The Voice Within the Room
Creating the Best Learning Space for Young singers
As we all know, there’s a lot more happening within the lesson space than just working on the voice. The voice is the vehicle of the self and the means of the student’s self-expression. To work on the voice is to also work on the self, which is both a great privilege and a huge responsibility for the teacher.
In this article, Jenny discusses the relationship between the singer and the teacher, and the need to acknowledge the student’s preexisting knowledge to help foster that relationship and enable self-directed motivation and the achievement of the student’s personal goals.
Jenny Morgan
Having taught singing to young people for over 40 years, my approach has undergone many changes; some result from fashion, and others are due to circumstance or knowledge gained. While I continue to reflect on how best to offer a safe, challenging, and musically satisfying space, I have settled on a couple of non-negotiable conditions that I feel are immutable. The first of these, and possibly the most important, is the quality of the relationship. Young singers need, above all, a learning space underpinned by respect for the knowledge they already own, regardless of their age or experience.
‘The intensely personal nature of singing, especially for a young person navigating the tricky changes of adolescence, requires an environment that fosters trust and confidence and leads to improved self-belief.’
Children and adolescents are intuitively wise and suspicious of adults intent on teaching them.
This is something I have learned over the years, and it applies as much to the 4-year-old as to the 18-year-old! While all teachers must be mindful of boundaries with young people, this does not mean they need to be distant or disinterested. By spending time during the lesson paying attention to the quality of the interaction, a teacher can glean what motivates students and inspires their advancement. This can lead to self-motivated practice, faster skill’s acquisition and above all a lasting passion and love for music. Keeping quality notes to prompt what was said and done in the previous lesson and paying careful attention without intruding on what and how things were expressed sends a message to the student that you care about their well-being. It demonstrates you are attentive to their progress and are sensitive to their emotional and social needs.
‘For some students that one-to-one interaction is the only time in the week when they will have the undivided attention of an adult who has nothing but their best interests in mind.’
Once you start focussing on making the quality of your rapport with the student the centre of the lesson, the other essential aspects fall more easily into place.
Musical and technical skills acquired through practice and hard work are driven by their personal goals rather than yours. Importantly, when there are external targets, such as GCSE or A-Level exams, the positive relationship allows for smoother negotiation and less fraught preparation. As a teacher, I am more engaged, patient, and empathetic when problems arise.
Who is Jenny Morgan
‘I have taught singing to young people for over 40 years in Australia and the UK. For 30 years, I performed in operas, concerts, and oratorios. Since devoting myself entirely to teaching and research, I have developed a more holistic teaching practice with a particular interest in the benefits of social and emotional learning.’
(jennyfmorgan@me.com)
We’re Looking for Newsletter Contributions: 200-300 words (500 max)
I want to hear your thoughts and opinions
Write about something you’re excited about.
It could be something that you’ve observed in your lessons, the research you’ve conducted, or a conference/workshop you’ve attended that got your mind buzzing.
Some suggested themes
‘Neurodivergant Voices - How to be Mindful of Sensory and Communication Diversity ’
‘Just Breathe - How to Teach Singers Breathing Skills for Singing’
‘Learning to Perform - How to Help Singers Communicate the Songs They Sing’
Singing Teaching Jobs
United Kingdom
Ripley Court School - Surrey
Luminate Education Group (Higher Education Lecturer) - Leeds
Duncombe School - Hertfordshire
St George's College - Weybridge
Rendcomb College - Gloucestershire
Wimbledon High School - Wimbledon
Ratcliffe College - Leicestershire
Oxford High School for Girls GDST - Oxford
The Old Hall School - Telford and Wrekin
Barbican - London (Head of Vocal Arts)
Australia
The Artist Studio - Sydney (Music Mentor - email for more info: info@theartiststudiosydney.com)