Voice lessons are a great activity for kids of all ages.

VOICE LESSONS & GROUP SINGING

GENERAL BENEFITS

• Teaches concentration, expression, posture, breathing, and self-improvement techniques.
• Performance instills confidence and self-esteem.

• Often learns songs in other languages, primarily French, Italian, and German.

BEST AGE TO START

• Be careful not to let your overeager child damage her vocal chords.

• Many voice teachers say that a girl should be at least 14 years old or past puberty before starting serious voice lessons and a boy should wait until after his voice changes. Until these hormonal changes occur, the larynx and vocal cords grow at different rates, and voice lessons might pressure and damage these muscles.

• However, since these hormonal changes now occur much earlier than in previous generations, some children are ready for private vocal lessons as early as age 10. Some teachers say that this is too young—even if hormonal changes take place earlier, your child’s voice does not actually mature until about age 16. Some younger kids, though, especially enjoy singing, and casual lessons can be a good way to start teaching the basics while instilling values like patience and practice. Check with local teachers in your area to see what age they take.

• In addition, many other factors contribute to when your child should begin lessons. Her rate of physical and emotional growth as well as her interests and talents are all indicators. Your child’s teacher must be familiar with the physiology and psychology of young singers.

• Try to remember that males and females differ in vocal development as much as they differ in physical and emotional development. Your son and daughter may not be ready for voice lessons at the same points in their adolescence.

• That having been said, voice instructors vary dramatically in the ages they will take on children as students.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN VOICE LESSONS

• Voice lessons involve learning proper breathing techniques, along with developing the vocal chords and increasing lung capacity. A teacher will focus on your child’s voice expression and resonance, along with proper breathing, posture, relaxation, and stage presence.

• Healthy singing does not leave your child hoarse or cause her to strain her neck, clench her jaw, or breathe in gasps. Your child should learn to breathe from her diaphragm, not from her chest. Her shoulders should stay down when she inhales, rather than “shrugging up.” This type of breathing allows for healthier and greater airflow, and keeps the neck and chest muscles relaxed.

• For several centuries, voice teachers have debated the use of “chest resonance” (chest vibrations felt while singing low notes) versus “head resonance” (mouth or head vibrations experienced while singing higher notes). Singers must systematically blend the two. Your child will naturally use one of these resonances based on her personality, chest and head size, and both the music and language to which she’s been most exposed. Avoid a teacher who insists that your child use only one of the resonances, as both are needed in healthy singing.

• Each voice teachers will usually emphasize a particular style of singing, from classical, to musical theater, jazz, light opera, and pop.

WHY YOUR CHILD DOESN’T SOUND PERFECT YET

• Just like acquiring any other skill, your child will likely feel frustrated at times. A good teacher can recognize frustration and discuss it openly with both you and your child.

• Remember that professional music recordings are often the result of a sound engineer and producer electronically manipulating perfection, and that your child cannot produce the same quality or sustained volume as an adult professional singer.

• Many of your child’s favorite popular or classical singers have studied singing and continue to do so throughout their careers. Most credible teachers of pop and musical theater insist students first master the fundamentals of healthy singing before branching off into different vocal styles and techniques required for those crafts. This does not happen in a few lessons or months, but develops as the child matures, practices and has the guidance of a good teacher.

HELPING WITH PRACTICE

• Your main role as a parent is to make sure that your child practices, and to provide encouragement and your ears when your child asks for them.

• When just beginning, your child might practice only 15 minutes, 4 days a week. The longer your child studies voice, the longer practice time will become.

• Whether or not you are a singer or have performing experience, resist the urge to correct or comment unless your child asks for help, and, even then, start by asking, “What would your teacher say about this?”

• Suggest that your child tape a few of her lessons. This way your child can hear herself sing and recap her lessons for you, and you can hear what’s going on. Also, your child can refer to the tape during practice time if she needs to remember something about her technique or the music she is learning.

• If she does not already do so, ask your child’s teacher to jot down practice hints in a student notebook.

• Your child may be sensitive to practicing when the family is around, so afford her some privacy if this is the case.

• Remind your child that she needs to practice her singing just as she would any other instrument.

HELPING YOUR CHILD TAKE CARE OF HER VOICE

• Warn your child to avoid abusing her voice. She shouldn’t do anything that results in hoarseness or throat pain, such as yelling, screaming, and singing at an excessive volume. In very noisy environments, conversation should be kept to a minimum.

• When she has a cold or laryngitis, she should not try to talk or sing.

• Monitor your home environments for smoke and dust.

• Avoid drying medications such as antihistamines and anesthetic throat sprays.

• Have your child use a humidifier in her bedroom during the winter.

• Drinking plenty of water is crucial for her vocal health.

• Don’t let your child rehearse or perform without warming up first.

CHORUS & CHOIR

• A terrific way for children to gain general musical experience is to join a children’s chorus, whether sponsored by a church or synagogue, school, community, or national organization.

• Group performance does not require the same commitment as a private instrument. Chorus exposes a child to a wide range of music, encompassing many styles and cultures. In the process, your child will learn about reading and singing music in a non-classroom, social setting.

• Even if your child doesn’t have an amazing voice, chorus gives her an opportunity to sing, as well as learn to read, perform and enjoy music.

• A good voice teacher will not take on individual students until their voices have changed between ages 11 and 14. Choruses give children a forum for singing without damaging their young voices. For children younger than 11, joining a children’s choir or a preschool singing program enables them to learn how to use their voices properly, in a fun, relaxed way.

• Individual music lessons can be isolating, but a chorus is an ideal way to put those musical skills to work in a social setting.

• Participating in a chorus also teaches children how to listen to each other, improving their musical, ensemble and communication skills.

• If you’re lucky, your child’s chorus may travel to interesting places around the country or the world.

• The National Endowment for the Arts found that 1 in 10 American adults sing in a chorus each week. Many of these adults began their singing careers in a childhood chorus.

• Singing in a chorus teaches your child about making positive contributions to the community, from performances in nursing homes, to community events, to recordings.

• The centuries-old tradition of a boys’ choir continues today, with much attention garnered by well-known groups such as the Vienna Boys’ Choir and the Harlem Boys’ Choir. These choirs tend to be highly selective, with boys participating only until puberty at which time their voice changes and they can no longer reach the soprano notes. Local music schools, churches, and religious organizations often offer a boys’ choir program. These large, well-known programs nationally recruit.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VOICE TEACHER

• A voice teacher helps students develop the physical, mental and emotional aspects of singing, referred to as technique, and guides your child in musical style. The teacher should not try to make everyone sound the same. Rather, she should focus on your child’s individual voice.

• Both voice teachers and coaches need to be excellent musicians, although a good voice teacher does not necessarily play the piano. Frequently, a voice teacher will hire an accompanist to play her lessons.

• A young singer may do damage to her voice by using incorrect techniques or by moving along at too fast a rate. A well-qualified teacher will prevent this from happening. Look for a teacher who is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

COST CONSIDERATIONS

• If your child studies with a well-accomplished singer who holds an advanced degree, that teacher will likely charge from $20 to $50 for a half-hour, depending on where you live and the level of the teacher. There will also be periodic costs for purchasing music, usually costing between $40 and $60 a year.

Ask if your child will be expected to pay an accompanist or contribute to a facility rental for performances.

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