I have been what I will call an amateur singer for quite some time now. I sang in elementary school,(while playing the drums mind you), and took choir classes in Jr. High School. In High School I joined the concert choirs and the jazz choirs, sang in musicals and competed in singing competitions. In Jr. College I joined the jazz choir and participated in the musicals as well, and at WWU I sang in the concert choir. However nothing has ever scared me as much as private voice lessons. Maybe it is the thought in the back of my mind that the teacher is going to be judging my voice!
So when i walked into BVS (Bergey Voice Studio) to do a mock consultation with Kelsey Bergey, the owner, I was slightly nervous. Kelsey's studio is on the second floor of the Rosavear building in downtown Aberdeen and is painted a cheery yellow. The bay window has a lovely window seat and looks out to the bridge and the people passing by. The room, while not large, is spacious enough for a piano, comfy chairs and Kelsey's office. Music books are stacked on the piano top and stashed neatly in bookshelves, the decor is artsy and fun, a great learning environment that puts one at ease immediately.
The first piece of information that Kelsey asked for was my contact information, she tries to do most things electronically to be environmentally friendly. She then handed me her studio agreement and her overview and polices brochure, told me there would not be a quiz and then asked me to sit so we could chat for a bit about why I wanted to take vocal lessons. She has recruited students of a wide variety of ages from 9 to 73, and each one has a different reason for wanting to learn to sing, so getting to know your students from the first meeting is the key to success. When getting to know her new potential students she wants to understand what gets them excited, what kind of music they love and stresses that they are not going to be judged for their ability, but coached to reach their goals.
What many people might not know about a vocal consultation is that it is the teacher that is getting interviewed, not the student. As a client, you need to find the vocal instructor that is going to have your vocal health in mind when teaching you to sing. Kelsey says that her main focus is healthy singing. She checks in with her students often to make sure they are not experiencing any discomfort. The first rule of being a teacher she believes is "first, do no harm".
After we had discussed why I wanted to have singing lessons, Miss Bergey gave me a rundown of how her studio works. She teaches weekly lessons (1/2 hour, 45 min and 1 hr), and teaches throughout the year. Kelsey is happy teaching at any level and it is not a requirement to be able to read music. She does provide many opportunities for her students to perform in the public realm, but is it not a requirement. If you prefer to keep your singing private she is great with that as well.
You can tell that Kelsey is a very passionate teacher when she speaks about the process of teaching vocal lessons. When I asked about the challenges of being a teacher she mentioned, "Teaching is about thinking on your feet..its also a measure of experience, the more information you have the better", "There is no rulebook, lots of resources but everyone learns differently", she says, however she has been a student for so many years that she understands that feeling of nerves and the scariness that comes with singing in front of someone new. The 'great pile of unknown' goes away with familiarity, and as Kelsey says, "it is usually a positive experience getting to the comfort zone."
After we had talked for about a half-hour about her studio and what I wanted to get out of vocal lessons, we talked about the lessons themselves. Kelsey claims she is not the best piano player, but that has benefited her students as she is able to focus on the technical aspect of singing as well. She works on phrasing, breathing, vowel shapes and making the singing process healthy. Her goal is to make the student comfortable singing the song at any level. The best way to get your feet wet is to jump right in. Try the six week Seasonal Lesson Session and if you decide to continue BVS will waive the registration fee!
Bergey Voice Studio is Kelsey's passion and she wants to share that with students who are willing to learn and eager to sing. She encourages questions during her lessons and makes sure that each student is able to track their progress and get excited about the upcoming lessons. Get started today and while you will most definitely learn to sing, you will also feel a boost in your self confidence that helps each day begin on a high note.
