Too Much To Say

When you don't write in your blog for years (literally) and then suddenly decide it's time to share your thoughts with the world, the stuff comes pouring out like . . . well like polished pearls of wisdom or, I'm too much of a prude to actually write down the other word I am thinking of. Let's just say, "pea soup."

There have been so many things going on in terms of my education as a singer/actor/voice teacher that I have shared with my students and intimates, but just have not written down. I guess I forgot that I even had this blog or thought that it was a worthy place or something that people would be interested in. Now that I am becoming more of an activist in terms of building up my studio, I've decided that it's time to write more and publish more. So here goes.

Obviously, from the title I have too much to say, so I'm going to narrow this down. This one is hard. The subject is PATIENCE. A very difficult one for many, or should I say most of us in the arts. We want success, fame, brilliance, power over our instruments YESTERDAY. The media, and especially TV shows are certainly doing nothing to discourage the idea that you can have instant success and that you can pick up music, look at it once and sing it brilliantly (especially with "auto-tune" behind you). And don't get me started on Reality Television. I love it as much as the next person for a "guilty pleasure" but when kids pout that they have been working "all their lives" for this one chance I can't help but scream at the television "Go back to school where you belong!"

So . . . anyway now for some positive ranting. I have three students who have recently shown the value of patience (and persistence). Two are baritones (more about this in a later post) who have only recently come into their true voices. They have had a difficult in dealing with the whole "baritenor" phenomenon because their natural voices just don't fit into that "fach." But PATIENCE and persistence on both of their parts have led them to find their true and beautiful voices and they are both now singing as they should and as grown men look the part as well. My other student is a soprano who came to me with, shall I say "incorrect" training. It's really not my place to put another teacher down, but this young lady was a bundle of muscular tension in every part of her being, plus her idea of "singing" was a version of classical production I fondly refer to in my studio as "BAAAAD OPERA." We struggled at first, she and I. In the beginning much of the lesson was just spent on Alexander Technique, release of unnecessary tension, and the building of trust. Then gradually we found the system of vocalises that were right for her voice (not everyone responds to the same ones). I can now say that this young lady is one of my favorite students. She gives me chills when she sings and is on her way to having a truly beautiful and consistent voice. Why? Because both she and I have been PATIENT and persistent.

WHEW! "Have I said too much . . . there is nothing more I can think of to say to you."

"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!"

Musings on Independence

This has been a rough week for me, as I've been ill, and my students have been canceling a lot.  Spring Break, "Spring Fever." sudden breakouts of "forgetfulness," auditions and rehearsals for other projects popping up at the last minute, who knows?  Everyone has a legitimate excuse.    It's not easy being a private voice teacher.  I'm frequently last on people's priority list.  But I choose this life because I love the independence that it brings me.  I worked for an institution before and it just wasn't my style.  I hated the bureaucracy, game playing, and loss of freedom that was involved.  But with a private studio comes more personal responsibility for keeping track of the business side, not just the artistic, of being a voice teacher.  Hence, my website and this blog.  I am trying to find new ways to network, to reach out and find new ways to build my contacts, so that when a week like this one happens I can handle it with more serenity than I have in the past.  I'm grateful to any other independent contractors out there who read this who would care to respond.  

REVELATION OF THE WEEK

Thanks to my wonderful students and their parents asking me questions this week, I have something to share for all of us regarding studying singing.  Sometimes it is hard.  Sometimes it seems like there is no reward in sight.  Sometimes it seems boring or stupid or exhausting.  So I have to ask myself, "Do I have the time, discipline, and willingness to put up with doing what may seem like silly, embarrassing, even impossible things for a while in order to allow my instrument to grow?"  And you know what?  Sometimes I don't.   And that's OK  too.  You can take a break.  If you find yourself resenting every moment of practicing or hating your lessons, take a vacation from them.  If auditions are making you crazy with self-loathing or confusion, find another way to fulfill your creativity by writing or painting or just dancing in your living room.  Your creativity will find a way to express itself if you give it a chance.  And eventually you'll come back to singing if you are meant to.  Just ran into a student I hadn't seen in a long time who did a very creative thing . . . she had a baby!    

Revelation of the Week

This week's "Revelation" happened to me.  I was working with three students, all of whom are  in their twenties and have been studying with me anywhere from eight months to two years .  All of them have gone through many vocal challenges but have been persistent in their studies and, despite the fact that they are not "blessed" with the most beautiful and mature natural voices, have hung in there with practicing and have kept a positive attitude.  Well, this week it seems that all three of them have not only made breakthroughs, but they are also able to consistently repeat their vocal improvements, make truly beautiful natural sounds and understand how they are doing what they are doing.  The only way this was able to happen was through "persistent, purposeful play" and trusting that Nature would, in Her own time, enable their voices to mature at the right time if we didn't interfere.  

A lot of young singers hear their "idols" on the radio, TV, Broadway or web and think "If so-and-so is only 17 and can sing like that, why can't I?"  They forget that "so-and-so" is amplified within an inch of her life and has a sound engineer tweaking notes to avoid any hint of "pitchiness," and that, most important of all, many of us do not find our  true voices until we are 18 or 20 or 27 or 32.  But we can and should keep on singing.