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CORRECTION In the brochure "UNWLA's Scholarship Program, 1967 - 1977" there is a printing error on page 31. In the English-language text of the Financial report, the second line of the heading should read "from 1967 to December 31, 1977" (NOT "from 1976 to December 31, 1977"). Theodozia Sawycka UNWLA Social Welfare Chairperson Show, compared you to Beverly Sills. He mentioned that she, just like you, began her career singing commercials. The news papers write that you have a great voice coloratura and that your greatest love is opera. Are you really attracted to a career with the opera? Did you ever sing in an opera before? Answer: Yes, I have already sung in several operas. In 1971, I went to Belgium on a New York State scholarship. There in Gent, I sang Verdi’s "Rigoletto" and in a French opera "L’akme” by Delib. Being a student of Mannes College of Music, I sang in such school opera productions: Gilda in Verdi’s ’’Rigoletto”, Baby Doe in "The Ballad of Baby Doe” by Douglas Moore, and Flora in "The Turn of the Screw” by Benjamin Dritten. In 1976 I sang Loretta in Puccini’s opera "Gianni Skiki” under the gui dance of Bamberger. I still work on opera roles with my teacher: Prof. Sebastian Engelberg, but what will I be doing in the future? — I don’t really know. New paths are opening up for me that I never even thought or heard of. One thing for sure: I’ll always sing. I love music, singing, and this love, instilled in me by my unforgettable father, I want to pass on to my audience through my singing. Question: We will continue to follow your career closely, wishing you the best of luck and success. But, I’m sure, that our readers would be greatly interested in finding out more about your present work-singing in commercials. This is such an ori ginal and little known profession. What were your first steps in this direction? Answer: While in my third year of musical college, I started thinking of what I should do after I graduated? How I should earn my living? I had a parttime job in a bank, but didn’t think of making a career of it. While still a small child, I had always wanted to be a songstress. I was aware that with only one more year of college I would still not be ready to compete in various contests, which lead to a singing career. My father had passed away and my mother worked two jobs to help me get through college. I had to get a job, preferably something to do with music. I had always loved listening to all kinds of music: classical, popular, folk, rock, and jazz. I noted that in popular music, the lead singer often sang with a background, formed by other singers. These background singers often weren’t even acknowledged on the records. I began to notice that television and radio commerials also were interesting, well composed and sung by good voices. I discussed this with a friend who had attended the "High School of Music and Arts” with me. He sug gested that I tape my voice in the styles that I could sing. This I did. Question: Are there any agencies that help you get started in this profession? Answer: No. I had to look for composers, arrangers, and also other singers of this profession. But there are big com mercial establishments, such as Grey, MacAnn Erickson, and others, who plan a whole campaign of advertising products for their clients. They include everything that deals with the com mercial: movies, photos, newspaper articles, and advertisem- ments. I tried calling them, always attempting to talk to the head of the musical department, asking for an interview. But it wasn’t easy. A few months passed before they found time to hear my tapes... And then I got my first assignment. Learning the techniques of recording in only a few days was my greatest problem, since everyone else had the advantage of long years of experience. After six months of nerve-racking work, sud denly everyone started calling me, asking me to record their commercials. Only then did my long years of study begin to pay off. Question: This work is anonymous and doesn’t bring much fame to its singers. But from an article I read I learned that it pays well. A successful singer, who does commercials for radio and television, can make up to 100-250 thousand dollars a year. Is this true? Answer: Yes, a good and famous singer of this profession could make a lot of money. This depends on how many times this commercial is repeated and if the singer performs solo or with a group. Question: Magazines stress your great knowledge of music and your ability to sing from notes, not wasting precious time on rehearsals. They say that this helped you stand out from other commercial singers. Could you outline your daily routine for us? Answer: What you mentioned indisputably helped me, but it was also my readiness to work long hours, often without breaks, that insured my success. My days are often feverishly exhausting. For example, I sometimes begin mysessionsat 9:00 a.m.: nine to eleven for TWA, eleven to twelve thirty for Coca- Cola, one to two | Hartz Two-In-One- Collar, two to three | Eastern Airlines, three to five | Datsun, five to six | L’Eggs, six to eight | McDonald’s, then from eight-thirty to three a.m., a recor ding session. With all this, where can I find time for lunch or dinner? Now, because I’m better known in this profession, I can pick out which commercials are the best for me and with whom I’d like to work. Only diligence and persistence, along with knowledge and talent, ambition and self-sacrifice, lead to genuine success. Plain talent is not enough. The whole world is full of undis covered talent and unknown genius. It is a pleasure, that this young Ukrainian songstress understands this and possesses these qualities. We not only wish her success, we believe in it. In American musical centers Kvitka is known as Kacey Cisyk. ’’The name Kacey”, she says, ”l submitted as my stage name for anonymous job of singing commercials, because I wanted to save the name of Kvitka for my career with the opera”. We will probably hear more of ’’Kacey” and of ’’Kvitka” in the near future. M. TARNAWSKY Translated from the Ukrainian by I.J. УКРАЇНСЬКІ ЖІНКИ, які живете далеко від наших осередків та Відділу Союзу Українок Америки Прилучіться до нас та станьте ВІЛЬНИМИ ЧЛЕНКАМИ СУА
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