Today we’d like to introduce you to Eden Tremayne.
Eden, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
For as long as I can remember I have always loved singing. Throughout my youth I attended a fine arts school through which I experienced different forms of artist expression, especially music. During my exploration of music I found myself gravitating towards classical music generally. I was drawn in by the technical challenge of the music, enjoyed the vocal freedom I experienced when performing, and felt a deep emotional connection with the music. At age 17 I was accepted into the opera program at the University of British Columbia. It was there that I fell in love with opera when I sang my first role as Mary Warren in The Crucible. My experience during my undergraduate degree solidified my resolve to pursue a life of performing opera, and I applied and was accepted into the graduate degree program in music at UBC. During my time in the graduate program I was afforded the opportunity to sing with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as well as sing several roles in summer programs and at UBC. I also won the Johann Strauss Foundation Competition, the prize money from which funded a summer trip to study at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria. The year following my graduation I worked as a piano and voice teacher at a music school in Vancouver while auditioning for Young Artist Programs across Canada. I was accepted into the Yulanda M. Farris YAP at Vancouver Opera where I had my professional debut in Rigoletto and went on to sing several small roles with the company. During my busy time there I was granted a one day release to fly across the country to audition in Montréal for my dream role as Violetta in La Traviata and was awarded the role. We toured La Traviata throughout eastern Canada performing the opera throughout the fall and winter of 2016 and the spring of 2017. Between those tours I married my husband and after the final tour moved down to California where he was finishing his MA. After patiently waiting for the immigration process I was granted a work VISA and permanent residency. I was unable to work during the waiting period and instead began studying regularly with a vocal teacher and coaches within the San Diego area. This year I have been performing as an apprentice artist with San Diego Opera’s Opera Exposed, singing in a number of concert series in San Diego County. Most recently I performed Turandot in the San Diego Opera chorus and am looking forward to singing in “The Little Sweep” with Bodhi Tree Concerts in May.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
As an opera singer I bring the text, music, and motivation of the musical score to life. In order to do this one must be a master of one’s technique, physically agile, know the diction, and understand the many languages in which you sing. The voice is the fundamental instrument and unlike instrumentalists, we use the text as a tool to bring the work to life. I want the audience to feel like they have made a connection with the music through my living performance. Some people may think that opera is outdated but when you get to the bottom of it all, the human experience has not changed nor has its suffering. And that is what opera embodies. I think opera is important because it explores the emotional experiences inherent to human relationships, tragedy, and joy.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
Unfortunately financial issues are a huge obstacle facing someone who is following an artistic career path. Not only is it sometimes difficult to find paying work year round, artists have additional expenses associated with their craft such as paying for lessons to maintain and sharpen one’s technique and weekly coachings to work the language and repertoire of the music I am currently learning. The main way to combat this is find paying gigs. You need to work hard to drum up work and get creative. I find work through concerts, church jobs, local companies around where I live, symphonies, and by teaching. I apply for competitions and grants, and there is serious money involved if you work hard. I also make money outside singing as a personal organizer currently. I chose that for now because oddly enough organizing is something that helps me decompress and I enjoy doing. I also try not overspend and will gladly take advantage when I find a yoga membership on Groupon. Also I am married and my husband helps to support me. If finances are the only thing holding you back I would recommend going through the struggle to pursue what you love to do. But that means that you also need to be honest with yourself and decide if you love doing it enough to justify the hardship that inevitably comes along with it.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The name of my website is edentremayne.com. There they can find my YouTube channel as well as a list of my upcoming performances. They can also follow me on Instagram which is edentremayne.
Contact Info:
- Website: edentremayne.com
- Email: eden.tremayne@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edentremayne/
- Facebook: Eden Tremayne
Image Credit:
Brent Calis Photography
Tim Matheson
Julius Ahn
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