Among the assets of aging is the cumulative wis-dom and experience a coach will gain from years of working with singers. Through the course of a career, a coach meets singers of all kinds and of all voice types. More than likely the coach, perhaps in conjunction with a good voice teacher, will come to know in an intimate way how the voice works and what constitutes healthy singing. The coach can be an invaluable vocal aid to the singer. Along the same lines, the singer is already depending upon the coach to be a trained set of ears, listening for pitch, rhythm, timbre, and phrasing. Developing the requisite listening skills in order to speak to all these items is something acquired only after years of experience. Further, over a period of years, a coach will no doubt have traversed the same literature with a variety of singers, leading to a “toolbox” of ways any phrase of an aria or song can be performed. The more artistic options at one’s disposal, the better talent can be developed.
When it comes to literature, experience is, again, the name of the game. Any coach or accompanist out for the first time with Strauss’ Elektra is going to spend most of their energy trying to get as many of the notes as possible. However, given some time to absorb the piece, the coach/accompanist can begin the arduous task of helping the singers through a very difficult opera. This is but one example of any number of operas, shows, or songs that have to be lived with for a while, before the coach can truly encompass them in a ways that will be useful to a singer. Sometimes a singer will ask for suggestions when it comes to repertoire. A young coach will certainly know what they played in school, but the experienced coach will usually have a lot more to offer.
What is the downside to the aging coach? We all know that at some point, the fingers are going to stop hitting the right keys. But perhaps the most serious potential hazard of aging is the idea that all learning stopped somewhere along the line and that we now have all the answers. As coaches, we have a responsibility to stay right with the current thinking in the world of music. Keeping up with the times, together with the invaluable aid of experience, are what make a coach a singer’s best friend.
