Trusting Your Teacher and The Importance of Breaking Down
If you've got a really good teacher (thankfully, I've had many!), then you'll find yourself being in the wrong more than in the right. It is a truth universally acknowledged that we are our worst enemies. It only follows that if your teacher loves and supports you, that they should have more faith in you than you do in yourself. The trick is for the student to have faith in the teacher. He/she is probably right that you're awesome and you can do anything. You're probably wrong in thinking that you can't.
Of course there are limits. I'm not a light coloratura soprano, so there's no point in my trying to be one. But there's no point in my not trying to explore the far reaches of my potential. You never know what can be found there, and you'll never know if you don't do it (notice I didn't say try!).
Having faith in your teacher is hard sometimes. Especially during the beginning of the teacher/student relationship. It's like any relationship; you're getting to know each other. And also, like any relationship, communication is key. If you don't understand something, say it. Eventually the wheels start turning and you can get on with your journey as an unstoppably teacher/student duo.
One thing that my former teachers know about me, and indeed have used to their and my advantage, is that I tend to crumble before I triumph. When faced with change (ie new repertoire, technique, practice ideas) I immediately get frustrated, upset, and eventually close down. Thankfully, this whole process tends to happen in a matter of hours or days, not months. By the next week, I've somehow managed to embrace my new technique and put it into my repertoire.
How?
Breaking down is part of the amelioration process. We cannot be happy and open and free all the time and expect change. How are we supposed to learn and grow if our attitude is always the same? I took dance classes once with a very wise teacher who explained that the natural reaction of getting upset at, in this case, new dance moves, actually triggers the brain to work harder at accepting and embracing the new idea. She even pointed me out as an example to the rest of the class. She could see that I was getting frustrated, but that every time I tried the new moves I was getting better and better. I still suck at dancing, but this idea definitely stuck with me.
Of course we are all different and some people might not relate to this post. But I want to encourage those who have these mini-breakdowns not to think that they are alone. We all get frustrated and we all fear failure. But being a singer is all about discovery. It's about going into the lab and mixing new elements together; seeing what works and what doesn't work. Your teacher has probably been in the lab a few times, so trust his/her judgement. After all, a new teacher means new ideas. And new ideas means new possibilities.
Of course there are limits. I'm not a light coloratura soprano, so there's no point in my trying to be one. But there's no point in my not trying to explore the far reaches of my potential. You never know what can be found there, and you'll never know if you don't do it (notice I didn't say try!).
Having faith in your teacher is hard sometimes. Especially during the beginning of the teacher/student relationship. It's like any relationship; you're getting to know each other. And also, like any relationship, communication is key. If you don't understand something, say it. Eventually the wheels start turning and you can get on with your journey as an unstoppably teacher/student duo.
One thing that my former teachers know about me, and indeed have used to their and my advantage, is that I tend to crumble before I triumph. When faced with change (ie new repertoire, technique, practice ideas) I immediately get frustrated, upset, and eventually close down. Thankfully, this whole process tends to happen in a matter of hours or days, not months. By the next week, I've somehow managed to embrace my new technique and put it into my repertoire.
How?
Breaking down is part of the amelioration process. We cannot be happy and open and free all the time and expect change. How are we supposed to learn and grow if our attitude is always the same? I took dance classes once with a very wise teacher who explained that the natural reaction of getting upset at, in this case, new dance moves, actually triggers the brain to work harder at accepting and embracing the new idea. She even pointed me out as an example to the rest of the class. She could see that I was getting frustrated, but that every time I tried the new moves I was getting better and better. I still suck at dancing, but this idea definitely stuck with me.
Of course we are all different and some people might not relate to this post. But I want to encourage those who have these mini-breakdowns not to think that they are alone. We all get frustrated and we all fear failure. But being a singer is all about discovery. It's about going into the lab and mixing new elements together; seeing what works and what doesn't work. Your teacher has probably been in the lab a few times, so trust his/her judgement. After all, a new teacher means new ideas. And new ideas means new possibilities.
Very interesting! I never actually thought about it like that. I also never really had a breakdown like this in my acting school... that could have been part of my lack of progress into the depths of my emotions =O
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