How to Select a Teacher

When looking for the right voice teacher, the best advice that I can offer is for the prospective student to do the necessary homework.  Always remember that, when auditioning for the teacher, you are essentially planning to “hire” someone to teach you to sing properly – in actual fact, you are auditioning them.  What exactly does the teacher have to offer?  What is their background?  What is their track record or their success rate with other students?  Do they specialize in certain voice types or specific repertoire?  After asking around and learning all that you possibly can about a prospective teacher, make an appointment to meet and work with them.  You might even prefer asking them whether it is possible for you to observe someone else’s lesson (with that student’s approval, of course).  Then, if you are still interested, make a lesson appointment for yourself – come early and/or stay late so that you can sit outside the door and “eavesdrop” on the lessons proceeding and following your own. After stops in those lessons for corrections, do you hear improvement?  Are the explanations clear and concise?  Are you and the other students treated with honesty, interest and respect?  How is the lesson time spent – vocalizing and repertoire – or merely chitchat?  Are there frequent interruptions or telephone calls?  If the cost of a private lesson is a factor (and it usually is), keep in mind that price is not necessarily an indication of quality.  Students are not always ready to work with the very expensive, high-profile teachers – it can be a waste of everyone’s time and money.  If this happens to be the case, does the teacher recommend other teachers or perhaps even one of their own assistants?  Does the teacher explain his or her own expectations of their students – do they invite you to ask questions about technique and repertoire choices?  If they happen to teach well known professional artists, do they seem to “name-drop” or gossip about other of their students?  Do you feel that they genuinely care about you, your voice and your potential – and that you have their complete focus during your lesson?  Though desirable, it is not necessarily a requirement that you like the person with whom you study; nevertheless, it is extremely important that you trust and respect them professionally and that you are willing to accept what it is that they have to offer. Back