Davids Chapter 15 & Williams Chapter 7

3 A-HA moments:

   1)   Davids writes on page 234 “Eating before singing is important because of the energy required in what is truly an athletic endeavor. Nonetheless, eating too close to a performance is problematic because unfinished digestion can result in burping and other hindrances to singing. A full stomach also interferes with breathing because the diaphragm must descent to fill the lungs.” This is something I never really considered. These are things I have never had to be concerned with when playing the trumpet, so it is great to know these things now for future reference when a choir performance is coming up.

   2)    Davids explains on page 238 that certain medications can potentially “lead to vocal fold hemorrhage” such as aspirin and ibuprofen. This is an interesting fact…

   3)   I really enjoyed Williams segment on “strategies for anxiety management.” When I attended school, I would get VERY nervous before a performance, but I was never taught how to deal with that. I believe it is very important to help our students with performance anxiety at an early age, so when they become more independent in their performances, they have a way to cope with that. On page 169, Williams has a “stress-buster exercise.” It explains how to help handle with stress through breathing methods. I love this and it is something I will definitely use with my students in the future.  

2 Questions:

  

   1)   After reading Davids explanation on hydrating the body before performances, it brought me back to music school days. A lot of singers, I noticed, used to drink tea, with lemon and honey. What does this do for the voice? Is it better than drinking lots of water? Or does it have the same affect?

   2)   Willaims states on page 149 that 20% of school-aged children are affected by voice disorders. I recently attended a choir practice at an elementary school and the choir practice consisted of a number of games where screaming (voice projection) was involved… This has to be damaging to their voices. Can “voice disorders” be caused by games such as these?

Works Cited

Davids, Julia, and Stephen A. LaTour. Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers. Long Grove: Waveland, 2012. Print.

Williams, Jenevora. Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults. Oxford: Compton Pub., 2013. Print.

Davids Chapter 16 & Williams Chapter 6

Two A-HA moments I took away from the readings were:

   1)   One thing I enjoyed about Chapter 16 (Davids) was the thorough explanation of how warming up with your choir is important. The chapter explains that even though you may have a choir of professional singers, you should never assume they are already warmed up. I particularly liked how he explained what we need to cover in our warm-ups, what each segment of the warm up accomplishes, and some examples of exercises. Here is a list the book gives of what we should include in our warm-ups:

·      Stretching

·      Breathing

·      Resonance

·      Range

·      Linking of Registers

·      Articulation, rep. specific exercises

   2)   The Williams book goes through each of the segments of a warm up, lists the “theory” behind it and how to apply it with your students. I found this especially helpful because as a non (trained) singer I always don’t understand why we do what we do in warm-ups. For example, under the “Explore Resonance” section it explains the theory behind it. Theory: “This covers voice qualities dependent on the set-up of the vocal tract, such as voice projection, larynx/raising, soft palate raising and pharyngeal widening/narrowing…” It then goes on to explain how to practice this. Practice: “Play with witchy noises and quacking, making sure that you are deconstructing. Then try this sensation with the resonance in the mouth and not the nose…”

Two questions I decided upon were:

   1)   I recently attended a choir practice at a school where there was a short warm-up, but nothing extensive. They did one exercise, and then they went on to singing. If they are not singing challenging repertoire, can a short warm-up damage their voices? At the beginning of each choir practice, is it necessary to include all of these areas (stretching, breathing, resonance, range…) in our warm-ups?

   2)   I recently had a student that thought her belly moved in when she breathed. When I explained to her that the lower abdomen/belly region moved out when inhaling, she did not believe me! I then asked her to lean over in her chair and breathe in. I asked what had happened? She responded with “I rose up.” She then discovered that her belly should expand when inhaling. After this, I could tell that whenever she was breathing in, she would push her belly out (drastically) unnaturally just to show me that she was doing what I told her was correct. What do you do in these types of situations with younger students when they aren’t really understanding? 

Works Cited

   Davids, Julia, and Stephen A. LaTour. Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers. Long Grove: Waveland, 2012. Print.

   Williams, Jenevora. Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults. Oxford: Compton Pub., 2013. Print.

