Variance: Difference

"Difference is not Disorder." I'm not sure where exactly I first heard this concept but it quickly became fundamental in my teaching.

The point is this: If a sound fails to match your expectation for that sound, that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it. This requires that we release the impulse to homogenize the ways in which people speak or sing.

This week, I have worked with a person still navigating the shame of childhood accent interventions, a woman trying to function at work while suppressing the urge to scream, and several people just trying to remain relevant at work. What they all have in common is that they all came to my studio because they were convinced their difference was disorder, perhaps even dysfunction.

As we seek to improve our articulation and clarity in the world, it is important to strive for clarity without chasing some magical, "right" place. Certainly, work to improve your connection, your intelligibility, your influence but not to cast your voice in a specific "perfect" image.