LOVE/LEARNING MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY "I'M SORRY"

It's been a great couple of weeks of teaching here. My "old" students have come back from their summer vacations and I have acquired several fascinating new students of many different backgrounds, ages, and styles of singing. As is my usual policy, I inform everyone at the beginning of studying with me, one of our goals is to "fire the judges and hire the reporters." This means we are going to be on a journey together of exploration of their particular singing/acting process and how I can help them to find their most beautiful, strong, flexible, free and powerful instrument. Along the way we are going to run into many bumps in the road. Some of them will be because of the student's age. Some will be because I haven't found the right way to communicate to this particular student yet. Some will be because the student hasn't practiced enough (simple, but true). Some will be because there is an emotional block. And on and on . . . But LOVE/LEARNING MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY "I'M SORRY." I can't remember how many times I had to say this week "Hey! Don't apologize! We're learning here. That's what it's all about. We're both learning. Let's see what we can learn, celebrate our awarenesses and move on."

I know a lot of the apologizing for our "mistakes" or imperfections comes from our culture and/or upbringing. Goodness knows I have it myself. But I urge you in your work on your music to "Fire the judges and hire the reporters." See what it feels like for a day. Just observe. Have a day of "Hmmm. . . isn't that interesting. Every time I "reach" for a high note I lift my chin . . . or Every time the emotion gets stronger my shoulders get tight." Just observe. Don't judge and don't apologize. Love yourself into learning.

"AH HA" Moments

Yesterday I worked with a new student, a lovely young man who unfortunately had to quit college in the middle of his studies to take care of his family.  There is no question that this is a gifted singer who has already had excellent training and should be singing professionally some day and/or passing on his love of music to young people.  His passion and joy are infectious and we had a blast at the lesson.  The high points of the lesson were definitely what I call "Ah Ha" moments.  Something clicked.  But not just in his head.  In his whole being.  He "got it."  Or to quote "Stranger in a Strange Land" he "grocked it."  Every part of his instrument lit up and he had to pause to absorb the fact that what had happened had truly worked as completely as he felt it had.  So we did it again.  When the "ah ha" moment can be duplicated I know that we are on the right track.  Often whatever breakthrough we achieved  or principle I was teaching was something another teacher had tried to communicate before but perhaps the method the teacher was using wasn't right for him or he hadn't been ready to absorb the information yet.  That has happened to me as a teacher many times before.  I've had students come back to me and say "You know that thing you were trying to teach me when I was fifteen?  Well, now that I'm twenty-five and I'm working with someone else, I finally realize what you were saying works."  I'm always delighted when I hear that they have gotten it.  No matter who they get it from, as long as they get it and it sticks!

"AH HA!"