Date sent: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 00:41:02 EST
Subject: Re: Auditioning new students
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

In a message dated 12/16/99 2:09:51 PM Central Standard Time,
aleatory-at-sj.znet.com writes:

<< For students in the process of seeking a voice teacher, I recommend you
avoid terms like "teacher-shopping" and "auditioning" (as in auditioning
the teacher) in your initial discussions with voice teachers. It is
reasonable and even advisable to tell teachers you are contacting several
people, but those particular terms annoy many voice teachers and may
actually limit your options for instruction.

_Dr. Yvonne Dechance
>>


Why should this put off or annoy a voice teacher? When I get calls like
that, I see it as a challenge, not as an insult and I view the prospective
student as being savvy. Also, I try not to go on initial impressions too
much. Many individuals can say the right things in an interview and turn out
to be complete basket cases. As far as trusting my gut, I trust my gut when
it comes to my own abilities and am open to the possibilities of others to
improve. I have no idea upon s short consultation what a student will sound
like one year from now. I can get an idea of vocal health, the way they've
been trained in the past, etc. All of these issues can be dealt with.
Great instruments sometimes don't get to where they should be (for a
multitude of reasons) and some cases that initially may have seemed hopeless
end up reaping excellent results. You don't know until you try.

As far as the comments about the construct of university music programs,
you're right. That's exactly the reason they don't usually serve students
well. The construct of the program gets in the way of the student getting
what they need on a personal level many times. Too much time spent on
learning literature in one lesson per week and not enough time on getting the
voice together.

Randy Buescher