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Welcome to a sappy post 🌹.
Here’s what’s been galloping through my mind 🐴🐴 (neigh neigh). And now I’ll stop with the emojis (the other day I said "emoticon" and someone said "Ok boomer!" And now I’m laughing about it again. Oh well.)
It often seems that you, students, don’t fully realize the place you hold in our lives as teachers. Sure, our meetings are framed within professionalism, a necessary structure to ensure your progress—whether it’s progress in singing, in self-confidence, or even as individuals: voice lessons often have hidden, multiple, and profound roles. But despite this structure, it’s essential to say it: you occupy much more space in my life than just that one hour a week.
I live surrounded by music, and it often happens that I hear a song and think, “OH MY GOD this is the ✨PERFECT✨ song for that student 😱!” (I added emojis again 🙉).
Music constantly brings me back to you, both as singers and as individuals. I also want to share something with you that I find fascinating in the teacher-student relationship: when you introduce me to a song I didn’t know before, it becomes, in my mind, "your song" (yo Elton John). Even after listening to the original artist before we work on it in class, if I then only hear your voice on it, it always feels strange to listen to the original version because, to me, that song is yours. It instantly evokes a memory, just like a scent can trigger a reminiscence.
The smell of rain on pavement, does that ring a bell 🌧? For me, it comes with a wave of specific memories. Your songs have that same effect. Like the smell of rain after a summer storm, which transports me to specific moments, these songs are you, and they embody our work together on your voice.
I am so proud of you. None of my students has escaped progress; and I’m not just talking about singing. Of course, there have been vocal improvements, but that’s obvious. What strikes me is seeing you grow as individuals, gaining courage, taking risks, and opening up to your creativity.
Even though we try to express it, I wonder if you realize just how proud we, as teachers, can be of you. This pride might sometimes be a little selfish, because it’s also a pride in having been there with you, in having witnessed your progress. You bring a deep meaning to my work and contribute immensely to its balance.
Recently, I moved and changed countries once again, but this time it disrupted the way I understand lessons. I realize how much balance is maintained thanks to my work and my connection with you. This doesn’t mean that my balance depends on you, and thankfully so. However, the events of this year have reminded me and shown me in a new light just how much I love my work and my students. I say this with all the necessary professional distance, because of course, ethics are present in every relationship and every lesson.
But beyond that, in honouring what you mean to me, I thank you for being in my life—not as a pillar, but as what makes that “work” pillar so beautiful and flourishing 🌻.
And there you have it. And now I can use all the emojis I want, and I can even say “emoticon,” because it’s my blog, and I do what I want. 🌸 🎶 🦜 🎤 🌟 🦩 ⛄️
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