Comments on: How Should We Criticize?

By: Why Criticize? | Ian Sidden

Why Criticize? | Ian Sidden — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:23:00 +0000

[...] really enjoyed the responses I received to How Should We Criticize?. Thank you. Those who responded touched on the layers of complexity that are involved with [...]

By: | Beginning Singer

| Beginning Singer — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:14:56 +0000

[...] really enjoyed the responses I received to How Should We Criticize?. Thank you. Those who responded touched on the layers of complexity that are involved with [...]

By: Caroline Parsons

Caroline Parsons — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:32:05 +0000

Thank you for discussing these fascinating relationships! I look forward to the follow up post.

By: Ian

Ian — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:29:18 +0000

Caroline,

You're absolutely right about vocal defensiveness. Our voices are extremely personal, and teachers trying to change them is very frightening. Therefore, the teacher has a profound responsibility to proceed with caution. But the teacher must change the student or else they've not had any impact!

I was thinking of writing a full reply here, but I'll just write a follow-up post where I can organize my thoughts a little better. Thank you!

By: carolineparsons

carolineparsons — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:33:01 +0000

HI Ian! I loved reading the post as I am often in the position of giving/receiving criticism in acting, writing, teaching yoga, pouring tea at an upscale tea lounge. I include the non-arts related criticism because I think that the effects of criticism are universally observable in all fields: criticism often does reflect the subjectivity of a teacher or boss, and is intended to help draw out certain qualities that are considered desirable in performance, in teaching methods, in voice tone. What is difficult for me personally is that in artistic and non-artistic endeavors I strive primarily to be myself, not to be approved of my others. I don't mean this casually, because I don't think being an authentic version of myself is a simple task at all! In my mind it requires freedom, given to myself by my own licensure and by the behavior of others, freedom to move expressively and in an unblocked way through whatever work I am doing. In singing, which I love, it seems like that freedom is often called "finding one's own voice". This has been difficult for me, because performing voice is my NIGHTMARE (nerves) and because I had some silly voice teacher as a child who told me about my head voice before I was ready and from then on I felt as if the way I was singing was WRONG. So there it is. I want to BE MYSELF in singing, because what is art if not self-expression, but when I sought instruction I learned that my natural way of expressing myself was not right, good, useful. That teacher was not wonderful. And I understand that there are vocal techniques that do exactly what I desire: they free the voice in order that one may more freely express oneself. But it doesn't always feel like that. Bad criticism leads me to feel like I am not accessing my own resources, meeting my own standards, working on carving the precious passage from inner to outer. Bad criticism makes me feel like I have to fit in, and although I want recognition as an artist, fitting in is past my stubborn mind's conception of success. Perhaps in dealing with students they sometimes feel that same way, defensive of their own voices. While this is probably frustrating as a teacher, I think a healthy dose of doubt about people's criticism is neccessary to protect people from the battalions of professional, personal, important sounding critics out there in the world and in the world of art.
In my own experience, my ability to receive criticism is directly proportional to my confidence. Unfortunately, my confidence in my own abilities has not been very high in my lifetime. Therefore, receiving criticism has always been painful! In acting I came to recognize what was useful, but I often would cry at night after a day of heavy direction anyways. With singing, a more personal art even than acting, I learned that I have no tolerance for criticism at all because I am not doing it to sound any particular way (I mean, I want to sound good, but...), or for an audience, I'm doing it just to express myself and feel good vibrations. I stopped being terrified of singing in front of people when I spent several months with friends, musician/farmers, who let me play around and gave nothing but loving support.
I was in Russia studying acting at the Moscow Art Theater, and I befriended a Russian acting student, who chastised me for my distrust of my teachers. He said the only way to get better was to throw yourself on their shoulders completely, and to let their wisdom carry you. I have since realized how my doubt about instruction, my fear that some pedagogue, though well intentioned, will steal my voice. Giving and receiving criticism requires an incredibly trusting relationship, based on the kind of true love that inspired sayings like, "If you love them let them go."
I always had a distrust of criticism that could be unhealthy for my development. Or maybe I just need to be surrounded by people who love love love what I do.
This was a long reply. And wandering. Let me know if you get anything out of it.

Thinking of you!
Best, Caroline

By: Ian

Ian — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:11:52 +0000

Thanks for the response, hazelnutmegan. Emphasizing the positives of people's work is always important. And you make a good distinction about someone's position to accept criticism.

By: hazelnutmegan

hazelnutmegan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:35:58 +0000

Ian,
I would generally say that unless the person you are talking to is already in a position to accept the criticism, then it is useless to bother. Rather, congratulate them on what they did right. If they didn't get the timing correctly, praise their tone instead, that sort of thing. And if you don't think they did anything right, then just thank them for their time and effort in preparing the piece.
And in my experience the only time people are in a position to accept criticism is:
1. When they are your student/subordinate of some kind and you need to evaluate their performance for learning purposes.
2. When they are a close friend and they ask you for an "honest" appraisal of their performance.
And even then --- don't be too harsh!

Keep Singing!