Alexa: [00:00:00] What's it actually like working in a higher education music institution? And how the heck do we get to be a part of one working as a singing teacher? Well this week we welcome Trudy Kerr to the podcast, the Head of Vocals at London College of Contemporary Music, LCCM, and someone who has studied with the likes of Linda Hutchison, Jeanie Lovettri, Dr.
Trineice Robinson Martin, and the Voice Study Centre. Trudy shares with us what she looks for in a potential singing teacher and gives us insight to the application process.
We also discuss how to run a shorter singing lesson which meets both assessment and singer needs, and also what a scheme of work typically looks like at LCCM. We might even get on to a little discussion about the sweet coin we might expect from such a role in an institution.
So Trudy, what have you got for us?
Trudy Kerr, you have taught at Trinity Laban, Guildhall and Chichester University, and [00:01:00] you're currently the Head of Vocals at London College of Contemporary Music, or LCCM. And I remember when I first became a singing teacher, I had a goal to work in an institution, a higher education institution. So can you share your journey to becoming a singing teacher?
at LCCM and what led you there?
Trudy: Well, I suppose if I go back to the beginning, when I started in started teaching in higher education, I'd just come out of a one year postgrad at the Guildhall and I had a very good friend, Anita Wardell, who was teaching at Colchester it was, Colchester Institute.
And she said, Oh, they need another singing teacher. Do you want to do it? And that was the extent of the interview. So I went up there and I just started and went from there really. So I, I gained some valuable experience working with some amazing, amazing students. at Colchester Institute. And then from there, I saw [00:02:00] some jobs advertised and I applied for the job at Trinity and started teaching there.
And then Different things came up, teaching at Guildhall so Trinity was jazz, the jazz course, jazz based. And then did some teaching at Guildhall and, and Chichester as well. And, and I started at LCCM, I think about 10 years ago. , I came into cover for someone, which is quite often the case in higher education, I think, because a lot of the teachers are generally professionals working in the industry. So someone gets a gig last minute, and I remember getting a call saying, can you come in and teach some sight singing? And I was, oh, I'm not sure, but I'll do the best I can. So that's sort of how, how that journey started.
And then I've been here, I think 10 or 12 years now. And yeah, my teaching just increased and, Finally, I'm, well finally, I don't, I don't know if that's the right word, but head of vocals.
Alexa: For a teacher who is aspiring to [00:03:00] work in higher education settings, like maybe it's sixth form college, a university, a drama school, or a specialist music school, what qualifications or experiences are typically required for that
role?
Trudy: I can't really speak for sixth form colleges because I'm not really sure, or drama colleges, I guess I can only talk about music colleges specifically. But I, well, I think having professional experiences is the most, one of the most important things. Yeah, that's sort of expected that you, you're out there and you're doing it.
So you've got that, that, that knowledge to share with students. When it comes to teaching vocal pedagogy though in the past, I remember, I'd never really thought about it, which when I first started teaching, it was, um, you just sang and you just did it. No one really questioned it.
I didn't come from a classical background. So I just learned to sing while I was, you know, on the job performing. But that has changed [00:04:00] slightly now, thank goodness. So most of the teachers there's an interview process. They come in and they're interviewed. And then I guess it just depends what experience they've had, if they've done, if they have taken different courses. For me, that's really important and there's so many around now. You can do lots of online courses. You sort of have a discussion about singing teaching. Sometimes I watch them teach. Um, other times they come in and they will they will shadow different teachers. For say six months for a semester and then you'll give them the opportunity to do some teaching and they'll be observed.
It's not that I'm saying I know everything because I don't because quite often I learn a lot from watching new teachers come in as well. So in some ways it's right place at the right time , you know, there's a young girl that came in and she was keen and and I said, okay, we'll come in in the summer.
I'm teaching. If you want to come in and sit in on classes, just just do so. She came every week and she started [00:05:00] doing some teaching and then she studied some online courses and then eventually one of the other teachers were sick, a bit like I am, I am today, and I said, do you want to have a go and see how it goes?
So she, she filled in and she did a great job and the students liked her, and I guess the thing I always do is I just talk to the students and say, how did that go? Or is that working out with that teacher, you know, or, you know, just generally, is there something we could do or that teacher could do to improve what they do or, you know, because it needs to be all about students. Ultimately, happy students are learning and, and that's the most important thing.
