Kala is the Founder of Five Senses Tastings, a Certified Women-Owned Business. Her philosophy of Sensory Wellness encourages guests to harness the energy, power, and play of their five senses using music, wine, and food, and sweet treats. Inspired by her childhood abroad, Kala believes that diversifying our own sensory ecosystems leads us to find beauty and inspiration not just in ourselves but in the world around us. She is a professional opera singer who has performed worldwide (including...

No one likes to receive negative feedback - it's true. But, how you respond to criticism will influence what kind and speed of progress you can make in your professionally creative career. In this Micro Action Monday, Megan discusses how to take in, respond to negative feedback, and turn it into a positive situation. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too. Check it out here:...

Opera Now Magazine in their article, “Written in the Stars” profiled Hilary Ginther in May 2016 as one of ten young American singers intent on taking the opera world by storm, calling attention to her “substantial and richly colored instrument”. This was followed by her Philadelphia Orchestra debut in Bernstein’s MASS under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, which was recorded by Deutsche Grammophon and released in March 2018, in commemoration of the composer’s centenary. Most recent...

"Having an audition that really shines is not about, 'Oh, I wore this dress that they really liked.' It's about, 'I made a moment for them in that room. They felt so inspired by my work that they knew I would be the right fit for an entire production or I would be the right fit for their company.'" In this Micro Action Monday episode, Megan discusses a few tips to make your auditions really stand out. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series...

"Go ahead and actually prepare with efficiency and effectiveness so that you can make the most out of your work and feel like you're bringing your best musical self to the situation." In this Micro Action Monday episode, Megan breaks down the process of creating an efficient practice schedule in 7 steps. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too. Check it out here:...

Megan does a crossover episode with Rebecca Hass of "Being a Whole Person" podcast! Here's what Rebecca wrote about our chat... "I had a delightful conversation with Megan Ihnen, a mezzo-soprano and “new music force of nature” who wears many hats as a performer, educator, coach/consultant for musicians, and also in arts admin. With these many roles, she is an amazing connector and natural community builder. Tune in to hear us chat about creative placemaking, authentic community building,...

Named “Best Classical Conductor” by the Nashville Scene, Kelly Corcoran is Artistic Director & Conductor of Intersection, a contemporary music ensemble now in its 9th season in Nashville. Corcoran founded the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted the Nashville Symphony in hundreds of performances for nine seasons as Associate Conductor and Director of the Symphony Chorus. Join us in this Masterclass episode featuring Kelly Corcoran! My gratitude goes out to Hannah...

Ask yourself, "Am I bringing my best self to each collaboration?" In any collaboration when you start working with somebody new, I want you to think, "Wow, it's really an honor to get to work with this person. How can we both achieve our goals together through this piece, through this music, and then also honor the composer's intentions, the composer's creativity, and our shared musical imagination?" Megan shares her thoughts on working with new collaborators in this Micro Action Monday...

A soprano of "fearlessness and consummate artistry" (Opera News), Ah Young Hong has interpreted a vast array of repertoire, ranging from the music of Monteverdi to Georg Friedrich Haas. Widely recognized for her work in Michael Hersch's monodrama, On the Threshold of Winter, The New York Times praised Ms. Hong’s performance in the world premiere as "the opera's blazing, lone star." Recent performances include solo appearances with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, the BBC Symphony Orchestra,...

"If you have done any freelance music work or any kind of freelance creative work, at some point you will need to invoice someone. And now's the time to figure out what you're going to do." In this Micro Action Monday, Megan talks about how to set yourself up for invoice success. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too. Check it out here: https://sybariticsinger.com/category/29-days-to-diva/ My gratitude goes...

“So asking about logistics and style really help you know whether this is the right situation or if you’re just going to be studying with someone who might be fantastic at what they do… but the ‘what they do’ is not the right thing for you. And, vice verse. You’re not going to be a great student in their studio if you’re expecting different things but you haven’t communicated about what those expectations are. This is an important time to communicate together clearly and effectively about...

Michelle Trovato has sparked praise in Opera News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and others for her “lush” voice and dynamic characterizations. She has won prizes in the U.S., Canada, and Europe and she also maintains an active private vocal studio. Michelle also teaches at FMDG Music School which is the only school in the US devoted completely to supporting the musical and artistic lives of students who are blind, have low vision, or significant vision loss of some kind. Show...

