Difficulty In Finding A Voice Teacher ....

I never knew how hard it is to find a voice teacher here. Not just any mere voice teacher, but one who has formal qualifications and able to train me to have formal singing qualifications so that I can be more involved in choral, operatic and oratorical singing.

All the choir instructors have told me to take up voice lessons, and my ex choir mate who later became the conductor for my school’s choir holds a ABRSM Grade 8 in Voice / Singing, and she is now doing great in the music scene.

I never thought of going for voice lessons. I thought my years in the various choirs were enough. I used to think whether one makes it as a singer depends on the natural voice. After all, some people just have a better voice than others, so someone like me has to be resigned to always singing backup, never solos.

When I was involved in the NIE Choir, my late music teacher did advise me to take up formal voice lessons. She said it would be useful for me, and in any case, my voice has already been geared towards singing, so it would be better to train it up further.

But when I enquired at the music school where I was having my music lessons, I was told that I was too old for beginner’s voice lessons, since they only take in students from young up to the age of fifteen.

Besides, that music school does not do specialized voice lessons, only for pop singing or vocal techniques. I enquired at other music schools, but they do not even conduct voice lessons, only piano or violin.

When I started teaching, my colleague who was in charge of the school’s choir together with me told me that she once took up singing lessons from Lee Wei Song School Of Music, owned by a singer / songwriter.

There were also others besides this. However, when I called in to enquire, I was told they conduct singing lessons for Mandarin pop songs. Besides, they have groomed quite a number of local singers, so they will only take in people whom they deem as potential enough.

I do not want to sing just Mandarin or English pop songs. I am able to sing those fairly well in all the karaoke sessions I go with my friends and family. I want a teacher who will enable me to sing classical musical theatre type of songs. Anyone can sing pop songs, but it takes someone really skilled to be able to handle harder songs.

When I was sent for a choir course by my school, there was this lady who is a music teacher at the Methodist School Of Music. However her school only takes in kids as they train the kids from young. Besides, priority is given to those of the same denomination or affiliated through church.

Later on, my voice started to go, and I developed vocal nodules, so I had to give singing a break. While undergoing speech therapy, my therapist told me that luckily I had been singing, so I did have a bit of technique in voice projection, otherwise my throat would be worse off.

She strongly encouraged me to take up vocal lessons to train up my technique so my voice would recover, because if one is able to sing with the proper techniques and projection, speaking and teaching will not be a problem after that.

I left the education service shortly after that, and never looked for a voice teacher since I wanted to give my voice a break from the past few years of overuse. It was only later on that I could not even sing properly at karaoke sessions anymore that I seriously contemplated taking up singing and voice lessons again.

Thus I went onto the net and started surfing for schools or instructors. At first, I went into the Singapore Repertory Theatre website, but they do not conduct voice lessons since they take in performers who already have prior training.

Then I remembered that the then Singapore Lyric Theatre (now the Singapore Lyric Opera) ever put up a performance in my secondary school. They sang a few pieces, and I remembered being so impressed as they could project their voice and sang so well even without the help of a microphone.

I wanted to sing like that too, and the performers did mention something about conducting voice lessons. So I went onto the website to search for information and called to enquire.

I was directed to the former Artistic Director, who told me that only by joining the chorus could I take up voice lessons under the Lyric Opera. I told her I needed voice lessons first before I think I could be good enough to sing with the chorus.

Nevertheless, she told me to go down for an audition. So I went down for the heck of it, and when I actually passed the audition, I was ecstatic as well as shocked. I really did not expect to get in as those who auditioned before me were so much better, yet some of them did not make it. Up to now, I still wonder how in the world I managed to get in, but I am very glad I did, since I get to perform, have fun and meet many new friends!

I thought I could have voice lessons under her, but we were not able to cater to each other’s timings. Besides, her fees were very high too, even though it was already a discounted rate for her chorus members.

So I went back net sourcing. But all those instructors, studios or schools that I found conduct voice lessons for pop singing, otherwise only for kids. I though that if need be, I really had to re-budget and reschedule some of my activities so as to have lessons under my Artistic Director, until I finally managed to find this music school by chance – the only one here that actually conducts classical voice lessons for adults too.

It is really hard to find someone to give classical singing lessons, so there were only two teachers in that music school who are vocally-trained enough to give lessons, out of the twenty teachers. Even then, there were only certain times they were available as they teach other instruments like piano, guitar and flute as well.

I called up the school and was given the female teacher (the other one is a male). Luckily she was able to make it on the day and time requested, and so I started lessons with her. It was a coincidence when I saw her in the same chorus too! Apparently she herself was undergoing lessons with our Artistic Director.

She asked me to buy a few books for Soprano solos, Italian Arias and the various musicals and started training me. Despite having only a few lessons with her, I found my voice improving and I was able to hit the high notes much better and more effortlessly that period of time.

Right now I have two options for voice teachers. One is Mr Thomas Manhart, the other one is this new teacher at the same music school, who was hired to replace my teacher when she went to further her studies.

Rates and time wise, both are about the same. Once a week, one hour, and we pay a monthly fee for four lessons. But one is private and the other one is under a school. Some people will say private is better because the teacher will be more established before he / she is able to branch out on his / her own in the first place. A freelancer can also be more flexible in terms of schedule, whereas in a school, the teacher still has to adhere to the various school rules.

The thing is that I can only afford a certain day and time. If I choose lessons in a school, the teacher may be able to cater to my timing if I am lucky. There will be less chance of change as she has other students too.

Besides, she herself is a soprano, so she knows exactly how to train a soprano better. And the instruction under a school will be more structured, so I will need to take formal singing examinations.

The private teacher is pretty reputable, judging from the feedback from quite a number of people I know. But he is a guy, and a countertenor. I am not doubting his ability as a singer and a teacher, but as a soprano, I much prefer to go under someone who is a soprano as well.

But besides classical singing, he gives his students exposure to musicals, jazz, pop and ensemble singing as well, plus stage and performance experience through a series of recitals. Thus, I may be able to learn more under him.

However, since he conducts private lessons, there is a risk of changing classes at short notices. Good and bad, because sometimes one may welcome the break, but at other times, the changes may inconvenient others. Furthermore, his lessons may not be as structured as those of a school but the advantage is that he will structure his lessons according to how one’s voice is like.

Both teachers are good, which is why it is such a hard choice for me. They have to be good in the first place to even be recognized as a qualified voice teacher. They are the only two teachers that actually charge fees fitting to my budget. The other voice teachers either only take in students who already have some training, or students who show promise, or charge exorbitant fees which I am not able to afford.

Thus I am in a bit of a dilemma right now. But I need to make a choice very soon so I can start formal voice lessons again, as the performance is coming and my vocals need to be in a good enough shape for it.