5 Tips for Giving Constructive Feedback to Adult Singers

As Founder and Artistic Director of Encore Creativity for Older Adults , the nation’s largest choral program for older adults 55+, I am constantly thinking about what we could do, as conductors, to help our singers improve with each rehearsal.

Here are five ways to provide mature singers with constructive feedback, respectfully and honestly.

1. Be Truthful.

I have been working with older adult singers for over 17 years and the biggest mistake conductors make is being afraid they will hurt the feelings of these older singers. So they just end up saying “that was great” and move on. The singers most likely know it wasn’t great. They aren’t dumb! Be truthful but have plenty of humor and patience. Most importantly, be able to explain how they can fix the problem, vocally or musically.

2. Don’t Coddle.

Don’t worry, these older singers are a tough bunch and they do not want to be coddled! So forget that notion. When training our Encore conductors, I always ask them to look at these singers as if they were 25 years old...full of energy and ready to please. Yes, the voices may not sound like they did as a twenty or thirty- year- old singer, but their brains are engaged and they want to please their conductor. They want to improve their technique, tone quality, and posture. They want to be respected. They want their conductor to ask more of them. So don’t be afraid of these singers. They have so much to give.

3. Approach your singers as a section.

Never single out a particular singer, and try to use humor and patience. A good conductor knows when singers reach their level of excellence. The key is to keep working them toward the goal of excellence and maybe a bit further. This has helped my singers improve greatly and they feel so respected.

4. Encourage them to watch themselves.

We video record all of our Encore concerts. I ask the singers to watch the videos on our web site and then we discuss what they liked and how they could improve. After viewing the videos, they know who looks engaged and who is watching the conductor. It works! For more on the value of using video as a tool for feedback, see our article on " Why Your Students Should Use Video as a Tool to Review Practice & Performances ."

5. Remind them that they have a voice.

Older adult singers, many of whom have not sung for years, will have the tendency to under-sing. Keep asking your singers if they are using their full voice. Sometimes I will use the trick of having a section sing a phrase. Then I will ask them to sing it again with more sound. Improvement! Then I will ask them to use more voice and it keeps getting better. I will throw in a little humor and ask if it hurts. The answer is always "No!" You must remember that many older adults live alone. They don’t have the opportunity to have frequent conversations. They don’t use their voice. You have to recognize when they are under-singing and remind them.

In closing, never underestimate your older singers. Challenge them to the max! Have huge expectations. And never get tired of saying “energy.” They will love you for it.