Graduate Schools | Opera Companies | Health and Performance-Stress Management | On-Line Career Resources | Festivals and Young Artist Programs | Unions | Publications and Organizations | Resumes and Headshots | On-Line Music Stores (Print and Recorded) | Professional Development Bibliography

 

Graduate Schools

Graduate Music Programs
A links list compiled by the Oberlin Conservatory Career Resource Center.  Contains specific schools as well as international databases.

University Vocal Program Directory
A database compiled by Classical Singer magazine to aid in choosing a music school.  Each school listing contains basic facts about each school along with contact information.  Listings also contain a link to the site's university discussion forum.

University Links to Music Departments
Organized by state, MusicStaff.com's long list of U.S. music departments is bound to have the school you are looking for.  International listings follow the domestic list.

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Opera Companies

Opera Companies of the World
A joint effort between Operabase and Operastuff, this extensive list contains information on just about every opera company in the world, regardless of size.  Listings are organized many ways: by geographic region, map, alphabetically, and by city, just to name a few.  Even if the company has no website, this list provides complete contact information for the company.

Opera Companies on the Web
A list of opera company web sites organized by continent.

Metropolitan Opera
The MET's website not only contains information on their current season, but a fairly rich archive as well as links to their store and education department.

Cleveland Opera
The web site of David Bamberger's twenty-five year Cleveland company.

Lyric Opera Cleveland
The homepage for Cleveland's resident summer opera company, under the artistic direction of Oberlin's Jonathon Field.

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Health and Performance-Stress Management

Vocal Health Links
A short compilation of links relating to vocal and overall physical health.  Compiled by VARN, the Ohio Vocal Arts Resource Network.

The Voice Center
A website devoted to vocal and laryngeal disorders.  A pretty technical site relating to the science of the voice, both in speech and singing.  View spectrograms and laryngeal diagrams, or participate in the sites discussion boards. 

Vocal Health and Maintenance
Contains links to articles relating to vocal health.  Articles range from singer-specific topics, to those of general interest. 

Musicians and Injuries
An informative site with links and articles about musicians and the aches and pains associated with their lifestyles.

Medline
This on-line database covers international literature on bio-medicine and contains information on the medical conditions common to musicians such as repetitive stress injuries and Carpal tunnel syndrome.

MDX Health Digest
Health information for the general public.  Note: This site can only be viewed from an on-campus Oberlin computer terminal.

Ask Dr. Weil
The website of alternative medicine guru Dr. Andrew Weil.  With a searchable database, the user can access free information regarding recovery aids and preventative measures for all types of conditions, colds to cancer.  

Six Golden Rules for Conquering Performance Anxiety
Penned by classical guitarist David Leisner, these six steps to a stress-free performance can be applied by any performer.  Article originally printed in American String Teacher, Spring 1995. 

Taming Performance Anxiety
A lengthy article by David W. Goodman, Ph.D., discussing some tips for routines that could help to lessen performance anxiety before it begins.  These include reducing alcohol consumption and using a motivational tape.

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On-Line Career Resources

Oberlin Conservatory's Career Resource Center
An amazing thorough site compiled by the center's head, Tamara Kissane.  This site acts as storehouse for much of what can be found in the CRC itself.  While a wonderful resource when thinking about your career, Tamara and the staff of the CRC are also invaluable for personal career advising.

NEC Career Services Center Bibliography
A bibliography of printed material available to aid in career planning from the New England Conservatory.

StageAgent
A database relating to many things opera, musical theater, and drama.  This site contains audition listings, a bulletin board, and specific role information for all productions catalogued.

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Festivals and Young Artist Programs

Festival and Competition Links
Operastuff.com's links list of the major festivals, apprentice programs, and competitions for singers on the web.  This information can be found down the right-hand column of the page.

Summer Programs (from IU)
A list of fifty-two links to summer opportunities for musicians.  Compiled by Indiana University.

Festival Finder
A web site devoted to music festivals of many genres.  Site also contains festival web sites if user is interested in contacting specific festivals for possible participation.

