Voice Teachers and Gender

<p>I'm currently not happy with the only staffed male voice teacher at my school, but have been fairly impressed by the head of the department, who is a Soprano. Being a bari-tenoir, does gender make a difference in training for voice?</p>

<p>My experience with this question has been that there are 3 opinions for every 2 people you ask. However, I posted a similar question on a forum of opera singers and they jumped down my throat when I suggested that I was looking for a female teacher for my soprano daughter. They said I was silly to use gender as a factor. Is there a way for you to get a sample lesson with the soprano? I assume you are an undergrad so vocal health/technique is your prime consideration. I would think a good technician is a good technician, no matter the Fach.</p>

<p>It should not matter, but it can. A more advanced singer might benefit from access to a coach who really knows the repertory of their Fach, but it does not have to be the voice teacher. A teacher who has a more dramatic voice may have a difficult time letting a lighter more lyric voice just be. The safest bet is a trial lesson, and ask about the balance in the studio, how many males? Ask the choir director about it...you might get a straight answer there. Lorelei</p>

<p>My S has had both and I don't think it matters to him. A good teacher (or a bad one) is a good teacher regardless of gender. But I do think you can learn different things from different teachers. Most pro singers have had several different teachers in their past.</p>