Many educators strive to enact culturally relevant practices by introducing repertoire of various cultures and genres. One major barrier to this implementation includes the variety of vocal sounds inherent in traditions outside those generally presented in choral environments within the United States of America. In this study, I validated and piloted a choral educator questionnaire. […]
IJRCS
Undergraduate Singers’ Voice Use During an Intensive Week of Choir and Musical Rehearsals: A Case Study
The purpose of this case study was to document undergraduate students’ (N = 2) voice use before, during, and after an intensive week of choral and musical theatre rehearsals through (a) acquired voice dosimeter data; (b) daily surveys, (c) participant activity logs, (d) 3 administrations of the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI), and (e) administrations […]
Key Changes: Choral Directors’ Experiences with Gender-Inclusive Teaching
As adolescent gender identity has expanded to encompass non-binary forms of gender identity in contemporary social contexts, scholars in music education have begun to examine the music learning experiences of transgender students and the role of the music teacher in fostering an environment that is affirming to gender-diversity. Anecdotal observations of choral music practices in […]
Still singing after all these years – A Perceptual Study of Post-menopausal Singing Voice Behaviors with Implications for Singers, Voice Teachers, and Choral Conductors
This study examined N = 23 post-menopausal singers through a questionnaire that addressed twenty-four aspects of vocal behavior, hormone therapy use/non-use, and typical singing mode, as well as other demographic information. It follows and was prompted by my 2010 doctoral dissertation, which examined N = 307 women’s voices in pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal lifespan stages. […]
“Is Something Wrong With My Daughter’s Voice?” Parental Perceptions of the Female Adolescent Voice Change
Adolescent voice change is a developmentally uncertain time for singers when the vocal anatomy undergoes significant growth. Female singers experience a distinctive set of symptoms. Vocal tone that was previously clear and pure becomes breathy and, at times, thick, husky, and hoarse (Ingram & Rice, 1962; Sipley, 1993; Vennard, 1967). Voice ranges that initially widen […]
Vocal Health During the Voice Change: Recollections and Recommendations of Collegiate Male Choral Singers
The purpose of this study was to gather the textual and visual narratives of undergraduate males about their singing experiences during the adolescent voice change. Analysis explored these students’ reasons for participation (or not) in secondary choral music, their self-perceptions as singers, and of their vocal maturation process. Much current research focuses on the attrition […]
