Begging Wednesday & Festivus for the rest of us!

Begging Wednesday

and Festivus for the rest of us! 


Babushka Mode activated. 


So much to do and so little time! I, like 90% of musicians, have once again found myself in the chaotic wonderland that is holiday gig season. It looks different every year, and luckily for me this time around I’ve got a nice mix of concerts and a bit of time to actually see my family.

This year, I’m taking it easier. I’ve decided that singing outside is officially for the young and ambitious. I have paid enough dues, thank you very much. I sang outdoors for a Remembrance Day Ceremony and then spent the entire rest of the week trying to warm up. I even pulled out the winter gear early, all proud of myself—and yet the cold still got me.

So here I am with some caroling, four concert gigs (Burlington, Hamilton, and Cambridge), and—of course—a partridge in a pear tree. My most loathsome carol. My personal purgatory is never actually arriving at “Five Golden Rings.”

Caroling: The Good, the Bad and the Other One...

Caroling has been one of the more interesting corners of my career, and honestly, it was probably the gateway drug to my career choice. I am a Christmas baby, after all—hence the name Holly. The algorithm of music + Christmas basically stamped my forehead with “future singer.”

Over the years I’ve met so many fabulous colleagues of all ages, backgrounds, and temperaments while jingling all the way. I have done caroling gigs with opera singers, theatre kids, music teachers/students, instrumentalists who were carol-curious and out of work actors who had no idea what they were getting themselves into. But regardless of background, most carolers fall into one of these 4 categories. 

  • The sticklers (“We must follow the score that’s provided…or else.”)

  • The melody-only people, for… a variety of reasons including(but not limited to)not knowing any of the songs.

  • The unenthusiastic-but-dependable reliables

  • The genuinely cheerful reliables

For three(or was it two..) years there was the ‘semi-secret’ two-month-long gig that a handful of us held down with a company I won’t name. It was awesome. The pay was $$$$, and the overtime was $$$$$$$$. A thing of beauty. But alas, it’s no more.
Santa, if you’re listening… can you bring that gig back?



Caroling was also the only job that really existed during the pandemic—even if only in tiny fragments. I did a recording with my partner: me on every voice part, him on guitar. A very 2020 holiday moment.

Introducing: Begging Wednesday

So, on Tuesday, every company, charity, and artist on the internet asked for donations. And this year, I’m starting my own tradition: Begging Wednesday.

Don’t panic—I’m not launching a GoFundMe or writing a manifesto about being a starving artist. If anything, being poor is the one tradition artists have successfully maintained for centuries. We’re nothing if not consistent.

Instead, on this glorious Begging Wednesday, I’m begging you to do something much simpler:

Go to performances.

That’s it. That’s the ask.
Make it a New Year’s resolution:

  • See a live show once a quarter.

  • Heck, go once a month if you can.

  • Support your local choirs, orchestras, theatres, opera companies, indie musicians, student performers—anyone putting art into the world.

I’ll be singing some arias and seasonal repertoire this coming weekend, and what truly helps artists at every level isn’t pity or donations—it’s bums in seats. Your presence makes the art possible.

So here’s my holiday wish:
Show up. Experience something live. Let music sneak into your winter and make it warmer than my Remembrance Day gig ever was.

Happy Begging Wednesday.

Stay up to date! Check out my Website;www.hollychaplin.com




Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nevermind the Why and Wherefore

Image
Nevermind the Why and Wherefore! The adventure of summer gigs in Ontario.      S ummer is always a mixed bag for most singers in Ontario. I’m not here to plug these events, but there are street festivals, some summer concert series, and a few larger music festivals where you can see the usual suspects from the bigger institutions sweating it out for the public—and doing some singing too. That list may sound like there's a lot going on for performers, but really, there isn't. Most singing teachers and répétiteurs become elusive creatures; they head to Europe to teach in summer programs and take a vacation as well.      Early on in my artistic development, I ventured to Europe twice, but I learned the most from Toronto offerings when I performed Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann and Semele in Semele with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre. I highly recommend this program to singers at all stages. There is always room to improve your craft, and you don't need to go...
Read more

Boarding Passes for Valkyries

Image
Boarding Passes for Valkyries Singing is a great profession if you like to travel. I love planning trips, getting to the airport, meeting new people, and reconnecting with existing connections. It’s my favorite spice of life. I’ve even applied to programs and audition opportunities just for the trip — it's a major win if I know someone in that city. In 2018, I did Così fan tutte in Henfenfeld, Germany. After the production finished, I stayed a few extra days to vacation in Salzburg. One day, while having a coffee, I was scrolling Facebook and saw a friend of mine — who was traveling with his dad — posting from Hamburg. After messaging him, we realized our paths were about to cross! We ended up going to Esco Bar in Salzburg. What were the odds, right?                                                           Me in New ...
Read more

Opera, Oceans, and Waiting for Godot

Image
Opera, Oceans, and Waiting for Godot Long-haul flights always feel like theatre of the absurd. Endless hours breathing recycled air, waiting for the meal cart, waiting for sleep that never comes, waiting just to wait some more. It’s a little like Beckett’s Waiting for Godot —except in my case, I’m waiting for Sydney. Great Ocean Road 2022.  In just two days, I’ll be on my way to Australia. I’m thrilled to get there… less so for the actual 21-hour flight. Last time I went, the trip was all about networking and laying the groundwork for relationships. This time, there’s real singing to do—not long after stepping off the plane. Which means juggling fatigue, dehydration, and jet lag. Not ideal, but definitely doable. Jet-Lag Eye Bags I’ve tried every trick to fight jet lag, but truthfully, there’s no magic cure for resetting your body clock. I’ve experimented with melatonin, napping across empty rows, and even alcohol once… never again. My most successful “jet lag hack” happened...
Read more