MC Voice Instructor Accepted Into Internship With National Music Organization

Sarah Pigott, professor of voice and opera stage director at Mississippi College, has been accepted into the 2023 Intern Program with the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Gracie Lee

Apr 3, 2023

Sarah Pigott, professor of voice and opera stage director at Mississippi College, has been accepted into the 2023 Intern Program with the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). It is the largest professional association of its kind. Pigott’s application process included submitting videos of her instructing and performing four songs that represented the different styles that she teaches, including musical theater and classical genres.

The internship lasts from May 30-June 9 at West Chester University in West Chester, PA. It consists of masterclasses and educational sessions, accompanied by collaborative piano interns, with the twelve interns. Each teaching intern is assigned two students to coach throughout the ten days. These interns include teachers at the collegiate level or those who own their private studios, but they must not have exceeded five years of professional coaching. Pigott is looking forward to collaborating with other voice instructors. “It’s a great opportunity to meet teachers who are in a similar position as you…fairly new starting out, but also are…ambitious,” she said.

In addition to teaching and performing, Pigott collaborates with Nicholas Perna, associate professor of voice pedagogy at MC, on their “VocalFri” podcast. It focuses on topics like voice science, pop culture, and vocal pedagogy – a topic Pigott is passionate about. She even earned her Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy in 2019 from MC after receiving her Bachelor of Music in 2017.

Pigott had already taken casual voice lessons in high school and knew that she wanted to impact others with her future occupation, but her interest in becoming a voice teacher piqued during her time in undergrad. “That didn't even occur to me as something that I could be,” she reminisced. “My first voice teacher…was so lively – bubbly. She was so invested in me…and I felt like she genuinely cared about me.” Pigott recognized that teaching voice would allow her to make impactful relationships because the voice is so personal. “Developing those one-on-one relationships is big for me… Everybody has different things that work for them. It's like unlocking a puzzle.”

When it comes to choosing between her two loves – performing and teaching – Pigott says it feels like picking a favorite child. “I love them in very different ways.” One of her favorite parts of teaching is seeing students recognize their own progress. “They have those little breakthrough moments and they're like, ‘Oh my gosh, I just did that,’” she said. “They get more confident. They're more willing to trust you.”