Seu cliente exige uma revisão de desempenho de última hora. Como você atenderá às expectativas deles?

Given my extensive experience, we have always maintained strict creative standards and signed comprehensive performance agreements well in advance to safeguard everyone involved from sudden and impractical demands. An ‘overhaul’ of a performance at the eleventh hour poses a significant risk, as it could severely impact the quality of the delivery and potentially harm a reputation that has taken years to build. For these reasons, I must politely decline this request. However, I understand the challenges of event planning and would be happy to work with the promoter to either reschedule the performance or explore a more feasible alternative on condition that it does not compromise the integrity of the artist’s work.

Voice students often feel added pressure as they draw close to an important event, whether it be an actual professional performance, student recital or audition. Often, their natural reaction is to panic and literally over prepare and rehearse, resulting in vocal fatigue and potentially serious injury! As voice teachers, our job is to "talk them off the ledge," encouraging them to trust the vocal habits which their previous lessons, practice and rehearsals have already instilled, showing them how to "mentally rehearse and review what they will be performing" instead of shredding their voice from overuse before hand!

By identifying the most pressing needs, you can prioritize tasks effectively, ensuring quick, targeted action. This enables you to focus on high-impact areas, delivering improvements within tight deadlines. Clear communication with the client about their immediate expectations is also important to set realistic goals, and manage their stress (and therefore yours). This proactive approach builds trust, demonstrating your ability to adapt under pressure and meet their demands swiftly and efficiently.

When it comes for a last minute unexpected change, I think it is key to assess the importance in term of value for the project, compared to just a change that wouldn't bring much value. Sometimes, we are just trying to change things, without really improving them. that approach helps to filter and focus on things that really matters.

If a student is adamant about making last minute changes before a performance, we as voice coaches can certainly assist, first making sure we have all the necessary tools to do so! Whether it is a copy of the score, accompaniment track or having one or more live musicians, arrangers, copyists or technicians in attendance in order to make any changes and leave us free to focus on keeping our student "calm, cool and collected" throughout the entire process!

By gathering resources efficiently, you provide the necessary tools and team members to execute changes promptly and meet your client's needs. With the right resources, you can respond flexibly, adjust strategies, and deliver tailored solutions that align with the client's expectations, even under tight deadlines, while maintaining high-quality results.

Rehearsing change fosters adaptability and preparedness. By regularly practicing adjustments, you are more agile and able to quickly modify key elements like tone, pace, or structure based on client feedback.

As one jazz musician used to say, "nothing changes but the changes!" When changes do occur, especially last minute ones, it is essential to run through them several times, not only to assist the technical crew in practicing what they do before the performance, but also helping the performer(s) to be comfortable with those changes so they can focus all their attention on the music and feeling they are trying to share with the audience. This is especially true when we are working with one or more of our students as the performers!

There are reasons why the Music and Entertainment Industry is so often referred to as a business! Even as voice teachers or coaches, we need to acquire or add a variety of other skills, including marketing and use of social media if we are to truly prepare our students for the modern world in which they will be competing for jobs as performers or even as future voice coaches themselves! Showing them how we update marketing materials and social media, also needed press releases in response to changes in their show or performance is a great way to prepare them for those challenges in their future!

I strive to learn from experiences. If a last-minute change request jeopardizes the project, I update the terms and conditions in future contract templates to include safeguards.

Indeed, sometimes, we are just trying to change things, without really improving them. It is key to differentiate both cases, and fair to try to implement what matters. It is a delicate task; change without improvement of value can come from ego or amateur. job is also to embrace those challenges ;-)

When you fine-tune aspects like system configuration, optimizing data processes, or leveraging automated tools, you can enhance speed and accuracy, ensuring swift responses to client needs.

Once the relevant tasks (with actual value) are defined, it is still important to be clear and explain the reason of such choice to the artist. At the end, the objective is still value for the client (and not ill will)