| | From: "Lea Ann" <LeaAnn@k...>
Date: Sat Jan 12, 2002 3:09 pm
Subject: the PERFECT teacher
| Jennifer wrote:
I think you are on the right track by
searching out a new teacher as this relationship
doesn't seem to be very enjoyable or fruitful for
either of you You also described your teacher in this way:
...is it strange that she has
> no idea who Renee Fleming is or who Cecilia Bartoli
> is?
To *me*, this is unfortunate and undesirable. I
worked in a record store for a while -- I was the lone
female among the classical staff and the youngest by
15 years! -- and came to learn that musicians often
fail to listen to music for the joy of it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer I am so glad you replied, I have been really bothered by so many
things with my current teacher, I am sure she is a nice person and would be
great for an adult who just wanted to learn to "sing" and didn't have any secret
burning aspirations like I do...I LOVE the operas world and it's always
difficult that I can't tell my teacher I like Bryn Terfel's method of this or
that or Kathleen Battle's or what not...it seems strange that she is so out of
the loop.
If you don't listen to the people who are madly successful in your field how can
you be fully inspired? It's sort of like being a writer and refusing to read
any other authors work.
Since I have made up my mind to find another teacher I feel so much better.
It's also NOT a matter of me just nit picking this teacher over nothing...it's
very obvious to me that this teacher sees me as a monthly check, she is only
creatively interested in her highschool contest students...she discusses this or
that contest frequently...and on MY time. She has never suggested a mezzo piece
for me...she leaves me to try and find something for myself...and often I don't
make the best choices...it would be nice to have some help in that area. It's a
challenge to try and maintain a love of singing "despite" your instructor...it
would be better if you were inspired or challenged every week. I am sure there
are lots of lazy students out there...I am not one of them. I sing everyday
usually for an hour or two solidly and then in 30 minute increments throughout
the day. I am always working on a technique...I will try something and then
work on ways to make it work or try and figure why it's not working etc. I have
had poor direction from my teacher...last week my question was "how can I better
float my high notes" I love the soft floating high notes that Renee Fleming
produces...and I was told that my teacher had no idea who Renee Fleming was and
that it was very hard to float those notes. And that was all. Sound like
someone you would want to learn technique from?
Today I will start taking lessons from someone new...hour long lessons. I am
very glad of the hour time...and I am excited to meet someone who cares about
technique and the current world of opera, I don't expect someone to be THE
perfect teacher I however do expect to be guided and instructed and I expect my
teacher to actually be interested in my progress and my concerns.
Those of you who have ended your lessons with a teacher what did you say? I
have been wondering what I will say to my current teacher. Shall I tell her why
I am quitting lessons with her? Shall I make something up? I feel terribly
awkward about this.
Lea Ann
|
|
|  |
|