Alexa: And you mentioned courses. Would you expect or like your teachers to have a degree?
Trudy: Yes, I think most of them do. Although I do have one teacher who I don't think has a degree, but she's had probably 30 years professional experience touring [00:06:00] the world and, and as a backing vocalist, as a lead vocalist in her own right, so, so that sort of , speaks volumes as well. There's things she can teach students that, you know, perhaps someone who has just finished a degree and has done various online courses, but hasn't done many gigs. You know, that she's got valuable, valuable things she can teach students. I think there's about 10 vocal teachers on staff. And everyone is different because every student's different and every student needs something different. Um, you know, so different people work with different students at different times.
It's varied, I guess. . And the qualifications are varied.
Alexa: You mentioned that there was an interview process or that you might observe a lesson that they're teaching or invite them to come and sit in and shadow. When you are asked to come in for an interview, what's that process like? Is it, is it quite a long [00:07:00] interview?
Are there specific questions that you look for specific answers?
Trudy: Not necessarily. It sometimes depends. And also I don't do the interview on my own. There may be two other, two other people that'll be a head of the subject. Certainly a program leader at the interview.
So that'll also explain how the college works. what the expectations are understanding how to work to finding out if people know how to work to, um, you know, assessment criteria, learning outcomes. If, people have some understanding of that that can be quite useful sometimes within the interview.
Also just explaining to, you know, the teacher as well the student profile, , what we would expect, you know, they come in and this is, this is probably what will happen, and address some of their questions, as well as giving them an outline of what to expect when they come and teach with us. It wouldn't it's not usually that long to be honest. I remember one interview I did I had to teach and [00:08:00] and there were like five people watching me and I didn't interview but we don't do anything like that. So it's all a lot more casual than that. But we do have a, you know, quite often I'll have a um, a conversation I'll say, oh, if you had a student that had this issue, you know, if they were doing this, , can you think of a few things you might discuss with them or put in place or some vocal exercises they might do.
It could be just general like that and just to understand where they're coming from with their pedagogy.
Alexa: Do you look for a specific technical methodology or are you open at LCCM to many ways of training.
Trudy: I'm open, completely open. Um, I mean, I, I'm someone who likes the science to back it up, but not all students learn in that way.
Some just go, don't want to know about that. Just let someone demonstrate and show me how to do it. So we don't have any particular methods. There's a couple of teachers that use different exercises from different methods. , a student will come into a class and demonstrate [00:09:00] something and say, well, my one to one teacher told me to do that. And I'll go, what was that? You know, and write it down and then go to the teacher and say, oh, can you show me how you did that? So I think it's great to let everyone find their own way. And I, and I think every student learns differently. So again, they find someone that they can relate to. So keep it as open as possible.
But obviously if the teachers can have some understanding of anatomy to back that up, I think it's useful, but not completely necessary sometimes perhaps, but generally more and more teachers do have an understanding though of how the voice works, which is a good thing.
Alexa: This can be a tricky question to ask because it's got dollar signs in it, but what is the expected pay range for somebody who might be working in higher education?
Trudy: Every college seems to be completely different. Some of the conservatoires pay sort of maybe 50 to [00:10:00] 60 pounds an hour. Most of the music colleges, our colleges, I think it's, I don't know because I'm on the salaries, but it's about 30, I think it's 30 pounds, 36 pounds, 50 an hour which is quite low really.
You might get a higher rate of pay. In, um, a secondary school, you know, perhaps so I think most of them are between 30 and 40, some low 40s, I think that, you know, you've got to also remember that it's this for us, the semesters, there's 12 week semesters, so that only last. sometimes 24 weeks of the year.
So it all depends. Although we do run one of our degree courses also runs a summer term as well. So, for me, actually, I, I don't have a, have a summer break. I just keep going, I guess. And then there's sometimes marking and money for marking as well. If you're doing a lot of assessing and marking, and then [00:11:00] that's what we do here. I don't know what other people do.
Alexa: And do your teachers get any benefits from things like health insurance or sick pay or holiday pay or anything like that?
