The Play of Passion and Fear

So many people want to sing. And in times like these (Covid19), we are not only asked to stay inside, we consider how we can explore what is inside of us. Through a series of articles on LinkedIn each Monday, I will explore how singing introduces parts of your real self to your current self.

I am a voice teacher and a singer. When people sing in a lesson there are 2 very interesting opposites at play: 1) a desire to learn to sing and 2) a wall of vulnerability to negotiate. Even in the most world renowned musicians, passion and fear tango together. That is where a teacher like myself comes in. My legacy is not to produce the next great opera or broadway star. My teaching path is to connect with those who want to find themselves deep within through singing, a kind of therapy or coaching. When you sing, you explore musical concepts and vocal sounds you have never heard or produced before. You may be asked to sing in your "head voice" - the upper range of your voice that only gets explored when you imitate a "girl" or scream when scared. That's ok. Singing in your head voice is the first adventure that most new singers find fearful, strange, or completely crazy. (Believe me, voice teachers make crazy requests as you produce sound but the head voice may be the first your encounter.

Once a new singer trusts enough to try the head voice sounds, they find a new world. They experience feelings from childhood that start to unlock. Their inner child grows larger to experience some fun. And the ideas they hold about fear or trying something new, begin to crack. In this "trying", they have a guide - their voice teacher. And over time, a bond is formed. Through this bond, an adventure can happen every time they sing. Soon they are using terminology that was a foreign language before. Through voice lessons, they (you) can enjoy the play of passion and fear. And begin to discover that "Everything You Want is on the Other Side of Fear." Voice teachers can help you make that journey.

www.grohmusic.com