I have a basic problem with this whole thread - except that I'm grateful to
see that most everyone is suggesting further studies beyond voice.
Singing just isn't a matter of having a beautiful voice, working on that
voice, and expecting that the opportunities will just automatically be
there. And I'd say that's the case with any artistic endeavor.
To simply have a goal of being a great and famous singer singing in all the
best houses is fine and dandy, but what are you going to do when your voice
begins to lose it's luster, or when the next young up-and-comer comes along
and suddenly you're not so much the "in" voice?
To have a lasting career in music, whether as a performer or not, you MUST
have other training within the field. If not piano, at least some other
musical instrument. I'm a professional violinist, but I've always wished I
had learned piano (my dad's a concert pianist, but have you ever tried to
take lessons from a parent? It generally just doesn't work out). I've
studied music theory and history all my life. I know how to sight read
pretty darn well (not perfectly, but more than passably), and I'm a darn
good all around musician. I don't get a lot of solo gigs right now, but I
find that my sight-reading skills and general musicianship allow me to still
make at least a partial living as a choral section leader, and doing various
quick, down-and-dirty solos with smaller groups in the area.
To eliminate any of these aspects of musicianship just seems ultimately to
lead to failure. I'm not saying that one must go to college or a university
or a conservatory and get a bachelors, masters or doctorate. Hell, I quit
college after a year-and-a-half because I'd already had all those classes in
high school (I went to an arts school), and had already had almost 15 years
of professional performance experience. But having that knowledge base is
SO important.
And if it proves not to be important, than what in the world are all of us
doing busting our butts? We might as well just hang it all up, go out and
sing our little hearts out, save all the money we've spent on furthering our
musical educations through lessons, books, classes (acting, theory, history,
etc.) and become rather puzzled as to why all our hopes and dreams don't
seem to be coming true. Maybe they will for some of us. But that's purely
luck if you don't have a knowledge base behind you.
Just my $0.02 worth.
Laura
-----Original Message-----
From: michael.chesebro [mailto:michael.chesebro@w...]
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 9:21 AM
To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [vocalist] Signs of a good voice teacher
At 09:36 AM 12/5/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>Study music, my dear. Study an instrument, not just the voice. Study
music
>theory, music history, composition, etc., etc., etc. All of these are
>invaluable in creating a musician, which is what you want to be, not just a
>"singer", as it were.
>
All noble goals, however, if you want to sing opera for money they only
care about if you can be heard over the orchestra and if it's worth
hearing. If you don't read a note of music, it will not keep a contract
from finding its way to your mailbox. I hasten to add, it helps to be
musicianly if you want to find a place for yourself in the music world. If
you want to teach in a school, "Study music
theory, music history, composition, etc., etc., etc. "
I encourage you to seek out the teacher you want. Finding a good teacher
is a lot like being in love, if you have to ask yourself "Am I in love?"
then you are not. If you have to ask yourself "Is this the teacher I
want?" then you have not found what you seek.
Vocalism is a life long pursuit.
Michael E. Chesebro, M.A.,C.C.C., S.L.P.
Voice & Fax: 562/983-9965
Wireless: 562/884-2122
|
|  |
