Boston Singers' Resource News Bulletin, February 18 , 2004

A leader in the fields of self-promotion and personal discipline, local star soprano, Patrice Tiedemann, talks with BSR about her marketing strategies and gives advice to anyone seeking to do the same.

PATRICE TIEDEMANN BIOGRAPHY

A versatile singer in the fields of operetta, opera and oratorio, soprano Patrice Tiedemann has appeared with Cape Cod Opera, as "Hanna" in THE MERRY WIDOW and most recently as "Rosalinda" in DIE FLEDERMAUS (where she was praised by the Cape Cod Times for "superb singing and stylish acting"). She is a graduate of the Indiana University Master’s Degree Program in Voice, where she sang several roles including the title role in AGRIPPINA and the "First Lady" in THE MAGIC FLUTE. She continued her education as an apprentice artist with the Indianapolis Opera, making her professional debut as "Emilia" in OTELLO, and at Central City Opera, where she performed the role of "Cio-Cio San" in the apprentice performance of MADAMA BUTTERFLY. Other performances include appearances with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boston Academy of Music, Masterworks Chorale, Boston Vocal Artists, Handel Society of Dartmouth College, Paul Madore Chorale, Andover Choral Society, and the New Bedford Symphony. Future engagements include appearances with the Ocean State Chamber Orchestra, Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, Intermezzo Chamber Opera, and a performance of Barber’s KNOXVILLE SUMMER OF 1915 with the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Tiedemann has also been a prize winner in several competitions, most notably the Connecticut Opera, Palm Beach Opera, and Florida Grand Opera competitions, and as a Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Indiana District Encouragement Award winner and New England Regional semifinalist. She also recently was awarded the second prize in the National Federation of Music Clubs Biennial Young Artist Competition, named a semifinalist in the Concert Artists Guild Competition, and a winner of an Astral Career Grant from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

 

LS: Patrice, I've always been impressed by your ability to network and find singing opportunities so readily. I remember when I first met you, you said that one of the things you do is to check the BSR and Classical Singer message boards every morning and act immediately if there is a good opportunity. Can you tell us more about your marketing and research routines?

PT: The business has become very competitive, especially for women, as there always seems to be 15 of us for every male singer. If you wait for the phone to ring, you are going to be waiting forever! I make a commitment to do something every single day for my career-a phone call, emails to ferret out possible auditions, sending out press packets to those that have requested them, although now my agent does most of that portion of my promotion. Next, I am having some concerts that I am singing with orchestra professionally recorded, so I have some sound bites for the manager's website, as well as to send in my promotional packets.

The computer has been a great tool in self promotion. Two seasons ago, I looked at my resume, and realized that I had barely any oratorio experience at all. So, I learned a bunch of oratorio rep that was suitable for me, and went to the Choralnet website, Greater Boston Choral Consortium, ACDA, and other websites that listed chorales in the New England area, and looked at the groups that tended to hire their soloists. (Note: look at the level of groups you target-don't call the BSO if you just got out of grad school!) I emailed over 50 chorales, and asked if I could send my materials to them and/or when were they going to have their next round of auditions. Some ignored me, others said send the materials, and some said "no thanks-we are all set" right at that point! C'est la vie! So, I sent out packets to the ones that requested materials, and followed up later. I also did a few summer sings to meet some conductors, and that turned into several paid gigs. Last summer, I decided I also needed to learn more orchestral rep, so I started digging into things that I could possibly get hired for, and started emailing a few orchestras and conductors that might be interested. I have had a few auditions so far, and hopefully more to come.

I am also starting to use networking to increase my visibility. This business is a very small world, and many administrators/conductors/stage directors know each other well. If I feel that I have a receptive relationship with someone, I may ask if they would mind making a phone call or writing a letter on my behalf to someone I am trying to audition for. Getting hired sometimes comes in a roundabout way. Case in point, I saw an ad for a conductor requesting submissions for a possible recording that he wanted to do. So, I sent my materials. The recording got delayed, but he offered me a gig singing with an orchestra he conducts, and I intend to set up auditions for other organizations during my time in Virginia.


