Thomas Moser: an artist in tune with his craft

Thomas Moser, tenor, was principal Mozart singer at the Vienna State Opera during the late Seventies and Eighties. In 1988 he was awarded title of Viennese Kammersanger. Moser has performed opera and recitals from La Scala to the Salzburg Festival to the Metropolitan Opera. He has recently returned to the United States to pursue new projects.

Peggy Weston: "Tom, of all the things you might have considered doing with your life, why do you choose to sing? How do you deal with depending on something as fragile as singing to support yourself?"

Tom Moser:  "Music was my 'language', and singing my 'dialect'. I had to sing in order to express myself. In order to be 'complete'. So, there was no choice. Of course, if it hadn't worked out, I would have found something else to do. But, as I did, I didn't have to cross that bridge!"

PW: "When you are 'beat' from your schedule or the 'pipes' are not up to par, how do you physically and mentally prepare yourself for your performance?"

TM: "There are certainly times when I am very fatigued from a heavy schedule. Then, there is no choice but to sacrifice private life and take the rest necessary to get through the rough spot. If the problem is illness, then one has to sense whether one can cope without the assistance of a physician. If not then one must get the necessary help. If the performance can be done with no great risk to the vocal apparatus, then one does one's best. If not, there is no choice but to cancel."

PW: "Do you have favorite vocal, breathing or performance warm-up exercises? Do they differ greatly from 'live' performances to recording studio?"

TM:  "My 'warm-ups' are today the very same ones I received from my teacher almost thirty years ago. Nothing changes when one goes from the 'live' performance to the recording studio. Even if the result is a 'conserved' one, the performance before the mic was 'live'."

PW:  "What musical education or particular training contributed most to your success and why?"

TM:  "There is no part of my education which has become part and partial of my career as a vocalist. Strictly speaking, I suppose it would be the voice lessons with a Maestro who could offer me the benefit of forty years of his experience. Also, piano instruction with a fantastic lady who every utterance was a pearl of wisdom, and could be applied not only to piano, but to every other instrument, including the human voice."

PW:  "Have you experienced singing other genres of music or have you always known which you would be focusing on and recording? What made you decide on your choice?"

TM:  "I have sung musical, operetta and popular music, but my choice is opera and classical or 'serious music', because it best expresses me."

PW:  "Name a vocalist(s) who influenced your vocal style, your musicianship, your performance style."

TM:  "Nicolai Gedda, Franco Corelli, Mirella Freni, Martial Singher, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau."

PW:  "What qualities do you think are important for a vocalist to have to survive in the arts."

TM:  "The qualities needed to survive as a vocal artist reads like a list of contradictions. One must be overly sensitive, but have the hide of an elephant. One must have the inner knowledge that one has something valuable to offer. Without the courage of his convictions, a singer can't survive the world in which he wishes to take a place. One must be able to take criticism, even when it injures, but be able to discern which criticism is valid, and which is not. I would say that one must have talent, but that is not necessarily synonymous with having a 'voice'. There are many wonderful voices which are never heard, and any number of great artists with less than great voices. It also is important to note that an artist must always perform to satisfy his own need to express himself. Only in this way can he hope to please or reach anyone else."

Vocalists! That last paragraph is gold to print out and post for guidance and inspiration!
Posted by Peggy Weston at 9/9/2009 7:28 PM
Categories: Featured Artist
Tags: Reap from his wisdom
 

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