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"You have to love rejection."

"I am comfortable with rejection and understand that it occurs."

"No, in this business, in order to survive, you have to love it."

What does this mean? I suppose my recent dealings with it mean that in order to fully love the art, the experience, the full process of becoming an opera singer, rejection is a part of it and thus I have got to more than accept it, I have to embrace it. Rejection is fuel, it is the hand that guides me and teaches me what more I can do, how I can better express the music. It is that which tells me my voice is strong but that I still need to work on keeping it all forward. It tells me that this is a conservative business in which I can love modern opera, but I should let the audition committee decide it they love it as well and want to hear it.

I have learned these things:

Recordings matter. I am re-recording after working on keeping my vocal support.

I will begin auditions with selections that are more conservative and be sure to do more research as to who is hearing the audition and plan my first selection accordingly.

I have more to work on, I will always have more to work on, but there is always an element of subjectivity that is in play. I will find my place.

There is no other way about it. I have to love the rejection. It has to lead me to greater things.