Irene Hoogveld, entrepreneur of the month/ April 2020, ArtEZ Business Centre
Classical Music, Vocals, Zwolle
Every month, the ArtEZ Business Centre and the courses together select a student or alumnus as Entrepreneur of the Month. Their stories give you an idea of what to expect, based on current topics from the professional field. Is there a secret to cultural success? Do you have to excel in your art or is it about selling yourself? Is it a matter of luck, wisdom, hard work or a good strategy?
At the moment of writing this blog, I graduated 9 months ago. A young professional, just starting out, you might say. And when people asked me in the past, how did you decide to be a singer? I always had a streamlined, animated story prepared. I would tell them of my difficult beginnings as a talented pianist, and then... poof! the radiant, successful singer emerges. But in all those conversations, what you rarely talk about is all the intermediate little steps you need to take as a 'young talent' to attain a flourishing career as a performer. This nomination by the Art Business Centre inspired me to write a little more about those. At this point I have more than 10 years of stage experience in various shapes and sizes. My initial approach to starting new projects in an open-minded way has evolved into a more polished cycle of performance, reflection and inspiration, rooted in my own artistic identity.
My initial approach to starting new projects in an open-minded way has evolved into a more polished cycle of performance, reflection and inspiration, rooted in my own artistic identity.
My first motivation to start making music was an unconscious attraction. I was an incredibly sharp observer as a child, always watching people and analyzing behavior, situations and interactions. But I wasn't able to form real connections with others. Only as a musician it seemed to happen effortlessly. That first manifested in playing the piano, but when I started singing, that connection seemed to become a thousand times stronger. I experienced what my voice could do - not just with people of my own age, but with anyone who heard it. It had nothing to do with vanity or fame. It simply made me feel joy and gratitude that I had found a way to connect to people. So that's how I chose to follow the path of an artist.
Invest in my profession
I felt like I owed it to myself, to the magnificent music and its composers, and to the people and audiences around me to find out how far I could take my talent. I dedicated myself completely to singing as a profession. That process started long before my formal studies in classical singing: I performed intermezzos at events, lounge music in saunas and restaurants, and participated in an active opera choir.
During my program at ArtEZ, my efforts intensified and expanded into a wide range of activities. I gave a lot of concerts and my teacher Claudia Patacca presented and recommended me in all sorts of places. That way I got the opportunity to hone my skills as a singer, entrepreneur and emerging soloist. And since the world of classical music is a small one (especially in the eastern Netherlands), that proved invaluable. I worked as a choir conductor as a paid part-time job. I learned to work with children, young people, elderly people, I mastered conducting technique and I worked as a freelance cultural worker at a religious organization. That coincided with my minor in conducting I had chosen as part of my education.
The extra income was immediately invested in sheet music, opera and theater tickets, auditions, summer schools and masterclasses.
The extra income was immediately invested in sheet music, opera and theater tickets, auditions, summer schools and masterclasses. I gave interviews and performances at events of the singing teachers' association, Radio 4, Omroep Gelderland and NOS. Being visible as an artist is of great value, and it's both fun and worthwhile to become familiar with diverse audiences. That's why I also did internships at the Nederlands Kamerkoor, Groot Omroepkoor, Kameroperahuis and took interim jobs for various ensembles. These internships were a good way for me to experience life at a professional company, and it clarified whether a position at these companies would suit me. In retrospect, those experiences really helped me find my direction.
To prepare myself for the real thing
I took my graduation exams at ArtEZ as an opportunity to practice various entrepreneurial skills. For 30 days leading up to the performance, I made a daily vlog documenting my process and sharing information about the music of the recital. I had professional photos made, designed my own poster, printed little flyers and a A0-size poster that was prominently presented at ArtEZ Zwolle, and I wrote the press releases to the local newspapers as well as my own contacts. In the end, we had a full house, but that wasn't my goal - it was simply to have done all this at least once, to prepare myself for the real thing.
So when I got the opportunity to audition for an MA in London and I was accepted, it was clear to me: this was the place to achieve my goal!
I had the good fortune to have a couple of people around me to counsel me: my mother, who is an entrepreneur herself, often supported me, as well as Claudia, other teachers and friends who were ready to spar with me. That feedback was always essential.
As an artist, there is no blueprint or ten-step-plan for a successful career: it has to suit you personally. Your audiences will be sensitive to that authenticity. The personal investment it requires, however, is so large that it's extremely difficult to walk this path without passion and persistence. I always followed my intuition; sometimes I said no, made a different choice, and actively pursued some connections while letting others fall by the wayside. Still, my aim was the same as it was all those years ago: to see how far I could take my talent. So when I got the opportunity to audition for an MA in London and I was accepted, it was clear to me: this was the place to achieve my goal. During my studies abroad, I had no access to my network in the Netherlands. But I found new ways to fill my time. I studied roles and covers to participate in the Opera Course productions. I joined masterclasses, optional projects through the school and lots and lots of auditions and competitions. My star was rising in the Netherlands but I also wanted to be seen in England and beyond. I also kept making new video recordings, which are enormously important to young singers.
My next step
After graduating cum laude in England and returning to the Netherlands, I took a period of reflection to shape my next steps. For ten years, I had acted as a thirsty, greedy sponge, absorbing all the information, advice and life lessons I could get. But after graduating, I changed my tune: I'm in a new phase now. With all the knowledge I have gathered, about myself, the professional field and the world, I know where I want to invest my time and energy. With two diplomas I feel confident enough to say: I paid my dues, I am prepared, let's get on with it! I've always been hesitant to simply jump into things face first; I prefer to make careful choices and then fully dedicate myself to them. So far, those choices have taken me a long way, and I have rarely regretted them. Even when I did, they taught me something valuable. And the network I've built with all these experiments is something I'm still able to tap into now.
The music industry has come to a standstill…
As I write this, I'm self-quarantined due to the COVID-19 virus. The opera production that I was working on last week was a brand-new production with De Nationale Opera by a Dutch composer; something that I felt really passionate about. On the day the government mandated the cancellation of all events with more than a hundred people, not only did our opening night fall victim, but the entire music industry along with us. All my role debuts for the year are cancelled: one in the Netherlands and one in the UK. Not only is this a huge blow financially, but it also derails my personal and artistic development, which I've been working on for so long. I'm still upset about this. From the day I chose music ten years ago, I became a person who connected people, who was a focus for the heartfelt emotions of others. In this situation, I feel like my calling has been taken from me.
All my role debuts for the year are cancelled: one in the Netherlands and one in the UK. Not only is this a huge blow financially, but it also derails my personal and artistic development, which I've been working on for so long.
You also see some beautiful things emerge, though: through the efforts of the Platform for Freelance Musicians, the Soloists working group within that, but also the artists' union and even the government and the King, you can see that competition, mistrust, condescension and fear have given way to the conviction that music, art and togetherness are truly essential to our society. I hope to lend my voice to that principle too, as a 'young professional' in the coming years. That's why I dove into my library, picked a few opera roles that I'm going to sink my teeth in for the next few weeks, and am getting back to work in good spirits. The show will go on!
Irene Hoogveld is a classical singer, specialized in opera and modern classical music. She graduated cum laude twice, with a BA from ArtEZ University of the Arts in Zwolle in 2017 and an MA from the renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London in 2019. She was supposed to join various opera productions as a soloist, with De Nationale Opera, Hurn Court Opera and the Utrechts Studenten Koor en Orkest, as well as develop a range of recital programs and new works within the modern classical repertoire. Due to the COVID-19 virus, all her public performances are currently shut down.