Modern Singer

Why wait until the new year to set yourself up for success? This week, Ellen and Alyssa are talking 7 habits you can start right now to set yourself up for a stellar start to your year!

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Welcome to your new WEEKLY podcast! 

Mastering the social media algorithms is a constantly changing environment. This week, Ellen and Alyssa are sharing their top 5 tips for staying ahead of the game when it comes to posting on all of your favorite platforms (except the artist formerly known as Twitter). 

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Audition season is right around the corner! We’re talking all things prep and track today on the Modern Singer podcast. With audition season spreading out to now being across multiple months instead of a few weeks condensed at the end of each year, keeping track of your applications is absolutely essential. Interested in learning more? Check out our episodes 20-22 for our Audition Season Breakdown!

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Making your mind a safe space can be hard, especially during a busy audition season. This week, Alyssa sat down with licensed therapist Madeleine Dopico to chat about how to be kind to your mind during stressful times of your life. 

Money can be hard to talk about. As singers and performers, sometimes we don’t have gigs for months at a time, so making a budget to live by is crucial. When it comes to the new school year or audition season, there can be some extra or even surprise expenses. This week, Ellen and Alyssa are breaking down how to make your budget personal and other expenses to plan for throughout the year to support your money, time, and energy!

Now that you have all of this new rep to look at, we’re talking about how to market yourself and network with your colleagues! Take yourself to the next level this audition season by putting everything we’ve talked about in our rep series together!

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There are tons of new operas popping up throughout the United States right now! With that comes more opportunities to make new music happen which is so exciting! This week, Ellen and Alyssa break down five show options to choose from (including both of their favorites) when picking out your contemporary American opera rep for your package this year. Want some other options? Check out the list of honorable mentions below! Be sure to check out the summer rep series playlist to listen and follow along with all five parts of our summer rep series!

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The standard opera rep is no longer all that companies are looking to see in your audition package. They want to see your creativity in your music selections! This week, Alyssa and Ellen dove deep into their music history knowledge and beyond to bring you options from some operas that are still done, but not as often. Be sure to check out the summer rep series playlist to listen and follow along!

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More and more companies nowadays are adding musical theater and operetta to their seasons. Now is the perfect time to add something new to your package! This week, Alyssa pulled together a list of shows that are easily accessible for singers who are new to musical theater or have been singing it for years. Stand out from the crowd this season by adding some variety to what you sing!

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Summer is in full swing and now is the PERFECT time to revamp your audition repertoire! Not sure where to start? Ellen and Alyssa have you covered across this five-part series! Today, we’re covering standard operas with rep suggestions from each show.

Summer is finally here! But…now what to do? This week, Ellen and Alyssa are diving into part two of what do do when you’re not in a summer program! This week, we’re diving into branding and social media, websites, and even your bookshelves!

Have a question you want answered? Is there a topic you’d like us to cover? Shoot us a DM or fill out our topic request form!

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Summer is finally here! But…now what to do? This week, Ellen and Alyssa are diving into part one of what do do when you’re not in a summer program! We’re talking all things refresh, learning, and more! What are you picking up this summer?

Have a question you want answered? Is there a topic you’d like us to cover? Shoot us a DM or fill out our topic request form!

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Networking is something business majors learn but it isn’t really talked about in your standard music education program. We have to meet so many people that it can be overwhelming on where to start growing your professional network. This week, join Ellen and Alyssa as they chat about all things Networking 101 and how to make it feel less icky!

To make it more fun, starting June 12th there will be a 7 day networking challenge on our Instagram stories! Download your networking tracker today to follow along or make your own as we all grow our networks together.

Have a topic you want to hear about? Shoot us a DM or fill out our topic request form!

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Networking Tracker

Motivation can be really hard, especially when you’re the one in charge of your time and effort. It can be even harder when you don’t have a school schedule to define your timelines. Whether you’ve been out of school for a while or you’re just on summer break, this week we’re talking about different ways to keep yourself going! 

Have something you want to hear about? Send us an email or submit our topic request form!

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Being happy-go-lucky and cheerful is wonderful…but sometimes it can be taken too far. This week, Ellen and Alyssa are talking all things feelings when things are only allowed to be positive. 

Have questions you want answered? Send us an email or submit our topic request form!

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Artistic burnout happens. Whether it’s getting overwhelmed, working yourself past the point of exhaustion, or just staying overstimulated for an excessive amount of time. Today, Ellen and Alyssa are talking all things burnout and how to help get yourself out of a funk!

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This week, Alyssa sat down with mezzo Mack Wolz to talk about all things travel as a professional singer! Want to take some of the scaries out of becoming a world-traveling singer? Look no further!

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As traveling musicians, long-distance relationships can seem inevitable. Whether you’re already in one or if you’re traversing it for the first time this summer, long-distance relationships can feel very isolating. This week, Ellen and Alyssa are diving in to help you find your favorite ways to communicate with your partner to keep you feeling the love no matter where you are!

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Feeling stuck is not only normal for people but extremely common for performers! This week, we’re here to help you find a few new habits to help reignite your creativity and get you back into your groove!

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Welcome back to Season 2! We’re starting this year off by talking about mental health. Imposter syndrome is something that affects people around the world no matter their career choice. Join Ellen and Alyssa as they start to dive into some great steps to move forward in your mental health journey!

Have questions you want answered? Shoot us a DM on Instagram or submit a topic request on our website. We’ll see y’all back here in February!

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Get ready for Season 2! We have so many great things planned for you, are you ready?!

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Rejection season is upon us but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world! This week, we’re reading submitted PFOs and rejection letters to see just how wild some companies have gotten over the last few years!

Have questions you want answered? Shoot us a DM on Instagram or submit a topic request on our website. We’ll see y’all back here in February!

