Hello! I’m Tracey and thank you for visiting my Blog!
Who am I? I have been teaching privately for over 15 years and now have my own voice studio where I teach students ages 4-70+. Like many teachers out there, my path here was circuitous. I earned a DMA in Vocal Performance and Literature in 2008 from the University of Illinois and hoped to find a college teaching job…which never happened. It’s ok! VERY ok! I taught for local music schools, went to students’ homes and taught during the day at local high schools. I was not happy. My music books (that often fell in the snow and mud during daily voyages in suitcases or tubs ) weren’t happy. I lost 30% of my livelihood when a local arts center suddenly closed its doors in 2012. The choice had been made for me. RENT SPACE AND START YOUR OWN SCHOOL, DUMMY! I did it. I was poor for several years. I am no longer poor. I LOVE the freedom and flexibility of private teaching and the joy of teaching a wide variety of singers. I feel creative.
Why am I doing this? I wish I had more guidance and struture at the beginning of my teaching career. Honestly, during those early years, I felt like I was “winging it.” I’m not alone, right? I had good instincts. When presented with a more mature adolescent I knew exactly what to do. I taught a lot of musical theatre to young students. I lacked the knowledge of really knowing how to develop young singers. I was never trained in this and I was running on sheer creativity and good instincts. I’m guilty of teaching repertoire that was too difficult for a student because I didn’t know any better. There, I said it.
In 2012, I attend an informational meeting for the Carnegie Hall’s “The Achievement Program “ (PS that title is now defunct, it is now the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Certificate Program). I welcomed the opportunity to learn about a more structured approach to teaching young singers. At the same time, a close friend of mine (the fabulous Dr. Victoria Holland) was training to become a RCM Examiner. She could help guide me. The timing was perfect. I took the plunge.
In 2012-2013, I prepared my first student for a RCM Exam. She was in 7th grade and in 2013 successfully completed a Level 2 Voice Exam. She later completed four more exams including two Theory Exams and a Level 7 Voice Exam during her senior year of high school. In 2019, I have 16 students (ages 10-35) performing Voice Exams from Level 2-Level 8. A fair number of those have taken 3 or more exams and I have prepared over 25 students for more than 60 exams. The RCM Certificate Program has reshaped my approach to teaching and my students LOVE it! My students sing better, are better musicians, and excel in their school music programs. They are excited to receive recognition and helpful feedback on their work and advance to new musical levels. Not all of my students prepare for exams, but I often use the repertoire and skills with students who don’t even realize it.
After preparing a number of student exams, I decided to become a RCM Certified Elementary Level Teacher and later, and a Certified Intermediate Level Teacher in Voice. I have written articles for the RCM Certified Teacher Portal on teaching repertoire and musical skills in the studio. I have served as a reader and contributor to the new 2019 Voice Syllabus.
I feel grateful to have found this program and had the opportunity to spend so much time with it. I am not affiliated with the RCM in any official sense. The purpose of this blog is to share information (based on my personal experiences with the Voice Syllabus) and to inspire other teachers in United States to:
Explore the RCM Voice Syllabus: click here for PDF
Incorporate repertoire from the RCM syllabus into their lessons (especially at the Elementary Levels Prep-Level 4)
Incorporate leveled instruction for ear training and musicianship into their voice lessons (The Full Voice Materials are aligned with RCM and also support these goals)
Prepare students for RCM Exams (RCM Exams)
Offer general good practices and creative ideas for teachers of young singers
The 2012 Voice Syllabus is a free resource (here it is again) to teachers and there is no cost for teachers to download it, use it, or prepare students for exams-if you choose to use it that way.
WATCH OUT, THE NEW 2019 VOICE SYLLABUS IS COMING SOON!
This seems like a no-brainer, right?
Please tell me what you’d like to know! I have blog posts planned ahead, but I’ll prioritize your requests!