Towards an Understanding of Outreach and Identity: Professional Opera Singers’ Perspectives of Definitions, Value, and Status of Outreach

The growth of outreach work in classical music
organisations over the last few decades has cemented its place
as a fundamental part of such organisations’ output. In doing
so, it has also created a different mode of professional work for
artists. However, tensions exist within the terminology that is
used to describe outreach work, and in the terminology used to
differentiate outreach from what is seen as the main artistic
output (often performance). Academic discussion on outreach
programmes has often been framed in terms of numbers,
demographics, and experiences in relation to the audience. By
contrast, comparatively little research exists into the
experiences of, and impact for, the artists who engage in
outreach work as part of their professional careers, and even
less in relation to the singer. This small-scale qualitative study
explored the lived experience of professional singers engaged
in opera outreach work in relation to language (terminology)
and perceptions of identity and status. Its aims are to gain a
deeper understanding of the lived experiences of professional
opera singers within this specific professional world and offer
insight around the tensions in terminology in relation to their
identity (professional or subjective) and status. Findings
suggest there is a lack of clarity around the definition of what
outreach work is, both by those inside and outside the industry.
Furthermore, this lack of clarity impacts the identity and status
of those singers working in opera outreach