LS: Now that you are working with Octave Artists Management - how has your self-promtion work changed?

PT: Well, management is a funny thing. You sing the same way you did when you weren't managed, but people view you as somehow better or more qualified now that "managed" is tacked onto your resume. It offers me more validation as a serious singer, especially when I am cold calling chorales and orchestras for auditions. It also takes a lot of the pressure off of me to mail press packets out and schedule auditions, but on the flipside, I have had to adjust my monthly budget in order to pay my managerial expenses, which include a retainer, a share of the yearly Musical America ad, and commissions when Bob negotiates a contract for me. Another perk is that he often attends auditions, and sits in the room with you, so he gives you his comments afterwards, as well trying to get the company will give him their impressions of you, which they would be reluctant to do directly to the singer.

LS: Has Octave brought you any new opportunities?

PT: Well, being with Octave has aided in getting auditions that previously were closed off to me, since Bob has access to audition notices that are sent only to the managers. This fall, I had 6 auditions for mainstage work, which is decent for my first year as a managed singer, and in this economic climate. He always tells me "This business is a marathon, not a sprint", so auditions that I did in December may not bring work for me for another 2 years! However, we are working on a call back for a regional company that has asked to hear me again in specific repertoire, so I may have to travel to their home base to sing for them, rather than going back to New York.

Even though he does most of my auditions scheduling, I do subscribe to several online services that have job boards, plus sometimes I hear about things through the grapevine. Unfortunately, there is less and less paid (more than $500) work advertised on the boards because companies get inundated with a slew of resumes from young singers that are not fach or experience appropriate for what they are casting. So, now many only deal with managers to schedule auditions, and I had to get a manager to stay in the loop.

LS: How do you feel about all these new combined auditions(like what BSR does locally) showing up around the country? Heartland, New York International Opera Auditions, West Coast Regional auditions, Classical Singer convention... Are you going to participate in any of these this year?

PT: I think these auditions are a great way for companies to pool their funds and hear more singers than they would if they had to travel to New York and rent a hall. Plus, it is a chance for the singer to get heard by a company that might not have been at their target level (i.e. a C house level singer getting heard by an A level house that happened to be there). At this point in time, I anticipate that I will be taking part in the BSR auditions in March, and the West Coast auditions and the Heartland audition(Ohio) which are both in May. As for the NYIOPS, Bob and I have talked about them, and we decided that it was more prudent for me to put the $380 audition fee plus travel expenses into auditions that might actually lead to real work. I have not heard of many people that were offered European gigs from the NYIOPS-some got call backs that they had to fly to Europe to do. It's too soon to tell if it is a worthwhile investment. As for the CS convention, they are very vague on the particulars of the "big auditions" that they promise, while asking for a lot of money so I'll pass for now.


LS: I see most of your singing background is in the states. Ever do the European circuit? Is it necessary these days?

PT: I have not done the European audition tour yet, but I have tossed the idea around in my head. It is a lot of $$ and times are hard for everyone in the arts right now. However, I do think that European credits gives you some leverage in getting work with American houses, and I certainly wouldn't turn a job down!


LS: I also see that you have done a number of competitions. Were these good experiences?

PT: They have all been good experiences in their own right, for what I learned about performing under pressure, and dealing with various personalities, but I try not to base my chances for a career on them. Some of the comments that I have received in feedback sessions have been worthwhile, but some of them you just have to laugh and toss them out! I have been fortunate to have done well in a few, but I have never won any of them. I went to the finals for the National Federation of Music Clubs this past August in Nashville, and came way with second place, and I was networking like crazy, talking to the various club presidents about hiring me to present recitals in their hometowns. I was also offered an opera job on the spot at another competition that I did not win a thing in, but I had to turn in down because of schedule conflicts.

LS: Did you grow up in New England?

