Singer Spotlight: Jendi Tarde

Tell us a little about yourself! Where are you from? What is your educational and musical background?

I am originally from Texas. I was a competitive pianist in my youth and also played the violin (badly). I got an undergraduate degree in voice from SMU and a masters degree in choral conducting from NEC, where I also studied the organ (about as good on that as I was on the violin). After graduation, instead of conducting, I worked as an actor and received young artist training as a singer at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ash Lawn Opera, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. I now freelance as a performing artist and am a choral director at a big 'ol church in DFW.

What is one thing you wish you had known as a young singer and why?

That degree work in the arts isn't nearly as effective as life experience in the arts. If you are unhappy doing what you are doing, the art form you are pursuing might not be for you. That doesn't necessarily mean you aren't an artist. Taking breaks or leaving singing altogether doesn't make you "a quitter," and it definitely doesn't mean you aren't good enough or "have what it takes." It means lifestyle, artistic choices, and a variety of things aren't a good fit for you as a person. There is no one way to be an artist. Singing at the Met very possibly WON'T make you happy. But being true to yourself WILL.

Tell us about an obstacle you have faced during your career and how you overcame it.

See my above answer. This was my biggest battle. I made too many choices based on what were supposedly the "right" career choices...as well as what were marketable ones. I was horribly unhappy.

What is one role or piece you could perform over and over and never get tired of?

Cunegonde. Greatest role experience of my life. Also, I played this hilarious and wounded psychotic child in a piece by Royce Vavrek and Rachel Peters several years ago in NYC called Prairie Dogs. I could do character work like that every day and never get bored. It's hard to find opportunities that evenly combine a love of acting with serious singing.

If you could only give one piece of advice to a young singer, what would it be?

Be honest with yourself about what TRULY makes you happy...it likely won't be the thing that your brain tells you should make you happy. It sounds cheesy, but search your heart and your inner mind. Artists can be scared, and we are so good at shutting out reasonable parts of our mind.

Is there anything you spent too much time stressing over that didn't end up being a big deal?

French diction.

Where can we catch you performing next?

The gigs I'm most excited about this season are singing roles in Handel's Rinaldo and Telemann's Don Quixote with American Baroque Opera Company. I am also a proud board member of the company and have pledged to dedicate a significant portion of my energy to building this company up.