Our first meeting with music is just a simple introduction to a stranger. Some may find the meeting to be awkward, uncomfortable, and not for them. While others discover love at first sight. This, for me, was a blissfully ignorant time, in which I was engulfed by the beauty of its art, barring the baggage that follows. I sang without stress, and performed without pressure. But then, I came to the true test of this newfound relationship.
Feeling the honeymoon-period fade, confidence in the career choice is hit hard. But those of us that truly love music, and not only believe that this is the right relationship, believe in ourselves to go the distance, prevail and continue forth chasing our dream of success in a profession we would happily do for free.
Never doubting that I would use music in my career, I continue to pursue my dream of singing professionally. However, as I grow in this profession, through its many ups and downs, there are moments when I think about the path I took to get here, the people who guided me every step of the way, and how making progress, true progress, began with understanding myself.
In working with kids, I find it important to connect beyond the music, take the shared experience of music and then dig deeper, form stronger bonds, and learn who they really are and what unique experiences they bring to every piece. I found that the teachers who focused on the whole artist gave me the strength to persevere through the roller coaster ride. They would remind me that no matter how the performance went, they were there, supporting me the entire time. This is the type of teacher I strive to be, so that when my students grow older and move towards independence, they are ready, prepared and eager to face all of life’s challenges regardless of how difficult their career path may seem.
By Lauren Kelleher, Private Tutor
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