The teacher-student relationship is critical to a singer’s artistic and career development. Establishing, nurturing, and maintaining that relationship can be one of the most daunting tasks facing the singer. How can we go about finding a good teacher, determining whether that teacher is working for us, and handling a situation that isn’t working out?
Choosing a Teacher
Choosing a teacher is possibly the most important decision a singer makes about his or her career. Your teacher’s primary job is to impart a good vocal technique—without it, you cannot hope to have a successful solo singing career, or to become a good teacher yourself. Career considerations aside, it is enormously frustrating and disheartening to know you have talent and a special voice, and yet be unable to sing the repertoire you should be able to sing comfortably, because you cannot seem to conquer certain technical issues.
Furthermore, the relationship between a voice student and his or her teacher is very special and personal. Ideally, it is something of a mentoring relationship. Your teacher should like you personally, believe in your talent, support your realistic ambitions, and motivate you. He or she should also be able to give you at least some basic guidance on starting a career, preparing you for auditions, suggesting which are appropriate for you, and using what connections he or she may have on your behalf.
Finding a good teacher, however, is much easier said that done. There are plenty of good, qualified teachers out there—and, unfortunately, any number of well-meaning but poor teachers (in addition to out-and-out charlatans and abusers). Besides winnowing out the bad teachers, you also have to find a good one who is right for you. No matter how good a teacher is, he or she is not going to be the right match for everyone.
So how do you go about finding the good teacher who is also a good match?
First, assess yourself. Where are you in your development as a singer? What do you need most right now—basics, detailed technical work in a specific area, polish? Are you at a stage where you really need a teacher with many connections, and if so, what sort of connections? To schools and Young Artist Programs? Professional contacts?
How do you work best? What sort of instruction do you respond to? Do you prefer image-based instruction (“Think of the voice as a floating cloud”), nuts-and-bolts technical lingo (“You must coordinate the cricoarytenoids and the interarytenoids to properly adduct the vocal folds”), or a combination of the two (“Arch the soft palate; imagine the inside of your mouth as a cathedral ceiling”)? What kind of personality do you respond best to? Do you like a disciplined, no-nonsense approach; gentle motivation with lots of support and tact; or tough love?
Next, consider your resources. How much can you budget for voice lessons? Depending on the teacher and the part of the country you’re in, lessons can run anywhere from $50 – $200 an hour. Can you travel for the right teacher, and if so, how far and how often?
When you know what you need, you’re ready to shop. Start by making a list of singers whose work you admire. Find out who they study with, where they went to school, and who they studied with there. Look for singers who have more than just beautiful voices. Are they technically sound? Are they performing a lot, with consistent good quality? Check their websites for biographies, which often include this information, or write their managers (find addresses on management websites or in Musical America).
It doesn’t have to be a famous singer. Start with your own circle of acquaintances. Look at the singers selected for a Young Artist Program you’d like to be in next year. If you hear someone wonderful at a regional opera company or an audition, ask who they work with.
If you’re getting personal recommendations, be sure to ask these singers detailed questions about their own technique, their progress, the repertoire they are singing, the outline of a typical lesson, and their teacher’s background, personality, and professionalism. A singer from a good studio should be able to tell you specifically what they are working on and how they have improved over time. They should be able to give you details about the teacher’s methods. A vague answer, such as, “You just have to experience it to understand it” is a red flag.
Many singers meet their future teachers at training programs (pay-to-sings). It’s a great way to “try before you buy,” since you get to work with the teacher over a few weeks’ time.
Check out your local university or conservatory. Some faculty members accept private students or have qualified graduate students who teach their technique. You can also contact the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), which has a searchable database on its website at www.nats.org. In New York, ask for references from The New York Singing Teachers Association (NYSTA) at www.nyst.org. In addition, you can search the online Classical Singer Teacher’s Directory or the printed edition in this issue.
You can also ask for recommendations on the various online forums such as www.classicalsinger.com, www.nfcs.net, and www.bravuravox.com. Be prepared to get a variety of opinions, and take each with a grain of salt. You still need to do your own investigation.
When you have a list of teachers to research, you can start making calls. It’s always helpful if you can begin by offering the name of the person who referred you, as well as a concise explanation of your current abilities and needs.
Ask to speak to current students, and ask for a list of former students who might be working. A good teacher will be able to claim a number of successful students. This doesn’t necessarily mean famous students—success could mean young singers winning competitions and places in Young Artist Programs, established artists working regularly, teachers in desirable faculty positions, or even avocational singers who are enjoying more opportunities than ever before.
Listen to what the students say and don’t say about their teacher. Do they rave? Are they slightly defensive? What is their attitude about sharing their experiences? Are they happy to talk about their lessons, or guarded? Are they slavishly devoted and unable to hear criticism of their teacher? Beware if students make excuses for their teacher, if they don’t want to talk about him or her, if they adulate a little too much, or if their teacher seems heavily involved in non-musical aspects of their lives.
Also, listen to how teachers talk about their students. Do they seem supportive and realistic? Do they put down any student or bring up inappropriate topics in regard to that person’s training? A good teacher should believe in his or her pupils, and should be discreet.
Some teachers will allow you to audit lessons with other singers. This is a great opportunity to observe teaching styles, approaches to technical problems, and interaction with students, as well as studio policies. If possible, observe a lesson or two before booking your own trial lesson or consultation. Many teachers do not charge for auditing or trial lessons, but some do. Avoid any awkwardness by asking up front how much they charge.
Remember that the trial lesson is a trial for both of you—the teacher also has to make a decision about whether he or she wants to work with you. Good teachers have their pick of students. They are looking not only for talent, but discipline, hard work, great attitude, and professionalism. You can make a good impression by showing up on time, with your check already written, a list of repertoire you’re prepared to sing, and a concise description of the type of study you’ve done in the past, including exercises and repertoire.
You will probably want to have several weeks’ or even months’ worth of lessons before deciding whether this teacher is a good fit—though sometimes it becomes apparent immediately that it’s not. When I was performing Phantom of the Opera, I visited a prospective teacher who, upon hearing my lengthy opera résumé (which included a recent apprenticeship with Lyric Opera of Chicago), asked in a very snotty voice whether I was pursuing musical theatre or opera. It wasn’t the question so much as the tone, and the general attitude of superiority, which the teacher did not back up with any brilliant insights. Needless to say, I didn’t call on him again!
Poor attitude is a rather obvious red flag. A teacher who is unwelcoming, egotistical, or rude during your very first meeting is not going to be able to provide you with an efficient, pleasant, useful learning environment. Besides, why would you want to pay money to someone who treats you rudely, disrespectfully, or downright unprofessionally?
Stay tuned for the second part of this article next month, where I’ll discuss additional red and green flags for determining whether you and a teacher are a good fit, as well as making the break with tact and care when a studio change is necessary.
