CLA has shown me the same ability to make every element of a young singer's life fall into place.
CLA’s French and Italian settings infuse the culture of the surroundings into every word that’s sung. The Berkshire setting, although beautiful and profound, would not necessarily be associated with the music of Mozart to the average person. Following my time at CLA’s Mozart intensive nestled within the mountain region of Massachusetts, I now fully believe such a setting should always be associated with Mozart’s compositions.
The mountains became the perfect setting to dive into the intricacies of the Italian language, and as the days went on, Mozart’s compositions seemed to grow larger in scale as if wanting to match the magnitude of the surrounding mountains. The peaceful serenity of Bard College at Simon’s Rock created an ideal setting to immerse ourselves fully in our studies. As a student coming from Toronto who feels like they're always on the go, it was magical to focus my attention solely on the creation of art and forget the distractions of attending college in a busy metropolis.
During one of the group classes on the artistry of Mozart’s recitatives and arias, Marcello Cormio, our resident conductor and vocal coach, stated that the aria is a “suspension of time” during the happenings of an opera. In a very similar way, I felt that CLA’s masterfully curated program was a beautiful suspension of time within my busy student life. During the regular school year, I find myself in a constant loop of competition and pressure. Now entering my fourth year of college as a vocal major and student-athlete, I was beginning to accept that every aspect of my life would breed a certain element of rivalry and competition. Attending CLA has shown me that this does not have to be the case. Although I didn’t think it was possible, Glenn and his team have shown me that young artists can thrive in an environment where competition is not the priority. The faculty were not just attempting to create an atmosphere void of drama and negativity but were going above and beyond to make each individual feel like a part of a family. Whether it was prioritizing eating every meal as a group, creating fair opportunities, or making every individual coaching an open invitation, CLA showed me how valuable it is to create a sense of community within a world that evokes constant comparison and competition.
I came to this program hoping to gain technical guidance from the wonderful faculty and broaden my horizons past the Canadian arts scene. Not only has this program allowed me the opportunity to immerse artistically in the music of Mozart, it has shown me what this business can be and created a group of young singers who will hold the industry accountable for performing at such a high level. In the same recit class as mentioned above, we discussed that the brilliance of Mozart is his ability to fit every musical element, the text, melody, and expression, together seamlessly. As we joined together on the grass of Tanglewood to enjoy Cosi fan tutte and experience one last evening devoted to Mozart, I couldn't help but feel CLA has shown me the ability to make every element of a young singer's life fall into place.