Students stream into my studio, some with trepidation for their first lesson, others with the weight of the world on their shoulders looking forward to removing it for at least an hour, some with a determination to show me they finally have their high notes placed right.
“Was that me? Was that me?” she exclaimed after having sung her high note that “raised the rafters”. The thrill of feeling that, doing that, after much practice, is incredibly exhilarating for both the student and me, and probably more for me, who gets to live vicariously that first time again, renewing my own passion for what goes into the art.
“What you do is a rarity” I’ve been told. If this is “rare”, then I wish it weren’t, because this is what’s needed now more than ever in our global world besot with problems. The arts help us understand what life is all about, to see the beauty, the truth and non truths, to feel emotions completely, passionately, to be sensitive to the emotions of others, to understand the universal joys and pains of man in the hope that understanding brings a better world. I have felt all this, but, perhaps, best of all, I have been given the gift of helping others do so, to be transported through the beauty of sound and poetry.
Few understand to what depths we aspire and what goes into it. A friend found it fascinating to see the details behind the scenes and the dreams associated with high stress auditions of the Metropolitan Opera. He began to understand the skill and work required to perform at a high level. Yet, sometimes we feel we’re singing for the rare discerning few, that only they and we, ourselves, know when we’re really in the groove.
The concert pianist, exhausted from yet another concert on his tour, is later numbly watching the soap suds overflow from the washing machine, thinking “Is this the exciting life of the performing artist?” Most outstanding musicians aren’t famous and wealthy enough to have an entourage of helpers and doctors gathered around them. They’re often walking dogs to make money in between having leads in Broadway shows. Many, wealthy or famous, or not, are often a mere commodity in the highly competitive marketing industry.
An elderly, seemingly impoverished, potter approached me in New Mexico, hoping I’d purchase some of her creations. After conversing for a while, she looked at me sadly and asked, “Why did we ever become artists?” I responded kindly, because that is who we are.”
So, what is it all about? For whom are we singing? – and singing so well?
It’s the ART. Quite simply, we are doing our art.
Prose previously published on JBStillwater.com
Rita Mosiman, performing solo artist, vocal coach and accompanist, winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in Arizona, guest solo artist at Whitworth College, Spokane, Washington, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Arizona Symphony.
Rita can now add author to her already impressive portfolio with the release of her new book Serenity and Beauty. In case you missed it check out Rita’s interview with me here.
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