Learn Singing your way with a TakeLessons expert

By Wendy H. - Colorado Springs Singing Teacher

“The Rocky Mountains are alive with the sound of music,” to paraphrase a famous quote that we all know and love from The Sound of Music. Singing can be heard all over Colorado Springs, Colorado - in the streets, in the parks, in the churches, and schools. It seems like everyone is singing about something.

I’m Wendy, and I have been teaching singing lessons in Colorado Springs for about 20 years. Being involved with college, church, community and children’s choirs over the years gives me a great appreciation and understanding of how to work with vocalists. Keeping up with the music of today and yesterday allows me to guide my voice students in the direction they want to go, whether it be for fun or as a career. So, if you're an aspiring voice student and thinking about getting into some formal singing lessons in Colorado Springs, here are a few tips for you!

Participate in a Choir

There are lots of opportunities for singers to get the experience of performing in front of an audience. You can join a community or church choir with little or no vocal or performance experience. Joining a choir is a fantastic way to continue to develop vocal skills, learn to follow a director, learn harmonies, and perform without being the center of attention (like a soloist is). Most churches have choirs, so that is an easy way to get involved in a singing community. Community choirs, such as Sweet Adeline’s and Barber Shop Quartets, do require some vocal skills, such as being able to sing both melodies and harmonies in tune and having basic knowledge of reading music.

Perform at Local Venues

For the fun side of the vocal scene, many bars host karaoke nights. This is a great way to practice singing and performing for people without the pressure of a real, live competition. However, if you’re looking for more serious competition, there are karaoke contests around the city. These competitions are a big deal. Winning a local competition will set you up to go to a state competition, which can also lead to a national competition. There is good money in winning these competitions. Check with local bars for the days they host these competitions.

I suggest that my students also look into singing in the local bars, restaurants, or coffee shops. Many of these places have live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. I encourage them to sing at weddings and special occasions, too. The more they get out there, the better they will get at singing and performing.

Attend Concerts

If you are looking to attend and listen to some good singing for inspiration, check out the free summer concerts in the park. Also, check out the large churches’ websites for their special singers. Some of these concerts are free, while others cost a small amount to attend. I have been able to see several famous artists in some of the bigger churches over the years, like John Tesh and the vocal group Acapella. Also, check the local city-wide events, as they usually have great entertainment for the masses.

As always, there are several venues like The Air Force Academy, The Fine Arts Center, and The World Arena that host many famous vocalists. These events can be costly, but are worth trying to attend a couple of times a year.

So, whether you sing just for fun or want this to be your career, it is always a good idea to get some formal training. So, go to my TakeLessons profile, read more about my point of view, and arrange some voice lessons with me!