“I want you to know that you have way more control over your financial life in the arts than you might have been led to believe. I love helping people figure out how to live sustainable lives in the arts. That’s what I want for you. I want you to be sustainable. I want you to be the artist you want to be. If you have questions about setting your own fees/prices, hit me up. It’s my pleasure to help!” In this Micro Action Monday episode, Megan shares the formula she teaches her clients to...

“I can’t be the only one who feels this way… Do you sometimes procrastinate practicing? Practice really is the number one anxiety killer, the number one performance anxiety killer, so have a great time. Be joyful in your practicing because you’ve built in all of these ways to get better at it and to not procrastinate. Enjoy what you’re doing. This helps you grow and challenge yourself!” Join Megan for 8 tips and recommendations for getting your practice motivation in gear. Do you like these...

“Ask yourself to go much deeper with what you’re performing. Show me both the internal and the external so that I can just lose myself in the performance that you’re giving!” In this Micro Action Monday episode, Megan talks about tools, tips, and strategies to help you make better dramatic choices in auditions and performances. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too. Check it out here:...

“You are inhabiting information that may or may not be useful to you anymore. I want you to interrogate what you think the rules of the game are. That you can only “make it’ if you follow these rules, if you do all of the things on this checklist, then you’ll get what you want. I would love for you to dig into that and ask yourself, ‘Is that true?’ As your micro action today, I want you to identify all of the rules that you have come into contact with over time. Then, I want you to take the...

So ideal client exercise is this super charger of empathy. You’re putting yourself into the feelings, thoughts, desires, goals, and pain points of somebody else. This is somebody you care about because you really want to work with them. This can be anybody.” Divas, I really want you to ask yourself the questions in this episode so you can work with more people you absolutely love to work with! You’ll experience some really cool results if you do. Do you like these micro action episodes?...

“Divas, I want you to do your own SWOT analysis today: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. - What are my most unique skills? - Where am I less skilled? Can I become more skilled in this area with more/better information? Or, should I abstain from this area? - Where is there space for me to be more visible? Where is there space for me to really distinguish myself? - What are the internal/external threats to my ongoing existence in this field… to my sustainable, thriving...

“I really want you to think about how you are putting yourself out there for the work you want to do. How are you communicating your offers? Let’s go through the list one more time: attracting and connecting with your ideal clients, being clear about what your signature service is, sharing the outcomes and results that people can expect from working with you, having a clear portfolio of previous work, sharing testimonials and reviews, being clear about your process, FAQs, strategic redirects...

“Having an email list can be a really important tool in your toolbox for communicating with potential commissioners, clients, collaborators, students, fans, or whoever you’re trying to reach to share your offers. Just get started. Let it grow over time. The next step I want to talk about is ‘have a lead magnet.’ A lead magnet is basically a freebie they get when they give you their contact information. We’re gonna think about this in a community-building way. It’s a ‘community magnet’…” More...

“So, your micro-action for today is just… pitch somebody. It’s your responsibility to show up in front of the colleagues, collaborators, and commissioners you want to attract. Make a plan to pitch somebody and then take responsibility for showing up in front of the people who can make it happen for you.” Hear about this and more in today's Micro Action Monday episode with Megan Ihnen. Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic...

"Use this as a template for asking better and deeper questions. Use this as a template for listening without defensiveness - because you really do want to actually hear the answers that people will give you. Recognize that you’re growing by taking an interest in their inner world. You’re saying, “I care. I want to keep working together so I’m going to invest in these deeper than surface level questions.” Be open. Be inquisitive. You got this!" Hear this and more in today's Micro Action Monday...

People want to be sure they're making a good choice in hiring you, buying from you, or commissioning you. Customer objections are the concerns that a potential client, commissioner, presenter, or director has which cause them to hesitate (at best) and abandon (at worst) a project or contract with you. This Micro Action Monday episode explores some of the ways that you can think through customer objections in your professionally creative life to book more gigs, get more students, or sell your...

“Divas, if you are on social media, I want you to recognize the powerful tool that it is and avoid the mindless scrolling and self comparison trap that can come with it. Social is an incredibly powerful tool, but it can also be a very negative experience. Here’s one way to use social, especially Instagram, to use it for your best self - for your best life.” Do you like these micro action episodes? You'll probably like the 29 Days to Diva series on The Sybaritic Singer too. Check it out...

“Make a list: these are all of the things I’m actively engaged in that are not urgent and not important. Then, practice letting them go. You might be convincing yourself that they are urgent or that they are important. That is sabotaging what you really want to do with that time. I don’t want you to hear me saying that you should be a “creative business robot” - that’s not what the Eisenhower Matrix is about. We sometimes allow non-urgent and non-important things to take over because we think...