Page 41 - 2020 Classical Singer Magazine January Summer Program Issue

orchestra, and participating in full operas rather than quasi productions. The focus always is on the singer and what will bene t them best.”
A “Hidden Gem’s” Eye toward the Future
Even prior to the 2008 recession, the operatic world began to see declining audience attendance numbers, loss of donor revenue and, simultaneously, a market saturated with more singers seeking fewer job opportunities.
How does an organization like the Academy of Vocal Arts combat this in the face of a changing marketplace?
Having emerged from the Great Depression, it’s almost like coming full circle.
“This business is hard,” Guzielek says. “But in our history, we have
made it through times that challenged us. The Academy of Vocal Arts is well known in the opera world, and we’ll continue building upon our legacy.”
A major goal, Guzielek adds, will be building the Academy of Vocal Arts’ endowment fund as well as continuing to attract the best faculty and developing even more of an artistic presence in Philadelphia.
“We’re often called a ‘hidden gem’ in Philadelphia and it’s a reference I’m blown away by,” McDowell says. “The center of the city can be harder to crack into. We’d love to see ourselves in a larger venue for productions, so we’re exploring our options.”
The Academy of Vocal Arts also plans to continue doing what they’ve always done best: never wavering from its core mission of focusing on the training and development of great singers to be the best they can be.
“A lot of people tend to think
that in opera, we don’t have the kind of voices that were once household names,” McDowell says. “That was
a di erent time and there is so
much more now competing for our attention. I truly believe we are still producing voices that are just as great every day.
“And we’ll continue giving these singers all the tools we can to hone their craft and achieve the best success in their singing and onstage that they can. We’re very proud of that distinction and we’ve seen a
lot of successes come through AVA with our singers working in various capacities in opera. I don’t see us ever changing our mission.”
M egan Gloss is a classical singer and journalist based in the Midwest.
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