Trudy: No, not if you're an hourly, if you're just on a, an HPL hourly paid.
Alexa: So what advice would you give to the singing teacher then, who is striving to pursue a position in higher education?
Trudy: The same as anyone really, I guess I would say have a, have a performance profile. That's really important, because the first thing, if someone sends me I get quite a few CVs. If someone sends me something, the first thing I do, I don't really look up their teaching what they've done. You know, I might, I just Google them to see what, what sort of singing they do.
And if they have some, a professional, some sort of profile. And, how well they sing. I think it's really important to be able [00:12:00] to, to demonstrate and model things for students. So that, that is quite important. Um, although sometimes, you know, we've got a couple of teachers that do, don't do so much performing anymore, but they're but they have, they have things to offer.
But I think for young teachers, I really like them to be out there performing. Because they need to have, you know, our, the degree, the idea of the degree is get, getting people ready to perform. Um, and so it is really important to, to have some of those skills in place. To start with,
Alexa: you mentioned there about this, the teacher being a good singer themselves and demonstration being quite important in the singing lesson.
Is any of that part of the onboarding or the interview process, do they have to. prove that they can sing passably for you.
Trudy: No, no, I wouldn't do that to anyone. Seems quite
Alexa: mean, doesn't it?
Trudy: Yeah, no, no, that's fine. Just sort of thinking if [00:13:00] that's ever happened to me. No, no, I don't think it has. I think generally that's not fair because when you come for an interview too, you've got a different different hat on, haven't you?
Thinking about different things. If someone said, Oh, can you get up and sing a number? Can you sing fly me to the moon? You would just like, Yeah,
Alexa: I guess that CV that performance CV speaks for itself, then that having that shows that you're both able and have got the experience to bring into the to the Absolutely.
Trudy: Yeah. And you've, and now we've got access to all of that, you know, you can see different things, you know, see everyone's Instagram or, you know, people have websites or even just, you know, SoundCloud or something just to see what they're up to.
Alexa: What sort of students come through to LCCM, and do you find that there are some common vocal challenges that they're experiencing?
Trudy: The student profile at LCCM has changed, and I don't know whether that's the same in all colleges. [00:14:00] It certainly is here. Um, once we would get, ten years ago, We would get students that perhaps had had had some classical training or had done ABRSM exams. We still get some, but more than likely now and I think because singing lessons.
Aren't available so much in secondary school, I think, certainly, I don't think you get music lessons and you learn to sing within the class and there's choirs and things, I think if you pay for them, you probably can. But I think a lot of people are self taught, and I think COVID has something to do with it as well, because a lot of people are, um, bedroom singers.
And sometimes singing at a certain volume or with headphones on crouched over your computer. it can sound great and you can edit the vocals and change things and do everything you like. But when it comes to standing, performing, working with a band that's loud. There's all sorts of problems that arise with [00:15:00] having to sing with more volume or more articulation, more attention to detail, and, they're in performance mode.
Um, and And that is the challenge, I find. And, you know, just sort of general things like posture, and whether you call it posture or breath support or body alignment, all those things, a lot of them haven't performed, so they are used to sitting at computers and and recording themselves.
So that means sometimes, there's a lot of work in just body and breath and just getting their bodies functioning. Um, and being confident to do that. I think that's the biggest part.
We have two degrees. We have an undergrad that is the BMus, which is performance and production. And on that course, There's some music theory as well.
And then we have another course that it's only just been running another music program, program called a BA in Commercial Music. So that's more [00:16:00] aligned for artists and less music theory. There's a lot of rappers, spoken word artists and there's a lot of music business as well.
So rappers. usually haven't had a voice lesson, but, um, they have some skills, believe me. They're incredible. There's a big percentage of them that study here and it's great and it's really exciting. And most of them, strangely enough, Well, not strangely enough, but as we've discovered they want to learn to sing. So, um, they want to incorporate that into their music. There's a lot of producers that just want some basic singing as well, so that they can communicate with Singers, if they have singers in the studio, so they can speak singing language. So I've got a few producers that come in to class and, you know, they would say, well, how do I ask a singer for this? How do I get that quality? I want this, what do I have to do? You know? So sometimes they learn some of those things themselves [00:17:00] and get confident in singing. So, so there's a wide variety, but it's certainly. Um, moved on from 10 years ago when people had come in, had some classical singing lessons, and then I would like to sing contemporary music.
