Jonathan Blalock

A few singers have told me they can’t afford to consistently study with a coach or teacher. As a freelance artist struggling to make a livi

This year’s election shocked me, and the echo chamber of social media was perhaps the biggest source of my surprise. Shielding myself from dissenting opinions online could be an innocent habit, but hearing opposing voices could’ve spurred me to more focused action in pursuit of a different outcome. As a singing artist I’m tempted to wrap myself in the same cocoon of consensus, but that temporary comfort will ultimately stunt my growth. We all start out crawling slowly. Each

This year I’ve become obsessed with politics, and I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the election cycle and opera audition season. Of course not every aspect of government applies to the mileu of music, but we can learn from political paralells: -Campaign Managers. During this final quarter of the year I’m constantly in communication with my coach, my teacher and my manager. It’s imperative for me to assemble a team I can consistently trust to give me wisdo

My day of triumph had finally arrived! I made my NYC debut in a world premiere, and luckily the NY Times gave me a favorable review. Instantly I joined the ranks of bona fide professional opera singers, and my career was now set for success (or so I naively thought). Fast forward to a couple years later when a critic found fault with my performance and vividly described my vocal shortcomings. Immediately I fretted that my inchoate singing career was now effectively over. I

Before I ever knew about hit tunes such as “vissi d’arte” and “una furtiva lagrima,” I grew up listening to (and singing along with) songs like “Defying gravity” and “Oh what a beautiful morning.” I didn’t discover opera until I was an adult, and Broadway musicals were a natural step along the way as I evolved from a choir nerd to an opera singer. I never lost my love for The Great White Way, and as I was recently singing a concert of classic Broadway selections by Bernstei

I can sincerely relate to Joan Rivers right now. In the brilliant documentary, "A Piece of Work," Joan's assistant asks her a question about future dates in her calendar. She sarcastically replies, "Wait a second. First I need to put on my sunglasses. All these blank pages are blinding me!" In January opera companies roll out press releases for future seasons, and friends share "thrilled to announce" posts on social media. Meanwhile I'm searching for an affordable pair of su

The following is a transcript of a conversation I had with Joyce DiDonato after her beautiful performance in Great Scott. (Joyce D): Is it true? Is this going to happen? JB (me): Yes, I think it’s a reality. JD: How do you feel? JB: I’m very excited, but honestly I’m pretty nervous. JD: Just tell the story… Are you ready? JB: Yes, I’m prepared. JD: That’s all you need to succeed! The official announcement hadn’t yet emerged, but Ms. DiDonato heard the rumors. Dallas Opera

This most recent blog about networking was featured by Classical Singer Magazine online at Auditions Plus: Auditionsplus.com #Friendship #networking #career #opera #singing #network #jobs #auditions

The singing business is still fairly new to me. However, in the ten years since I started taking voice lessons and soon after began working as a professional singer, I’ve noticed certain themes that continually emerge with my colleagues and in my own experiences. After stumbling a few times and learning things the hard way, here are a few thoughts I hope others can learn as they embark on an artistic career. Be Prepared: Step one for me is translating and learning the entire

What a pleasure it has been to spend these weeks in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area as we work on a new production of Hydrogen Jukebox at West Edge Opera. In JUKEBOX, Philip Glass writes compelling musical theater that is different from the conventions of most operas. We still hear the signature minimalism in this show that we all associate with this composer; the unique nature of this opera largely stems from the libretto. Here Glass didn’t turn to a typical story; i