I was told at the age of 8 to stand at the back in choir rehearsals and just mime the words. Since then I have learnt songs and sung them to myself and joined in choruses in the pub or folk club. 42 years later I thought that no one winces when I join in, so I went and had 2 singing lessons. The teacher made no comment about me staying in tune or sounding ok. She just said I needed to breath properly and project my voice.

I have since started to sing solos in the pub, joined a community choir and regretting a wasted 40 years when I thought I couldn't sing.

Looking back I never had a boy treble voice I always growled around and I never really noticed my voice breaking. It did mean I got to read the lessons in the Christmas carol concert because people could hear me.

It is far too easy for a teacher to take the easy route out and tell people they can't sing when what it frequently means is you don't fit into my idea of what I want in my choir.

Pete