Looking for something for students to enjoy in the jazz category? The life of Ella Fitzgerald and her music are an inspiration to all. Everyone loved her incredible voice, amazing range, and ability to imitate any instrument. Ella sang in numerous musical styles, from Broadway show tunes to popular songs to jazz. Her abilities earned her the…

Singers are sometimes plagued by an ongoing sense of anxiety that has the potential to negatively affect their work. This article addresses the issue of chronic anxiety as distinct from the more frequently considered topic of performance anxiety. Strategies are outlined to help teachers identify and address this problem in to order to help…

Choral music educators can purposefully create a learning environment that helps minimize the anxieties of young singers. According to Parker Palmer, "to teach is to create a space" that possesses three qualities: hospitality, openness, and boundaries. Choral music educators can influence these characteristics by applying five strategies…

This article begins with a brief history of children's singing instruction in schools. When Kenneth Phillips began researching children's singing, he was surprised to learn that a strong program of child vocal pedagogy was in place in America's schools for about a hundred years--the 1830s to the 1930s. By the 1950s however, all that…

Self-analysis is a basic component of artistic development. For the singer, self-analysis is equally important, but the steps for improvement may be less visible. As Richard Alderson has noted, a singer "hears his voice from the inside through the bony structure of the head rather than outside through the eardrum. We as singers are doomed to a…

Choral conductors can positively affect the voices in their choirs through their instruction. It is their job to teach the choir not only the music, but also the healthy ways of singing it. Promoting vocal health benefits both singers and conductors. For singers, it helps remove the risk factors for vocal fatigue. For the choral conductor,…

Many elementary vocal teachers experience a certain amount of trepidation about teaching students to sing in harmony. In the general music classroom, they face uncertain singers, inaccurate singers, and uninterested or defiant singers, as well as eager children who sing with appropriate head tone and good intonation. Often this colorful mix makes…

During two decades of observing and leading middle school choral rehearsals, the author has observed that teachers frequently repeat exactly the warm-ups they present to their young adolescent choirs at every rehearsal. If teachers know one thing about middle school students, they know that they are constantly changing--physically, intellectually,…

As choral directors across the country work to prepare their choirs for concerts, festivals, and contests, it is a common practice for them to invite a guest clinician to attend rehearsals for guidance and assistance. The rationale for this idea is logical and simple--two heads are better than one. However, the actual visit can be anything from a…

Discusses the selection of material for vocal performances by high school students. Describes adolescent voices as young with little vocal technique and only partially developed or unused register. Includes considerations of breath management, tessitura, energy, subject matter, and language. Provides a list of songs meeting appropriate…

Compares the singing of popular music, as performed by Frank Sinatra and other current singers, with Baroque vocal practices. (Author/RK)

The author gives advice to instrumentalists and singers about contests and auditions, including preparation for the event, tasteful appearance and presentation, potential difficulties with playing conditions, and dealings with judges. (SJL)

Recommends the use of barbershop harmony as a tool for learning basic music concepts. Claims that this style of four-part singing can help students become better singers, better listeners, and more sensitive musicians. (LS)

Voices of female alto singers may be permanently damaged by prolonged singing in the male tenor range. Music teachers' rationales for using altos in tenor parts are refuted and alternative solutions to choral music teaching problems are suggested. (AM)

Discusses how to teach elementary students to become better singers. Focuses on how to develop their voices and listening skills in music class. Explores when to have students sing alone and in groups, how to use songs, and when to teach music vocabulary. (CMK)