Davids - Chapter 7 & 8

2 A-HA moments:

1) The Vibrato Controversy on page 133 was interesting and it is not only in singing where you have debating/opposite sides and opinions on vibrato. The book explains that "one group thinks that vibrato is generally undesirable," and "the other camp thinks that vibrato should be eliminated in certain types of music." It is the same way when playing trumpet and other instruments as well. Some teachers want to eliminate vibrato completely, and other teachers like the use of vibrato depending on the style.

2) I had heard of head voice/chest voice before, but in reading chapter 8, it explains that "some vocal authorities argue that pitches between the lower and upper registers do not lie in a "middle register" (just head voice/chest voice), but others believe that there is a "distinctive tonal quality" which would be a "middle register."

2 Questions:

1) Page 128 describes where Vibrato is appropriate in music. I've been in choirs before where you always have those singers that sing with large amounts of vibrato. They don't try to blend, they try to stand out. What do you do in these situations? How can you deal with the young singer that sings with immense amounts of vibrato?

2) How would you know if you are singing in the "whistle register" healthily if you do not have a voice instructor? Can you tell by how it feels, and the clarity of the note?

*Weird question, but I've always wondered about this... When Ariana Grande sings in the whistle register, is she doing it in a healthy way?*

Saskatoon Children's Choir Handout

Saskatoon Children’s Choir

History/Vision

The Saskatoon Children’s Choir was founded twenty years ago in 1996 and it is an all-female choir. Their vision is “to nurture [their] singers’ appreciation for fine music, and encourage them to approach their studies with intelligence, creativity, and musicianship.” They want their students to appreciate Canadian music, as well as music from other parts of the world. They strive to “communicate a message of promise in a world where children suffer from war, poverty, and conflict.” Finally, they want to show that no matter how young you are, you can be an advocate for peace and equality (Saskatoon Children’s Choir 2014).

Choirs

The Saskatoon Children’s Choir Organization consists of three choirs.

      1.   The youngest choir is called the Preparatory Choir from the ages of 7-9.

      2.   The second choir is the Apprentice Choir and the age range is from 8-13.

      3.   The third choir is the Concert Choir and the children’s age’s range from 12-17. This is the group that tours the most often and they are the choir that is most often found in recordings. The majority of repertoire that they sing focuses on “drawing attention to issues of global concern” (Saskatoon Children’s Choir 2014).

Personnel

There are many people that make this organization a possibility. Currently, Phoebe Voigts is the choirs’ Artistic Director. Voigts is “the founding Artistic Director of the Saskatoon Children’s Choir” (Saskatoon Children’s Choir 2014). The choir also consists of a General Manager, Administrative Manager, Executive Director, Music Librarian, Webmaster, two Accompanists, a choir seamstress and many more.

Recommendations

The Saskatoon Children’s Choir website is a user friendly website with a very easy layout. The top of the web page displays multiple categories, such as: About, Events, Support Us, Recordings, and Join Us.

      1.   The ‘Events’ category displays 39 posters used in previous concerts. On one poster I noticed that the admission to their concert was free, but you could offer a donation at the door. I think this is a great idea!

      2.   The ‘Support Us’ category is one of the most interesting categories to me. Their support page displays a ‘Levels of Giving’ chart. You can give anywhere from $1-$2000+. Each donation fits into a ‘Levels of Giving’ classification. If you give up to $49, you are considered a “friend,” whereas if you give $2000+, you are in the “Choristers’ Circle.” If you give $25+, your name will be listed on the website for a year, and your name will be listed in two concert programs. I think this is a great way to get people to donate money, your name is listed on the website, and you become a part of the choir, through the level of giving.

      3.   The ‘Join Us’ category is another great aspect of their website. They use words such as “friendly and positive.” These are words parents and children like to hear. The page is very welcoming and I think it will definitely make children want to sing with this choir.

Repertoire Recommendations

      1.   When I am Silent – is a composition by Joan Varner. This composition was written in memory of the young girls who died in the concentration camps, in Auchwitz, Poland. This piece is great to teach from a pedagogical standpoint. It contains history and very moving lyrics. Some of the lyrics read: "Who will sing my song when I am silent? Who will count the colors of the dawn?" The range in the piece is wide, but the choir does an excellent job of staying in tune. Rhythmically this composition could be a little challenging and it contains some triplets, but this choir does not have any difficulty with that. The melody is repetitive, but the choir does a great job of keeping the attention of the listeners. I chose this piece because of the choir’s intonation, rhythmic accuracy, and style.

