Backstabbing Vocal Teacher

Mrs. Adeena loved when a new student came in for vocal lessons. Someone who didn’t yet suspect how she ran the studio. She loved her favorite student. Her niece Anna Grace. She wanted them to look good, so she had to put her in with a loser, or at least someone to be made into a loser. She had to mess someone up on purpose. Lorna came into the studio as a sweet and kind girl who wanted somewhere to sing and was excited that the studio: Chorus of Crayons had recitals.

“Don’t worry, it will be a great recital,” Mrs. Adeena assured, knowing she actually had a horrid plan. She didn’t want Lorna to come and outshine who she wanted to be the star. Anna Grace was to be the best on the stage.

“Let’s start with the songs I have picked for you to perform,” she gave Lorna the music for I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady and they started to work on the song.

Each week Lorna sang the song and Mrs. Adeena gave hints of strange coaching advice like, “Put your lips over your teeth and stand still when you sing.” Lorna figured Mrs. Adeena probably didn’t think she knew anything about singing because of her untrained background, but she knew that was off. She didn't want to bring it up though because of how excited she was about the recital. She really wanted to sing for it.

“Is that one of your students?” Lorna looked over to a picture sitting on Mrs. Adeena’s piano.

“Ah yes, Anna Grace takes lessons with me too. She is such a rising star!” Mrs. Adeena pointed at the picture. Lorna then knew what was happening and became able to catch on to the reason why she was teaching her incorrectly. She learned a new song during the week when she got home, I’d Rather Be Me from Mean Girls.

On the day of the recital when Lorna came, she was stopped by Mrs. Adeena and told, “Anna Grace is already singing your song in the recital, so you can’t perform that. Maybe come up with something else real quick.” She handed her a Broadway vocal book and laughed maniacally. She sat waiting for people to laugh at her performance and talk about how she stumbled and didn’t even have her music memorized when she didn’t know that Lorna had already given the Mean Girls song to the pianist. When she stood up to sing, she didn’t use the bad technique that Mrs. Adeena taught her. She moved in an entertaining way and opened her mouth well enough to not sound nasally. She gave an amazing performance that people loved and cheered for. They all complimented her voice.

“What was that! How dare you outshine Anna Grace!” Mrs. Adeena screamed at her.

“How dare you sabotage performances so that your niece is the only vocalist that looks talented. I will no longer be taking lessons from you,” Lorna walked away feeling accomplished she had outsmarted the rude woman and wondered how many other people she had embarrassed in that way. She went onto the internet to see her reviews where many people had confessed that she set them up for failure on purpose. She shared her experience and wondered how long Mrs. Adeena would remain a vocal teacher. How did she make enough money if everyone quit? Maybe because it wasn’t about money. It saddened her to think of it and hoped people would see the reviews and avoid taking lessons from her, or maybe she would share what she did and others could follow suit to make her stop once and for all.