Umbria Jazz Festival 
July 1st- July 15th 2013 

Monday, March 11, 2013
Darcel Wilson and The Rhythm & Soul Project 
Be moved by Darcel’s signature style and powerful voice and her soulful
band whose repertoire evokes emotion in everyone that hears their music.
(Rescheduled from 10/22/12).

Berklee in Puerto Rico
Monday May 27th – June 3rd 2013

Reality shows are gaining popularity in the current trend of television.  Broadcast T.V.  gets high ratings for these shows. They attract many people who are talented in various fields. Whether it is singing, dancing, or adventure games and so on. For those who want to sing professionally, here is a platform to showcase their skills. Although highly competitive, you want to be prepared as best you can by being able to sing different styles of music.

In order to create a niche as a singing professional, every singer would need to be at his or her best.  There are so many different styles of music to consider while deciding what song you might want to sing. In this situation, a singer should choose the right song from various styles of music. Are you serious about considering singing as a professional career?  Where do you start? One suggestion would be to examine different styles of music such as Jazz, Rock, Pop, Musical Theater, R&B, Country Blues or Opera. There are few things you can do before you start selecting which style of music suits you.

Singers who are interested in singing Classically listen to those who sing classical music… Interested in singing in the Jazz style…listen to Jazz artists. R&B listen to Traditional R&B artists as well as contemporary R&B/Pop Singers. Gospel, Country or Blues…listen to older artists and the more current Country or Blues or Gospel singers. Rock- Listen to Traditional Rock singers/groups as well as contemporary Rock/Pop artists. Ultimately you want to be very familiar with the style you are singing.  If you would like to pursue singing Rock and Pop, perhaps you could form your own band or join a budding or existing band with a two or more musicians. Rather than performing solo, a team of good musicians could have more opportunities. Having a stylish appearance and image are also considered essential in this style of music. This style of music is not necessarily easy to sing. It involves vocal stamina and good energy.

Some areas of singing involve several years of practice and training. Work hard to achieve good vocal skills and develop healthy habits for optimum vocal health. There are many opportunities throughout the music industry for professional singers. You just have to find them and be prepared when you are faced with them. A singer should be passionate about the style or styles he or she chooses to pursue. Remember to choose a song that interests you as well as your audience. Work to develop versatility and build confidence as you explore different styles of music.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

It’s been said that music is the food of life, it is the very essence of one’s soul. Without music life would bland. It has the power to provide influence and allows us to express ourselves through singing.  Many professional singers get their  start  by singing backgrounds. Background singers provide back up voices in a live performance or in the recording studio. Although not the same as singing lead,  background vocals contribute a lot to a song in its entirety. Background singers are to a lead singer as  a supporting actor is to the starring Actor in  movie or play. If you possess flexibility and can perform in various singing styles, then singing backgrounds can possibly be  a career option for you.

There are several career paths a background singer can take. You can perform live, you can sing in the recording studio for television commercials, or sing radio jingles, There are opportunities in Musical theater… as well as some others you might be able to list. In certain genre’s of music, vocalists are needed to sing backgrounds, whereas in others areas of music, they are not used at all.

To obtain success as a background singer, first you have to start small to gain experience. This can be achieved by singing in a small ensemble, choir or group where there is also a person singing lead and perhaps a band or rhythm section. It’s important to be familiar with the style of music  you are singing backup on since this will determine how you approach singing the song. Keeping in mind the importance of listening to the other singers, and considering the vocal blend as well as any specific inflections that will be sung, in terms of entrances of vocal lines, matching vocal quality of  the  other singers, the loudness, softness and any other dynamics that come in to play that would affect the synchronized group sound. All of this requires patience and versatility, good pitch, and matching vibrato of the other singers when needed, thereby establishing an overall even blend as well as being able to find, sing and hold harmony parts while not overpowering one another or the lead vocals or instrument. So, while versatility is important, flexibility in personality along with, a good attitude in terms of being easy to work with and being willing to take direction are essential and could easily be a factor in whether or not you are called again for work.

Presentation is another important key, particularly in live performance, many background singers perform small dance steps, or do a unified sway while they sing, so being able to move to the beat during the song helps you to  present your work in a refined way, keeping movements subtle so as not to upstage the lead. Keeping in mind that it also compliments what is going on with the lead singer or instrumentalist.

Though the income of Background singers varies with the job. Job placement is unpredictable, Either way, It is good work if you can get  it… so you can see where Singing backgrounds would require a lot of hard work and patience… So, If you have the talent and you’re up for the challenge, do what you need to  in order to emerge as a winner and to reap the enjoyment of being a background singer.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Practice Makes Perfect. Though it is an old saying, it is in fact true. This can be applied to any field. In order to achieve success whether it is in the field of business or in any profession that would require one to make preparations for. Without a doubt, this goes for singing too. One helpful tip to help you overcome the fear of singing in front of audience is to practice singing in front of your friends and family members first. This will definitely boost your self-confidence, and eventually you will be able to sing in front of them without being nervous.

Practice various kinds of warm ups for your voice to relax before hand and prepare your instrument (voice) to sing and perform. Be a good sport and try to accept the feedback of your near and dear ones when they comment on your singing performance. And work on the areas you need to improve. Learn how to accept constructive criticism and use it to help you improve and grow.

Some people are very passionate about singing. While it is important to be committed to your performance and singing, try not to be too much of a perfectionist. Reject the negative thought that you will never be able to perform in front of a big gathering of people. More times than not it is all in the way we look at things. Depending on your mindset, you can either make it or break the situation. Develop the confidence you need to help you feel that that you are as good as other performers, once you prepare yourself to sing in front of audience. As long as you have prepared, you need not worry excessively about how you’re singing or trying to figure out what people are thinking while you are singing in front of an audience.

Remember, it is better for you to be yourself, rather than imitating your role model or any other singer or performer. When you sing, focus on what you are doing and stay positive about what you would like to accomplish. You might be pleasantly surprised at how you can start to overcome the fear of singing in front of an audience as you perform.