I’M NOT SURE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A BIG FAMOUS SOLOIST, BUT I COULDN’T GIVE UP SINGING.
WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

 

Singing is not something you choose to do. Singing chooses you. Singing is a lifestyle, not a career. If you are passionate about it and can't live without it, you'll find a way to make it a regular part of your life.

 

Who said we all have to be big stars at the Met in order to be successful working singers? There are plenty of professionals out there who work constantly and never make it above the regional level. Choristers in major opera houses make good money, have job stability and benefits, and still are able to pursue solo careers elsewhere. Most professional musicians do 4 or 5 different jobs simultaneously --- perform as soloists in opera or concert, direct a church music program, teach privately or in a school, participate in smaller ensembles.

 

Many people are very happy with local careers. One woman I went to school with works constantly with various festivals and concert venues and has made numerous recordings. She specializes in new music --- a niche she discovered and developed for herself. A conductor I work with regularly started out as a singer and had a Fest contract in Germany for many years. Now he conducts all over town with his own ensembles and as a guest; he directs one of the city’s largest church music programs, and sings 4-5 concert/oratorio gigs a year all over the country. I would call both of these people highly successful professional musicians. You can do that too, or you can go for the big time, or any combination of the two. It’s up to you to decide what kind of career will make you happy.

 

But if you come to a point where you realize you don't want the professional singing lifestyle, there is no shame and no failure involved in choosing something else. People change and so do goals. Singing can still be an important part of your life, even if it's not what you do for a living. My college roommate, an extremely talented singer with some major professional credits, decided 2-3 years ago that she was tired of pursuing the big solo career. She is perfectly happy singing in her church choir, and singing in several professional choruses (both opera and concert) that occasionally offer solo opportunities. She’s performing quite a lot, she still identifies herself primarily as a singer, and that’s what’s important to her.