Sigma Alpha Iota

SAI PHILANTHROPIES, INC. CAREER continued from page 7 music performance — but finding the best fit with a studio teacher is of paramount importance for a singer. While CCM is a renowned school for singing, I made my decision to transfer there because, after all the sample voice lessons I had taken at various schools, I had found another teacher whom I admired, trusted, and knew would help me to grow as a singer and performer. I earned my Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in voice performance at CCM, and I finished my coursework for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a cognate field in Scandinavian Song and Diction in May of 2012. While in Cincinnati I also became a Certified Nursing Assistant in 2008 and served as a teaching assistant in voice during years of doctoral study. I am forever grateful for the encouragement I received to explore my interests (musical and otherwise) and to have had the opportunity to pursue degrees in a field I am passionate about and that will enable me to remain in the field for a lifetime. It is customary in America for aspiring singers to audition for opera companies that offer "young artist programs" or "apprenticeship programs" for summer seasons or yearlong seasons. Most singers audition for such companies while still in college or graduate school, but singers are eligible for these kinds of programs until around the age of 30. The fact that such programs accept singers at or beyond the age of 30 is an acknowledgement that the formative period of an opera singer begins later than that of an instrumentalist. Young artist or apprenticeship programs provide stage experience and coaching in singing, acting, and diction, as well as training in movement and stage combat. Acquiring a position in one of these summer or yearlong programs is challenging; one must consider the repertoire programmed for a given company's season to determine whether or not his or her voice would be appropriate for casting. Beyond the suitability of voice type for specific repertoire, music and stage directors consider whether auditioning singers fit the production concept, complement the statures or voices of other cast members, or are able to project well enough in the hall. And, of course, there is always the element of Whenever I am asked to advise young singers on where to go for schooling, my response remains consistent: for undergraduates, I cannot stress enough the importance of a well-rounded liberal arts education that shapes a questioning, thoughtful, perceptive, and wondering individual. luck — being in the right place at the right time — and that plays a big role in winning any job or performance opportunity, competition, or even acceptance into a school. I have been fortunate to be cast in many productions with Central City Opera in Colorado in the 2009, 2010, and 2012 summer seasons, as well as Cincinnati Opera in summer 2011, and I made sure to audition for these companies because I found that the operas programmed for these seasons were well-suited to my voice type and appearance. This upcoming summer, I'll be singing two roles with the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco (Lucia in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro) and taking advantage of the opportunities for coaching and training that Merola provides its participants. Yearlong programs are similar to summer programs, but they are, obviously, longer — a minimum of nine months typically. I am currently the resident soprano Studio Artist with Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, WI, and I got the job after auditioning in the spring of 2012. Once again, I looked into the repertoire the company planned to present in the 2012-2013 season, and my voice type was a good fit. This year, I have already performed the role of Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen and sung eight performances as soprano soloist in Händel's Messiah with the Milwaukee Symphony, and I'll be singing the roles of Miss Wordsworth in Britten's Albert Herring and Barbarina in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro in addition to four performances of a program called That's Amore: A Concert of Love Songs in spring of 2013. When I'm not in rehearsals for mainstage productions, my colleagues and I tour Milwaukee's public schools performing a children's opera (John Davies's Little Red's Most Unusual Day — a pastiche opera comprised of music by Offenbach and Rossini with English text underlay by Davies that tells a youthfriendly version of the Little Red Riding Hood story. Yours truly sings the role of Little Red.). We also perform concerts in various community venues and teach masterclasses to young singers. It's a busy schedule — sometimes we work six or seven days a week rehearsing or performing — and it certainly is a labor of love! The challenges of pursuing an operatic career in America are numerous. One particular challenge very much worth mentioning here is the issue of expense. Trying to launch a career in opera requires funding and support, and while there are avid supporters of opera to whom we are indebted, many don't realize the expense a young singer faces when trying to build a career. Audition and accompanist fees, travel expenses, attire, and music are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to an aspiring performer's budget. Prizes, scholarships, and grants often assist performers in funding their pursuits, and SAI has been a source of constant support, both financially and otherwise, for me. I was initiated into the Xi Chapter of SAI at Lawrence University and then affiliated with the Eta-Iota Chapter at CCM (where I was chapter president from 2007-2008), and now I am affiliated with the Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter. I received the SAI Career Performance Grant in 2010 and the SAI Doctoral Grant in 2011. Many of my dearest friends are my SAI sisters, and the network of support the organization has given me is invaluable. SAI has supported my efforts as a performer and scholar and inspires my desire to continue making music each day; for that, I am constantly grateful. A native of Appleton, WI, Xi initiate Alisa Suzanne Jordheim is currently the resident soprano Studio Artist with Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, WI. She is a member of the Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter and Sword of Honor recipient. She was awarded the 2010 SAI Career Performance Grant for Voice and 2011 SAI Doctoral Grant. More information regarding her experiences and performances can be found at her professional website, alisasuzannejordheim.com. sai-national.org WINTER 2013 PAN PIPES 39 winter 13 PP.indd 39 2/12/2013 2:15:55 PM

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