04/12/2026
Yesterday, I had the privilege of experiencing something new: three of my students competed, and I also served on the jury for the Vocal Spring Auditions of a singing teachers' association I recently joined β though, of course, I did not judge my own students. βοΈ
I feel both proud and frustrated.
I am very proud of Max and Egor, who both earned 2nd place in their age category. Congratulations to both of them on this wonderful achievement!πππ
At the same time, my heart goes out to Alyssa. She sang beautifully β truly beautifully β yet was unfortunately misjudged by one of the judges, receiving a score of 78.
There were many tears when she learned the result, especially because she had come off the stage feeling so good about her performance.
This is exactly why I believe we must be extremely careful when judging young singers. A teenager should not be evaluated as though she were a junior or senior in college. These are still children. Their voices are developing. Their artistry is growing. And one harsh, misplaced score can do real damage β even enough to make a young singer question whether to continue.
We were specifically reminded initially βοΈ to judge children as children, with full awareness that their voices are still in the process of developing. In my opinion, a score below 80 should be reserved for situations where a student truly falls apart in performance β stopping, forgetting text, or being unable to continue.
Still, I want to end on what matters most: Alyssa, congratulations on your beautiful performance. π You sang wonderfully, and you should be proud.
And Maximus and Egor β congratulations on your 2nd place wins!
I am very proud of all three of you!!!π€©π