Developing the Solo Voice: Studio Rules

I often work with students who are new to private lessons, and many of them are nervous because they don’t know what to expect. When I begin with a new student, I take some time to talk about the rules of my studio—both what I expect from the student and what the student can expect from me. I will share these rules with you in hopes that they might encourage you to define the rules for your own teaching.

Developing the Solo Voice

Lesson 1: Ask questions

I teach private voice lessons to college students in a musical theatre program as well as high-school students in a college-prep program. Some of them come from a strong choral or solo background, while others don’t know anything about singing beyond what they see (and imitate) on popular TV shows. Each student has unique goals and expectations for voice training, but all of them can benefit from having a solid foundation in healthy vocal technique. Regardless of the style or format of singing they prefer, we should give all young singers the gift of knowing how to produce a healthy sound and care for their voices.