All vocal students have one fault in common – they want to push ahead too fast. But the principle of light and easy vocal training, especially at the start, avoidance of all strain, will bring a girl ahead far more quickly than plugging away with too much energy.

A girl who has a good natural voice may easily have it ruined by a poor teacher, one who tries to bring it out in accordance with some pedantic method or theory of instruction, instead of studying her individual vocal possibilities. Especially in its early stages, the natural voice cannot be handled too carefully…Overtraining, overforcing, overdrilling actually kill many a good voice before it is born…

Ernestine Schumann-Heink (1861-1936), contralto.