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Rejection season is upon us but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world! This week, we have some awesome tips for you on ways to bounce back from a rejection letter.

If you know you know, but if you don’t, Ellen and Alyssa LOVE organizing! So, who better than to bring onto the podcast but Kay from The Organized Soprano?! We’re talking all things about how to live your most organized life as a singer today in a busy world and some priorities and advice straight from Kay.

Happy Halloween, Modern Singers! This week, Ellen and Alyssa are talking all things backstage superstition. What’s your superstition before a show?

Did someone say transit?! This week, Editing Alyssa is taking us through the New York City train stops and how to get to your audition locations! Why is the episode so short? Mercury was in the microwave when we recorded. We’ll see you soon!

Have questions you want answered? Shoot us a DM on Instagram or submit a topic request on our website.

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Welcome to part two of our Audition Season Breakdown series! You’ve already submitted all your pre-screens and put everything into your audition tracker so now let’s prep for the auditions themselves! This week, we’re talking all things planning - everything from packing to parking, we’ve been there!

Have questions you want answered? Shoot us a DM on Instagram or submit a topic request on our website.

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Are you ready for audition season?! Whether you’re an old hat or new on the circuit, we’ve got you covered! This week, we’re breaking down YAPs from what they are to how they fit in your career path. This is just part one of our three-part series!

Have questions you want answered shoot us a DM on Instagram or submit a topic request on our website.

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Audition season is right around the corner! We’re talking all things prep and track today on the Modern Singer podcast. From what and why to how, we’re starting an audition prep series for the next few episodes. Have a specific topic you want us to cover? Let us know!

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Join Ellen and Alyssa this week with just a touch of chaos as they start to scratch the surface of the Modern Singer Learn Your Music the Right Way Workbook (shop...?) Want to learn more? Check out the Workbook in our Etsy shop!

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Join Ellen and Alyssa this week in a life chat on everything from house renos to why getting a degree doesn’t have to limit your life choices. Later, we talk all about how to organize your music for auditions, teaching, and more to set yourself up for success wherever you are!

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Singer wellness is more than just physical wellness. Take some time this week to prioritize and organize your needs! Whether it’s time for yoga, meditation, grocery shopping, laundry, or something else, take the time you need today to set yourself up for success in your life off the stage.

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Finding a new coach or teacher can be a huge stressor no matter what part of your career you’re in. Get prepared for your next steps with some of the questions Ellen, Alyssa, and Fortissimo raised this week! What are you looking forward to discussing next?

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We’ve gone over the basics, so now let’s dive in deeper. This week, we’re going into some more details about how to set up your voice studio for success! Ellen and Alyssa talk all things goals, planning, money, and did we mention goals?! Yeah, 100%.

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Learning how to audition for a new style of theatre can be overwhelming. This week, we’re delving into what it means to audition for musical theatre. Break out your dancing shoes and let’s get to work!

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Have you been looking for a new source of income? Think about opening your own private voice studio! This week, we’re covering all the basics from how to advertise and find students, finding the right space for you, building your contracts, and more!

Want to know more about something specific? Drop a comment or shoot us a DM!

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A lot of performers, ourselves included, have faced some burnout when it comes to performing over the last few years. When it comes to opportunities, they’ve been slim, to say the least! This week we’re talking all things how to make your own opportunities to start getting yourself motivated again! 

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As more and more companies around the world add musical styles to their seasons, it’s important to delve into what it means to be a crossover performer. Whether it’s musical theatre, Zarzuela, jazz, or another style of music, knowing how they all interact and entwine is key to being at the top of your game. This week, we invited friends of the podcast, Megan and Brennan, from Songs for a New Week for their Crossover Coffee Break!

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Finding a side hustle to support your career can be difficult. Here are a few ways we like to supplement our singing careers! What’s your favorite?

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Auditions can mean nerves, nerves, and more nerves! Originally posted in July 2021, we sat down with Ann Baltz to talk about all things auditions to help you nail your post-pandemic live auditions!   

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Money can be a hard topic. This week we’re talking about how to make, edit, and stick to your budget! From start to finish, we’re here to help you find your support as a freelancer in the modern world.

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We've talked about how to design your brand, now let's talk about how to share it! This week, we’re talking all things social media to get you started.

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Finding your voice as a brand can be hard. Join us this week as we review some of our top tips for marketing yourself as a brand!

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We’ve all had them, and we all hate them. Bad auditions can be difficult to handle so we’re talking about some coping strategies to implement when they inevitably occur. What do you do to get back on your game?

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Originally posted in March 2021, we sat down with Dr. Patricia Au, coach and pianist, to talk about all things repertoire! When it comes to putting your best foot forward in any audition or gig, it all comes back to how you prepare. From picking out your package and what is going to highlight your voice the best to how to prepare a role and how to navigate coachings during COVID, join us in our conversation!

There's a lot to think about when you're planning out your audition repertoire. Join us this week as we break down the how-tos of picking out new rep that will serve you best!

So you know, Alyssa said there would be a new book club released...it's coming next month instead. Thanks for your patience!

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It’s that time of year again! A new year means it’s time to figure out your goals! From long-term to short-term and everything in between, we’re talking about how to not only set your New Years' goals but how to achieve them.

We know this business is hard and we are here to help! Modern Singer is coming to a new platform as a podcast to help singers build their unique careers in this modern world.

To do this, we need your help. Now through December 30, 2021, we’re raising money to help cover the costs of starting this project. Don’t worry, we aren’t asking you to give away your hard-earned cash for nothing!  

- If you donate $1, you will get 3 phone wallpapers and 3 desktop wallpapers designed by Alyssa.
- If you donate $3, you’ll get access to our budget bundle.
- And if you donate $5, you’ll get our Learn Your Music the Right Way Workbook!