Meet Filipino soprano Myramae Meneses

Ik 2014, Myramae Meneses earned her Bachelor of Music Majoring in Vocal Studies at St. Scholastica’s College, Manila with a Sr. Batista Battig Scholarship. Four years later, she graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London UK, where received her Master of Performance Degree in Vocal Studies.

Myramae has won in various music competitions both here and abroad. She has performed as soloist with the Manila Symphony Orchestra; the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO); the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra and ABS-CBk Philharmonic Orchestra.

We recently interviewed her online and here is that conversation.

How does an artist prepare for a competition? What do you think are the advantages of joining these competitions?

I usually prepare by going through my music technically, then later on, dramatically. My teachers are my guide to help me with the technicalities of the piece as well as interpretation. I truly believe that vocal technique is as important as the beauty of the music and the voice. Once all the technical aspect is nailed down then you can easily interpret with the proper intention. I think the process, the metal and physical preparation of joining competitions really hones artists discipline and prepares them to work well under pressure which is a very advantageous skill for future challenges.

After each performance, how do you want the audience to remember you by?

I want the audience to remember me as a classical singer who will remind them that this type of music brings beauty and grace into our world, despite its modernization. I hope that I can reach more people who will appreciate this classical music and classical or operatic singing.

How do you push yourself to exceed in your craft?

Every performance, before or after, I vividly hear these strong yet loving words from one of my mentors, sir Anton Juan, he would always say, “You are only as good as your last performance.” This keeps me grounded and reminds me to keep growing and moving forward.

What advise can you share with aspiring singers?

As a singer, voice teacher with proper knowledge of vocal technique is very crucial to our voice’s health. Our voices are very tender and classical singing requires a lot of endurance. I highly advice singers to find a voice teacher who can help you in singing comfortably.

We often think that we have to be a certain standard but I think that is dangerous mindset in pushing ourselves to achieve something. Progress is our goal, not perfection. Also, rejection is not always a negative thing. We should not be afraid of rejection and mistakes. These are merely guidelines to put us on a better path for our artistic growth. Just get back on your feet, pick up your music score and keep singing. Opportunities out there are always up for grabs!