Yes, it is important to learn all one can about one's craft, particularly if
that craft is to be considered an "art". The term "musician" will never be
applied to singers across the board without it. Indeed, since most singers
today also must supplement their singing incomes with teaching, how could a
singer ever hope to successfully teach a young singer with no theory or
sight-reading background at all? Even to try to aid a student to hear his/her
own pitch within a chord...or to try to find that pitch from a previous
chord...would be impossible. I should have found myself almost without
resource, except for instinct, if I tried to teach without those skills.
I hope that my own students will, through the study of reading and theory
skills, use those skills to enhance their music making and their
self-confidence as musicians. The window of opportunity for learning is wider
the more skills we possess. I personally feel that those who sing well
naturally, but who can find no reason to learn to read well, also, may
(possibly) be looking for someone to give them "permission" not to learn those
skills. Those folks will not find it from me.
My humble opinion, but which works for me...
Sincerely,
Lynda Lacy
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