Summer Singing
An on-line directory of summer singing festivals, institutes, and opera apprenticeship programs.

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Unions

American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA)
The union covering most artists in opera and ballet.  Find information on union membership rules, contract information, and auditions.

Actors' Equity Association (AEA)
Actors' Equity Association is the labor union representing over 40,000 American actors and stage managers working in the professional theatre.

American Federation of Musicians (AFM)
The labor union representing instrumentalists in the U.S. and Canada.

Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC)
The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers is a national independent labor union representing members throughout the United States and abroad, having jurisdiction over directors and choreographers working in the theater (except opera).

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Publications and Organizations

Musical America
Probably the most complete listing of musical professionals in the world.  Well worth the subscription fee for inline viewing.  A hard copy is available in the Conservatory library.

OPERA America
A service organization for those in the opera world.  OPERA America offers many valuable publications for singers, including audition notices and books about starting an opera career.  Recommended for anyone serious about pursuing an opera career.

Classical Singer
The principle publication for opera auditions, current issues in singing, as well as interviews with the greatest names in opera.  A subscription not only entitles you to receive the print version, but also to view the contents of the magazine on-line.  

Opera News
North America's major opera magazine published by the Metropolitan Opera Guild.  Coverage of the world of opera is this magazine's forte: singer interviews, opera retrospectives, performance reviews, and much more.  While the site contains everything found in the print version, it is only available to subscribers.   

Backstage
A newspaper devoted to non-operatic theater.  Abundant audition listings for musical theater, dance, clubs, and (occasionally) opera.  Most auditions and feature articles can be viewed for free.

Playbill
A publication devoted primarily to Broadway, this on-line magazine has many articles, interviews, reviews, and audition listings.  Unfortunately, only a portion of the site's content is available for viewing without a subscription.

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Resumes and Headshots

Eperformer.com's Headshot Guide
A lengthy guide to obtaining the headshots you want.  Topics addressed in the article include: preparing for the shoot, the proofsheet, and making copies. 

An Actor's Headshot
A guide to performer headshots discussing everything from appropriate dress to appropriate smile.

Headshot Heaven and Resume Reality
Backstage's article on performer PR.  The article gives suggestions for someone in the market for headshots and those compiling resumes.  Contains a list of questions that should be answered to ensure an agreeable final portrait.

Performer's Resumes
A resource (originally for students at Sarah Lawrence College) discussing tips for creating a solid performance resume.

JobStar's Resume Guide
A general reference for all types of resumes.  Includes helpful articles on resumes and cover letters, as well as many samples of each.

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On-Line Music Stores (Print and Recorded)

Amazon
While already a great place for recording purchases, Amazon's sheet music inventory is growing.  Their catalog primarily holds titles from the standard repertoire; also a good source for books on music.

Barnes and Noble
Much like Amazon, Barnes and Noble offers a great selection of standard fare, with a few occasional surprises.

Tower Records
The classical music section of their on-line store.  Contains countless great recordings, much like their international retail chain.

J.W. Pepper
Primarily a catalog for music educators, this well-kept secret has much to offer in its catalog for the solo singer.

T.I.S. Music
A university-oriented catalog, this retailer is often good for hard-to-find contemporary works as well as the standards.

Boosey and Hawkes Shop
The on-line storefront of the publishing giant.  Their catalog not only contains Boosey titles and composers, but other works by subsidiary publishers.

Classical Vocal Repertoire
Claiming to be the "largest selection of solo vocal music in the USA," this catalog is great for rare works, as well as for comparing multiple editions of the same piece.

Operastuff's Sheet Music Guide
A list of on-line sheet music retailers and publishers, based in the U.S. and abroad, as compiled by Operastuff.com.

Operstuff's Opera Record Store Guide
A list of on-line recording retailers, based in the U.S. and abroad, as compiled by Operastuff.com.

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Oberlin Professional Development Bibliography

Bibliography: Professional Development (Web page)

Bibliography: Professional Development (Printable PDF file)
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