Anne Sofie von Otter

The Royal Northern College of Music is host on March 19 to one of the biggest names in opera and classical singing of our day – mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter. She’s visiting for a masterclass with students of the college, and the event is free (but ticketed).

I asked Anne Sofie to share some of the tips she gives to young singers at the start of their careers and the advice she can share from a lifetime in the business.

“I started out wanting to be an anonymous choir singer, but was soon finding myself singing solos and having to face the audience,” she recalled.

“I was extremely self-conscious, and couldn’t move a finger without feeling incredibly stupid. While my musical confidence was strong and instinctive, my stage person was insecure and stiff. I painfully realized I had to work on that – and I still do!

“As in most professions, if you are going to get anywhere, you need to work hard. That seems very straightforward, but it takes a certain kind of energy and interest that I think you need to have in you.

“A good vocal technique is just the start. There’s the ear and the sense for style, mastering languages, the stage person, the experience, the open outlook, the daring ...”

And as if that weren’t enough, she went on: “The ability to crack a score – a bit of piano playing helps – and a certain interest in other music genres, for the general outlook.

“Practice and patience … and during all this, you must have a sense of that you are enjoying all the work, otherwise it isn´t for you. You have to be open, and you have to be hungry.”

Anne Sofie says what’s changed since she was starting out is the need to sell yourself. “Your manager used to do that for you, at least if you were lucky and found yourself a good one. Now you certainly have to help! It can mean social media, filming, recordings, all of which you are expected to do yourself.”

She says she enjoys teaching and working with young singers. “A bright young person, hungry to learn and open – that can be very fun and satisfying for us both. And I like to include the pianist as well: it’s a duo thing, after all.

“To me, the big key is unlocking your fantasy, your imagination and creativity.”

                       

Anne Sofie von Otter credit Mats Bäcker