All that glitters

I paid a visit this afternoon to my good friend 'the other voice teacher' who has had a rough time health wise lately. Three sessions in the hospital in three months. But she is a remarkably resilient woman. We started out by my asking about her health and then she said, 'Enough of that, let's talk about singers'. So we did.

I told her about my recent voice class at Smith and we both agreed that teaching a one-time session like that is fraught with problems. As the teacher, you don't want to say something or do something with the student that is going to confuse them or discourage them, but in twenty minutes or so, you need to come up with at least one positive suggestion that may help. It's a bit frightening. I hate think of sending one of these singers home with a wrong idea of what we were trying to do. And there is no follow-up.

My friend also does voice classes but sees and hears the singers over a long period of time. This certainly gives the singer the chance to think about whatever you have said to him or her, work on it for a while, and bring it back to you for further study. This would be an ideal situation.

Some years ago I attended a series of master classes that Christa Ludwig did at Weill Hall. They lasted eleven days so she had a chance to hear each singer multiple times. It was a wonderful experience for me and for everyone else who was present. She is a wonderful singer and musician who knows how to teach!

I said to my friend that the longer I have taught singing, the simpler I make it. She agreed totally with this concept.

As I said to her, 'It all begins and ends with the breathing'. If you don't learn how to take and use a 'singing breath', you will never develop a free, flexible technique. I have written four books which all say this same thing in one way or another. I'm sure that some of my students are ready to biff me over the head when I get on the subject of BREATHING again. Sorry; but that's what it's all about. By solving a breathing problem you instantly solve about ten other things that have been troubling you. Maybe the concept is too simple.

Plenty of voice teachers make it much more complicated. My friend and I both agreed that singing should be a joy. For a young woman who has been studying with me lately, it is. When another voice teacher heard her sing recently she said to me 'I love to hear her sing. She enjoys it so much.' She also knows how to take and use a singing breath. This is what gives you the opportunity to find joy in your singing.

I love visiting my friend, and today, especially, I was happy to see her looking so well. She has been through a lot. I told her that she must have very good genes. She and I are both in what has been called 'The Golden Years'. Trust me. Ask her. All that glitters is not gold.

But we both agreed that we are obsessed by the need to teach. So that's what we do.