Most singers possess a desire to someday have a family, whether that means being married, having children, or simply maintaining a close relationship with their immediate family. For many, the exigencies of life on the road often do not allow for a consistent family life. Working the audition trail, establishing a reputation, and building a résumé as a performer can leave singers with little time at home, causing many to choose to postpone the dream of a family. For many with families or who wish to have a family, a teaching career can seem very appealing and enables singers to practice their art while rooted in one place. Teaching is not ideal for everyone or even for every family, however, and it’s important to be aware of the challenges.
I came straight out of graduate school with a wife and three children, so it was hard to imagine making enough money to support my family from Young Artist Programs and company auditions. A faculty position seemed like a more probable way to make a dependable salary and yet still have opportunities to perform. In addition, universities help provide good insurance, benefits, retirement, and tuition credits for my children. Maybe most appealing was the idea that I could have a consistent family life as a father and husband. Many of my own teachers in college left performing full time so they could enjoy a more consistent schedule with their families.
To get a female perspective on teaching and family, I spoke with Linda Dykstra, an associate professor of voice at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, a position she has held for 13 years. Her students have been winners and finalists in numerous prestigious competitions and many have enjoyed careers on Broadway. I asked her about her motivation to teach and if having a family prompted her to begin a teaching career.
“I was living in Europe before our daughter was born, studying, performing, and teaching,” she said. “It just seemed to be the perfect solution to my desire to be a stay-at-home mom and continue voice teaching—the best job in the world!” Dykstra moved back to the United States and began working in adjunct roles at two Baltimore-area universities, which proved to be an ideal situation for her.
“I could pretty much set my hours,” she continued. “By that time, my daughter was in school, and I was only away when she was in school. I continued to maintain a private studio in my home, primarily teaching after my husband got home from work, always finishing by 6 p.m.”
The ability to set your own schedule is a great advantage of teaching. Because I schedule lessons at my discretion, I am able to set aside time to spend with my children during the day and allow my wife to attend classes, go to the gym, or read at the local elementary school. My children are also able to enjoy great music as they observe lessons and attend recitals and concerts. Universities supply a truly unique cultural experience for families, and most of the performances are free.
Of course, teaching also carries the benefit of enjoying three months off during the summer and almost a month off around the holidays. We have used that time to travel and vacation, a rare treat for someone beginning a career.
There are some elements of teaching at a university, however, that are not always family friendly. I did not come into an academic career blindly, but still did not comprehend the tremendous load a faculty member must bear, especially if you hope to attain tenure. Achieving tenure requires an excellent teaching record in the studio and in the classroom, active participation in department and university committees, belonging to and attending the conferences of societies and teaching organizations, building a résumé as a scholar and researcher, and maintaining a reputation as a performer through regional and national performances.
In addition, you must allot time for recruiting and adjudication, performances, recitals, rehearsals, festivals, and special projects. As well as demanding a good deal of time, these pursuits can also require money which, in these times of tight university budgets and shrinking travel funds, is coming increasingly from the pockets of the teachers. Needless to say, as a young singer still establishing myself as both a teacher and performer, finding time to give to my family during the semester is often difficult.
Considering the stress of a teaching career, Dykstra insisted, “Having a supportive spouse is imperative, and I have been richly blessed in that area. I’ve always been able to teach until dinner time because my husband is an amazing and willing cook; a delicious dinner is always waiting when I finish teaching.
“I think it is important to set and maintain boundaries,” she also warned. “I was often asked to teach evenings and Saturdays, but I never did. I felt that would infringe on family time.”
Not all teachers are able to set the same boundaries, however, especially if directing opera productions, which often require many evening and weekend rehearsals. In this case, you should be sure your spouse is ready for the demands that will be placed on your time, whether you have children or not. Twelve-hour days are not an uncommon occurrence in the middle of the semester.
Because of the exigencies of an academic career, many choose to establish a studio at home and to exclusively teach private lessons. This kind of teaching allows even greater flexibility—but unless you have a strong reputation already, establishing a studio can prove challenging.
“If one chooses to do private teaching at home,” said Dykstra, “it is important to have a designated teaching space that presents a professional image and does not inhibit family life. Adding a teaching studio to our home was very advantageous.” Another advantage of a private studio is the freedom to leave for singing jobs for an extended period of time, which is much more difficult at a university.
While some universities encourage teachers to seek out performance opportunities, it is often difficult to leave students and classes for many weeks at a time. Many universities actually discourage being gone for long periods of time for performances and rehearsals, and this is a drawback to a teaching career. As an emerging professional, I have circumvented this problem by auditioning for summer opera festivals and seeking out performing opportunities close to home.
When I asked Dykstra if she felt she had been cheated at all in her performing career because of teaching and family, she replied, “My seven years of studying and performing in Germany had afforded me many performance opportunities before I was a mom. I had sung with a small opera company and knew the rehearsal and performance demands. I knew that for me that wasn’t compatible with the family life I desired. Although there might have been some opportunities to do that sort of thing when I returned to the U.S., I didn’t investigate that. Instead, I have focused on oratorio and recital work, venues that required minimal rehearsal time away from home while satisfying my desire to perform. I don’t think having a family has ever had a negative impact on performing opportunities.”
While a teaching career may seem appealing for family life, you should be sure that you love to teach. Entering a teaching career without a passion for teaching will be a disservice to your family and to your students. It is a career that requires a great deal of focus, energy, and dedication to students. Days full of lessons can often be exhausting. Additionally, just because someone is a good singer does not mean they will be a good teacher. Voice teachers not only have to demonstrate good singing, but they also have to understand how it works and how to communicate the technique to others.
Teaching can be a wonderfully family-friendly profession. With an understanding of the demands that can be placed on my family’s time and the support of my spouse, I continue to find that a teaching career is the best of both worlds: the opportunity to share my art and the ability to be with my family.
