My Teacher’s Credo

The following paragraph is how I answer “What’s your approach to voice teaching?” today.

My goals as a teacher and as a singer are to do what works, and to keep things as practical as possible. I believe that the voice can be trained to respond with the most ease and efficient use of effort by fairly simple means that require some years of study and practice. I personally do not respond well to imagery and the associated cognitive dissonance and suspension of disbelief. I like to train singing with singing, not with props and non-singing exercises. The “sound” we make as our voice gains in ease and power is the voice we learn to love. I don’t teach to a market; I let the singer’s emerging voice lead to appropriate outlets. Singers will end up doing what they: a) want and b) do well. Helping them with those two things is satisfying work.