Why should a beginner start with a highly qualified teacher?
There are several good reasons, such as the opportunity to develop a safe and reliable technique from the beginning (saves time, money, and frustration), and to benefit from an experienced teacher's vision in guiding the development of a student's potential, for example in selecting appropriate repertoire and performance situations.
As long as there are no physical defects or ailments, the voice can be trained at any age. By the age of 60 the abdominal muscles tend to have less strength for supporting the voice. All other major factors in voice production are not affected by age. The age and life experience can be an advantage for interpretation of the meaning of the songs.
Singing is a very natural activity. Even children as young as 7 or 8 can learn some of the foundations of vocal technique, provided one never tries to force unnatural or premature levels of pitch and loudness. The main issue for children is usually the degree of self-motivation and the ability to concentrate.
People are often very quick to assume this, usually because of some negative experiences in the past. The voice is an instrument and can be trained to some degree in most people. Remember: competence builds confidence.
This is usually only a matter of opinion similar to the talent issue discussed previously. Systematic vocal training and better listening habits will usually remedy this.
You should assume that most voices are of average quality by nature, and that both the extremely good and the extremely bad quality is very rare. Learning how to use the 'the instrument' properly will not only give the best results, it may sometimes unlock a quality voice previously 'hidden' behind faulty technique.
How frequently does one need to take voice lessons? One to three times per week depending on one's performance goals, and the amount of time you can practice productively between lessons.
How long does it take to learn to perform? For a beginner, it depends on the development of vocal and musical ability, coupled with a fair amount of linguistic skill and expressive ability. When the teacher and student feel that the performance is most likely to be a positive learning experience for the student, it is time to start gaining performance experience.
The Music & Drama Institute, 2/F, Suite D, Tower 1, Robinson Heights, 8 Robinson Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2526-1499, Fax: (852) 2805-1306
