An Amoeba’s Guide to learning to fly
A year ago, I had an email through my website asking me if I was teaching online. I replied “No”, I could not see that teaching virtually was a platform that would work for me. I pride myself on my relationship with my students. My house is a welcoming, safe place. I provide music, and accompaniment, I film auditions for them, teach them vocal technique, coach their repertoire and often give them a supportive ear, and a big hug. How would all this work online?
Enter COVID 19 (cue ominous music) Suddenly I had no choice; we were all thrown into the virtual world. If you wanted to survive, you had to adapt and evolve, and adapt I did, like a little amoeba crawling out of a puddle and finding my legs.
In March, the learning curve was huge for me, I was overwhelmed and certain I would never be able to make teaching online viable for me. 2 hours on Zoom, and I was exhausted, headachy, and wired. My friend Stephen set me up with a beautiful Mic, speakers, lights, and showed me how to adjust my settings for the best results, and how to talk my students through setting their own computers for class.
In April my friend who runs the training and theatre company Dubo Force in Mexico asked if it was possible to do performance Masterclasses online. Again, I replied “No”. I could do private classes, but masterclasses were a live experience. By July I was teaching five 2 hour masterclasses in a week for this amazing company in Mexico. Class size was limited to 10, and the experience was amazing. I began taking classes myself all over the world. I did my Somatic Voice Work training online from Ohio. I took performance classes, putting myself on the performing highwire. I performed in fundraisers, watched virtual concerts and plays, and saw the world of online theatre and teaching blooming.
In May, the College I teach at went online. I was so filled with anxiety over learning a new platform I practically froze, but my little amoeba now was lacing up her sneakers and was ready to run. the new college teaching platform became my daily log on zone.
So here I am, 7 months later, teaching online for hours every day, scanning repertoire and sending it at lightspeed, recording accompaniments, and now, teaching all over Canada and the world!
It is not always perfect, internet issues can be upsetting, and lag took some getting used to, but all in all, we teachers are managing to continue encouraging people to explore their artistic sides through their singing voices.
I love seeing my students’ faces pop up online. We are always so genuinely happy to see each other. The classes are good, because the technique works, face to face and online. After a great class, my heart soars, knowing that my little amoeba is learning to fly now.
Artists will always find a way to adapt, create and thrive; We always have, we always will. Do not give up, your teachers and mentors are only a Zoom call, or Facetime away. Reach out, keep striving, keep your voice, heart, brain and body in shape, because soon, like so many other world events, this too shall be in the past, and when it does I will meet you all in some public place and we shall sing our hearts out
Louisa
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