Last year about this time, I experienced what was truly a first. In my thirty-two years of voice teaching, I’ve never worked with someone who has walked into my studio and the first thing out of her mouth (unprompted), in the key of C was

Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do

Her eye caught the voice anatomy chart behind the piano. So, I took it out and explained all about the vocal folds (function, location, etc.).

People usually don’t even notice that chart, but she was super interested in it. Then, she wanted to doodle on the piano a bit (a lot actually). And, when she found out I had a cat in the house and a daughter upstairs, she insisted on meeting them both, which she did.

She ended up singing happy birthday to Julia. Oliver hissed at her, but he always does that with new people.

At the end of the lesson, I asked her to sing the Do Re Mi scale again. She did, with no aid from the piano, and rendered it perfectly in C Major.

I’d say, all in all, it was a successful first voice lesson.

That new student was a delightful and eager FOUR year-old!

Solfege Peg People photo credit, Mindy King, LittlePicklepotamus on Etsy. Used with permission. Product link:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/122456534/solfege-peg-people-music-toys.