Dena Andrews interviews Beth Allen-Gardener (http://www.bethallengardner.com/) professional voice teacher and singer. Beth discusses he fulfillment of teaching private lessons, the challenges of living in New Jersey, and how her life perspective shifted post marriage.
- 0:00: Growing up (Albany to NC), meeting her husband, UNC Chapel Hill Bachelor of Music in Music, Current job: voice teacher and professional singer
- 2:22: Musical background: family lessons, enjoyed being around music and people making music
- 3:57: Life changing “musical moments”
- 4:53: Musically impactful and inspirational teacher: Mr Manning and kinesthetic sense. The goal for all of Beth’s students is for each to be completely aware of his or her entire body when each is singing.
- 6:38: Main philosophies of teaching: Kinesthetic sense and the Socratic Method
- 8:03: Teaching or performing: making a difference in individual’s lives versus the satisfaction of a large crowd and how she balances the two lives
- 10:50: Finding students, her music studio, and the differences she brings to her students (vocal health, proper use of the vocal mechanism)
- 13:35: Is life after college what was expected? Is teaching financially sound?
- 17:54: Is it still a satisfactory life? Making a difference for her students is fulfilling and makes the challenges worth it.
- 22:05: Personal struggles as a musician: the need for structure.
- 24:51: Getting back on track post marriage: the supports system
- 26:19: “Looking back, if you could change anything, would you?” Prioritizing! Looking back wastes energy, focus on the now and the future
- 28:18: Grad school search: then and now
- 30:26: Upcoming engagements for herself and her students
