A voice says, “I can.” A voice says, “I can’t.” A voice can praise. A voice can blame. A voice can heal. A voice can hurt. A voice can be loud. A voice can be soft. But perhaps most importantly, a voice has the capacity of being heard.

I think that regardless of age, people experience a constant need to create and to be understood. Everyone possesses a voice, yet oftentimes we don’t know where to find it or how to use it effectively. People communicate in a multitude of ways. Some do it through dance, some through painting, others through writing. Yet it is through the art of voice that language and music are woven simultaneously to convey messages and meaning to the listener.

Imagine then, the impact self-expression can have when it skillfully uses both music and language. Interestingly, in voice, the instrument is the human body itself. Musical instruments become an inseparable part of the musician, however there still remains a disconnection between the physical body of the musician and the physical entity of the instrument. A vocalist and his instrument are, quite literally, inseparable.

Adolescence can be confusing at best. To a young adult, most experiences are still new. It is no wonder social status and self-expression is at the forefront of most teenagers’ minds. A large number of my students are young adults, forging their paths into the world. I receive many of them, shy and unsure of themselves, unaware of their capabilities and growth potential. It is an amazing feeling to aid them in their personal awareness, talent, and artistic expression. Taking a voice lesson is not simply learning scales and singing sheet music. It is becoming acquainted with oneself; hearing oneself, listening to oneself.

When a painter is first introduced to the color wheel, he realizes the multitude of combinations he can use to bring about a composition. When a vocal student first discovers his range something not entirely different occurs. Just as a painter must mix colors, a vocalist needs to become acquainted with their vocal mix. A painter places great emphasis on the preservation and conservation of his work, just as a vocalist places great emphasis on the preservation and conservation of his voice.

It is amazing the effects that daily events can have on a student’s voice. A particularly difficult day at school or work can weaken one’s voice. The voice is a tangible extension of the singer, a glimpse into their psyche, a page from their journal. I feel it is part of my job to teach my students how to use their voice effectively no matter what daily events life brings to them. I teach them how to preserve and conserve their voice, just as any artist would for his craft.

It is easy to imagine what profound changes can occur in an individual when he begins to hear, listen to, and effectively own his voice for the first time. I don’t only hear it in my students’ voices, I can see it in their body language and feel it in their presence. Self-discovery is an inseparable part of self-expression and interpersonal communication. One cannot effectively communicate to his peers if he does not have a grasp on who he is or wishes to become. The study of voice can aid in this discovery. We enter the world in a cry and leave it in a whisper; let’s make music together while we can.