, written in 1975 speaks of what he held most dear – a man’s ability to be himself and the dangers created by society that threatens to rob a person's ability to be such. Keller was a man who saw the music not only in itself but as a part of social process.

This book is a most interesting mix of aesthetic and social analysis.

In the first chapter he talks about his experiences as a young Jew in occupied Austria, The second deals with psychoanalysis (this is to say traditional psychoanalysis) in which Keller saw a great danger to the individual's ability to develop, the third is all about music and music criticism, and the last but not least is about football. He was a big fan of the game and had interesting ideas of how the game changed its character over time.

I would like to leave you here with my favourite part of the introduction to the book written by the man himself.

“Thinkers of the world, disunite!

Art is not a game, though many would make it one. All game-playing (or watching) is regression - and welcome regression at that, so long as one doesn't confuse it with art or life. Sleep and dreams are regressions too, and welcome on precisely the same terms. what commands our attention in the context of this book is that even on the game playing level, which can be relaxing as it is regressive, and where individualism used to flower in, and lend strength and efficiency to team sports, frightened, safe-playing collectively and forcible de-individualisation have gained the upper hand. Our age has given up the will to win, and our dreams settle on not losing – which, we feel, can best be done collectively (in numbers) first. But unless we regain the power to think and feel for ourselves, in all intellectual and emotional situations, and unless we show total respect of that power in other people, and total contempt for all attempts at conversion, we are going to lose anyhow- transitively: we shall lose the dignity of being human, a loss which is never notices when it happens.

Hans Keller, from the introduction to “Music, closed societies and football!

"Singers divide into two kinds – those who love music
and those who love their voice”

Vera Rózsa OBE
In May of this year it was my beloved teacher Vera Rózsa’s 100th birthday, would she have still been amongst us. Vera was born on the 16th of May 1914.

This brings me back to the time and reason we first met. As a child growing up in the house of a dedicated and conscientious music teacher, from the very beginning of my life I was made a part of my mother’s quest to become the best teacher she could. I was taken to all the master classes available of the great musicians and teachers who came to visit the Jerusalem music centre (personalities such as Isaac Stern, Schanabel junior, Murizio Pollini, Murray Perahia, Leonard Bernstein, Mastislav Rostropovich to name but a few). The questions on my mother’s lips were always – ‘What do you think made what this teacher said enlightening for the student? How did he help them play better? What is the difference between what he said to one student and another about the same piece? Why did he do that?’.... And many more such questions, which made me aware of the responsibility, dedication, and mastery that makes a teacher great.

Later on I took part in such Master classes, first as a cellist and then as a singer. This is how I met my wonderful teacher of 20 years and great inspiration, Vera Rózsa. By that time I was 17, and I knew with every fibre of my being I was watching not only a great teacher in action, but a truly great artist and person. I asked to come see her in London and she agreed. The only thing on my mind my mother and I were walking up from the tube to Vera’s house (a 20 min walk) was ‘I must convince this wonderful woman to teach me’.

Once I was in her studio my first words to her were – ‘I am not here because you are famous. I am here because you a good teacher’. To her credit it should be said she did not hold this direct approach and daring against me. She simply smiled and her beautiful green eyes sparkled. In her inimitable style she asks ‘now darling, why do you think I am good?’ As I got her up to show her what I meant, I could see how impressed she was a young person of 17 could actually explain to her what makes a good teacher. She took me on and the rest, as they say, is history.

Vera Rózsa was the teacher of such singers as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sarah Walker, Ileana Cotrubas, Karita Mattila, Dorothea Röschmann, Tom Krause, Ann Sofie von Otter and Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Anne Howells, Jonathan Lamalu, amongst many, many others. She has given master classes in Israel, France, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Finland, the USA, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. She was also a judge in many international singing competitions, including Cardiff, the Queen Elizabeth in Brussels, Athens, and a competition established in her honour in Jerusalem. I had also the great fortune of considering her not only as my mentor, but also as a friend, and of many conversations and evenings spent talking about music and teaching. She was an endless fountain of knowledge. She has also taken me with her to several Masterclasses where I was able to watch her work with different students. I thus had the opportunity to ask many valuable questions about teaching a variety of voices and talents. The large part of what I know of singing and teaching singing - without a doubt - I owe to this great lady. Vera was not only a singer and singing teacher; she was also a great musician. a first class pianist with perfect pitch, she studied composition with Kodaly who was a great personal friend of hers. Before a tragic illness stopped her operatic career she was a soloist in the Vienna Oper and performed with such great artists as Josef Fritz and George London (She was Cherubino to his Count). Apart from anything else, Vera being a Hungarian Jew and a young woman during the Second World War worked with Raul Wallenberg at the Swedish embassy in Budapest and has helped save many people’s lives.

I invite you to watch this fascinating documentary about her life in which many of her beloved students speak of her, and which she speaks of her own life. All who knew her well will always remember her with a smile, a tear, and great love.

