Introduction: I am under thirty but I've been a professional musician, specifically a singer, for almost twenty years. I've had seven serious vocal coaches. Only two did anything but confuse me and make it more difficult for me to perform. Those two teachers could really, really sing - one jazz/rock, the other opera. So ever since I apprenticed to the jazz teacher and began coaching other young people working in pop, my teaching technique has been simple: to my student I say, show me what you do, what you want to do, and I'll help you with whatever I've picked up to accomplish those goals, and we've gotta have fun. If I can give you all the tools you need from me in a lesson or two, that's great. If you would like me to help you train, it'd be my pleasure, too. Your music teacher should amplify you, not change you.
Music's for sharing, and I've found the pleasure of creating and performing it is the same as supporting someone else as they learn to do the same. It's been really gratifying, making serious singles and LPs with some of the best musicians in the world and having my music heard by millions of people around the world through movies on TV. It's a pleasure, but I think to perform at that level you have to always be learning anyway, and so constantly remembering the people who helped you when you were starting out. Especially as my two year old more and more enthusiastically sings, drums, and plays piano and guitar with me, I've realized it's just as gratifying paying it forward.
