Name: Cheryl Cobb
Profession: Lecturer and Voice Teacher at Mount Holyoke College
Department: Music
How long have you been teaching at Mount Holyoke? How did you know you wanted to teach?
I’ve been full time at Mount Holyoke for six years, and I was part time before that for maybe 12. You often teach part time, because there are not usually full time jobs. My parents were teachers, and the people I’d admired were teachers, so I’ve always intended to be a teacher. I was never sure if I wanted to teach History or English or Music. When I was in high school, my plan was to be a high school music teacher, then I got to college and people said, ‘No, you should be a professional singer and teach in college’, so I was like, ‘Okay! I’ll do that!’
What is the most interesting job you’ve had? Why?
In some ways the most interesting job is, honestly, my teaching job, because my students are so varied. But, that’s kind of an obvious answer, but also, when I was at Eastman School of Music, I worked in the kitchen. We had a vast array of harpists in the summer, and they are very strange people, we called them the Harpies, and we had cellists, and dancers. It was very interesting because you never knew who was going to be coming through the line and what odd thing they’d be asking you for. Plus the head chef, who was very short, was named ‘Mike Forte’, as in strong and the music dynamic!
When did you first start singing? What drew you to it?
I sang with my father all the time. My mother played the piano, so there was music around me all the time. My first singing was when I was four at the mother daughter banquet. My mother played the piano and I sang ‘I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover’, and the only thing I remember about it was that I really liked it. I liked the clapping! I also played trumpet, and sometimes the recorder. For trumpet, I was first chair in the all county band. My music teacher was a trumpet player too, and she was really cool, so all of the little girls wanted to be trumpet players too.
If you had to say one thing a student should know for the rest of their music careers, what would it be? Why?
It depends on what the career is, but for any aspect of music, teaching or anything, you should do it if you really, really, really love it. If you just sort of, kind of fall into it, and sort of like it, I wouldn’t do it because it’s a difficult thing to do. This is in term of the fact that there aren’t a lot of jobs and they don’t pay that well. However, if you absolutely love it, it’s a wonderful thing to do because it brings so much joy to an awful lot of people. It can be a really rewarding thing, but only if you really truly love it.
What is your favorite song? Why?
I’ll Be Seeing You’ by Billie Holiday. It’s one of my favourites. Maybe because it was one of my mother’s favourite songs too. I just really enjoy it! I don’t have a real reason.
How long have you been teaching voice?
40 years? I have come by very interesting people. That’s why I still really love doing it. For one thing, you keep changing and learning yourself, but mostly, the people you work with are so varied, and it’s never the same thing! I’ve had people who couldn’t match pitches, at all. One, I particularly remember, who wanted to be a professional singer, but couldn’t match a pitch. She didn’t realize, though. I decided to work with her myself, then, maybe, she would realize that she was going nowhere, but this did not happen at all. She worked super hard, and got much better to the point where she could sing pretty well, but realized she didn’t want to be a professional singer.
What, in your opinion, is the coolest part of your job as a teacher?
I think it’s helping people discover how to use their voice. It just brings people enormous joy that I am able to do that. To make something better, to make something they love. I want them to have more opportunity to do it and love it.
What would you say your biggest accomplishment in your life has been? Why?
Well, my biggest accomplishment, and probably any parent would tell you this, but having your kid grow up successfully, and be a good, happy, successful person. My teaching is very important to me, and my students as well, and I want the same for them, but in all honestly, it’s your kid.
Do you have pets?
Yeah! We have two dogs. We’ve almost always had a dog in my life. They’re both rescue dogs, and one of them is a Chocolate Lab, and the other is a Chocolate Lab and maybe Pitbull? Who knows! Chloe is the rather old Chocolate Lab, and Tessa is the mix. When I was a kid my parents got a dog, partly for me because I was an only child, but they wanted one too. I never had cats, and I lived with cats, and I don’t really like cats that much, I think they’re beautiful, but dogs are interested in you and cats are like ‘eh’. Dogs are like ‘Oh you’re home! You want to play with me?’
How would you describe yourself?
It’s a tough question. Oh my gosh! Well, I don’t take myself too seriously, I like to try to figure out what will make people comfortable and, often, laugh. I have some real serious people sometimes, so it’s my mission to make them not quite so serious. That’s sort of my way of connecting with people. I want to try to connect with them in some light-hearted way.