PT: Yes, I have lived here most of my life, except for the 5 years I lived in Indiana while in grad school and working for Indianapolis Opera, and the summer in Colorado. After that, I had nothing lined up, so I came back home. I had no voice teacher, I had no coach, I just practiced my same old material on my own. Consequently, not a lot happened for me. There was a whole year with no gigs. I seriously thought about going to law school, which had always been the alternative plan. Then, I auditioned for Cape Cod Opera, and got the part of "Hanna" in THE MERRY WIDOW. That changed everything. I got some confidence back, started to work with a coach, and got 2 more gigs, one on the recommendation of another singer that I had just worked with. I realized that if I was going to do this, I had to shape up and get in gear. I started to read everything I could about the business of opera, who were the great singers past and present, what were the opera people were doing most often, researching some new arias. Then, another stroke of luck: I was auditioning for Utah Festival Opera, and my pianist had bailed. I saw a man standing in the corridor, and went up to him, and said "you look like a pianist-will you play for me?" He did, we hit it off, and 2 weeks later I was working with him as my coach. I owe a lot to Steve Morris for really turning me around. He continues to be my critical set of ears, and I don't make a move without his advice.

LS: Why do you stay in NE?

PT: I stay here for many reasons, mainly because I am close to NYC without the monstrous rent, and because my family is here. I own a home, I have a great coach, and I have a wonderfully flexible job situation on the Southcoast that allows me the freedom to pick up and go, without sacrificing lucrative singing opportunities. There is a school of thought that says that only the truly serious singers live in NYC, but many of them are temping on Wall Street and scraping by. One of my best singer friends lives in NYC, and she can't wait to go back to live in the South and commute in for auditions.


LS: What would be your ideal singing career, right now? Traveling around the world?

PT: That is the dream. I am committed to this career 100%, and my goal is to make some serious moves up the ladder in the next few years. I'm working hard to keep my technique strong, and learning repertoire that I am suitable for, but being in the right place at the right time is still a factor, and I have to accept the fact that I may never make it beyond the regional circuit.

LS: Any favorite roles/pieces?

PT: I loved doing "Rosalinda" in DIE FLEDERMAUS, because of the humorous side to the character, which satisfies my tendency to be a big ham! Also, doing "Mimi" on an outreach tour back in Indiana was an emotional experience, since it was near the end of a wonderful year working for Indianapolis Opera, and the 5 of us in the Young Artist Program had grown so close. When we were working on the death scene, it was hard not to get choked up. Then, you have grade school kids were crying with you, and it was amazing.

LS: Any pieces/roles you would like to do?

PT: Well, I am a big fan of operetta, and I would love to do big productions of MERRY WIDOW and THE STUDENT PRINCE, again. I also would love to do "Anna Leonowens" in THE KING AND I on the MT side. For the dramatic roles, getting to sing "Tosca" would be wonderful.

LS: Any advice for those emerging grads just starting out?

PT: Networking is really important, and make interpersonal skills part of your package. Schools spend so much time teaching you how to sing, that they just don't have time to teach you how to get work. I used to hope that people would hire me simply because they liked my voice or my acting, but having that connection is so important. All it takes is for someone to recommend you personally to a conductor/stage director/opera board to help you stand out from the crowd. When there are 400 singers vying for 25 spots in a young artist program, you need everything you have to make the cut. Don't underestimate the power of word of mouth (both positive and negative), and view every introduction to every person in this business as vital.

LS: Great advice, Patrice. Thank you so much for sharing your strategies and ideas with us!

“Romantic Classics II”
Saturday, February 21, 7:30 PM
CLAFLIN HILL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Milford Town Hall Grand Ballroom, Milford, MA.
Featuring Patrice Tiedemann*, Soprano; Paul Soper,
Music to include romantic classics from opera and musical theatre.
Ann Danis, Conductor $20-$30 508-478-5924 www.claflinhill.org

For more information on Patrice Tiedemann,
TriciT@aol.com or visit her webpage at:
OCTAVE ARTIST MANAGEMENT: www.octaveartists.com