It has long been a mission of mine to help singers transition from “studio to stage”. However, it has also been a source of frustration to me that many extremely talented singers sometimes seem to fall short of their career aspirations. No one seems to teach the simple tools that can give a singer the credibility, panache, and professional presence to help them to be chosen for that Young Artist Program, win the competition, or ultimately, be “hired”! It is my goal, through the development of this class series, to help you create this professional presence, which will allow the most powerful and authentic version of yourself shine through! -Karen Huffstodt
SERIES SEVEN 2023: September 30th, October 21st, November 4th, November 18th, December 16th.
TIME / PLACE: Saturdays 1:00 p.m. EST (New York), 10:00 a.m. PST (CA); 6:00 p.m./18:00 (UK) 7:00 p.m. /19:00 (Europe). Classes will be on ZOOM. Class attendees will receive a recorded video, which will expire in 30 days.
CLASS DETAILS: Classes will be 3 to 3 1/2 hours long. This will include a short discussion of the class topic, working sessions with 3 to 4 singers, and time at the end for questions. (Discussion topics may vary slightly, depending on the participating performers.) Singing participation is limited, so please indicate when registering, if you would like to be considered to sing. Auditors are also welcome. (Singers will be asked to bring an accompaniment track or have a “live” pianist available. I strongly recommend Appcompanist for customizable tracks.) Singers are asked to be prepared with the word-for-word translation of their arias and knowledge of the dramatic context of the aria within the opera. Also, please dress in audition appropriate clothing and footwear.
COST: $125 FOR THE 5 CLASS SERIES. Payment due I accept VENMO (@Karen-Huffstodt) and PAYPAL (khuffstodt@hotmail.com) REGISTRATION: Please contact me directly at KarenHuffstodt@TheActingSinger.com. Due date to enroll is September 27th.
Karen Huffstodt has enjoyed a distinguished international operatic career that has encompassed the dramatic soprano heroines of Mozart, Verdi, Strauss, and Wagner. Known for her intense characterizations and extraordinary stage presence, she has graced the stages of the world’s major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, The Vienna Staatsoper, Opéra National de Paris, the Salzburg Festival, Aix-en-Provence, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and the Australian Opera.
The Acting Singer is committed to creating a safe and nurturing work environment, where support and positivity are the “sine qua non” to helping you reach your personal performance goals.
WELCOME: If The Acting Singer sounds like something that might help you fill in the gaps in your audition preparation, I encourage you to join me on Saturdays for a fun, new, and different type of training. Together, we can create a newly polished audition package, or help you prepare for your next engagement.
Hope to “see and hear” you soon! –Karen
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE ACTING SINGER!
Karen Huffstodt has a special instinct and talent for inspiring “stage ready” presence in all levels of singers. I highly recommend her ACTING SINGER Masterclasses as a rare opportunity for the young singer or emerging professional to work closely with someone of Karen’s calibre and vast experience to “fine hone” their unique and individual talent – whether for an audition or performance setting.
-David Jones, Author/Vocal Pedagogue
I loved Ms. Huffstodt’s class! There are so many masterclasses focused on singing and musical interpretation, but not so many that focus on the art of being a singing actor. I found her expertise and guidance to be invaluable – and her instruction is extremely clear and practical. I have never encountered such a class before! I have worked with directors or actors on acting, but never with a singing actor – and this makes all the difference in helping to merge great singing with great acting!!! I feel so grateful for this work and the opportunity to learn from one of the very best in the business. I highly recommend Ms. Huffstodt to other singers!
-Ariana Lucas, Contralto
My voice teacher recommended that I attend The Acting Singer Masterclass series to help me prepare for an audition tour in Germany. I found the classes so helpful that I started working with Karen privately on all of my repertoire. She has really provided the missing link between vocal technique and performance. From her many years on stage, she has a wealth of knowledge. Thanks to Karen, I feel more confident than ever for the audition season!
Rachel Sarig, Soprano
Karen’s classes are very safe spaces, relaxed, and unhurried.
She draws on her vast understanding, knowledge, and experience of acting-within singing in a thoughtful, insightful, positive, and encouraging way-first setting out the particular topic for the session, and then working with the class participants to put the concepts into practice.
Her work is not only both hugely informative, and immediately accessible for the adult ‘singing actors’ or ‘acting singers’, but those who teach will find plenty that can be used in their lessons, either ‘as is’, or suitably age-adapted for their younger students.
I fully recommend these classes for the new learning, revising / reviewing (UK/US), and for the consolidation of these techniques, and I’m very much looking forward to the second series!
-Jane Emmanuel (singer, and 36 years singer teacher to younger children, teens, and adults inthe U.K.)
I did get a chance to watch the video, and I was impressed. The evolution from where I started to where I ended was astounding!
-Karl Buttermann, Baritone
Karen Huffstodt’s THE ACTING SINGER class fills a much-needed space in the cultivation of the life of a singing artist. I sought out Karen’s help to work on the complex balance of finding emotional truth and honoring the physical demands of fine singing, particularly for the preparation for auditions. In the end, I found she offered so much more. Having worked on the great operatic stages of the world, Karen has a unique insight and wisdom, which she shares generously with humor and humility, always turning the focus to support the singer to work with more musical integrity and emotional honesty. She creates an environment that is very encouraging and a safe space for exploration. I left each class feeling more inspired, equipped with new tools and ideas, and confident in my abilities.
-Laura Marshall, Mezzo-Soprano
Karen Huffstodt is doing something not many others are doing. As a performer and singer myself, having a safe space to try out and perform my pieces has been integral to my growth as a singer, if not more importantly – my growth mindset, Gaining a newfound sense that I belong is irreplaceable, and the risks that I embrace in the workshops embolden me to try out new things and really go for it! The journey of a singer can be hard. Some repertoire, we may dust off the old shelf, other repertoire may be brand new…but wherever you are, you will walk away feeling empowered. This ongoing workshop series fills a void many of us really experience in this artist life-between study, studio, and getting the actual gig! Acting Singer is a true gift to performing singers!
-Chandry Abreu, Seattle based Soprano and performing artist