Voice lessons

I love voice lessons. Who even thought I would say that ever again? I was just so frustrated with singing by the end of last year, I didn't even like it anymore.
I absolutely love my teacher, Dr. Diane Reich-she knows exactly what she is talking about and she knows how to explain it to me. When I don't get it the first time, she can explain it to me in a different way until I do.
She doesn't yell, she is so patient. But not so patient that I have no drive--I have more drive than I have had in a long time.
I am learning so much from her teaching, ---I have made substantial progress and I have only been studying with her for a few months. The first few months were rocky and a little scary, but now I understand her and I know what her goals for me are.

Singing has never felt better or easier than it does right now. I feel like I am just climbing, climbing, climbing. I know that it isn't going to be that way forever, but right now it just makes me so happy.

At first, Dr. Reich didn't really give me a lot of positive feedback--she was just so focused on changing my sound, and fixing this, and tweaking that, and getting me to do this other thing. So I felt like I wasn't progressing, I felt like I wasn't getting any better and like I wasn't doing anything she wanted me to do.

And then I had this lesson where she just said, "Okay, can you HEAR that? Can you hear how much progress you have made and are still making?"
The sudden acknowledgment of the progress made my whole life. It really did, and then it just made me want to work that much harder for the next week.

I had my first lesson of the semester today, and I was nervous for it. Just because I didn't practice as much as I should have over Christmas break. And the young artist competition (if that's even what they're called) are this week. So I was just a little worried.
BUT Once again, Dr. Reich was so patient and just opened me up and she even said I had a gorgeous sound.
:D
ME! She said that about me! About my voice! And she is the kind of woman who would not say that unless she meant it. She doesn't just give empty compliments, she means everything she says.

It's silly how much that little boost can just make me feel driven for the rest of the week--for the rest of the semester, even. So I'm so excited for this semester. I'm so excited for the progress that I am making. And I am so grateful for Dr. Reich and for Aurelia (who is my fantastic accompanist/vocal coach). I am so happy that I get to work with them.

I am in the right place. Sometimes I forget about that. But I am. I chose the right school, and I am where I need to be. Hallelujah.