Ever wonder what would be best for the profession of teaching singing and for professional or professional-level amateur singers?
I do all the time.
What would be best would be that we would all use the same terminology in the same way and that it would be based in function.
What would be best would be that we would all put the student’s needs above our own all the time.
What would be best would be that we would respect all styles of music on their own terms and teach them appropriately.
What would be best would be that everyone who teaches someone else to sing understood vocal function, vocal health and basic voice science.
What would be best would be that all teachers of singing could share their ideas about vocal success with their colleagues without rancor or suspicion.
What would be best would be for all of us to find a way to take those who do vocal or psychological harm out of the profession and prevent them from returning.
What would be best would be that all teachers would think of what is for the greatest good of all by being unselfish, generous, caring and open.
What would be best would be that all teachers would realize that many different approaches to teaching singing can work but that they must make functional sense. You cannot learn to sing by thinking about “the pink mist in the back of your throat” unless you are a very talented singer who would eventually learn on your own.
What would be best would be for us to study successful singers who have had long lasting careers and vocal health to learn from them about what they do.
What would be best would be that we train our singers with an eye to the marketplace to help them get work as singers.
What would be best would be for the younger teachers to have a mentor to guide them through the first five years of teaching.
Did I also say that I spend a lot of time in fantasyland?