This much I know: Declan Kelly

By Hilary Fennell

Saturday, February 18, 2012

I was a late starter.

I’d been working as a primary school teacher for three years before I had my first singing lesson.

I studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin with Paul Deegan who gave me lots of confidence. Once the singing work started to come in, I took a career break from teaching.

I was very nervous giving up the security of teaching at first but felt I had to challenge myself fully and find out how much I really wanted a singing career and if I was going to have any real potential of making it.

A couple of years later I got a place at The National Opera Studio in London and, after a concentrated year there, I got an agent and my solo professional singing career took off.

The worst job I ever had was as "Mr Wimpy" in Piccadilly Circus in London for a summer as a student, wearing a giant foam burger costume in the height of July.

The worst singing job I ever had was standing in to a production of Die Zauberflote with an hour’s notice and not knowing most of the cast, let alone the stage blocking. But the conductor kept smiling up and encouraging me and it ended well, with me working for some time with that company — despite the fact that I stepped on the "magic flute" and broke it halfway through the show.

We singers carry our instrument around with us so we have to look after it at all times. Some singers might be paranoid or particularly susceptible to illness, but I think it is important to have a social life, a healthy diet, rest and time to learn new music and meet new friends. The music industry can be a wonderful place to meet new people and to travel. It can be difficult at times when you are away from loved ones and family for long periods, but I try to make the best of my time away and my time at home.

I’m a night-owl and I love a good lie-in when I can get the chance. Other than that life is too inconsistent to allow a routine.

I very much believe in fate. But there is also an element of steering that fate and putting hard work into getting yourself to the right place at the right time. Small steps towards your goal are what count.

The best advice I ever got is that life isn’t about finding oneself, it’s about creating oneself. Don’t regret anything that made you and others smile. Be yourself, don’t hide.

I’m constantly frustrated by ignorance and closed-minded-ness. The fact that some people judge things and people that they don’t understand annoys me.

Life has taught me that people can step on your toes and they won’t care a bit. I’m capable of achieving a lot more than I ever expected. And, no matter how bad things get, it’ll always take a turn for the better.

I love performing and hope that translates to the audiences we meet. Humour, being genuine and sharing your talent is what it’s all about. I feel it is very important to be yourself at all times. Public figures or artistes have no right to patronise the public. You’re much more likely to see me chatting with a pint of Guinness after a concert than signing autographs.

Any free time is spent cooking, walking on the beach, entertaining, going to the theatre or cinema — and reading. If I could recommend one book it would be A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.

Apart from being a singer, my only other dream was of becoming an actor or a director.

Declan Kelly and The Three Tenors Ireland will be performing at UCH Limerick to night; Cork Opera House, tonight; Theatre Royal Waterford, Mar 24 and National Concert Hall Dublin, Apr 21 — see www.threetenorsireland.com

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, February 18, 2012