Taking Care of the Rest

When my students vacate the studio en masse for their summer vacations, I find myself periodically involuntarily idled as a voice teacher, which is a bit of a blessing in disguise. The time off from teaching gives me an opportunity to work on my other projects. And the gaps between students provide me with generous buffer time for my own vocal practice, which I consider to be quite a luxury.

The art of singing suffers a little in this busy world. I used to suggest to my students that they take a walk before their lessons and their practice sessions, to clear their heads of work, school, problems and the rest of life, and to prepare their minds for singing and for developing their artistry. Reading in a quiet room for an hour or taking a power nap for 20 or 30 minutes are also good lesson preliminaries. Studies have shown that nappers are more focused, more receptive and better able to retain information. And quiet time is important. We need to remove ourselves from the din in order to refine and re-set the ear.

My elementary school students dash into the studio at the last minute from school or some other activity, already dressed in soccer uniforms for the practice that follows the voice lesson. Their minds are on where they were and where they’re going next. The lesson is just a blip in a jam-packed day. The rest of the week, daily practice usually is edged out in favor of whichever activities take immediate precedence. There isn’t enough time to learn to sing at all, let alone to learn to sing well. There most certainly isn’t enough time to prepare for the singing experience, to experiment while practicing, or to reflect on it afterwards. If they continue with lessons, these children will become the teen and adult students who chronically offer up reasons for not having practiced.

This past week a young student proclaimed proudly that she had practiced her song twice, earlier the same day. Well, that’s something, anyway. Later, I learned from someone else that her two run-throughs of her song took place silently in my waiting room. The most distressing part of all of this is that the girl has stretched the truth, and she thinks that this stretching of the truth, and what constituted practice in her mind, are acceptable behaviors. The girl is cheating herself of a complete experience in one endeavor in favor of multiple incomplete experiences in multiple endeavors. Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize that.

I’ve long since given up the idea of suggesting to my students a walk or a nap before lessons. I no longer recommend that students arrive a few minutes early for lessons, even though my policy states, “On-time means ten minutes early.” No one can spare the time, it seems. Few take the time to digest the policy. People would rather arrive all anxious and on the dot than arrive leaving themselves a little time to acclimate.

At least I’m enjoying my found free time. A friend (actually the wife of a former student) who works at the travel agency in my building found me walking between the buildings one day. She must have recognized that I was in some other mental zone. She cocked her head in curiosity and quizzed me. “What are you doing?” “Just wandering,” I answered. Eventually, I returned to the studio and decided to sing through the first half of the Vaccaj exercises. Because, why NOT?! What a treat! Time for me. Time for music. Time for practice. When I was through singing, I sat and read a little. Then a student arrived and it was back to my other passion.

So take a nap. Take a hike. A little R&R will help you to take care of all the rest.