Studio Class

Your bio is a music business document designed to inspire interest in your product/service. Focus on writing your bios for the decision makers you are trying to collaborate with and impress. The bio is an exercise in writing a beautifully balanced portrait of yourself as a musician. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too...

Your goal is to make your résumé be the best first impression of your skill, training, and your professionalism. 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/ A big thank you to Juanitos for the music featured in this episode. Be on the Studio Class Podca...

Determine your best practice style and then make time for it in your schedule. 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/ A big thank you to Juanitos for the music featured in this episode. Be on the Studio Class Podcast Megan Ihnen is a professional m...

This episode of Studio Class begins with a look at Megan's voice studio policies and her thoughts on teaching a private voice studio. Other topics include: structuring a voice lesson, how to help students formulate their own goals, knowing when you're ready to teach voice students, and much more. Megan references the NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music for Mezzo-Soprano, Vol. 1 in this episode. I...

Thank you to Dr. Jennifer Bellor for inviting Megan Ihnen & Alan Theisen present... to University of Nevada Las Vegas during the 2018-2019 season. During this residency, Megan sat down with a small group of singers in the voice department to have a conversation about "living the singer life." Here is their conversation. If you are interested in bringing Megan and Studio Class to your instituti...

“Make Success Measurable enables you to avoid activity-based goals that can go on indefinitely, and articulate aggressive outcome-based goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.” “This is a how-to book, emphasizing outcomes as opposed to actions in setting goals.” Get the book: ``` Make Success Measurable!: A Mindbook-Workbook for Setting Goals and Taking Action Ha...

Examining the role of the audience in the creative process, emphasizing its creative role, and how much the "receiver" brings to the process of communication and the implication this has for practice. "Everyone, performer and audience, plays a creative role. Everyone 'performs'." Sources: Managing Creativity: Exploring the Paradox edited by Barbara Townley and Nic Beech Creative Industries: Contra...

Divas, would you like to see me in your hometown? I’m putting together a tour of residencies and workshops for schools and institutions. I’d love to visit yours and do some of this work together in real life. It’s easy to get a hold of me, just head on over to http://sybariticsinger.com/services/ and fill in the contact form.

Join me for the second part of our “Change the World” music project episode! In our last episode we started discussing: 1) How can music influence the body to support fitness and rehabilitation? 2) How can music motivate the mind to promote academic achievement? In this episode we will be going over some questions including: 1) How can music reflect the psyche to improve mental health? 2) How can...

Yes. It’s a hefty topic. With the world events going on at the moment, I have had this nagging feeling that I need to devote some of my attention to how my art can be a force for good. Divas, not only do I want to help you make it rain in your business but I want to help you change the world while you’re at it. This episode covers: 1) The motivation behind our "Change the World" music projects. 2)...

As Annie Dillard wrote in her incredible book The Writing Life, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour and with that one, is what we are doing.” In this episode we go over: My 10 Minute Meeting Formula My Master List of Micro-Actions My Singer Goals (Model Tasks) List ... and more! Are you signed up for my email newsletter? Check it out at bit.ly/Di...

Personal branding is the practice of people marketing themselves and their careers as brands -- the ongoing process of establishing a prescribed image or impression in the mind of others about an individual. In this episode, we'll go over the "Branding in 7 Words" exercise, some basic questions you can ask yourself to better identify your own brand, and crafting your elevator pitch. Thanks to Juan...

The opera field is fiercely competitive. It has been and will continue to become more competitive. Fact. Your electronic press kit (EPK) is a first impression in many cases. It is imperative to frame your accomplishments in a way that will read clearly, demonstrate that you’re a great match for the job, and stand out from the other singers.

Divas, I’m curious, what areas of networking feel great to you and which ones feel less than great? Help me zero in on the pointers you need in your best diva life. Hit me up on twitter - I’m @mezzoihnen

This is a shorter podcast episode but you should plan to take time by yourself to complete the exercise after listening. This is a 15-25 minute activity - without taking time here you can go to as many business of music classes as your heart desires but you won’t learn a darn thing. Who's ready to discuss seemingly impossible goals?!

Are you a generalist, specialist, expert, or authority in your corner of the musical world? Not sure? I've invited my first guest, Rebecca Ihnen (yep, she's my youngest sister), on to talk about the different levels of your creative career and how to advance from one to the next.

What's the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation when it comes to singing? How can we use the ritual of setting intentions before our practice sessions to have more agency in our development as singers? In this episode, I outline 12 points of my practice plan plus a few bonus memorization techniques. Hope you enjoyed this plan - now, it’s your turn to tell me your favorite techniqu...

The praise and recognition of your talents are not achieved by deception, a congenial personality, or simple good luck. Divas, for our Studio Class assignment for this week, I want to you to prepare yourself for success. Show Notes: Great Pretenders: People Who Feel Their Success Is Undeserved by Birgit Spinath ( https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/great-pretenders/ ) Sybaritic Singer - syb...

Greet the audience members with warmth and appreciation. These people took the time and effort to attend your concert. Be gracious. Remember >> This is not a time to analyze your performance nor dismiss their congratulations for you. Accept their compliments with a simple “thank-you” or “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Thank them for coming! Show Notes: 29 Days to Diva is in full swing: sybaritics...

Today’s Studio Class assignment: create a singing team. Gertrude Stein, during her salon years in Paris, cultivated a entourage of thought leaders. She was inspired by them, encouraged by them, and motivated by them. She may not have thought of them as her team. But, those are exactly the kind of relationships we’re talking about when I encourage you to create your own singing team. The impact of...

Charisma and confidence create allure. It is the sense of being drawn to another person. Allure isn’t solely based on exquisite features or a superior IQ. Those both help of course – no one is going to deny that Jonas Kaufman’s good looks make him more enticing. A true diva has “it”. And, YOU are going to actively cultivate it. Watch out world: no more invisible diva. Your studio class challenge f...

The most sublime comment I have ever heard from an audition panel was, “Wow. She really came to play…” Simply put, the audition is the best of your preparation actualized. The better the preparation – the better the audition. It is in your best interest to do as many auditions as possible to not only ‘up your averages‘ but to hone your skills in this specific craft. Before you go slogging through...

29 Days to Diva and this Studio Class podcast are all about encouraging you to take control of your career and be proactive. If there is something that you have been waiting to do or have been procrastinating, now is the time to carpe the freakin’ diem. Feeling divalicious, yet? Fantastic. So, our challenge for today, even though it isn’t a leap year, is to metaphorically take the leap. Show Notes...

The avoidance of what we fear, however, is exactly the same. Human beings fear rejection. Biologically wired with a longing to belong, we fear being seen in a critical way. We will actively avoid situations in which we feel the potential to be rejected. Not singers, though. No, no, musicians pursue those opportunities. Divas put themselves out on a limb constantly. They open themselves up to feedb...

It is the first day of January and you may be realizing that things are often easier said than done. In that first blush of 2016, many of us made those hastily scribbled lists of things that we would certainly accomplish this time around. Now, you may, or may not, have stuck to your New Years’ resolutions like a tenor to a mirror but something tells me that while the gym is getting a little more c...