Issue Twelve- April 2021:

By Mercedes Barreto

The Phoenicia International Festival of The Voice promotes the human voice as an instrument of peace, healing, and artistic expression, through presenting a diverse range of world-class vocal performances in Phoenicia, NY, and surrounding areas. 

What is the ultimate motivational factor that brings people into your events? Why should someone attend, and what are they like?

“We have for more than 11 years now, brought excellence, beauty, joy, inspiration, and the highest level of artistry ( our artists perform on the most important stages of the world), but all this made accessibly and in the middle of the beauty that the Catskills region offer. The format is original, basically remarkable vocal arts under the stars, with a glass of wine in hand… it has been more than concerts, but truly a real experience.”

Has Covid been a predominant factor, impacting the work done via the festival? Are the new protocols having a positive or negative effect on your organization?

“Covid has devastated the performing art industry. We have advocated last year for them… But we basically spent the year sharing to the grand public the dire conditions our fellow performers are in. Most do not/cannot claim unemployment benefits because we are all self-employed, most do not have savings aside, none can do” home delivery”… Without a stage, performers can’t work. Most people believe that because they are being entertained during a show, that it is also a hobby for performers. We spent the Covid year sharing that it is a profession.

That it takes 12 to 16 hours a day of work at Olympic levels sometimes and that it is cavalier to tell an artist to simply change profession. We also advocated to stress the importance of the arts in a society.. no arts, no growth.. and not much differentiates us from animals. Being the first US company to present a live opera drive-in style, has brought us some attention.. we were the second in the world. We have been noticed for our spirit or resilience and for having been among the only ones to create jobs for performers.”
What is a message to those who love the arts and the thrill of performance, but just don’t know it yet?
“Try it once! It’s a transformative adventure! But also that you do not have to be knowledgeable to appreciate.. this is seen also with the heart…and anyone can be moved by beauty.”

How can someone help the festival keep its activities going, or how does one get involved with the festivities? Donations or Volunteering?
“We are looking actively for serious partnerships, entities that seek to grow with us. We are at a fascinating tipping point where we have proven a serious track record of excellence and community engagement, where we can demonstrate a real influence in a whole region and we have been an economical engine. We are looking for financial help that would like to help us continue to transform the performing arts, the youth, and a whole region. We have 189 volunteers, but we are looking for housing for our stars, stagehands, ushers,… its a fabulous family and a great cause to support. It’s very easy to contact us via our website or our social media platform!”

Why should the arts be a priority? What does art do for us, and how will the arts be portrayed at the festival in this way? To heal someone’s current state of emotion?

“I just had an interesting exchange with one of our benefactors and need to share the reflection that came out of it: Most supporters of the arts know exactly what we have faced as an industry and continue to face.. but through this particular exchange I realize, one more time, how unaware of the enormous amount of work, stress, devotion, sacrifices, most people are about our industry; how would they? Our trade being entertainment, the receiving end of this transaction comes along, and fairly so, with the expectation of us entertaining others…

After all, for us, it’s work, living-hood, the only way to survive, pay bills, feed our families…

In this conversation, I was baffled by the lack of understanding about the importance of this “transaction” and the assumption that “if it’s fun for me and I pay for it… it must be absolutely fun too for you and you getting my money on top of it!” Of course, there is tremendous joy in doing what we are made for.. but more than a joy, it’s as vital as for a plant to produce oxygen.. it is who we are, and what we are has a serious purpose on our Earth. In my deeper reflection regarding this specific plant analogy; the healing the arts produces on the Earth is similar to what a plant does: a plant takes carbon dioxide, digests it, processes it, and transforms it into oxygen allowing us all to exist. An artist will absorb all the toxicity of this life, digest it, process it, and transform it into something beautiful and meaningful to contemplate and BE human beings. Cut all trees… we die… Cut the arts.. and then our fate is not a better one. I see what we do as a service industry, yet for some interesting reason, people are shocked when they discover the amount of work, strategy, planning, stress it is to put a production together, big or small. And intriguingly, those people still insist on giving their advice about running an art business, because according to them, they know how to run this kind of business.

I am not sure about you, but I would never tell any successful professionals how they should run their enterprise unless I had either been invited to do so or had expertise in that field myself. In a sense, art entrepreneurs are often perceived by other entrepreneurs as somewhat incompetent. This is because we are not supposedly making a profit.
Since when is success measured only by the amount of money a business is able to generate?
Most of us artists and business owners alike have felt ashamed to not “make enough”. However, money was also never the quest. I remain convinced that if each of us in the arts had an interest in truly generating masses of income, that we would all be billionaires! Most of the artists around me have intelligence, depth, the perspicacity of a rare level.

Not to mention discipline and courage. I love to see my community getting exposure in the media, that our shows fill restaurants, hotels.. that businesses make a superior profit when we are around… Having said that, if you put art anywhere these are the mere consequences.”

Is there anything else you might add?

“We are grateful for any opportunity to share what we do! We work so hard at bringing healing and beauty to all. Any opportunity we have to share is a blessing.”

(Photography Courtesy of professional photographer Lois Frazer)

Questions For The Photographer

What is the joy in photographing the arts, whether it be acting or musical performances? What joy did you find in your photoshoots with the Phoenicia Festival?

“Photographing the arts is my very favorite thing to do. I do many kinds of photography from headshots to performance, to real estate. But as a musician my entire life, to get the opportunity to photography musicians and singers I can’t think of anything else I would rather do and for the Phoenicia Festival it is ONLY the best of the best.”

Is there a special dynamic that brings in people to the festival? How can this be portrayed in your photos of the fest?

“Music is universal. No words are needed. Everyone feels the music in their soul. So while I am there photographing the performers, I like to get some shots of the crowd sharing the experience of enjoying the performance.”

(Photography Courtesy of Joe Mack’s Event Photography)