The student has become... the student!
I was finished my Masters degree before I realised that I could pick and choose who teaches me things. My first voice teacher always said, you need to shop around before you find the right voice teacher. And I sort of did that for a while. But inevitably, once you make a decision, you're stuck with that person. What if you don't like their style? What if they don't teach you the things you wanted to know? What if they evade your questions, or worse, pretend they know all the answers and give you false information?
I have been very lucky when it comes to voice teachers. And even my not-so-great experiences lead me to strive to attain the knowledge I felt I was not being given, and eventually lead me to become a better teacher myself.
I always thought that being a student meant that you did what the teacher told you what to do. That's definitely a big part of it. But I'm realising that the true student nature lies in the hunger for more. If you're not getting what you need, you scrap a subject and pick up another. If your passion for one subject dies, you seek out another that better galvanises you. That's definitely why I chose to pursue acting. I was feeling a sort of stale mate with my musical education, and realised that the information I hungered for was to be found elsewhere.
The other thing is, not everyone who is your teacher is your teacher. I've found that anyone I listen to can be a one. When I'm feeling like I've lost my way, oftentimes I will listen to Angela Gheorghiu, whose technique inspires me greatly. I also find that among my friends and colleagues I can find excellent teachers. A girl I worked with this summer at Halifax had the most beautiful technique and all I wanted to do was watch her and try to emulate what she seemed to do so naturally.
I also talk a great deal about technique with my friends. When I have questions about high notes, I go to my soprano friends. When you think about it, OBVIOUSLY they would know more about it than a mezzo or baritone. And by the same token, I get many sopranos asking how the heck I sing my low notes!
I'm 28. I've been in school since I was 5. I've had a lot of teachers in my time. But now, I get to be my own teacher. I get to decide what information benefits me and what doesn't; and more importantly, I get to decide where I'm lacking, and who has the goods to help me complete my artistic package.
I have been very lucky when it comes to voice teachers. And even my not-so-great experiences lead me to strive to attain the knowledge I felt I was not being given, and eventually lead me to become a better teacher myself.
I always thought that being a student meant that you did what the teacher told you what to do. That's definitely a big part of it. But I'm realising that the true student nature lies in the hunger for more. If you're not getting what you need, you scrap a subject and pick up another. If your passion for one subject dies, you seek out another that better galvanises you. That's definitely why I chose to pursue acting. I was feeling a sort of stale mate with my musical education, and realised that the information I hungered for was to be found elsewhere.
The other thing is, not everyone who is your teacher is your teacher. I've found that anyone I listen to can be a one. When I'm feeling like I've lost my way, oftentimes I will listen to Angela Gheorghiu, whose technique inspires me greatly. I also find that among my friends and colleagues I can find excellent teachers. A girl I worked with this summer at Halifax had the most beautiful technique and all I wanted to do was watch her and try to emulate what she seemed to do so naturally.
I also talk a great deal about technique with my friends. When I have questions about high notes, I go to my soprano friends. When you think about it, OBVIOUSLY they would know more about it than a mezzo or baritone. And by the same token, I get many sopranos asking how the heck I sing my low notes!
I'm 28. I've been in school since I was 5. I've had a lot of teachers in my time. But now, I get to be my own teacher. I get to decide what information benefits me and what doesn't; and more importantly, I get to decide where I'm lacking, and who has the goods to help me complete my artistic package.
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