THE SINGING SHOWS

There are many vocal contest on television now.   I ask my voice students to try to watch these contests. If they will pay close attention to what the judges are saying, I think they can learn something. My favorite show is The Voice. The judges are more helpful and informative on that show. I question some of the judges' expertise on the other shows. For the most part, though, these shows are looking for a particular style of singing and if you don't fit their style of choice, they will not choose you. And I notice that they like the people who sing loud and high. Even if one wins one of these contests, this person still has a long road ahead of them. I am sure it helps their career but they need to keep the momentum going after the glory of the win fades. What are your thoughts about these shows and which show is your favorite?

NEW STUDENT

I had an interesting day on Wednesday. I teach a family of 4 children ranging from ages 5 to 15. It is like an assembly line on Wednesday - next. I originally was teaching 3 of them piano and 1 of them voice. One of the 5 year-olds was not doing well with piano. That is a very young age anyway, and it doesn't always work. Well, her grandmother mentioned that she loved to sing, so I took her lesson time to try some singing instead of piano. Turns out she has great pitch for a young singer and now we are into singing lessons. I am really excited about seeing her potential and working with her. One never knows the future, but this may be the start of something great!

Good Singers Are Good Listeners

Did you know that good singers are also good listeners? In a choir or group, they listen for the harmonies of the other parts and try to blend well with them. They listen closely to each pitch so they wont go flat or sharp. They also listen to their instructor or coach when suggestions are made to improve. And they remember the instruction as they are singing. If someone has been singing incorrectly (such as not opening their mouth or their diction is incorrect), it takes practice to fix that, just as with any other bad habit. Many times, I say the same things over and over again to my students because they do not remember my past instructions or they are not concentrating.  So, try to concentrate and remember the suggestions you receive and put them to use.