It's changed completely, and I think it continues to evolve. I think it, you know, I think, um, which you're probably going to talk to me about in a minute, but when you write curriculum it doesn't ever stay the same. You have to be really open to moving it, changing it, and, and it has to evolve the whole time, and that's because the students evolve and what they want changes, and their level of understanding or expertise changes as well.
Alexa: Are you seeing any particular genre or artists that are more popular coming through in terms of influence that you're then having to rejig the curriculum to suit, and to reflect the industry as well [00:18:00] outside?
Trudy: Yeah, I, well, I guess rap is the big, the big thing and most singers are happy also to learn, learn to rap.
I don't teach the rapping. I get other people in to do that. But it's really important for voice, voice use. Because also rappers are in the same pitch range quite often and just repeatedly, repeatedly singing in a really loud volume. So some technical issues , arise there. We do a, Uh, for instance, we do a collaboration with the commercial music students, and the BMus, where they work together with, um, they do a, a song, I think it's just one song in the first year with a rapper, so they're both getting that experience.
So that's something we've never done before, but because we've got these two programs running. it seemed like a great opportunity to, you know, bringing the programs together and, and they learn from each other. So it's, it's great. And also, I think there seems to be a lot more, which is good for me because that's my background, a lot more jazz going on.
Lots of students with people [00:19:00] like Ray and the, you know, the Albert Hall concert. And, uh, who's the other one? The Icelandic girl. Ah! Her name's escaped me. La Faye, I'm not sure if I'm saying it right. Um, I think she's Icelandic. So she's really jazz infused and bossa nova. So when I say, what style of music do you sing? Quite often they say I'm influenced by jazz, you know, so jazz artists. So that's sort of changed, I think everything works in a cycle, you know. , I tend to use a lot of improvisation anyway, just trying stuff out, um, because I feel it's a great way, just generally a great way to learn.
Alexa: Do you find that your students have a different attitude towards you because your title is Head of Vocals? compared to any of your other teachers without that title?
Trudy: It's a really good question. Sometimes I wonder, I don't know, sometimes. I guess they do. I guess they do. But I I just try and [00:20:00] be really honest with them and you know, and hopefully most of them feel, feel like I would like to think they can talk to me and approach me about, about different things.
Yeah, I guess I do a lot of the assessing and sometimes, you know, being honest, that worries me. We have usually another person on the assessment panel, so I try and keep that That changing all the time. So I'm getting input from different, different teachers as well, because I think it's really important, because I like what I like, and I'm, I'm not right always, you know, probably half the time.
So just getting someone else's input is really good. And we've got some great teachers that. Quite often go, have you thought of that? Or they did that really well. Or, you know, just make you see a bit differently. So I'd like to think the students are aware. I talk to them about things like that. You know, I've discussed it all the time and say, Oh, and just tell them how hard it is.
The other thing we do is bring in the assessment, the marking [00:21:00] criteria into the class and I get them to mark each other. So they're fully aware of the process, how it happens. so each module will have learning outcomes. And and then the marking, the marking criteria and the marking guidelines.
So I'll get them to use those guidelines so they understand what it's like for me. Um, and, and they're usually, they're usually much tougher than I am. You know, they'll go, Ooh, that wasn't a 2 1. You were a 2 2 to each other, you know. And, and, but I think that that is good. It creates a good atmosphere for them.
You know, if they, if then they have an understanding for what my job is..
Alexa: Could you give us a little insight to what might be on a typical scheme of work at any point on the degree for LCCM Singers?
Trudy: So there's lots of different modules and I teach on, the module I teach on is called Principal Instrument, um, and [00:22:00] there's also Performance Modules, there's Arranging Modules, there's all sorts of different things going on so within Principal Instrument, there is It's technical based on, you know, your instrument, whether that be singing, piano, bass, drums, guitar.
So the students get a half hour one to one in the first and second years. And then they get two other classes within that module, a one and a half hour class and a one hour class. So, um, for instance, what have the second years got coming up? Because I'm just about to. put some final touches to that.
