Studio Class

“Divas, I want you to do your own SWOT analysis today: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. - What are my most unique skills? - Where am I less skilled? Can I become more skilled in this area with more/better information? Or, should I abstain from this area? - Where is there space for me to be more visible? Where is there space for me to really distinguish myself? - What are the internal...

“I really want you to think about how you are putting yourself out there for the work you want to do. How are you communicating your offers? Let’s go through the list one more time: attracting and connecting with your ideal clients, being clear about what your signature service is, sharing the outcomes and results that people can expect from working with you, having a clear portfolio of previous w...

“Having an email list can be a really important tool in your toolbox for communicating with potential commissioners, clients, collaborators, students, fans, or whoever you’re trying to reach to share your offers. Just get started. Let it grow over time. The next step I want to talk about is ‘have a lead magnet.’ A lead magnet is basically a freebie they get when they give you their contact informa...

“So, your micro-action for today is just… pitch somebody. It’s your responsibility to show up in front of the colleagues, collaborators, and commissioners you want to attract. Make a plan to pitch somebody and then take responsibility for showing up in front of the people who can make it happen for you.” Hear about this and more in today's Micro Action Monday episode with Megan Ihnen. Do you like...

"Use this as a template for asking better and deeper questions. Use this as a template for listening without defensiveness - because you really do want to actually hear the answers that people will give you. Recognize that you’re growing by taking an interest in their inner world. You’re saying, “I care. I want to keep working together so I’m going to invest in these deeper than surface level ques...

People want to be sure they're making a good choice in hiring you, buying from you, or commissioning you. Customer objections are the concerns that a potential client, commissioner, presenter, or director has which cause them to hesitate (at best) and abandon (at worst) a project or contract with you. This Micro Action Monday episode explores some of the ways that you can think through customer ob...

“Divas, if you are on social media, I want you to recognize the powerful tool that it is and avoid the mindless scrolling and self comparison trap that can come with it. Social is an incredibly powerful tool, but it can also be a very negative experience. Here’s one way to use social, especially Instagram, to use it for your best self - for your best life.” Do you like these micro action episodes?...

“Make a list: these are all of the things I’m actively engaged in that are not urgent and not important. Then, practice letting them go. You might be convincing yourself that they are urgent or that they are important. That is sabotaging what you really want to do with that time. I don’t want you to hear me saying that you should be a “creative business robot” - that’s not what the Eisenhower Matr...

As creative professionals, having your own KPIs (key performance indicators) can be the difference between wild insecurity/uncertainty and feeling like you’re on your own path - you’re in your lane. I promise you that having these things will level out some of those ups and downs we feel because you’ll feel like you’re doing your work . Not somebody else’s work. Not somebody else’s dream. Your dre...

Megan discusses how you can think about building a board of directors for your creative career and why you’ll want to set up meetings with your board members today! Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too. Check it out here: https://sybariticsinger.com/category/29-days-to-diva/ My gratitude goes out to Juanitos and Scott...

Before you even start your content strategy, "What's the overall thing that I'm an expert at? And, what does my community care about? What do they want to know more about?" That and more in this Micro Action Monday episode. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too. Check it out here: https://sybariticsinger.com/category/29...

Grammy™ nominated soprano Laura Strickling was praised by The New York Times for her, “flexible voice, crystalline diction, and warm presence.” Celebrated for her work on the concert and recital stage, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, National Sawdust, Trinity Church on Wall Street, Washington National Cathedral, Tanglewood Music Festival...

“If this, then that… Right? What kinds of things do you want? What are your biggest goals? Then, what kinds of ‘if this, then that’ statements can you set up so that they’re helping you get closer to it? This is such a core ‘micro action activity’! It’s just these little things in which you set up cause and effect statements for yourself.” Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably l...

"You don’t have to have the career you thought you were gonna have when you were 18. You don’t have to have the career where you perform at La Scala by 28 and if you don’t then it’s a failure. You are creating the career that YOU want to have. If your career leads you to directing, producing, teaching, being a creative person in multiple modalities, you have not failed yourself or anyone else. I a...

“It’s such a powerful relationship [between a voice coach, acting coach, or business coach and you.] They can really help you feel so much more prepared. Going into auditions or performances, you’ll know that you’ve worked this out. I really want you to work with someone who is going to give you that unyielding feedback. That means that you have someone on your team that is invested in your succes...

Ariana Wehr , is a Brazilian-born soprano who has sung traditional operatic roles as well as contemporary repertoire. She has performed with Washington National Opera, Opera in the Heights, Brava Opera Theater, Naples Philharmonic, Opera Louisiane, and more. Ariana debuted the roles of Girlfriend #1/Nurse/Congregant in Blue at The 2019 Glimmerglass Festival and will reprise the roles at Washington...

“These types of programs can be very powerful for that kind of learning, growing, challenge, and change. YAPs help you focus on your craft, technique, acting, being on stage in general, business of music, language study, diction - so many things. It’s an incubator of that experience. If you’re trying to really amp up specific aspects of your skills a program can be a great way to do that. It’s thi...

"I want to be known for impact and known for transformation. I can’t stay in that burned out place and I don’t want you to stay there either. So, let’s commit to the big vision. Let’s commit to each other. Let’s commit to breaking down those big visions into really important tasks and not just busy work. Divas, I love you so much. If you are in that burned out place, if you are in that dark cloud...

We always talk about micro actions on this podcast which is about chunking something down so it’s really manageable. Then, you can have this much larger experience - this really wonderful experience - of being able to converse in a language, or understand a language, or perform your best because you have this understanding. So, get in there and chunk this down. Ask yourself, “How am I going to tur...

"Divas, in what ways are you going to be a self-compassionate singer? In what ways are you going to be more kind and empathetic and aware and understanding with the people that mean the most to you in your life? Be in a forgiveness practice and be in empathy with yourself today and let that transform your own self-worth. I promise you that work will not go to waste. I promise you that work will be...

Flow is often described as a mental state in which people experience complete immersion and involvement in an activity. Things seem to happen almost effortlessly and time seems to disappear while in this state. Your micro action for today is to give yourself the gift of time to achieve this state of being. You'll be happy you did! Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 2...

Megan welcomes vocalist/composer Odeya Nini to give this Masterclass episode of the Studio Class podcast. They talk about Odeya's deep understanding of embodiment and physicalizing sound, unraveling habits that the body stores, the importance of being in our imagination/visualization when doing voicework, and so much more. Odeya Nini is a Los Angeles based experimental vocalist and contemporary co...

"Your micro action for today is to make a commitment to accountability. It is to make a commitment to self discipline. Remember that self discipline tends to look like those small, boring, unsexy tasks. But, through that, you reach a freedom of being able to do what you want to do - being able to do what you said you were going to do." Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like...

While enjoying a busy professional singing career performing lead roles with such opera companies as Deutsche Oper Berlin, Baltimore Opera, Teatro Grattacielo, Nashville Opera, Sarasota Opera, Baltimore Concert Opera, Opera Maryland and others, soprano Francesca Mondanaro found her way into teaching as her own colleagues began asking for lessons. It was a natural fit after having studied vocal ped...

In advance of our New Music Gathering 2021 panel on Money Mindset, I've invited my friends and colleagues to do a Masterclass episode where we talk about all things money mindset. Allyssa Jones, Ashley Shabankareh, and Sara Noble shared tons of tips, tools, and insights inside this episode. I hope you'll listen and share widely! Do you like these Masterclass episodes? You can join the Sybaritic Ca...