FAQs
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
I have had tons of students who have gone on to major in music in college. When they arrive, they are expected to choose a new teacher. It's always a hard transition for them, but there are a few things that I tell them to look for, First and foremost, make sure that that nothing ever hurts. Teachers will ask you to try some pretty crazy things to help you free up your instrument, but it should never hurt. Second, there's a rule I've always followed about reading a book- never give up on it until you've read the first 100 pages. Studying voice is the same way. You have to give a new teacher a chance. You have to give yourself a chance. The teach/student relationship requires a common vocabulary. When I talk about relaxing your tongue, you have to understand what that means in order to fix it. My job as a teacher is to explain it and demonstrate it so well, that you are able to make the necessary adjustments. Down the road, when I say.. "oops! Your tongue is getting tight again," then you will know exactly what I mean, because we worked hard on it together. That common vocabulary only comes from time and having the courage to try something new. What do you have to loose? It may just work!
- What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
You can take voice lessons and learn how to sing better, no matter your age and no matter your ability. I started very young, but not all do. Last year, my youngest student was my son Nicholas (5 years old) and my oldest student was in her 70s. A lot of teachers wont take a student as young as five or six, but I am SO grateful that my parents started me when they did. My father, who started music much later than I and has his Masters Degree in Music Composition from UCLA, always said the biggest difference between him and I was that music was always my first language and for him it was always his second. I was blessed with fantastic teachers who never pushed me to sound older than I was or louder than I could sing and it really gave me a leg up on my peers especially in middle school and high school. Remember though, some famous singers didnt start until their 20s and 30s, assuming you want to become a famous singer. Maybe you just want to be able to sing in your car with your windows rolled down, instead of up. Wouldnt that be nice?!?!?