Brian Bridges has over 25 years of experience at AIMS and lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. He has a finance degree and a teaching certificate from Louisiana State University-Shreveport, and has taught special education elementary/middle school kids for 27 years.
I wish I had words to express my gratitude for being accepted into AIMS last year. The brilliant coaching, the amazing lessons, and the many performance opportunities were precisely what I needed to find my Voice. Since I left AIMS, I’ve had three role debuts, two house debuts, offers from YAPs, Residencies and houses that I hadn’t even considered applying to before. I have never before been in the position where I have to turn down work in classical music, and I completely believe that my time at AIMS gave me the confidence and technical guidance to glean these opportunities. I firmly believe that I was offered these contracts because of how artistically challenging and musically uplifting AIMS was for me.
I had the chance to work with so many good and serious singers as well as top-notch teachers… that alone was worth it, but I carried away so much from the program that the cost was minuscule compared to what I learned. Contrary to being burnt out by six weeks of intensive music studying, at the end of AIMS I was more eager than ever to go to my university’s music library and check out as many books on Lieder and opera as I could carry. I realized the true quality of the AIMS music instructors when the first book I checked out happened to be edited by not one, but five AIMS instructors.
I learned SO much and had a fabulous time with all my new friends, colleagues, and contacts. I am very thankful for all of the opportunities to sing that I was given.
AIMS was a wonderful experience of learning, performing, and seeing a dedicated staff in action. I am personally better from being blessed to have had this opportunity. Many thoughts continue to filter down from this unique and outstanding musical studies program.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the work that AIMS offers to train and encourage young musicians. Your acts of kindness, guidance, and professional insights are invaluable sources of hope and inspiration to so many, myself included.
Acting and audition classes at AIMS had a direct and immediate impact on my career. I completed my first professional audition right after AIMS for the Salzburg Festival young artist program, and got offered a contract on the spot! I don’t think I could have achieved that result before my summer at AIMS. I would encourage any young, ambitious classical or opera singer to participate in AIMS. It certainly changed my life.
I want to thank all of you for being a vital part of my growth into an emerging professional artist. Being a part of AIMS last summer opened my eyes to the professional world of music and helped me understand who I am as an artist and what I needed to accomplish to transition from a student to a professional musician. Thank you SO much for inspiring me to work hard in the practice room; to connect my entire body when I perform; to walk into auditions not expecting anything but to have fun sharing my craft; and to go after career opportunities knowing that they will not come to me. I appreciate it more than words can express!
During the six-week program at AIMS, I received voice lessons and coachings. I also took my first German class and became attracted to the German language. My affinity for German caused me to take a particular interest in its poetic-song companion, the Lied. It is an aspect within standard solo vocal literature that I admire. Mr. Harold Heiberg, my vocal coach at AIMS, who specialized in Lieder, taught me how to appreciate and utilize the language in song performance. This was my first in-depth experience with song interpretation that illuminated musical collaborations not only between the poet and composer, but also between the singer and pianist. It was an exciting time as a developing musician.
AIMS has given me a true sense of where I need to work from – how I measure up and areas I need to strengthen for a future in classical singing. I learned more about my voice and how to maximize its use in one week at AIMS than I had in three years.
The knowledge and guidance I received from the faculty has changed my perception of my own singing and artistry for the better. I feel as if I can walk out onto a stage, into an audition, and into the world with this new-found confidence. I’m more passionate about my dreams and have a burning desire to see them through.