Audition to be considered an "artist"

Yesterday I had my audition before the Arts and Culture Committee of some government branch, for them to determine if I am an "artist" or not. If so I get some money each month for 2 more years, and they do some job prospecting on my behalf. You have to be invited to appear before the committee.

Well, warming up on the drive down (inflicting suffering on my friend Yakov who generously wanted to go along with me--a year ago I would not have allowed him to come along--gotta "do it myself") I realized that my poor voice has been so underused that it required me to really warm up carefully, for a long time. So instead of panicking, I just took the time, and by the time we had to go in, I felt reasonably sure of myself. Then in the 2.5 hours I had to wait before my turn, I warmed up more! Nice people also waiting, made friends with a French composer/singer and a classical guitarist. He played and I sang along on "ooh"...magic, and such a pleasure to improvise again. We exchanged telephone numbers and may get together to jam sometime. It was a relaxing way to spend an hour of the waiting time!

So then I went in and they first were surprised that I would be both unamplified and a capella. Then they wanted my name and what I would do first. No other info! Faces blank.

So Summertime was first. I have been doing a hummed intro, low, then go into it in the original key. Sing and finish with a 2.5 octave ooh-to-hum. No applause, but a third of them smiling broadly.

Then Israel Alter's Tzur Yisrael chazzanut (cantorial stuff, complicated, hard, and impressive) (I said, in Hebrew, "next I have a piece of chazzanut because that's my profession") from the morning shabbat service. I've done it about a thousand times, and am completely comfortable. They loved it! All of them talking to each other, then I asked again in Hebrew "another?" They said yes.

So I sang Babi Yar (in English, by the Yiddish songwriter Shuka Driz, who wrote a lot of the songs that came out of the Holocaust), a song we did in an arrangement with Koleinu. I've done it many times as a solo, too. It's very dramatic, and by the end they were all nodding and smiling at each other.

We chatted (finally one of them said "you can speak English" then everyone laughed when I said "Oh, thank God!") So one woman asked me pointed questions about the soloist stuff and where and with whom I have studied, and I was able to say the other things I have done and can do and then she was satisfied. "Are you working here?" "Not yet, but I led services in Rosh HaAyin and submitted my CV at Beit Daniel, so I will be working here!" "Well, ok! Thank you, and good luck!" "Thank YOU!"

Then out to be happy and eat falafel and listen to Yakov go on and on about how great it was!

So whatever happens, I did my best, and feel good about it.