1) In classical music there is an objective standard when it comes to those with expert ears such as teachers, coaches, directors, conductors critics and discerning audiences. You can not chalk up criticism to a matter of taste. There are absolutes when it comes to singing in tune, correct diction, and musical accuracy. There is somewhat less than absolute agreement in matters of style and technique, but all in all there is agreement in what falls way outside. Matters of personal taste are more the purview of the audience. If experts are telling you you have more to learn and your friends, family, general audience members are telling you that you are the greatest singer in the world, believe the experts. They are not against you, they don't dislike you, they are not snobs, they are not trying to profit off you by selling you unneeded lessons they know what they are doing and they are there to help. But keep performing for who love you and encourage your singing you will enjoy it and gain from it and so will they.
2) There is age discrimination but there are some major career opportunities for late starters, if you are of a voice type that is rare or extremely rare. It is a business, and supply and demand comes into play. If you are a voice type that is plentiful, you will probably have to make your own opportunities in this competitive field, and you have to actually be good at what you do.The existence of age discrimination does not eliminate the need for the requisite skills for performing music at a high standard.
3) The music biz does not work like other businesses at all. It takes much more than it gives back, expect that. There will be much more investment in time, money, resources, and energy than the rewards you will see, It will be rewarding and worth it, if you love doing it. Instruction in singing technique, repertoire coaching, acting, languages, stage movement and basic musical skills is expensive. In order to become proficient you will have to spend thousands of dollars a year. To become excellent you will have to spend thousands of dollars over many years. On average it takes more than ten years of serious training and thousands of hours of practice to sing opera at a professional level. Think your investment has been big so far? Find out what is costs to go to a top conservatory. Most singers studying with a good teacher will sound wonderful to most people's ears in about three years of training. You can be a good semi-pro, singing in churches and choirs at that point, but not a pro opera singer.
4) It is not about your voice, it is about your artistry. World class voices are actually quite common and inconsequential. If you have one and you don't know how to sing or have no musical training it is of no consequence. It is exactly like having a Steinway or a Martin guitar and not knowing how to play.
The points I make above may seem discouraging but there is good news. Adult beginners have less wear and tear on their voices than those who have already been singing in the profession for years so you have more years ahead of good singing than you think. Certain aspects of voice training go faster for adults than kids because a mature voice is in many ways an easier and less vulnerable instrument. So you can sing and sing well and get a lot of joy from doing so.
As a professional voice teacher, I have seen that the biggest barrier to adults learning how to sing well is the need to hold on to the belief that they ALREADY sing well. If you put your ego aside and are willing to make changes, you can become skilled no matter what your age as long as you are healthy. Singing also has many health benefits, it increases aerobic conditioning, improves sleep apnea and relieves tension. Unfortunately, many times I see older beginners hang onto their flaws with dear life because, if the new ways of singing are better it means to them, that they were not very good before. Don't throw away your potential to protect your view of their past. If you come to voice training for the joy of it and with the humility that one should approach a great art, you can do amazing things! It is up to you, see you in the studio!
