The big moment often happens at the university level, where students embark on a four-year undergraduate degree, maybe a handful of additional years as a grad student, and they’ve got to find just the right mentor to take them on their journey. Even once a young singer takes that first leap and starts shopping—ideally by having trial lessons with a prospective teacher to see if they gel—the process is time-consuming, pricey, and potentially confusing for the voice.
There’s one way to at least halve the abundance of choice, and that’s by grouping these university-level teachers into one of two ilks: those who teach full-time, and those who balance part-time teaching with their own performing calendar.
Usually, the full-time teacher is someone with a singing career of their own already under their belt; they’ve retired from the stage and now work as a professor with an established, regular studio. The part-timers are often younger and perhaps with fewer years of teaching experience, and since they’re still in the midst of their own singing career, they see their students between gigs.
So here’s another question for singers: is there more to gain from studying with someone whose time
