What are the best strategies for improving a student's phrasing and interpretation?

1 Listen and analyze

The first step to improving your students' phrasing and interpretation is to help them listen and analyze different examples of singers who excel in these skills. You can use recordings, videos, or live performances of singers from various genres, styles, and eras, and ask your students to identify and describe how they phrase and interpret the songs. You can also compare and contrast different versions of the same song, and discuss how the singers make different choices and create different effects. Listening and analyzing will help your students develop their musical ear, their vocabulary, and their critical thinking.

2 Experiment and explore

The second step to improving your students' phrasing and interpretation is to encourage them to experiment and explore different possibilities with their own singing. You can use exercises, games, or improvisation to help them practice different aspects of phrasing and interpretation, such as breath control, dynamics, articulation, timing, inflection, and expression. You can also ask them to try different moods, perspectives, or characters when singing the same song, and see how that changes their phrasing and interpretation. Experimenting and exploring will help your students discover their own voice, their creativity, and their confidence.

4 Practice and perform

The fourth step to improving your students' phrasing and interpretation is to help them practice and perform their singing. You can use various methods, such as scales, drills, or songs, to help them practice their phrasing and interpretation skills, and reinforce their learning. You can also provide them with opportunities to perform their singing in front of an audience, such as a friend, a family member, or a peer group, and see how they apply their phrasing and interpretation skills in a real situation. Practicing and performing will help your students consolidate their knowledge, their skills, and their experience.

5 Reflect and refine

The fifth step to improving your students' phrasing and interpretation is to help them reflect and refine their singing. You can use questions, journals, or feedback forms to help them reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, their achievements and challenges, and their goals and plans. You can also help them refine their phrasing and interpretation skills by providing them with specific, actionable, and realistic advice and guidance. You can also help them celebrate their progress and achievements, and motivate them to keep learning and improving. Reflecting and refining will help your students develop their metacognition, their growth mindset, and their satisfaction.

6 Avoid these pitfalls

In order to help your students improve their phrasing and interpretation, it's important to help them avoid common pitfalls. For instance, they should not imitate other singers without understanding or adapting their phrasing and interpretation to their own voice and style. Additionally, they should pay attention to the musical context, such as the melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. Furthermore, they must consider the lyrical context, such as the meaning, emotion, tone, and imagery. It's equally important to pay attention to the audience's expectations, reactions, and feedback. Lastly, they must be aware of their breath, posture, tension, and mood. By helping your students avoid these pitfalls, you will help them develop their phrasing and interpretation skills more effectively and authentically.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?