Conversation with Justin Berkowitz
In this episode of Conversations with Peacock Voices, host Margaret interviews Justin Berkowitz about navigating nonprofit leadership while maintaining a performing career.
They discuss how singers’ preparation, adaptability, and performance skills translate to fundraising meetings and boardrooms, including using vocal pitch and resonance to convey enthusiasm or executive presence.
Show Notes
Fundraising, Flexibility, and Vocal Health: A Conversation with Justin Berkowitz
In this episode of Conversations with Peacock Voices, host Margaret speaks with Justin Berkowitz, executive director of the William Ferris Chorale and director of operations for Art Song Chicago, about his path from voice performance to arts administration through ticketing and development work at Lyric Opera and event programming at The Executives Club of Chicago.
They discuss how singers’ skills translate to nonprofit and corporate settings, including extreme preparation, flexibility, and managing mistakes without fear of immediate consequences.
Justin shares strategies for handling donor meetings and board dynamics, using vocal tone, resonance, humor, and structure to guide room energy. The conversation also covers vocal sustainability in loud networking spaces, singer technique such as soft palate “lift,” hydration and rest (especially the day before), pacing speaking, and how diet, reflux, and aging affect the voice. Justin names opera director David Gately’s distinctive low speaking voice as a favorite and credits his mentorship and kindness.
00:00 Meet Justin Berkowitz
00:12 Two Nonprofit Roles
01:38 From Singer to Admin
05:11 Transferable Singer Skills
07:37 Perfectionism vs Workplaces
10:59 Flexibility in Fundraising
16:27 Steering Board Meetings
19:05 Voice Presence and Control
21:52 Surviving Loud Receptions
25:45 Singer Technique for Stamina
28:02 Opera Power Without Mics
28:28 Resonance And Soft Palate
30:46 Voice Care On Long Days
33:23 Hydration Starts Yesterday
37:35 Diet Myths And Reflux
43:24 Voice As Athletic Training 4
7:01 Favorite Voice And Lessons
LINKS
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