Helping Students Develop Complementary Skills

Teaching Tip of the Week – March 6, 2011

Good vocal technique, although important, is not the only ingredient in our students singing well. Style, stage presence, microphone technique, image and being able to communicate to an audience are all significant factors that help determine if a singer is going to be successful or not. Although we rightfully spend the majority of our time with students working on technical aspects of singing, I feel that it is to both the teacher’s and the student’s advantage if they are able to develop some of these other skills as well. If you as the teacher are not comfortable teaching these varied aspects it would be greatly worth your while to associate yourself with people that do. Perhaps have a stye coach or a performance coach or image consultant that you can refer to or even have them come and do a Master Class for your students. Have a performance Master Class where each student can sing, but in a non-threatening way so that they can be coached about their presentation, etc.

If your students are more comfortable on stage and present themselves better they are going to go a lot further than if they sing great, but don’t perform well.