So you’re toying with the idea of taking your singing talents to the world…or at least your local choir, church or pub! Sydney singing teacher and former professional singer Kathleen Connell reveals 5 things you need to know to make your performance goal a reality.

1.    Don’t wait for a perfect voice.
Otherwise you may never get the chance to share your passion and talent with an audience! Commit to practice and work hard, but in the end, performing with an imperfect voice is better than never performing at all!

2.    Don’t expect a perfect performance either.
Accept that your hard-earned skills will take a slight step backwards when you perform. Performing isn’t just about your voice, you also have your gaze, hands and body to think about when you’re on stage. Combining these components takes time and practice to get right. Want to know how to connect with an audience? Here are some tips.

3.    Make sure you choose songs that complement your level of ability.
Ask for help from an experienced singing teacher, who can listen to your voice and then reach into their own vast music knowledge to match your voice with the most suitable songs.

4.    Create a plan.
So you want to perform at a pub? Or become the soloist in your choir? Or audition for a music theatre performance? Creating a plan with a series of mini-goals will help you reach your goal. These might include building a repertoire, attending a workshop or finding opportunities to hone your performance craft. The length of your plan will depend on the magnitude of your goal and where you currently sit on your performance trajectory. For example, if you aim to audition for a high-level opera company like Pacific Opera or Sydney Chamber Opera, you may need a 3 to 5-year plan. If you’re already part of a community choir and aim to audition as a soloist, you may have a 1 to 2-year plan.

5.    Set a timeframe.
If there’s a choir audition in June, then you can schedule your practice time and ask your singing teacher to programme your lessons with the goal and timeframe in mind. There’s nothing better than a deadline to help you commit to your goal either! Struggle with committing to practice? Here’s how to perfect your singing practice.

So there you have it, 5 things to consider if you’re serious about performing. And I hope you are, because I know that your singing will benefit from sharing your voice and story with an audience. Good luck!