Local artist profile: Gabriel Macura

THIS week we chat with the amazing vocalist/arranger/composer and producer Gabriel Macura.

What initially motivated you to have a go at singing?

I don’t actually remember a time when I didn’t want to sing. I’ve always had music in me wanting to come out! But my first real attempts at singing on a stage happened when I was about 14 because of my friend and amazingly talented pianist, Jonathan Cox.

He would make me tapes of the new music theatre shows coming out and I would listen over and over until I knew the words to all the songs, then he and I would play and sing. We started doing local concerts like the Dahlia and Arts Festival and Kiwanis concerts together and I was hooked.

How would you describe your style?

It really depends on what I’m singing. I don’t have one style. I am classically trained so if I’m singing something operatic, for example, I’ll use that voice and technique.

I love singing jazz and soul, so that’s another vocal style, and if I’m singing music theatre I’ll adapt my style to fit the specifications of that genre.

I also really enjoy free-form styles of toning like chanting and scat. The voice is such a fabulously flexible tool for expression. I fundamentally do not believe in locking it into one way of being.

I like to do work around freeing the voice up and dissolving barriers to our innate and unique expression.

What are some highlights you have from your singing journey so far?

I honestly wouldn’t know where to start but here are some random singing things I’ve done: I’ve sung Bach mixed with Middle Eastern instrumentation at The Mathaf Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar to hundreds of Sheikhs. When I was in the US, I performed at the Cat Club ‘All Stars’ nights in Hollywood for a while alongside members of Guns ’n’ Roses, White Snake, Iron Maiden, Goo Goo Dolls, Poison, etc, etc.

At one point my husband (who is a brilliant sound craftsman) and I were doing these larger-than-life amplified pop-up outdoor operatic shows in Melbourne and Sydney, which ended up on quite a few TV shows and led to all kinds of crazy adventures!

But honestly, over the past few years the greatest and most rewarding highlights on my singing journey have been seeing my students overcoming obstacles and achieving their goals and dreams on their own terms as their authentic selves. That’s a whole other level of amazing!

What would you say to young regional aspiring singers who are thinking of having a go at it professionally?

I hold an unpopular view on this subject. My advice to young singers is don’t go to music school.

I meet so many singers who got lost on that path and eventually gave up. I believe that if you want to sing, then sing!

Find a vocal and performance coach who supports your ‘youness’, who finds you opportunities and helps you build confidence and a solid technique that is going to make sure you look after your precious and unique voice.

Perform everywhere you can, get as much experience as possible! Try everything and find what you love. There is no ‘one way’ to sing and there is nothing to be gained from trying to fit into a box. Be you. Be proud. Share the love.