Why Recitals?

Why do I do an end of the school year voice studio recital?

It it is pretty much standard operating procedure for music lessons. Certainly, parents expect it- a sort of return on their investment, if you will.

But recitals, as people always tell me, can be the source of great anxiety for the student and tedium for the audience. Most adults report that their parents made them do it but they hated every minute of it. It was scary, annoying, horrible.

So, recitals are expected, but, historically, dreaded.

I never want this to be the case with my recitals. Frankly, it’s too much work if all it does is fulfill an unspoken expectation, and the last thing I want is to make singing, something I love with all my heart, into a misery or a bore.

With my teaching, with my voice studio, I seek to create a place where people who are passionate about singing, in particular, Musical Theatre singing, can learn, grow, and explore their craft at a very high level. I make no secret of my professional approach and high expectations: that is how I was trained as a young singer and musician, and that is how I want to teach and who I want to teach. And I know first-hand, that the more expertly we do our art, the more fun it is! And I aim for my voice studio recital to be a natural extension of that philosophy. I choose interesting repertoire, encourage dynamic performances, strong, acting, and even choreography where appropriate.

The way I see it, the recital is a wonderful opportunity to perform in public and share your talents with the world (for if you say you love singing and performing, any chance to do so should bring you, the singer, great personal joy and satisfaction). But it is more than a mere performance opportunity. It is a celebration and an affirmation of the student’s work, of my work, of our work together, our collaboration, the student and me. All of that dedication, skill building, and musical and artistic discovery on display for all to enjoy. Watching my students do what they love, and putting into practice all of their growth, learning, and talents is one of the most joyous experiences of my professional life. I hope it is at least a little joyous, and dare I hope, fun, for them and their audience as well.