Vocalist.org archive


From:  Kylie Purcell <furrball@a...>
Date:  Wed Apr 12, 2000  2:33 am
Subject:  RE: [vocalist-temporary] Age limits (wasOPERA: Met Regional Auditions, )




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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