“I am proud to call myself an alumnus of the CLA Vocal Academy, and I think my experience is the perfect example of what CLA can offer to an aspiring artist: growth. “
David Freides, CLA Vocal Academy 24/25 Resident Artist
My journey with Classic Lyric Arts began in CLA NY 2021. CLA was my first operatic summer program, and it gave me my first opportunity to perform an aria and opera scenes in front of an audience. Having recently switched majors from classical trumpet to classical voice, I had many doubts about the next steps. However, with the guidance of the CLA Faculty, I began the pursuit of my operatic career not only with confidence, but also with kindness.
It seemed peculiar to me at first that everyone at CLA seemed to believe in me, and it wasn’t something I was used to. Whether it was in a language or diction session, a coaching, a staging rehearsal, or dress rehearsal, everyone believed in my ability to succeed even when I had no idea whether or not I could. This belief affected me deeply, and it became a running bit after I returned to the program for a second summer at CLA Italy 2022 that I couldn’t make it through the “Final Circle,” an open discussion on the program's effect on its students, without crying - luckily, writing this, I can hide my tears.
I decided to return to CLA again, this time for their inaugural year of the CLA Vocal Academy in New York City, and it was an honor to be a part of. Not only did we get two coachings sessions with Glenn a week, we were also able to sing for our fellow CLA Vocal Academy Resident Artists in a group class each week. The group classes were a real highlight for me, as seeing my colleagues perform and progress was incredibly inspiring.
David Freides, Enes Pektas, Daniel Isengart, & CLA community members
During these group classes, we also had guest conductors, coaches, vocal pedagogues, directors, and educators visit and share their specialties and insights. This was a huge boost to my artistic progression throughout the year, as outside of school, opportunities for singing at the beginning stages of your career are mainly limited to auditions. These classes and guest faculty with the CLA Vocal Academy maintained the identity of CLA with kind guidance that encouraged growth and effective learning.
Each week, we were also guided by our wonderful acting coach, Daniel Isengart, whose work brought our musical pieces to life as a complete expression of our artistry. This spring, CLA showcased its first full opera, Il Tabarro by Puccini. Working with Daniel on this production was a great experience to complete the first full year of the CLA Vocal Academy. He not only helped me with the interpretation of my character but also fully understood how our performances and every physical expression impacted the audience, which was remarkable.
Resident Artists, David Freides and Sara Stevens in Il Tabarro
Daniel is a true master of his craft. And I have to say that as someone who strives to be a “singing-actor,” Daniel’s guidance was immensely helpful to me, creating personal intention to the characters I was portraying, bringing them to life in a way that was authentic for me.
John Viscardi, CLA’s Executive Director, offered his expertise to us not only as a professional singer himself, but also as a consummate professional in the world of performing arts. John’s skill and versatility as a mentor is surpassed only by his compassion as a human being that he shared with all of us. Even with his busy schedule, John always found time for each of the CLA Resident Artists and made them feel valuable and taken care of. There isn’t enough I can say to truly express how inspiring John has been to me as a singer, a mentor, and, especially, a person. The process of becoming a professional artist in this industry is quite trying, at times. But I can say with the utmost confidence that I wouldn’t have made it this far without the mentorship I received from John.
Resident Artists, David Freides, Enes Pektas, and Sara Stevens.
I am proud to call myself an alumnus of the CLA Vocal Academy, and I think my experience is the perfect example of what CLA can offer to an aspiring artist: growth. Having started at square one just a few years ago and shaking during my first aria performance to singing Puccini’s Il Tabarro (with slightly less shaking), CLA has guided me through the entirety of my development as a singer and as an aspiring artist. The friends and connections I’ve made through the Resident Artists and Faculty I know will last a lifetime. I will always be endlessly grateful to CLA for being the first group of artists to believe in me and for the unwavering belief in my potential as a singer.
CLA’s people and culture are what has kept me afloat during the highs and unavoidable lows all artists experience at the beginning of my career. I wouldn’t be half the singer or person I am today if I hadn’t met Glenn and experienced the radiant kindness that pours out of him and into CLA as an organization. To be among fellow singers who have experienced the same transformative experience through CLA is an honor and a privilege I do not take for granted. I feel so lucky to have met him and to be a part of the CLA family.