An open letter to my young colleagues:
As you may have seen and shared on your social media, that petition is making the rounds again.
It was started in 2017 by a young artist fed up with the extravagant costs of auditioning, including fees imposed by opera companies. Currently it has over 7,000 signatures, up 2,000 from last year. It is addressed to Opera America President Marc A. Scorca, AGMA National Executive Director Leonard Egert, YAPTracker Founder and CEO Julie Baron, and various other officers and staff of Opera America and AGMA. It features a screenshot of the YapTracker website. It is signed " Young Operatic Artists of America”.
The petition makes a plea for ending audition fees. and asks for help from perceived authorities:
“We ask in good faith that our union, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), and Opera America, go to bat for us on this issue, and formally appeal and negotiate with all American companies to end application fees.”
Traditionally, singers have been afraid to advocate for themselves directly for fear of professional retaliation. It’s understandable that young singers, especially vulnerable due to their lack of experience and status, would wish for opera-serving organizations to take up this cause on their behalf. The elimination of application fees is a worthy goal, and one that might be attainable. Is it going to be attained by a petition, or by this petition in particular? I don’t think so.
Here’s why, and then let’s talk about ways to make goals like this happen.
There’s a lot of discussion about the effectiveness of online petitions. The general consensus seems to be that they can be effective, but usually not on their own —- they must be coupled with action. The effectiveness of online petitions is often demonstrated in ways that support and require action —- they tend to mobilize supporters, raise awareness of an issue, and sometimes even raise money (Mele, “Online Petitions”). But if nothing is done with these benefits, they are useless and quickly dissipate. The app fee petition has been around for two years now. There is no indication that this petition has ever been delivered to the ten people it names as “decision-makers” (most of whom, incidentally, are not).
The original petition called for a boycott on AGMA dues and made aggressive demands on AGMA and Opera America. There was no indication at that time, or now, that any effort to contact any of the officers, or to resolve the issue in any way other than a boycott, had been made. Shortly after the original post, the writer of the petition radically changed the language at least twice to what it is today. At that point, people who had originally signed the petition now had their names affixed to language they had presumably not signed off on. The petition writer, in my opinion through inexperience rather than malice, nevertheless committed acts of bad faith and/or bad judgment at the outset of the project . Alienating the institutions to which you are appealing and pulling a bait-and-switch on your supporters is a poor start.
Who are the Young Operatic Artists of America? The petition is signed with this moniker, but as far as I can tell, there is no existing organization by that name. Who, then, should Opera America, AGMA, and YapTracker answer to? With no organization or committee behind the petition, it is unlikely to go any further than the occasional social media round.
Are the organizations addressed even aware this petition exists? In 2018, then-president of AGMA, Jimmy Odom, said that he had become aware of the petition only after seeing it posted on individuals’ timelines and that no one else at AGMA even knew it existed until he brought it to their attention. It is unclear whether OA is aware of the petition.
This petition demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding about what each of these organizations, their missions, functions, and powers are; how to go about getting the attention of the proper people; and how to effectively foment change.
This petition is not specific. Is it addressing training programs and apprenticeships (also know as YAPs), professional companies that charge audition fees, or all of the above? While YAPS are usually part of a larger professional company, training programs often are not, and may or may not be nonprofits. This affects funding.
Next, let’s talk a little about what each of these organizations are and what they do. This is information that should be taught in school, and is part of the woeful gap in career education for musicians.
YAPTracker
The petition does not mention YAPTracker directly, though founder and president Julie Baron is named as one of the “decision-makers” to whom the petition is addressed and a screenshot of part of its website is the graphic associated with it. This is, quite frankly, bizarre. YAPTracker is a subscription audition-listing service conceived, built, and run by a singer. It is unclear what the petitioner believes YAPTracker can or should do about application fees. It is a business, not an authority of any kind, and no one is compelled to subscribe to its services.
Opera America
Opera America is an advocacy organization that also provides some really nifty perks such as jobs listings, libraries of scores and videos, resources and services for young artists, programs, and studio rentals. Currently, their advocacy is mostly outward-facing, directed at Congress and federal agencies. There is certainly room for OA to be more involved in improving the lives of artists through influence of its members; however, how many of the Young Operatic Artists of America are OA members? Have they approached OA with these concerns outside of the petition? Most of the people addressed as decision-makers in the petition are actually staff.
AGMA
AGMA, the America Guild of Musical Artists, is the union representing opera soloists, choristers, ballet dancers, and stage managers. It can and should and does advocate for its members. For its members. That includes dues-paying individuals who have earned membership, and signatory companies. AGMA has no power or responsibility for individuals or companies who are not AGMA members. How many of the Young Operatic Artists of America are AGMA members? Have they addressed these concerns with their shop representatives or Governor?
The elimination of audition/application fees for singers is a worthy cause. That is not in question here. But however well-intentioned the petition, it isn’t crafted properly to achieve its goal. So let’s look at how this goal might truly be achieved.
Form a group on social media. Social media has one major advantage for itinerant, isolated singers: it provides a free, easily accessible gathering place. Interested parties, including those who have already signed the petition, could form their own advocacy group, much like the American Operatic Soloists have done. They could use this group as a meeting place and forum for discussion in which to plan an agenda, assign tasks, and take effective action.
Mobilize the memberships. Determine which members are also members of AGMA and Opera America. Recruit other likeminded souls. OA and AGMA will pay much more attention to a significant number of their existing members who are demanding change.
Why not involve NATS and NOA? Voice teachers are some of the biggest advocates for young singers that I know … and they also teach at summer training programs. NOA is dedicated to support and mentorship of singers and educators. Bonus: many NATS and NOA members are also members of AGMA and OA, as well as experienced advocators.
Consider formalizing the Young Operatic Soloists into an advocacy organization. Write letters directly to companies that charge fees and ask them to stop —- and get your supporting organizations to sign off on it, too. Brainstorm alternatives to replace the funds companies will lose if they do stop charging, or alternative audition methods. Raise funds and supply grants that companies can apply for to offset their audition costs —- or that individual singers can apply for to offset theirs. Advocate to your peers that they should not apply to companies that charge fees, and moreover, to write and politely tell them why.
Develop relationships with the real decision-makers at the organizations to which you’re appealing for help. It’s human nature —- people are much more likely to help someone they know and have developed relationships with. Furthermore, there may information you don’t have. You need to know what you’re up against. Approach problems with curiosity. Always ask “why” first. WHY is it this way? Don’t assume you know the answer. Talk to the people you see as the opposition and really listen. Their answers may surprise you. They certainly will give you clues for the best way to proceed.
Real advocacy, effective advocacy, cannot happen solely from behind a keyboard. It cannot happen solely from circulating a petition. At some point, someone has to make a plan, pick up a phone, take a meeting, mobilize volunteers, and so on. There is a way to accomplish the goal of eliminating audition fees, but friends, it’s going to take more than a few keyboard strokes. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to produce a little elbow grease.
Love,
Cindy
