My Teaching Philosophy

Megan EB Poff • August 28, 2018

Be the best version of you!

Hello Music Fans!

Sorry it took me so long to write again since my last blog. I have obviously failed on my goals of doing a "weekly" thing! Time got away from me and I had a lot of good reasons as to why.

But I digress... I wanted to talk about singing and being your authentic self. IT IS HARD! It is hard for a plethora of reasons. However, I feel that mostly it boils down to this: artists are sensitive and sensitive people usually want approval (can we say people pleasers?). We need approval right? We need approval to have an audience, to collaborate with fellow artists, to be chosen by directors or producers... it's sort of required that we are approved in the industry.

Well, sort of...

See here is the deal. As a singer, YOU are the instrument. So it's hard not to take it personally when someone doesn't like your voice, or you get a bad review from a music critic. You feel that you own all of the mistakes, all the technique mishaps, and maybe just maybe you're not cut out for this gig after all.

That's where tenacity comes in - and accepting where you are and WHO you are. I have this core believe that we are all created by God with individual gifts, talents and callings. It is really easy to forget that when things aren't moving at a face pace - or rejection seems like an inevitable outcome.

There is a two fold problem that I think is connected with all of this.
1. You put your worth into what your voice can do.
2. You compare yourself with other singers.

1. "You put your worth in what your voice can do."
Confession: When I was in graduate school, I kept referring to "my voice is this... my voice does that... my voice bothers me today..." and my voice teacher just looked at me with a loving frustration but basically said, "Megan, you do realize that your voice is you, right?" Well.... okay! I was looking at my voice as some demonic entity that had its own super powers that I had no control over. THAT WAS A GAME CHANGER. Sure, since then there are moments when I feel like I'm not totally connected with the tissues in my throat that happen to vibrate... but seriously - at the end of the day, it IS me. I need to LOVE myself to love my voice. I don't have the biggest voice in the room. I have a fast vibrato. Certain notes don't sound as good in my range as others. There are certain arias I will NEVER sing. And I will ALWAYS consider myself a work in progress. But I refuse to put my own personal worth in what my voice can do. I was created for greater things than that, and honestly I'm not up for that kind of neuroticism. It's just way too much pressure. Like, seriously.

So please, accept yourself, your body, and own your voice because it is you after all.

2. "You compare yourself with other singers."
STOP. STOP. STOP! Are you for real? We just got done talking about putting your worth in what your voice can do and instead accepting yourself in the body (instrument) God gave you. With all this being said, WHY WASTE YOUR TIME COMPARING WITH OTHERS. Let me shout it for those in the back:

WHY WASTE YOUR TIME COMPARING WITH OTHERS?!?!

As singers we have this AMAZING gift. What is it? We possess this amazing capacity to sound like nobody else. An oboe will always sound like an oboe. A violin will always sound like a violin. A trumpet will always sound like a trumpet. Get my point? Sure, different musicians can create new sounds on these instruments and make them "sing" by the way they play them, but the instrument's timbre will always stay the same.

As for me, I will sound like Megan Poff. I will not sound like Jay Poff (my husband... hi honey). Or Maria Callas, or Barbara Streisand, or God forbid, Shakira (although I do a really spot on imitation of her!). True story... I won't sound like anyone else but myself. Why? Because MY BODY is my instrument. My throat is MY THROAT which is apart of MY BODY. So it is a colossal waste of time for me to compare myself with other singers. It's okay to be inspired by them, motivated by them, learn from them... but don't compare yourself to them. It will honestly get you nowhere. Teddy Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy." So quit stealing your own joy!

Which leads me to my last point....

I get so excited when a new student comes to my studio. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out what kind of instrument they are, what motivates them, what challenges them, what music inspires them. And after which seems like the inquisition of twenty questions and beyond... I just say this:

"You have come here to be the best version of yourself."

- Meg


Meet Megan

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Megan Poff, a coloratura soprano, is most noted for her works in Baroque and 20th Century Music. She is currently serving in the Music Department at York College of Pennsylvania. Her previous collegiate experience was teaching voice and music literature at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  

Megan has taught many area professionals who have performed in local theater venues such as: Sight and Sound Theatres, Fulton Theatre, Dutch Apple Theatre, AMT, PRiMA, Hershey Area Playhouse and numerous National Broadway Tours. Her students have also found success in acceptance to competitive graduate music programs, National Television spots and most notably, Broadway. She is a member of NATS and is currently involved with helping facilitate the next round of auditions locally at the Allegheny Mountain Chapter. 

Megan is passionate about teaching all genres of music and has made it a mainstay with instruction to teaching voice. Historical reference, detail to communication with text, pedagogical technique are all foundational elements she provides to her students. 

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New Efforts

By Megan EB Poff • July 7, 2023
In defense of music criticism and performance reviews

