BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
How can we support artists in the early stages of their careers? Whose responsibility is it to ensure a young singer’s future success – their teacher’s, their community’s, or their own?
Highly acclaimed soprano Emma Matthews has a few thoughts on the subject. Emma, who has performed with all state opera companies and major orchestras, chats with us about why she works with new musicians and how to work toward a successful career. She’ll perform with the young singers of Voyces this Friday night in Rejoice, a special Christmas concert.
Hi Emma, thanks for chatting with us at CutCommon. How are you looking forward to performing with Voyces this month?
I’m really looking forward to singing with Voyces this month. The Voyces musical director Robert Braham and I are old friends and when he asked me to be involved, I thought it’d be a great opportunity to not only work together again, but to sing some of my favourite pieces at an incredible time of the year – whilst working with and hearing some of Perth’s best young voices.
What do you value about working with young singers?
I love the energy and commitment of the younger generation of singers. They inspire me to do my best, and they keep me on my toes. They are open minded and enthusiastic – that can be infectious, and we all need that sometimes.
You’ve had an incredible performance career, and have been so widely recognised in awards that you topped more Helpmanns than any other individual artist. How hard is it really to make it to the top? Do you feel like you’ve ‘made it’, or are you still learning and evolving?
I am still having a wonderful career, and I’m one of the few who has managed to stay in Australia, and be fulfilled here (with a couple of sidesteps to Europe on the way). It was easy for a while; certainly as a younger singer, opportunities just came to me. I was looked after by all around me. My vocal development: nurtured. Those were the days when operas were put on for the singers. I cut my teeth on the small Mozart and Handel roles. I was very safe. Certainly as I’ve got further into my career, things have gotten trickier. I’ve met some difficult characters along the way, but some very inspiring ones, too. I’ve worked hard to be where I am, and I will always strive to be better. In studying a role, or a score, you can never say: ‘Great, I know it now’. There is always more to find. The same with singing – my technique isn’t flawless, and there are always parts of the voice that could be better. Absolutely I’m still learning, and I have to evolve as there are always new ways of doing things. It’s our job as singers to make a conductor’s ideas our own; to compromise, and be able to bend the voice. That’s challenging at times, but rewarding.
How do you like to share your knowledge and skill when working with young groups such as Voyces?
I wouldn’t deliberately do that. Hopefully I might inspire, through my singing, and certainly I’m always available for a chat, if anyone wants advice. If I’m enjoying a moment, I’ll say, but whilst there is a conductor, I won’t be sharing my knowledge. I feel that would be rude.
How can Australia best support its emerging singers to find success in their careers?
It all starts with singers developing good technique, right from the beginning. There’s no point presenting an aria if you can’t sing it yet. You have to learn to sing. I believe all classical voices must have the foundations of a solid bel canto technique. More money and time should be put into the early development of voices, so that we don’t have to fix them when they should be off conquering the world. There are a lot of very fine teachers out there, but also some who encourage their students when maybe it’s kinder to suggest they should find another career. I think there needs to be a good look at teaching standards in this country, and more mentor relationships between my generation of singers and the younger ones, to guide them through the tricky mazes ahead.
We also need audiences to put their phones away, and to come out to a live concert, to be consumed by beautiful singing. We need our singers (when they’re ready) to be heard. A group like Voyces is perfect for young singers. Please support your local West Australian Opera Company and the performances at WAAPA and UWA. Without audiences, we are all lost.
And young singers, when you are leaving the conservatorium, the next step is to be a finalist in one of the prestigious singing competitions this country has, like the Australian Singing Competition. Win some money or one of the fabulous study prizes, and go and play in the big pool for a while. Then come back and share your voice with those who helped you along the way! It’s an exciting journey, that’s for sure.
What can audiences expect from your upcoming Voyces performance?
A wonderful celebration of Christmas, with some fabulous carols. Some Bach and Mozart from me, some fast and delicious coloratura, and a night to think of the meaning of Christmas whilst listening to the voices of the future. See you there!
Emma Matthews will perform with Voyces this Friday night in Rejoice, 7.30pm, St Joseph’s Subiaco. Tickets available online.
CutCommon friends (with benefits) will receive a discount to this event. You can join us here.
Image supplied. Credit: Hayden Brotchie.
