Vocalist.org archive


From:  ODivaTina@a...
Date:  Thu Feb 14, 2002  12:28 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Pop-style Broadway

In a message dated 2/13/2002 4:10:42 PM Pacific Standard Time,
farmer@a... writes:


> So, what is the *right* kind of legit teacher? How do I identify one?
>
<<SNIP>>
> teacher has helped my daughter develop a
> soprano to add to her natural mezzo voice....but I still worry whether she
> is getting the right
> training!
>
>

Oh, boy! THAT is a loaded question. Something that, (and I can speak for
every singer I have ever known personally) we each have had to spend years
figuring out through trial and error.
For instance, the two best voice teachers I have ever had would both have
dealt with your daughter in completely opposite ways from her current
teacher. The one teaches ONLY belting to pre-adolescents, and the other won't
teach pre-adolescents at all, as she feels it a complete waste of time. Does
this mean that any one of the three of them is wrong? Or right? Or better?
Or worse?
So, in light of all the huge variables that come in to play when evaluating
vocal training, I think the only criteria that is reliable is this simple and
basic one: Is the current teacher successful in leading the student to
achieving their immediate vocal goals? As those change over time as the
student gains competence, this needs to be constantly re-evaluated.
And, if you are at all interested in my own personal bias as to what "method"
creates the best sounding, most solid and capable vocalists of all styles, I
would tell you it is the method of singing that is based on speech, the true
(not a facsimile thereof) bel canto technique.
TinaO






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