May god rest her soul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnkant0rKz8

Documentary about the life and teachings of Vera Rózsa OBE

Auditions are the most stressful part of one’s job as a singer, especially when one is starting out and is not so confident or experienced. I therefore thought it might be worthwhile to put some general information about it here, and a little advice, in the hope some singers will find it useful!

Some things to remember

Everybody hates auditions: The people on the audition panel would probably prefer to be elsewhere as well. Your audition will last from 10-15 minutes or so. They have to sit all day, sometimes for several consecutive days, listening and watching a new performer every 15 minutes. They have to stay alert so they can listen and watch well, and chose the best singers possible out of ten’s sometimes hundreds of candidates.

There are two kinds of auditions
General auditions: the larger production companies hold such auditions regularly to see performers that might be useful for future productions. They will be attended by representatives from the acting, music and dance staff, the casting director and the company general manager.

Auditions for specific roles: These are held by opera companies of all sizes, and the director, conductor, choreographer (if needed) and designer of that specific show will be there.

No audition is forever. Just aim to do the best you can at that time on that day.

When booking an audition time - times to avoid if possible:

Before 10am. Panel members have just arrived and may not be concentrating. Some might be even late.

Between 2pm and 3pm. It’s just after lunch and they realised they are only half way through the list and be therefore impatient.

After 5pm. They are tired, bored and want to get it all over with.

Preparing for your audition

Choosing an audition piece:

Choose something you know you can do well, which can show off your abilities and range to your best advantage.

Some great arias make bad audition pieces – They begin on an emotional high and get more and more intense. It is hard to get to this level from cold in an audition.

Choose a piece that shows a character developing emotionally during the course of the aria. Play the conflict all the way through.

It shouldn’t be too long. The shorter the better!

Never do a song from an opera if you don’t know the story of it. You don’t have to learn the part, but you must know why the character sings that aria at that point in the drama.

Novelty: The audition panel will have to sit through many arias from the same operas. You may get extra attention if you give them a little thrill and choose something less familiar but as good. Have a good look with your singing teacher through some anthologies and see if there is such an aria that will suit you.

Preparing an aria:

Make up in your head the story of the aria in your own words. Keep asking yourself questions like:

“Who am I singing to?”
“Who am I singing about”
“Where am I?”
“Why do I say that?”
“Why do I do that?”
“Why do I make that decision?”
“What do I want?”
“Why am I here?”
“How did I get here?”
“When did I get here?”

Or any questions you can make with the WH question words.

Usually the answers are in the text/or the music. Listen to the orchestration of the aria, not just the piano version. The aria is more than just your vocal line. The music gives you clues for you characterisation.

Look out for the dynamics: they are acting instructions from the composer.

As a dramatic artist your task is to tell a story: who and what it is about, how your character changes in the course of the scene you are playing out.

Make sure you have available good quality publicity photographs and up-to-date Curriculum vitae.

On the day

To get the best out of you audition time:

Take command of the space. For the time you are there it belongs to you. Do not behave as if the space belongs to the panel. It does not.

Stand with you feet directly under your shoulders.

Breathe slowly.

Take your time. This is your time. Don’t behave as if the time belongs to the panel.

From the moment you start, aim to tell these poor bored folk trapped in that room a really exciting story: the story in your aria.

Don’t eye ball the panel – have your reference point above their heads. If there are “other characters” with you in the scene, place them down stage to you not by you or next to you.

Singing is about one simple concept – communication. The audition panel is only interested in “what comes across the footlights”. The panel is looking to see what you communicate when you first walk into the audition room or on to the stage – assuredness and generosity of character. In other words, if you can cope and enjoy you auditions, there is a good chance you will be a friendly and reliable company member.

And finally:

When you come out of an audition, do try to forget it for an hour. Then, make your own audition notes on your performance: what worked, what you want to do better next time, what a panel member said. Make a sound and useful critique of your performance and........

Do not punish yourself! There is always another audition and the only way to learn how to do them well is experience!

Good Luck!

Idit Arad is professional singing teacher and international opera singer.

Idit operatic career and teaching experience span over more than 20 years in London, Paris and Madrid.

Idit taught many professional/amateur singers, dancers and actors over the last 20 years in London, Paris and Madrid, and the founder and ex-artistic director of the Madrid Opera Studio.

She herself has been a student of Vera Rozsa OBE for 20 years, teacher of such singers as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sarah Walker, Sir Thomas Allan, Jonathan Lamalu amongst many.

Idit have released a solo CD with Meridian Records and performed with many Opera companies and Orchestras and given recitals in the UK, Spain, France, Israel and the US.

recommendation by Michael Pollock: “For many years I have admired Idit as both a singer and a teacher of singing: she brings to all her music making a lively professionalism and integrity, coupled with the gift of communication which inspires others to aspire to the same high standards. I have witnessed her in action as a teacher and have seen how quickly she can achieve positive results with committed students by pinpointing the specific areas of development relevant to each individual singer – the singers themselves are frequently surprised at the speed of their progress under Idit’s tuition. I enthusiastically recommend Idit as an exceptional teacher who commands international respect.”