They, in the first semester, they did an acoustic set where they had to perform in a, in a small setting, , in a beautiful venue, and they have to put together the musicians, um, backing vocals, and, perform. So , sometimes they're confident and they might have 10 people on stage with them, cajons and percussion and all sorts of stuff. or they can just stand and sing with a piano player or a guitarist, acoustic piano. Um, so they, that's [00:23:00] a sort of a second year assessment, but The performance they're doing this semester is what we call dance night where they use backing tracks and I'll get a choreographer in and they'll work with a choreographer for a few weeks and they'll put together maybe 15 minutes in length so three songs, four songs. And they'll learn, not necessarily become dancers, because that some of them have dance skills, but they might use some, some backing dancers and they'll have backing vocalists as well, but work with the backing track. Ah, very importantly, after they've performed, I think it's for the acoustic set, yes, they did it last semester, I've just marked it, they also have to write do some self reflective writing.
Because as much as I can tell them what I think they should do, they need to be able to. look at their performances and make some judgments about what they liked, what they didn't like. And , sometimes it's really hard for them to say the things they like.
They just, oh, I didn't do this, I didn't do that. And I'm [00:24:00] like, come on, there's loads of good things there. Confident and right about it. Tell us about it.
Alexa: I find that a lot that when you ask somebody at the end of the session, or even when you first meet them, what are your strengths in this area or what did you do well today in your vocals?
And it's so difficult for them to say, but that's why I think then it's even more important to. Keep that in every lesson, because then it's good practice. You're not being egotistical, it doesn't mean that you think you're the bee's knees. But sometimes, if you do feel like you're the bee's knees in that particular exercise or song, you're allowed to say. Being able to understand what you're doing well is so important, just as what you feel like you need to improve.
Trudy: Absolutely. Yeah, I agree. I agree entirely. Yeah, it's really, really important. Um, yeah, so they write some self reflection. They also have to do, first and second years, have to do some sight singing as well.
Sight singing, reading of rhythms and Sometimes they do [00:25:00] a little bit of composing within the class. Not so much for the assessments. We just have some fun composing. And the other thing they have to do is write acapella arrangements. So they're sort of putting music theory, which they learn in other classes, into practice.
So they have to go into Musescore or Sibelius and write the melody up, write a bass line, and just you know, help work to understand chords and, and backing vocals. So that's something they do in all the years. They do outside performances as well. So, and also of course, with the acapella it's collaborative.
So they have to find the people they work best with as well. And that is also really. It's the basis of music making, really. You've got to be able to get on with people and, and communicate. So yeah. So that, the acapella works really well. The third years didn't, did an external assessment last semester.
So try and get them out in the real world, experiencing different venues. We've got a [00:26:00] lovely venue and our sound is excellent. So sometimes I think they're spoiled. Sometimes we find a venue that, where the sound isn't perfect, because also then you've got to have the technical facility to get over the top of the band or you know, be strong without great monitoring and things.
But as a professional singer, it's not always perfect. So you have to get around these things. I try and keep it real world like, but because of the learning outcomes, there's quite a lot of sight singing and scales and chords and things, there's a lot of effort that has to go into those early years hopefully that builds and they understand the importance of it when they're, when they're doing some arranging by the third year, third year just did a studio session where they were given a song and they had to uh, arrange the backing vocals, write them out and then bring some singers in and, teach them the parts and sing the lead as well.
So it's pretty varied, [00:27:00] but it's fun.
Alexa: It sounds fun. It sounds really fun. So when they go into their singing lessons, their one to one singing lessons, As teachers, we're often told, you know, student led, be student led, and as you said in the beginning, it's all about them and what they want from it and what, what they require.
So how do you encourage singing teachers working in an institution to make sure that we are being student led and going to their needs, but also fulfilling what would be expected from an assessment point of view.
Trudy: It's really tricky because it's just such a fine line, you know, in the back of your head, you've got to have the whole time, uh, the assessments in how many weeks, five weeks, it's all very well working on this with them. But I've got to, you know, I've got to get them to pass because the principal will, he only looks at the grades, the teachers that are teaching them and, you know, and the attendance. He's [00:28:00] not bothered about anything else. Um, so, well he is, but, , you know, you do have to keep that in mind. I just advise them keep talking to the students, you know, keep reminding the students that yes, we can work on this and you're out doing, some of them are out there doing, you know, loads of gigs, so they want to help on that, the gig stuff.
