ALS
AL TRAINING | Sheri Gould
that getting personal
five or six-year-old will
ances of a successful
t the opposite. Private
ng children are often
tially harmful. Pushing
n cause vocal stress,
en I was in college the
te singing lessons was
children have reached
e to start working with
ase bear in mind that
physical maturity until
aturity at age 35. The
o many young people
their voices before they
, understanding proper
important but private
only way to get good
d church choir activities
rning how to sing (and
elop a good ear and
valuable skills that can
ge. Many communities
ildren to be involved in
community choirs. As
’t pushed too hard and
od singing technique,
e experiences. By the
school (perhaps even
ere will doubtless be
s for involvement with
ild, if they are showing
g, should be engaged
will help prepare and
m overzealous music
rieves me when I see
al directors push their
. I have encountered
le who wind up with
) after a stint in a high
school musical. So having a vocal coach at that
point is imperative.
WHAT IF MY CHILD WANTS TO QUIT?
The most important thing you can give your
child is a love of music and singing. Having
raised eight children, I know that children can,
at times, be fickle. Once you begin lessons,
pay attention to what is happening to your
child. Make sure that the teacher’s goals are in
line with your goals and that your goals are in
line with your child’s goals. If you have waited
until your child is a young teen before starting
voice lessons, then you can be relatively certain
that this is a serios pursuit. Your child will likely
stick with it. However, if after a few months of
lessons your child is disappointed, discouraged
or changes focus I would just look closely at
why. Have they suddenly become aware of
how difficult it is to sing well (and are feeling
overwhelmed)? Have they been discouraged,
regarding their ability, by their teacher?
Have they simply decided that singing is not
something they’d prefer to pursue? These each
need to be carefully reviewed so that the best
decision can be made. By the teen years, most
children will have a more realistic view of what’s
involved in pursuing singing. I believe they will
be able to help you decide whether it’s best to
continue, find a new teacher or move on to a
different pursuit. That’s yet another benefit of
waiting for professional training.
Next month I’ll talk about the value of learning
an instrument for vocalists. Stay safe and
keep singing!!
Sheri Gould
Sheri is an internationally acclaimed vocal coach.
She’s been helping artists and worshipers find their
voice for over 40 years. For help and resources visit
her site.
www.SheriGould.com
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