How to Prepare for a Convention, Competition and Conference (Without all the Stress!)

I am sure many of you already signed up for the CS singer music convention in Chicago over Memorial day weekend. Maybe some of you won the regional auditions and will compete at the convention in the finals, or you will take the chance to learn from experts in your field in some of the 100+ convention classes. It will be an exciting event that will propel you forward in your career. To prepare you best for the convention or any event that you will attend in the future, learn from Anikka’s blog today. Here it is:​

Congratulations! You are headed to your first competition/convention/conference! (The magical 3 C’s…) Now what?

If you are like me, it is most likely on your mind ALL the time. You are probably thinking about this exciting, fantastic event every waking second. But, are you really prepared? Here are some of the things you need to do to make sure your CCC is a success.

Step 1: Determine your goal. What will make you walk out of your CCC and say to yourself, “wow, I got exactly what I came here for.” Chances are, you are paying money to attend this event and to travel. You want to make sure it is worth every penny you spend. Your goal might be as simple as making new connections in your business, or it may be as hardcore as winning first place. Just remember, your goal may not be the same goal as the people you meet there, and that’s okay.

Step 2: Lay out a plan to reach your goal. Figure out how much time you have between now and your CCC. What are small steps you can take every week so that you are able to reach that goal? Get a calendar and write these steps in. Make appointments with yourself to complete these steps. A little progress every day adds up to big accomplishments. You’ve got this!

Step 3: Do your homework. Make sure you have your paperwork completed by the night before you leave (and preferably way in advance of that.) You should have digital copies and hard copies of all your materials, whether those be contracts, resumes, sheet music, headshots, medical forms, and tickets. This way, if a bag gets lost or stolen, you will still have the digital information you can pull from to print at your destination.

Pro tip: Doing your homework also means researching your destination if you are travelling! Look up transportation between your hotel and your CCC. Print out a copy of your important contacts, event schedule, and event addresses. Make sure you know how much time it takes to get from one place to the other. Also, it doesn’t hurt to research the best place for that city’s post-CCC drinks.

Step 4: Remember to rest. Have everything packed and ready to go at least by the night before you leave. The last thing you want is to be that person running through the airport to catch your flight because your forgot to pack your audition dress and had to run home to get it. Get to bed early and if you can, try not to plan anything the day you leave. You need to be in your best mental mindset and physical state. That requires relaxation. What a good excuse for a glass of wine and a bubble bath!

And now it’s time to take the first action steps. I will lead you through an example and you can adapt it to your own goals and needs.

Step 1: Determine your goal.

Pro tip: Be reasonable in your goal setting. Pick your three most important goals and focus on them. Oftentimes, less is more.

Goal 1: I want to reach the finals in the CS vocal competition.
Goal 2: I want to learn about a singing career in Germany and German   diction.
Goal 3: I want to learn how to improve my audition skills.

Step 2: Lay out a plan to reach your goal.
Ask yourself: “what are the action steps I need to take to reach my goal?” Break them down into smaller steps.

Goal 1:  I want to reach the finals in the CS vocal competition.

I will:

• set-up 3 more lessons with my teacher to make sure I can sing my best.
• recheck the competition rules and schedule. Update audition times in my calendar. Block time out beforehand to have enough time to relax and warm up.
• Find out about warm up spaces at the location and find an accompanist.
• Choose and prepare audition outfit, makeup, and hairstyling.
• Prepare forms and sheet music.
• Work on a positive mindset.
• Get enough rest.

Goal 2: I want to learn about a singing career in Germany and German diction.

I will go through the convention schedule (https://www.classicalsinger.com/convention/schedule.php) and read through all the classes. I will make a list of those classes that fit my interest and put them in my calendar as long as they do not conflict with my competition times.

Because I am interested in singing in Germany, there are two classes that fit my needs:

• GVAI’s class: A Singer's Career in Germany and German Diction on Friday, May 26 at 1pm. I put it on my calendar.

• Penn State University’s class: The German Lied: Text and Technique, Friday May 26 at 7pm.

Goal 3: I want to learn how to improve my audition skills.

I will find out which classes teach about audition training. I have to make a choice here because there are many of them.

Pro tip: If you are interested in a class or topic but cannot attend because it conflicts with your audition, find out who teaches the class and contact this person at the convention during a time you are free. You can find most of the instructors at their exhibits and they will be very glad to answer your questions.

And this leads to my next pro tip:
Read through the list of exhibitors and find out who you want to talk to. You might even consider contacting them before the convention and let them know that you would like to talk to them personally.

And yet another pro tip (since we are on a roll here):
You are making your plan and will follow it to reach your goal. Having said that, be open to opportunities that come your way. There might be a class or a special offer at a convention exhibit table that peaks your interest. It’s okay to make alternative plans if this happens. Be flexible! For example, Christine told me that GVAI will do some drawings where you can win free online German diction voice coachings. You definitely want to make sure you enter that drawing! Trust me, you really, really do. Or you might meet an adjudicator in an elevator and have a great conversation asking her or him what they care most about in auditions.

Step 3: Do your homework.
Get your paperwork ready. Make a list, that you can reuse for other events, too. There’s no need to recreate the wheel every time. In fact, for your non-music packing, you can find some great packing lists on pinterest.

What do I need?

• sheet music (calendar: I have to check the competition requirements again. I will do this tomorrow at 3pm.)
• business cards
• address of the hotel, contact information, transportation from airport to hotel
• plane tickets
• names of exhibitors I want to talk to
• my audition and class schedule
• list with possible places for lunch

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Step 4: Remember to rest.
I want to prepare everything so well that I am already done one day before I leave. In case something unplanned comes up, I have time to finish everything. If everything goes according to plan, I can cook up some gourmet mac-n-cheese, take my dog for a long walk, and fall asleep early watching The Big Bang Theory reruns. (Don’t judge, I’m a millennial.).

And now it’s your time. Go forth and conquer!

​Be sure to share this post with your friends to help them prepare and leave your own tips in the comments below. We would love to hear your secret pro tips on how you get ready. ​

Meet Christine at the German Vocal Arts Institute exhibit and learnt from her class:

A Singer's Career in Germany and German Diction
Friday, May 26th, 1pm. Grand Sheraton Chicago

Do you dream of going to Germany to make a living as an opera singer or to study voice at a college, but don't know where to start? This class can help! In part one, Christine Menschner, director of the German Vocal Arts Institute (GVAI), will offer a step-by-step process on how to audition for agencies, theaters, or graduate schools. In part two, she will work with you on one of the core pillars to make this possible: German diction. Lacking feedback from native speakers, many singers believe they know how to sing in German, but to recognize the degree of openness of vowels and umlauts is challenging. Learn to distinguish the differences and get real hands-on or better yet ears-on experience. Bring your German song or aria.

Yes, you can still get into our Summer Opera and German Art song program. 
Apply now and sing in Magic Flute this summer. 

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