Boukje van Gelder about Singing lessons
Singing is fun! Why to take Vocal Lessons?
To sing is wonderful to do. We sing under the shower, when doing the dishes, very loud in the car, when we celebrate a birthday, in a choir or even solo. Singing is fun! And because it’s already fun, why would you take lessons in it? There are a lot of reasons to take lessons. You might for example want to reach that top note again in the choir without feeling tense or tight. Or you want to sing your favorite song with confidence, also when your whole family is listening. Or you want, like me, to make singing your job and you need preparation for the conservatory.
"But I'm scared!"
Maybe you’re scared to take lessons, because you feel you’re not good enough. Are people starting playing clarinet ever not good enough to start? No. Singing is a skill, you can learn it!
My belief is that vocal lessons can be useful for everybody that likes singing, regardless of the level. The most important thing is that singing is fun and that with vocal lessons it stays fun and hopefully gets even more fun! Because when you learn how to apply vocal technique, singing will be easier and feel freer.
My way of vocal teaching
The best vocal teacher?
Making music isn’t like sports. You can’t say that someone is the absolute best in singing. This also accounts for teaching: there is not one teacher that for everybody is the best vocal teacher in the world. Many people even benifit from having multiple teachers troughout their life.
What is important in vocal teaching is that the teacher adapts his or her way of teaching to the student’s needs, making the student feel comfortable in doing so.
My lessons
In my lessons I always try to give the student personal input on how he or she can solve a vocal problem. The same solution won’t work with everybody. To accept that as a teacher and as a student is very valuable to move on. There will be another solution that works.
I was taught mostly in the belcanto classical method and had some lessons in CVT. The basics of the technique the same for every method and style: to let the air flow freely, but supported through the vocal folds without any pressure from jaw, tongue and lips. The ways to get there are numerous and that’s the most interesting part in singing and teaching singing
A small personal story
The positive side
BUT I got into the pre-year and since then I was fortunate to work with six wonderful teachers that taught me how to use my voice in the best way. And they and I succeeded in getting my voice out there. Why do I tell this? Because it illustrates that a good vocal technique is something you can learn!Making music isn’t like sports. You can’t say that someone is the absolute best in singing. This also accounts for teaching: there is not one teacher that for everybody is the best vocal teacher in the world. Many people even benifit from having multiple teachers troughout their life.
What is important in vocal teaching is that the teacher adapts his or her way of teaching to the student’s needs, making the student feel comfortable in doing so.
My lessons
In my lessons I always try to give the student personal imput on how he or she can solve a vocal problem. The same solution won’t work with everybody. To accept that as a teacher and as a student is very valuable to move on. There will be another solution that works.
I was taught mostly in the belcanto classical method and had some lessons in CVT. The basics of the technique the same for every method and style: to let the air flow freely, but supported through the vocal folds without any pressure from jaw, tongue and lips. The ways to get there are numerous and that’s the most interesting part in singing and teaching singing!
I started with my vocal lessons when I was 16, I had no clue about Vocal Technique, altough I sang a lot from a very early age. I also had a good intonation and musical ear, because of my cello and piano lessons. But the instrument itself, my voice, needed to start from scratch.
After some years and some problems with my voice (not caused by singing) I thought I was ready to enter the conservatory. So I auditioned in three places, got rejected in two of them and barely made it to the pre-year in the other. (One of my teachers later said she thought I couldn’t sing when she heard my
The positive side
BUT I got into the pre-year and since then I was fortunate to work with six wonderful teachers that taught me how to use my voice in the best way. And they and I succeeded in getting my voice out there.
Why do I tell this? Because it illustrates that a good vocal technique is something you can learn!
