Page 82 - Classical Singer magazine 2019 Fall University Issue

Finding the Right University Voice Teacher for You
with students on new music, non- classical repertoire like musical theatre or jazz, or other styles you may wish to explore in your studies.
If you can schedule an in-person or Skype demo lesson with a potential teacher, be sure to reserve time to ask the questions listed above and consider bringing in the same repertoire to each potential teacher. For instance, you might bring in two pieces that you feel vocally comfortable working on
for an extended period. Ideally, these pieces should also present
an ongoing challenge for you. Not only will this help you to see how (and if!) you click with a teacher, but it will also give you a better idea of how they diagnose and address vocal production issues. And just like with the questions, bringing
in the same repertoire will provide
you with a better framework for comparing potential voice teachers. Additionally, this type of work in the demo lesson will help you to identify if a teacher’s focus is more rooted in coaching or primarily
and rmly rooted in technique and production.
The suggestions above are speci c, but remember that they’re still part of a process involving many variables, such as personalities, feelings and, sometimes, egos. You’ll never truly get a feel for
your rapport with a teacher, and how that rapport will lead to trust and ongoing technical and artistic growth, until you’ve had boots on the ground in the studio for a series of lessons. Relationships take time and they take work.
Remember, the right teacher will want to click and nd a comfortable
rapport just as much as you do. We’re all in this together. Happy researching!
Peter Thoresen is an award-winning voice teacher, countertenor, and music director. H is students appear regularly on Broadway (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, and more), in national tours, and on TV and lm, and they record on major labels. H e works internationally with students
as a voice teacher, music director, and collaborator in Asia and the Middle East with American Voices, and he is a voice professor at Pace University.Thoresen holds a D M in voice from the IU Jacobs School of Music where he also served as a visiting faculty member. H e performs throughout the U.S. and abroad. T o learn move, visit peterthoresen.com and @DrP etesT weets.
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Classical singer ad Sept issue.indd 1 8/6/19 4:47 PM 82 Classical Singer | September/October 2019