What would you do?

Question

What would you do if you planned on going to college to become a vocal music teacher: take vocal lessons or piano lessons?

I'm not sure which I want to do...not that I have the money for either (this is for future reference).

Answer 1

Find the money to take both. You'll get better return on your investment later on. It's a sorry state of affairs, but vocal music teachers are expected to be able to play piano, even though, strictly speaking, it's not their specialty. If you don't play piano, you'll have a hard time getting teaching gigs, and that will make it all the harder to recoup your educational investment.

Of course, your emphasis should be on vocal training. The voice is a delicate instrument, and if you can't properly teach students how to use it, you're putting their instruments at risk. Since the vocal instrument is the body itself, this would be unethical and grossly irresponsible.

Fortunately, if you major in Music Education in college, you should have the opportunity to do both. If you're trying to start now, before college, take voice lessons. You can learn some piano technique from a book, video or software, but you can only really learn vocal technique from a teacher.

I know whereof I speak -- I'm a highly trained vocalist (B.Mus. Vocal Performance, UMass, 91, M.Mus. Vocal Performance, New England Conservatory, '97) and choral conductor (M.Mus. Conducting, UMass, '97 -- yes, the same year I received my other master's from NEC -- long story), I'm on the music faculty of a Massachusetts state college, I've directed several choirs, and I teach voice at a local performing arts school. But I don't play piano, and it's been a major stumbling block in my career.

-EdM.

Answer 2

If you could, I would say both...but if only one, I'd say voice. You don't have to be a stellar piano player to be a stellar voice teacher(I know some people who can only plunk out a couple notes and are great voice teachers). Plus, that's what you're teaching -- voice. That should be your basis for everything.

Answer 3

The colleges that I am familiar with require piano for all music majors, so you'd have to take both.

Answer 4

Whatever you want to teach, you should learn first. You can take piano lessons on the side. There are student loans available if you need, and there are scholarships if you are proficient in the field.