At some point most singers (either out of love or necessity, or some combination of the two) give voice lessons. I first began to teach voice as a graduate student at Indiana University, but at that point in my life, I simply taught students the way I had been taught. My “method” (should one glorify it that way) was a combination of all of my previous teachers with a little bit of my graduate vocal pedagogy class thrown in for good measure. At no point in my educational career had I ever had instruction on how to actually be a good teacher, although I had been fortunate enough to have several positive role models in my life.
When I decided to make that big move from an “opera singer who teaches” to a “teacher who sings,” I slowly realized the painful limits of my background and knowledge. Fortunately or unfortunately, I had trained to be a singer, not a teacher. At this juncture, a kind colleague let me know about the National Association of Teachers of Singing Internship Program. This amazing tuition-free program pairs experienced, recognized “master teachers” with teachers with less than five years of full-time teaching experience. The goal of this program is to “substantially improve the studio teaching skills of these promising young teachers” and to “insure the future of knowledgeable voice teaching in the profession.” Many NATS members feel that this program is one of the greatest contributions of the organization.
It was my good fortune to be part of a group of twelve interns chosen from the applications submitted. The application included the usual résumé, CD and letters of recommendation, but also a written statement where the applicants were asked to explain why we hoped to participate in the program. I should mention that those selected for the free ten-day program were also provided room and board along with money for expenses. Furthermore, for many of the participants, transportation to the host university was covered either by their NATS chapters or by the institutions of their employment.
The small number of interns accepted into the program meant that each one received a lot of personal attention. Three interns were assigned to each of the four master teachers. New faculty are featured every summer, but my teachers included Marvin Keenze (Westminster), William McIver (Eastman School of Music), Chloe Owen (NYC) and Darleen Kliewer-Britton (Arizona State University at Tempe). This past year’s teachers were also illustrious: Elaine Bonazzi (SUNY at Stonybrook), Costanza Cuccaro (Indiana University), Ludlow Hallman (University of Maine), and Robert Harrison (University of Colorado at Boulder). The variety of teaching styles represented by this incredible roster provided many perspectives to be explored.
Mornings were spent in supervised teaching sessions. Each intern taught both a male and female undergraduate voice student from the host university. The three-hour sessions included forty-minute lessons given in turn by each intern, with the remaining twenty minutes of each hour comprised of feedback initiated and guided by the master teacher. Interns offered additional suggestions to each other and posed questions to the master teacher and the group. Many times these discussions were so animated that they continued right into lunch.
The afternoons and evenings were an inspirational mix. Interns sang in masterclasses given by the mentor/ teachers, or we heard lectures on topics ranging from repertoire to vocal pedagogy to ornamentation to ethics in teaching. Octogenarian Chloe Owen also stunned us with a memorable recital. The master teachers also generously found time in this whirlwind of activity to graciously give private lessons to those interns requesting them, thus adding another layer of depth to this amazing learning experience.
The ten-day submersion program concluded with a final concert featuring each of the interns singing two pieces of their choice. By that time we were all friends, and the supportiveness in the atmosphere was palpable. This was followed by a celebratory closing banquet.
One of the other aspects of the program that I appreciated was the lack of an age limit. Any NATS member with five years or less of full-time voice teaching is eligible. This meant that participants varied in age and background. Younger singers finishing doctorates and more experienced singers returning to the States after careers in Europe worked alongside each other. Learning from other interns was to me one of the best aspects of our time together, and I still maintain friendships with several of my colleagues in the program.
Although no short program can make anyone a “master” instructor, this program does transform your teaching. The open cross-fertilization of ideas and the identification of challenges, questions, issues and directions continue to inspire me to this day. Participation in the NATS internship program should be a goal of any teacher/singer who savors this unique oral tradition of the teaching of voice.
The application form for the NATS Intern Program is available through the Executive Office of NATS at 6406 Merrill Road, Suite B; Jacksonville, FL 32277 or online from the NATS web page, www.nats.org
Quotes are taken from the Fall 2002 Inter Nos, published by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
