At the end of the day, isn’t that what we are, teachers of singing? With all the respect in the world for the vocal coach preparing her student for a Met audition, or that chap who fancies himself the grand poobah of choral conductors, I am inclined to argue that the most important task in our art is the fundamental act of teaching someone to sing.
And the root of singing is pitch-matching.
In her article, “Helping Corey Match Pitch” (Eastern Division Troubadore, Vol.16, No.3) Catherine Melhorn shares her experience in aiding her students with the most essential basic singing skill. “For many people, learning to match pitch is a process, just like learning to recognize and read words,” says Catherine. “[And] Corey, like all kids, is definitely worth the effort!” Catherine outlines the carefully-designed plan that, while individually labor-intensive, leaves her student “happy and eager to continue learning to sing well.” In a follow-up phone conversation with Catherine, she shared that Corey grew throughout their work, but she lost track of him when his family moved. I’m willing to wager that Corey is still singing.
We all have a Corey in our midst that needs a little extra attention. Sure, our time is valuable. But so is he.
(To access the full article, simply click the highlighted title. For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)
Karen Schuessler says