How I Became a Voice Teacher

While watching the movie, "Soul," it reminded me a little of how I became a voice teacher.  In the movie, Joe, the protagonist, discovers that his barber's original goal in life was to be a veterinarian.  Joe is shocked because he was convinced that someone as gifted as a barber must have been born to become one.  Nope, says the barber.  He couldn't afford veterinarian school and it was much easier to pay for his barber's license.  He loves being a barber because of all the interesting characters he meets during the day and loves making their day a little bit better.

I didn't pan on this path.  When I started college, I didn't even intend on making music a career!  I was a political science and economics double major and I thought I would have a career in finance or government.  I only decided on music when the local opera teacher asked me to audition for the show.  I did and fell in love with performing.  But teaching?  I had no inclining that teaching music would be my career.

When I entered grad school, I needed some way to pay the bills while I got my performing career off the ground.  I reached out to a local choir director who attended my alma mater and he gave me a voice teacher position with his choir.  And I LOVED IT!  And what was odd, at least to me in the moment, was that I found teaching far more relaxing, interesting, and enjoyable than performing, even though I thought performing was my passion.  The more professional I became as a performer, the less I enjoyed it.  It became a 'job.'  And voice lessons, while certainly requiring work, felt so EASY.  I met great people and enjoyed working with them. 

So I took another fork in the road.  After my first year of grad school, I decided to focus on building my voice studio to see if I could be a full-time voice teacher by the time I graduated with my masters' degree.  And sure enough, I quickly was teaching twenty hours a week while in grad school.  I hit the ground running and never looked back.

I think my story is important for all my younger students.  I am a big planner, and I advocate all my students to think ahead and make plans for the future.  But it's important to also leave room for improvisation.  You never know what door or window might open to a better life IF you give yourself the permission to follow it. 

DWS