Inspiration
As a source of inspiration I've put an essay on teaching voice and music, seen from a sociological perspective/point of view. The essay is mostly about the wellknown sociologist, Anthony Gidden's theories on the modernity and how the reflective individual relates to the modern world we live in, with the endless numbers of possibilities available to us today.
How does this relate to singing and having vocal lessons? I think there is a very important relationship to take into consideration here, since more and more people feel a need to develop their talents and abilities in all sorts of ways. The typical vocal student is a person who is busy with THE REFLEXIVE PROJECT OF THE SELF, as Gidden's describes it.
As a vocal teacher it is very important to be able to understand the student's "project" in order to teach him in the best way possible, respecting the student from the point of view that all motivations for learning to sing better are of equal value. Meaning that whatever goal the student might have, a teacher should help him to get there!
I believe that what is happening right now, sociologically, has a huge effect on us as individuals. Furthermore seen in relation to what is happening to our traditional cultures, which seem to be under a great deal of change here in late modernity.
