Caramoor was the perfect last stop on my summer tour! New York City was gorgeous and it was quite a thrill to have such a stunning rehearsal space for the seminar. I found it quite impressive that Caramoor chooses to rehearse right in the heart of it all at the New 42nd Street Studios. That makes it very easy for those commuting from Brooklyn or New Jersey over the summer and we had myriad choices for lunch.

Our seminar was scheduled shortly after the Caramoor season had ended. I was a bit worried that energy would be low, but it was quite the contrary result. It seemed that the singers were able to really focus in deeply on their action plans because they were already at a transition point. They were not entrenched in the stress of having to constantly prove themselves and compete. They were relaxed, jovial and ready to share.

Some of the action items that came out of this session were particularly well thought-out. I have only included three examples, but most of the items shared were succinct, actionable and measurable… all of the things we look for in a good game plan. Some of them included:

• Journal my auditions (how it went, what I sang, etc.)
• Consistently track and refine my goals
• Get a system to never miss deadlines

Believe it or not, I didn’t pay anyone to say these things! They are so simple and clear, yet they will make huge differences in how these singers run their businesses. Bravo Caramoor!

One of the biggest reason that this seminar was such a success, was that Caramoor’s Head Coach and Assistant Conductor Rachelle Jonck actively participated in the seminar. She was able to lend her unique perspective and help reinforce some of the key principles of the workshop.

In fact, her contribution was so valuable that it caused me consider how I can add this type of industry input to future seminars. I’m not sure Rachelle can take time from her busy coaching schedule (contact her about her coaching services on the Upper West Side in Manhattan) to travel around the country with me. But maybe through the marvels of modern technology …

I have begun setting up video chat interviews with my friends singing regularly at A-level houses. From these interviews, I will extract video clips to be used in the seminars.

I may also be able to offer live video chat with some of these singers during future seminars. How great would that be? These professional singers would love to “give back”, to teach young singers, but there is just no time. But maybe they can block out fifteen minutes from their hotel room in Berlin to call in to my seminar. Early response from my singer-friends has been overwhelmingly positive.

More to come on this topic to be sure!