On Tue, 11 Apr 2000, Jennifer wrote:
> > The site is called the World Federation of International Music > > Competitions > > > > http://www.wfimc.org/index_e.html > > > > This is an excellent site! Interesting how the first competition I looked at > had different age limits for sopranos, altos & tenors, and > baritones/basses... Talk about ageism (or is it voice categoryism?) to the > extreme. <nod> It's really ridiculous when you consider that the voice maturity and fach is a process unique to each individual. Admittedly there are early developers (lucky them!) whose voices settle when young, but why the penalization for the rest?
I find it curious that the professionals I have spoken with usually tell me " you've got plenty of time, don't rush it, the voice will develop in its own way" (I'll soon be 28) Yet by comparison, the music magazines, the competition circuit the YAP's all have an emphasis on age.
I really began to panic when my voice began to change a year ago from the Lyric leaning toward heavy, toward high coloratura repetoire. Ten years worth of repetoire and the 'idea' of where I was heading altered completely. Now I'm waiting to see whether the voice heads into dramatic coloratura territory - I dread to think of how the possessor of a dramatic/larger instrument must feel, working so hard to gain control and then have some twerp tell you you're too old!
Best of luck
Kylie
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