Nostalgia

By Megan Poff • December 9, 2020
Nostalgia. It’s a word that most sums up a complicated emotion when it comes to grief. In the Webster dictionary nostalgia means: "a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition”. The etymology of the word nostalgia comes from combination of the Greek words: “nostos” which means return home and “algos” which means pain. So nostalgia truly means painful homecoming. It’s apparent to me how this emotion is a tough one. Home is a place of security, familiarity and peace. Pain is an emotion of hurt, discomfort and sorrow. When you combine these two emotions together it is the recognition that you cannot go back to once was, and the holidays are a nostalgic reminder that you cannot have what “once was” when love ones have passed. In 2015, my Father was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and my Mom was diagnosed with uterine cancer that same year. As a believer in Christ, it was honestly the most confusing season in my life. Within three years, both of my parents slipped into eternity 18 months apart from one another. Illness had taken their physical well-being. If I’m being honest, it was incredibly hard to reconcile the glorious power of God and His miracles while having death literally surround me. I was angry. I was hurt. I was heartbroken. I thought... “God, why do you hate me so much to take BOTH of my parents? Why aren’t you the healer that you say you are in your Word? Why me?” I embraced victim-hood so quickly at that time. But The Most High is long suffering and revealed to me His truth. He brought to me passages in His Word that reminded me I’m not alone in my pain... that Jesus was literally a man of sorrows as mentioned in Isaiah 53:3. That in Him I can find peace and comfort. So while the holidays approach and the existential dread of being reminded of what I no longer have... my Mom unloading presents from her car or my Dad singing a Christmas Carol somewhat off key, I AM reminded of the greatest gift to mankind Jesus who the Prophet Isaiah spoke of in Isaiah 9:6 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given unto us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” That last name I hold on tightly to... The Prince of Peace. He gives the most ultimate freedom from disturbance, pain and even nostalgia - this is why I keep going in the faith. That is why even though the holidays are hard, I understand that the Savior of the world bore our sorrow, bore our grief and understands us at the deepest level possible. It is truly the greatest gift imaginable. This is why I can celebrate simultaneously the joy and nostalgia of Christmastime. While, yes... I miss my parents, memories had and sorrow for memories we will not have. I am reminded that this life is a temporary one. Jesus isn’t limited to a holiday, and He gives me as mentioned in Isaiah 61:3 “a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning.” Joy to the world, indeed! For Jesus is the greatest gift of all. Remember that as you sing your Christmas carols this year and unwrap your presents from loved ones. It is always and should always be only about Him.

This Thing Called Life

By Megan Poff • October 20, 2020
Will post more later... when I find the time! So much to share, but I'll be posting soon. Promise. XO ~ Meg~

Staying Healthy

By Megan EB Poff • March 6, 2020
Hello Music Fans! It has been a long time since I wrote on my blog. It's shameful, I know. I was somewhat distracted with other events happening this past year that did not allow me the freedom to write as often as I wanted. I'm back now, and with a promise to be faithful to my weekly outro. With everything going on in the world regarding health and wellness - I thought I would give a quick tip to help with homeopathic remedies as we know that hand washing, avoiding germs by keeping your hands away from your face are the common sense ways to stave off colds and flu. I had a foreign exchange student in my early years of teaching. One day in the studio, I was feeling poorly. Tickle in my throat... sniffles... bad headache.... She suggested that I go home and boil a pot of water. Once the water was hot enough for my feet to feel the heat (but NOT burn), you soak them. Put your feet in the hot water (NOT BOILING WATER... there is a difference!) and let them soak for a minimum of twenty minutes. Afterward, while your feet are still wet, take the fuzziest socks you own and put them on. DO NOT DRY YOUR FEET BEFORE PUTTING THE SOCKS ON. It will defeat the purpose. Go straight to bed. I did this and miraculously I woke up with no symptoms. I felt 100% better and thanked her upon our next lesson. Amazingly, your feet have nerve endings which are connected to the ear, nose and throat. If we give our feet a chance to relax in hot water, this also allows freedom for your body to respond appropriately. Do this when symptoms first arrive, otherwise it might be a wasted effort. And always... drink lots of water! Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! - Meg

Good Friday!

By Poff Megan • April 19, 2019
Hello Music Fans! Hug a church musician this week. They need love! Haha. This is a day many Christians observe as "Good Friday" and we will soon have "Resurrection Sunday" - or what mainstream call Easter (more on the origins of that later...) to celebrate the sacrifice, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This isn't necessarily a musical blog today - didn't feel led to write one. I have sensed an urgency in my spirit that I wanted to acknowledge God's sacrifice of His son shedding His blood for us. I feel at times, modern day or mainstream Christianity has conflated the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus with prosperity gospel. Sure, God wants us to prosper. He has so many blessings for his children - but it's not this heretical name it and claim it, blab it and grab it doctrine that I hear so many television spiritual stars preach. In honesty, it's quite the opposite. In the book of 1 Samuel 15: there is a quote that stood out to me... "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice" - The Lord certainly blesses people and it is when they OBEY Him. As I was reading the gospels and meditated on the story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus went to pray to His Father in Heaven. He asked, "Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." This is mentioned in Luke 22 and Mark 14. If you read carefully, He sought the Lord three times - He asked God to remove this suffering. God did not remove that cup. He allowed His son to be innocently executed on behalf of a nation who needed Him. Jesus is our passover lamb as prophesied in Isaiah 53:7. I say all this because as Sunday approaches, we will celebrate Jesus as a risen Savior. I personally do not designate my Savior's resurrection for one week in the year, but nonetheless it says a lot about God's plan and purpose for our lives! Jesus is the King. He sits on the right hand side of the Father Acts 7:55-56. He DESERVED that spot because He obeyed the Father. His obedience became the sacrifice for you and me. God wants to reward His children. He wants to bless us, yes... but don't get it twisted. There is a reason why this pilgrim's path is somewhat a difficult terrain. It requires believers to live like Christ, to love like Christ. It requires us to completely obey God and lay it all down for His glory. James 1:17 states: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." JESUS IS THAT PERFECT GIFT. It would be in the best interest of believers to start living like Him, sacrificing our carnal desires for the spiritual ones - I think when that happens, maybe... just maybe... others can see the abundant love we have, because we knew the cost of God's love. Be Blessed Everyone!
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