welcome!
Learn more about what to expect from this newsletter and the ways you can get involved.
Welcome to my newsletter! And thank you so much for subscribing. I hope I don’t start to sound like a broken record, but it means the world that you are taking some time out of your busy day for this.
Before I get into a regular posting schedule, I want to share with you the primary purpose (or purposes) of this endeavor. I want this to be an intentional, thoughtful project, and not just another subscription to fill up your email with promotions.
That being said, I will admit that I am learning this process as I go. If you have feedback or suggestions, please let me know. I will be posting regular chances to get engaged on my Instagram Story, in the form of polls, but paid subscribers can also leave direct comments on posts as they go out.
So, why are we here?
Direct Connection to my Community
Through some trial and error, I have found that I am my most creative and inspired self when I am able to share my thoughts and ideas with the people around me. This is one the primary reasons that I love summer festivals and intensives so much; you get the chance to dedicate at least a few days to just the things you love to talk about. But this connection is not always possible on a daily basis. When I return to “real life,” which includes a scattered, busy schedule and a survival retail job, I can lose a lot of the fire underneath my passion to keep going.
Social media can help, but I believe it can also hurt the mission to find connection. I try my best to share posts about my interests and performances, but they can get lost in newsfeeds full of everything else going on. And sometimes, I can start to feel that the things I have to say shouldn’t be taking up space that could be dedicated to world news, family memories, or visual art.
Enter: this newsletter. I trust that you are subscribed because you want to be, and so I hope to allow myself space to just share, and not feel a need to apologize for it. I hope it is beneficial for both of us <3
Following an Example
I want to give a couple of shoutouts to folks who have made a difference in my social internet consumption, as I probably wouldn’t be doing this without their model work.
Kathleen Kelly: Collaborative Pianist, Coach, and Writer - I had the joy of working with Kathleen Kelly at the Collaborative Piano Institute this past summer, and was enthralled by her infectious energy, compassionate coaching, and work in advocacy within the field. Her newsletter, Overcoached, discusses classical music, working as a Collaborative Pianist (and working with singers), and the larger, systemic questions that our daily struggles can bring up.
Megan Ihnen: Performer, Coach, and New-Music Trailblazer - Another incredible faculty member from the Collaborative Piano Institute, Megan’s career trajectory is a major source of inspiration for me. She has had over 100 pieces written for her voice, coached fellow musicians through career and financial decisions, and, get this, has been writing a newsletter for over 10 years. In a session about making a career as a musician, Megan talked about the importance of taking the initiative to share your work with the world, and the benefits of directly managing your business - this idea has been on my long list of career plans since.
Finally, Mary Rice, who is a mezzo-soprano and popular TikTok creator. Mary’s videos are usually vlog-style sneak peeks into her life as an active performer and writer, and I believe they have made huge strides in sharing our world with non-musicians. I was recently asked to reflect on my thoughts about the future of live music, and I thought of Mary: in 2023, I believe we have all of the tools needed to keep live music alive and in people’s minds, as long as we can take the first step of sharing it with them. While I have not yet worked up the courage to post regularly on TikTok, this newsletter will be a true behind-the-scenes look at this life and career.
Unique Perspective
Following Mary’s example, I hope to be able to share some interesting things about my life and career, and answer some of the questions about what we truly do. I also have the unique perspective of still being a student; while I have completed my undergraduate degree, I am currently applying for Masters programs in Voice Performance. There is so much going on at music schools, and I hope to share my stories and those of the people around me.
Also, I am always looking for the stories of those a few steps ahead of me on this journey. I hope that this insider look could be helpful to younger musicians, especially high school students deciding if this path is right for them.
What can you expect?
Each edition of this newsletter will follow this loose format. I intend to write a short essay that explores a topic related to voice and classical music, hopefully with your suggestions! Here are some of the ideas I have currently:
The course load and expectations of a music student,
The financial breakdown of applying to graduate programs,
Involvement in community organizations and groups,
The importance of church jobs for the professional musician,
and more!
Keep an eye out for polls, and if you have any suggestions of topics, let me know!
Also, each episode will include a playlist or album recommendation that I have been listening to, an interview with a friend of mine about their musical journey, and my upcoming performance schedule.
I am so excited to be sharing this with you!
Feature: Gavin Tremblay
Q: Who are you, and what do you do?
I am a educator, conductor, and vocalist residing in the Ithaca area. I graduated from Ithaca College in May 2023 with my Bachelors in Music Education, and currently teach at the Ithaca Waldorf School and sing in several professional and semi-professional ensembles around Ithaca and Rochester. I love teaching when it allows me to have fun with my students and allow them to enjoy music.
Q: Tell me about your favorite musical experience in the past few months.
My favorite musical experience in the past few months was participating in the Sarteano Choral Conducting Workshop under the direction of Tony Thornton and Simon Carrington as an ensemble singer. Though I was not participating as a conductor, I got to watch both directors work with various conductors from the undergraduate level to professional level. I got so much out of this experience, and the energy of the workshop was so positive, musical, and engaged, and I am excited to find more of those experiences in the future.
Q: Tell me about a challenge you have faced in this career so far.
The biggest challenge I have faced has been… wanting to do a really good job when teaching and planning every lesson and giving students the education that they truly deserve, but only having so many hours in the day to do so. In school, we’re taught to spend a lot of time self-assessing through an intensive process, and in reality, there isn’t always time to do this for every lesson.
Q: What advice would you give to your 17 year old self regarding this career?
I would try and convince myself to keep composing as much as I did in high school. I wish I was still composing and arranging at that rate, and I wish I had made it a priority to just write.
Q: Anything else you want to share or promote?
Drink water.
Feature: Unreal Unearth by Hozier (listen here)
Everyone I know is obsessed with this album, and rightfully so. I have been driving a lot recently, and this has been on almost constant repeat. I, Carrion (Icarian) and First Light are my favorite tracks :)
Upcoming Performances:
October 29, 3pm; Ford Hall, Ithaca College: Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers
December 16, 7:30pm; Ford Hall, Ithaca College: Handel’s Messiah with Cayuga Vocal Ensemble and Cayuga Chamber Orchestra
December 17, 4pm; Pebble Hill Church, Syracuse: Behold, the Handmaid of the Lord with Syracuse Schola Cantorum
Thank you, one final time, for reading.
Love, Caitlin <3