What makes a great soprano? A lot more than simply learning to hit the right note! It requires a great deal of hard work and sacrifice, but the journey to your bow and receiving the applause from your audience is so rewarding. As a classical soprano, there is nothing quite like successfully executing a piece like Mozart's Queen of the Night. Your goal should not only be to give the audience goosebumps, but touch your own heart as well.

Joyce DiDonato discusses, not only the "how to" of singing, but the true meaning of being a singer. Covering the importance of both hard-work and finding the enjoyment in the art of singing, she shares her experience as an acclaimed mezzo-soprano with the students at The Julliard School. Art, in her opinion, is about immersing yourself in your craft, and seeking the strength within to allow yourself to create in a peaceful, loving headspace. Art isn't about being perfect and judging yourself up for your mistakes while growing. Life is art, and it is meant to be enjoyed. My philosophy is that art has to come from an honest place and should never be manipulative or contrived.

On That Note: What does it mean to “connect” with a song, or piece of music?

I know that you’ve been sitting on the edge of your seats waiting for the second
installment in this dialog…and here it is!

What does it mean to “connect” with a song, or piece of music?

Start with what is on the page.

Some singers start with the music, some with the text. I am a text person, however,
I will allow room for personal preference. If you choose to start with the music,
take note of all the markings and notations of the composer. This is the first step
in interpreting the intentions of the composer. Depending on your level of musical
proficiency, the score will offer great insight in terms of chord structure, mood
(based on major or minor keys), and reoccurring themes and motifs.

If you choose to start with the text, the obvious place to begin is to determine what
the librettist is trying to convey. In the case of an aria or musical theater piece, you
have to understand who the character is, what their intention is in the piece,
and what lead them to that intent. Even in Jazz and Popular music, the singer has to
understand the “story” and/or “intention” of a song. If you don’t know where you
are going, how can you expect an audience to connect with and join you?

I believe that great performances are created “in the moment”. However, an
authentic moment can only come from being fully prepared, and having done the
research that allows you to work from “beat to beat” in both the text and in the
music.

I believe that the same holds true for great dance performances. There is so much
more to dance than doing steps and moving to the music. Understanding the style
and era from which the music is drawn, again, provides a point of reference. The
same holds true of characterization, and the ability to connect with the music and
how it influences the way in which the story is being told.

Great artists have the ability to make countless hours of research and rehearsal look
effortless and immediate every time. That is the magic and the mystery of “being in
the moment”. And…On That Note…

I bid you Toi, Toi, Toi, till next time,

J. Rosalynn Smith-Clark

For me, the greatest moment in Opera of all time.  A "must watch" to the very end.

Kind Words from the Consul General of Italy

Last week I had the pleasure of performing for the Consul General of Italy and his guests at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura. It was a wonderful evening, filled with great entertainment and lovely people. And, most exciting for me, my mother was able to fly in from the East Coast to attend, and spend some quality time with the family. I will be sure to post more pictures shortly.

In the meantime, check out the shot that @MauroBattocchi posted following the event!

"Relishing in the afterglow of an impeccable aria. J Rosalynn Smith-Clark at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura."
Read more at http://twitter.yfrog.com/h379yixj#vUqWlz4j8cEfj542.99