But I try and give, within the curriculum, I, I aim to, they can, anything that they're doing originally or live, they can still perform that within the curriculum, so hopefully it feels a bit the same. I think with a student led, it always depends to, I mean, yes, it needs to be student led, we all talk about it but I, I think with first years sometimes, you know, with a one to one lesson, it's all about the relationship and the trust it has to be based on trust at some point, as hopefully as soon as possible, but trust takes a while to develop, so when [00:29:00] you have 12 lessons, half hour lessons, you're seeing that person for 6 hours, half an hour a week, you know, sometimes it takes five or six lessons to even build that trust. And then, you know, some foundational skills. If they don't have those foundational skills, you've got to sort of say to the student, we've got to get these basic skills together first. And they might not even understand what those skills are that, you know, they haven't thought that deeply about it. They just sing. And I suppose I can, that's what I used to do. So I can understand it. So it's a fine line and between the two things and, and, you know, and, and just trying to, I guess, finding motivation is the most important thing. So motivation and trying to help them establish some practice, a practice routine that works for them and helps them get from where, from here to here, still looking at what they do for the assessment, but, but also because sometimes the assessments [00:30:00] aren't necessarily motivating, but they've got to find a way to practice it, you know, so, so you're looking at finding ways to make it fun and so that they're learning and they're feeling like they're in control of their learning.
And they're enjoying it. That, that's the important part, I guess, but there are some sometimes foundational skills. , Once they trust you, I think then you can say, okay, we've got to sort this out, you know, hopefully they start to understand that. I mean, there's so many ways. I think every student's different. There's not, not one way. I mean, I guess a teacher did say to me the other day, there was a student who was. You know, just going, you know, some of them have such tricky lives things going on in their personal life as well. So, you know, you never know what's going on when that person walks into the room.
Um, but she said, I, I know if I just, if she just did this, I know it will work, you know, and best will in the world. I've been there, you know, you go, you know, [00:31:00] come on, just do this, but the student for some reason doesn't want to, or doesn't think that's what they need, or I don't know, didn't get enough sleep.
So buying into it, you know, so we just had an open discussion, the teachers, luckily were a lot of us are in on the same day. So we always have these conversations, which I think is really healthy, you know. We were just talking about trying to meet that person and how you meet that person and what they need. , because even though you're saying they need to do this, they're not ready for that, you know, so it's sort of finding some in between ground that maybe they can relate to. And we were just talking about, you know, I think it was to do with vocal registers or something. I forget what it was now, but you know, trying to find somewhere in between where that student could actually. grasp onto the concept, and that, that's the tricky part of teaching, isn't it? Because every student, you can't have your set of exercises that go, okay, but just do this, do that, because it doesn't work like that.
Alexa: As [00:32:00] head of vocals and as somebody who is involved in curriculum development and writing, what would you think is an important thing for other educators who might share a similar role as yours in other places?
What do you think they might want to consider when they're developing certain schemes of work.
Trudy: I think, which I sort of said a little bit about before, I think it's really important if you are developing work, you know, just talk to the students. so I, I tend to say to the third years, okay, what, you know, the ones, the third years at the moment, I ask them, what was the second year like? What, what worked, what didn't, what do you think was a waste of time? What did you get something out of? What do you remember? It's a really good question. Is there any moments in the classes where you thought, oh, that teacher taught me this, or I really got this?
You can't just sit there and go, Oh, I think I'll add this in. This will be good for them because you don't really know what's good for them. They know what's good for them or they know what they want. So [00:33:00] I think it's important to, to ask. You know, ask the advice of the students, really. That's my first point.
Um, uh, there's so many things, really, but it's about, I mean, ultimately, it's just about communication, communication with the teachers and with the students, and also, so, I think, so that students understand the expectations, usually after the first semester, they start to get it, but I mean, I don't, I don't think there's any way around that. The first semester assessments were always like, oh my god, I didn't realise how to do this, you know, because they're still making friends and finding somewhere to live and all those things, you know. So I just think communication is really, really the key and make it as real world and it just needs to be as practical as possible.
