Bibliography of Resources on

Professional Development

  Career

 Audition Advice for Singers.  Washington, D.C.: Opera America, 1996.  MT820 .A83 1996
             A series of essays by industry about the psychology of auditioning.

Career Guide for Singers.  Washington, D.C.: OPERA America, 1992.  Ref ML12 .C37 1992

                Catalog of North American companies, competitions, and institutes for advanced training.        

Dearing, James W.  Making Money Making Music: No Matter Where You Live.  Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, c1982.  ML3790 .D36 1982

                Practical, sane advice on succeeding (that is, staying employed and fulfilled) as a freelance musician.  Directed at popular musicians.

Field, Shelly.  Career opportunities in the music industry, 4th ed.  New York, N.Y.: Checkmark Books, 2000.  ML3795 .F497 2000

                Cataloged descriptions of the professional requirements of most musical careers.  Entries themselves are thorough, but the list itself is not comprehensive.

Freed, Gwendolyn.  Musician's Resource: the Watson-Guptill Guide to Workshops Conferences, Residential Programs, Academic Programs, Festivals, Master Classes. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1997.  Ref ML3790 .F72 1997

                A catalog of nationally recognized North American music organizations, festivals, and university programs.  For serious musicians at the beginning of their careers.

Highstein, Ellen.  Making Music in Looking Glass Land: A Guide to Survival and Business Skills for the Classical Musician.  New York: Concert Artists Guild, 1993.

                Excellent supplement to the standard industry manuals, tailored to the classical musician.  Includes advice on practicalities such as self-promotion, networking, finding the appropriate “scene.”

Hull, Geoffrey P.  The Recording Industry.  Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998.  ML3790 .H84 1998

                Includes history and analysis of the industries of recording, publishing and live entertainment.  Thorough analysis of production, marketing, retailing, and legal aspects of recording.

Krasilovsky, M. William. This Business of Music: the Definitive Guide to the Music Industry. New York: Billboard Books, c2000.  ML3790  .S5

                Authoritative, comprehensive guide to every aspect of the music business.  Daunting as an introduction, but indispensable as a reference.

Lebon, Rachel L.  The Professional Vocalist: a Handbook for Commercial Singers and Teachers.  Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 1999.  MT855 .L43 1999

                Practical guide to using and teaching the vocal instrument, vocal technology, and other aspects of professional singing.  Includes appendices on diction and the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Monaco, Bob.  The Platinum Rainbow: How to Succeed in the Music Business Without Selling Your Soul!   Sherman Oaks, CA: Swordsman Press, 1983.  ML3790 .M58 1983

                The self-help side of business success, with advice on professionalism, developing business sense, dealing with unjust setbacks and achieving career goals.  Intended for popular musicians, adaptable to classical music.

Musical America. International Directory of the Performing Arts.  Great Barrington, Mass.: ABC Leisure Magazines. Con Ref Desk ML12.M88

Oliver, Donald.  How to Audition for Musical Theatre: A Step-By-Step Guide to  Effective Preparation.  New York: Drama Book Publishers, 1985.  MT892 .O4 1985

                Advice on the often-overlooked details of audition professionalism.  Intended for actors in musical theatre easily adapted to operatic auditions.  Appendices include a list of songs not to use in auditioning, excuses not to give the casting crew for inferior auditions, and instructions for accompanists.

Owens, Richard.  Towards a Career in Europe: a Resource Book for American Singers Auditioning in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.  Dallas: American Institute of Musical Studies, 1983.  MT820 .O945 1983             

                Good introduction to beginning a Bavarian career--should be supplemented with up-to-date directories of European companies and festivals.

Physical and Mental Health

Galleway, W. Timothy.  The Inner Game of Tennis.  New York: Random House, 1974.  GV1002.9 .P75 G34

            The classic book on performance anxiety and related psychological issues (our favorite, “self-interference”).  Followed by The Inner Game of Music.

Green, Barry, with W. Timothy Galleway.  The Inner Game of Music.  Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Press, Doubleday, 1986.  ML850 .G73 1986

                Sequel to The Inner Game of Tennis.

Havas, Kato.  Stage Fright: Its Causes and Cures, with Special Reference to Violin Playing.  London: Bosworth, 1973.  ML 850 .H35

                A compendium of exercises to combat the symptoms of various forms of stage fright.  Most are specific to the violin, but some entries, such as “The Fear of Not Being Good Enough” and “The Fear of Memory Lapse” apply to all instruments.

Reid, Cornelius L. Voice: Psyche and Soma.  New York: Joseph Patelson Music House, 1975.  MT820 .R368

                Analysis of the vocal instrument, with entries on musculature, resonance, passaggio, etc.

Vocal Health and Science: a Compilation of Articles from the NATS Bulletin and the NATS Journal.  Jacksonville, Fla.: National Association of Teachers of Singing, 1991.  MT821 .V63 1991

                 Collection of articles on a variety of subjects, including medications, surgery, aging, voice disorders, voice abuse, medical care, vocal control, ornamentation, hygiene, laboratories, and technology.

 Videos & Newsletters:

  Classical Singer.  Maplewood, N.J.: Classical Singer, 1998-

D'Anjolell, Dick, producer/writer.  The Musician's Guide to the Music Business.  Media, PA: RMD & Associates, 1993.  VCR-2198                      

The New York Opera Newsletter.  Maplewood, N.J.: New York Opera Newsletter, Inc., Con Periodicals

 Compiled by Kathleen Abromeit and Leslie Roberts

Edited, and annotated by Leslie Roberts, June 30, 2001