Aria Ready: The Business of Singing, by Carol Kirkpatrick, Leyerle Publications, 178 pp., $20
 
OPERA NEWS readers who wish to take a more participatory approach to the subject of singing have a few new publications to peruse. If a professional career is even a remote possibility, Carol Kirkpatrick's Aria Ready: The Business of Singing is a must-have.
 
Now that you know how to sing, get out your journal and prepare for some soul-searching with Aria Ready. The silly title does little to advertise the book's riches, but the subtitle, The Business of Singing, gets right to the heart of Kirkpatrick's message. As a warm-up, the reader explores various learning styles, decision-making skills, motivation and belief systems, all in an effort to develop self-awareness and to create a mission statement.
 
Clearly, Kirkpatrick understands singers' need for methods and structure, and her book is appealingly thorough and systematic. She skillfully addresses goal-setting, time management, fund-raising and networking. She includes tips on paying taxes, finding coaches, setting up an office and seeking management. Keenly aware of what's needed to keep afloat in the profession, she provides plenty of positive attitude, presenting no-nonsense solutions to possible problems. Like Hong-Young and Phillips, Kirkpatrick has advice on practicing, but her method, firing off questions for the reader to ponder, will result in a more personalized routine.
 
Once you get a job, count on Kirkpatrick to explain contract negotiations, how to behave in rehearsal, even how much to tip the wig person. An excellent appendix shows how to mark a score for auditions and for stage rehearsals, what a resumé should include and how to keep an audition journal.
 
JUDITH MALAFRONTE