You know, gone are the days when you stand up in front of the class and. And, uh, and lecture, it needs to be practical. as my husband always says to [00:34:00] me, singers are happy when they're singing. So, so actually, if you can just say, right, we're going to sing this, let's sing this chromatic scale, you know, let's do this, let's sing this, you know, or why are we singing this? Let's try it a different way. Let's go the other way, you know. That, that's probably the most important thing.
Alexa: People who might be listening to this who are weighing up the pros and cons. Do I go for that job in the institution? Do I not do that, but continue to grow privately? What would you say are the main pros and cons of working in an institution versus doing private tuition and vice versa.
Trudy: I think, I mean, I like doing, I do a little, I don't do as much private teaching as I used to, but I always enjoy it. I guess it's watching the students develop and grow, which I guess you can do in one to one as well, that does happen, but there's always a lot of them, you know, so, so, and you're part of something [00:35:00] as a teacher and that, I think that's quite exciting and I know when you can go to conferences and do different things and you do meet teachers if you're a one to one, but I quite like the atmosphere of being in a university and a college and yeah, watching the students change, develop, grow, talking to other teachers, you know, having discussions about different things and how you teach and what you teach and why.
I just find that quite exciting, but it's also can be great working privately and I was never very good at if someone didn't show up so I'm still charging them money. I never, I really never got it together to be organized. If someone rang and said. Oh, sorry, I can't come today. I go, Oh, okay. So yeah, I should have got better at that, I suppose.
But I think if you do do a private practice, you should run it really professionally. That's the best way to do it.
Alexa: I guess time is one of those things as well, isn't it? Because half hour lessons can be really great. When you have an hour, you've [00:36:00] got, you can dig deeper into those technical things a little bit stronger or repeat more or
Trudy: yeah, the half hour lessons can be really limiting. The third years and our master students, which I haven't mentioned, they get one hour lessons. They just, they get one hour long lessons. Yeah, forgot to mention that. So the first and second years get half hours, third years get an hour, and the master students get an hour as well. So that does give you a bit more time. Also there's sort of more things to discuss because sometimes you're looking at assessments and arranging and, and different things that might come up. Whereas the first and second years, their half hour is technical. And quite often though, you do get, you just go, yes, that's it. And then, oh, next one. So, so it is frustrating.
Alexa: How many students do teachers get assigned to them?
Trudy: Different teachers have different hours. No one has the same. Some people say, oh, they do two days a week. You know, if they're balancing that with, with a professional career, they [00:37:00] might just say, can I have one day?
Some people do classroom teaching and, and some one to ones. I do mainly classroom teaching in the undergrad now, and then the master's students I have some one to ones, but I'm more classroom, which is a bit annoying sometimes, but, because I love teaching one to one, but it's just the way it goes.
So the first and second years I try and give them lots of different teachers, so they get lots of different experiences and then in the third year, then they can choose who they want. The popular teachers and quite often it changes. What's really funny is someone goes, Oh, that person's really good.
So they will go to that person. And then the next year, someone else will say, Oh, you should go to that person. Then they will go to that person. So it, it can vary and change, but I try and yeah, try and have conversations with them all about choosing you know. also, if they're going into the third year and they're going to a teacher that specializes in a certain genre that they do, um, that's sometimes [00:38:00] quite quite useful.
Or they go to someone who's a really good songwriter or a guitarist and that's the direction they want to go in. They can get help with that. Or someone who plays piano as well. They might practice playing and singing with that teacher. So it just depends on, on the skills of the teacher.
But I do tell them to go and look up all the teachers. Have a look at their CV, see what they do. You know, because I think sometimes they don't think of doing that.
Alexa: And do you expect your singing teachers to play proficiently on the piano, or can they use tracks and things?
Trudy: I don't mind really. Some of them, I think most of us play to some, to some level, but I think there's one or two that maybe don't.
And I sat in on one lesson, one of the teachers, she was using some fantastic backing tracks vocal exercises with tracks, but then she was picking out certain notes on the piano. I use both, backing tracks and the piano, depending on the student, [00:39:00] but I think most of them tend to play guitar or piano to some level, just basic chords even, I don't see it as a prerequisite, but, but everyone has different methods and the students who don't play, sometimes they find it better to be with a teacher who doesn't play because then they find a method that that teacher might use.
