A professional vocal coach

Should my child take voice lessons?

There are a number of parents who call for lessons and say, “My child loves to sing but I don’t know if their voice is very good.  I mean, they’re not going to have a career in singing.”  Isn’t it interesting that as parents, we all sign our children up for football, basketball, lacrosse, golf, ballet, gymnastics and skiing lessons without thinking about their career in those sports?  If the child shows an interest, we write the check and drive to practice ( for the next ten years)!

If your child wants singing lessons, sign them up!  Some children have a very good sense of pitch and can match notes that are sung or played on piano instantly.  Some cannot do this right away but I have had success with these students, children and adults, and their enjoyment of the music they sing is increased.  They progress to their goal and are happy with their own results!

All of us are born with an instrument and that instrument is our voice.  Exploring the vocal range of our voices is a great journey!  Music in the school system at the elementary grade level does not use a large range of notes.  This is also true of church music hymns.  When classical or folk songs are used  in lessons, the range of the voice is extended; one can sing more notes and the approach used to access some of these voices are guided by lessons.

If you are a parent of a child who “sings all the time”, you may have a career singer on your hands!  This child has a passion for vocal music and that may be their favorite subject and activity.  Let them develop it.

Find your voice.  Support their talent!

Connecting to the music

So you can sing.  You’ve learned all the words, notes and rhythms.  You’ve observed the dynamics.  You understand the emotion of the text and can portray it.  But can you deliver?

You must connect your feelings about an event in your life to the text of the song.  This is how you make music your own.  There is a fine line between baring your soul to the audience , causing your own meltdown and expressing your emotion that is connected to theirs.  A shared experience; a bond.  That is what sets your musicianship apart from other singers.

In a  New York Times article, Christopher Isherwood compares the artistry of singer Barbara Cook to the singers cast in the new show “Glee”.  ”…immersing myself in Ms. Cook’s artistry reminded me of what is missing from the campy production numbers in “Glee”: the human touch.”

The human touch is what you bring to the song.  What are your experiences in life that you can tie into the song you are performing?  Just identify one emotion.  Recalling that emotion as you are performing for the audience will lead the audience to tap into their personal history and identify with you.  That is the human touch.

Find your voice.