I have a 10 year old daughter who loves to sing and do community theater. She has a lovely voice, and I would like to have her take voice lessons to learn proper technique. I have heard, though, that it is not advisable to take lessons before a voice matures. Is this true, and if so, when is it okay to begin.
I am a professional singer and teacher. Personally, I began my formal training at around 18. Prior to that I was singing in choirs and in shows. I guess I was lucky as I had wonderful choir directors and musical directors who passed on their knowledge well, and I came through with no bad habits. Whilst doing all of this I was progressing through the grades on the piano which gave me a wonderful grounding in music.
Your daughter is of the age where she could have some lessons, but as mentioned above, I would be making sure that the teacher has some very good credentials and experience. I would also suggest that if she isn’t already, your daughter should learn to play the piano. If she is at all serious about a career in singing, she will need to be able to read music well and play a little.
Again, on a personal note, I have two daughters (nearly 13 and 10), both of whom love singing. They are both learning the piano, and the elder one is also learning the clarinet. The 13 year old is particularly interested in singing and has a lovely true voice. I feel that there is still plenty of time for her to learn to sing and while she is involved in school choirs and shows and the odd competition, I will give her some pointers but not get too serious about technique. I just want her to enjoy singing and I feel that because she is doing a lot of singing anyway her voice will grow.
The female voice doesn’t mature until around 24 – 26. It is hard to answer your question as it also depends on the individual. I am of the opinion that formal lessons at too young an age can take the fun out of it, but again that can depend on the person.
Hope this helps.