So, it's always different, yeah.
Alexa: You've given us a little insight into some of the courses at LCCM. Is there anything else that you think makes LCCM stand out or that you're really proud of there?
Trudy: One of the things we, we run is, um, every Monday we have what's called Music Industry Monday and that's available for the students, but as well the public, anyone can come in.
Sometimes it's artists, sometimes it's people that, you know, just people, managers, people that work in the industry. It could be people from different, I think someone came in from a radio station. Just different things. , it's basically a networking event and [00:40:00] that's every Monday.
And it's really good. I think it sort of starts at seven seven o'clock. Sometimes there's some entertainment and then afterwards. There's usually an open mic. Sometimes there's some student gigs happening as well around that time. But an open mic. We have loads of open mics , and and different events running I think it's great, a great way to meet, meet people in the industry.
Alexa: Can you tell us about some of the alumni?
Trudy: Um, let me think. Gosh, there's a band that's just been signed. I think they're called Daydreamers. So they've, most of them, not all of them, I think there's two or three of them. I think it's a rock pop band. They've just been signed . We also did a promotion at the a performance, quite a few performances for the London Jazz Festival, the, the Festival Hall foyer, and that was full of quite a few of the alumni as well. As well as some of the, some of the students some of them go off and join, I think the London [00:41:00] Contemporary Voices and they do a lot of backing vocals because that's a skill we really develop.
So , that's a great way to earn extra money too, I think, working as a backing vocalist. I was trying to think, there's some other people as well. Oh, there's a girl that just, one of our master's students just performed at Carnegie Hall. So, I don't know anything about it, but she did. So, we have a lot of singers, artists, and a lot of people out doing stuff, you know.
Alexa: Are there any current openings for singing teachers at LCCM?
Trudy: I think because the semester starts next week, I'd like to think, no, that your
Alexa: schedule is full,
Trudy: but we have a couple of changes, but the best thing is, you know, just keep, you know, keep in contact or come to some of these events, meet some people.
It's always changing, you know, or recently one of our teachers who was a salary teacher, she just went off and had a baby. So she went, that's it, I'm gone. And so she went for it, she's gone for a [00:42:00] year. So she'll probably be coming back soon. In some ways, it's right place at the right time.
Um, but there's always sort of different things happening, you know, so I guess if you're, you're part of it. Also, sometimes on the, the master's program, we have a one year master's. I haven't really talked about that, but it's a great course. There's a performance course or a production course one year long.
And quite often we have had a couple of instances where some of the students are now on staff. So, in fact, two or three people are. So, so that's also another way of selling the master's course now. I mean, because you get to know their skills, what they're capable of, you know you know, so it's a great way to, you know, be part of the college.
Alexa: So how can we keep in contact? How do we stay on your radar?
Trudy: Email me or send me messages? Yeah. I'd like to think I'm on the LCC M website. I think I am. Yeah.
Alexa: And your email address, what is that?
Trudy: . [00:43:00] tkerr@lccm.org.uk.
Alexa: Brilliant. I'm sure you'll have CVS flying in .
Trudy: Yeah, well sometimes. I know Line Hilton, you know, so sometimes I'll call her and go, Help! I need singing teachers! So, so that does happen often, you know. So, well not often, but you know, once a year at least I go, Help! You know, so I need someone, I need someone fast as well.
Well we had someone that was really good, for example, she was here and then she moved up north, and she, she was doing a few days, and it was like, with limited notice. So it, you know, so, so it is right place at the right time. If you're on the radar, then you can, you know, just go, okay, can you come in and let's, let's see if you fit, you know, cause you need to fit with us as well as, you know, it works both ways.
Alexa: Well, thank you so much, Trudy. It's been really great to get an insight into LCCM. Thank you for opening kind of our virtual doors to it and understanding what it's like to be a singing teacher in higher education [00:44:00] and what it's like to work there as a singing teacher too. So if anyone's listening and you're wondering whether this is for you. Hopefully that's helped you out a bit.
Trudy: Perfect. Well, thank you so much , it's been lovely talking to you.
Alexa: You too, Trudy.
Trudy: Take care, Alexa.