Age 'aint nothing but a number

Last week I had a discussion with a student in her early twenties that went along the lines of her wishing she'd had a more pushy parent, who made her pick up singing as a child. It has me thinking why singing is perceived as something we only believe we can do as an adult, if we started young?

Yes, it's true that fitting in the time to learn an instrument can be tricky once you take on grown up responsibilities, such as full-time employment, however people still manage to fit in their hobbies. And we don't stop making sound, just because we've gone to work. 

So, why? Why do we believe singing is a youngsters game? Perhaps it's the young faces of our pop stars, or the age groupings in shows such as The X Factor (the 'overs' is for anyone over the age of 28) that have us conditioned to think we're 'past it'. 

All I know is that as I approach a very significant birthday I'd rather pass by without acknowledgement, I'm singing now more than ever: I've recently joined a new band, I'm often found treading the boards in Musical Theatre and I'll sing at the opening of an envelope, given half the chance. 

But why am I so keen? First and foremost - I love it; singing brings me a sense of joy unlike anything else - I'm transported, particularly by those songs I have the most emotional attachment to. And our repertoire for these kinds of attachments only grows the more life experience we collect. Also, I feel like my voice is my own sound now, more than ever before and it's only continuing to grow, the older I get. My message to anyone who believes they are 'past it'; as long a noise is still coming out of your mouth, let us hear it!