      2.   Flying Colours – was written by Canadian Composer, Stephen Hatfield. Flying Colours was released in 2008. It is a DVD that is 20 minutes in length. It is about a suspicion/conflict between four tribes, each tribe is represented by a different colour. In the DVD, tensions rise between the four tribes and there is war. This was very interesting to watch, very dramatic and the choir sings it with such conviction and energy. The piece "is in "Amadeus language" - nonsense syllables out of which each tribe constructs its own speech;” you might think this would make it a little more of a challenge to prepare with your choir, but this choir seems to get through the performance with ease. A lot of the piece is a cappella, with percussion (staffs, cowbell, etc.) and some piano. I chose this piece to demonstrate the choir’s close attention to diction and energetic style.

3.   Gamelan – is by Canadian Composer R. Murray Schafer. This piece was composed with the Gamelan in mind. The Gamelan is a percussive instrument of Bali, and it uses an "unusual pentatonic scale." The song is sung using "dong, deng, dung, dang, and ding" as the lyrics. The Saskatoon Children’s Choir does a great job of using diction and dynamics in this piece. This composition is unlike anything I have ever heard and it is very different from your traditional choir music. Gamelan is very fascinating and would be great to try with a school choir. The range is sometimes on the lower end for most female voices, but not for long periods of time. I chose this piece because of the choir’s clear diction and range of dynamics.

      4.   Children Go Where I Send Thee – is a traditional/spiritual African American song arranged by Caldwell and Ivory. It was one of my favorite pieces sung by this choir. There is a short-featured solo and the range may be challenging for some choirs, but this choir does an awesome job without their voices sounding strained or tense. It is written for SSA/female voices and it features some call-and-response. There are some percussive clapping sections. It may be technically challenging, but the lyrics are repetitive and should be easy to remember. This choir kept the piece interesting through their use of dynamics. This piece is very enjoyable and it would be a great short and upbeat piece for a concert. I chose this piece to show the choir’s great range. The energy they displayed through the phrases and their quick tempo makes the piece enjoyable.

      5.   Pentatonic Alleluia – was composed by Ross Whitney. Amelia Pask accompanies the performance by the Saskatoon Children’s Choir on Violin. This piece is beautiful and it uses some beautiful voice effects, but it is challenging. It is written for SA and features a female soloist. The sole word used is Alleluia and it is a cappella. The Saskatoon Children’s Choir really blends well and has a great sense of intonation in this piece. I can envision that some choir members may become memorized with the overlapping of parts and echoing in a large hall, but it is clear that this choir did a lot of practice beforehand. I chose this piece because it is very different from the other recordings in my presentation. It showcases that the choir can not only sing upbeat, but that they can sing lyric compositions, and blend together beautifully.

"Saskatoon Children's Choir." Saskatoon Children’s Choir. N.p., 2014. Web. 27 Sept. 2016.

Saskatoon Children's Choir Prezi

Here is the link for a presentation I did on the Saskatoon Children's Choir for a course I am doing, Education 2520. 

https://prezi.com/0aez2m54vbig/present/?auth_key=v1q23s8&follow=qqvm3ff8pcaa&kw=present-0aez2m54vbig&rc=ref-215168106

Vocal Technique (Davids/LaTour) - Chapter 13, Teaching Singing (Williams) - Chapter 4

Three A-Ha moments I took away from the readings were:

1) My first A-Ha moment was early on in chapter 13 of the Davids book. I always knew that there had to be a physical change that happened in a male’s body when going through puberty, and that is why the males voice deepens, but I had no idea what caused it. Davids explains that the “vocal fold length[ens]… and is associated with the development of the 'Adam’s apple'” (pg. 201). Davids goes on to explain some other changes during adolescence: the vocal tract gets longer, the lung capacity increases, and the larynx, pharynx and mouth increases in size (pg. 201). These things happen in the female body as well, it is just more obvious in males because of the obvious deepening of the voice.

2) When I first read that teenagers listen to 2.5 hours of music a day (Williams 55) I felt shocked; it sounded like a lot. But then I thought back to how often I listened to music as a teenager and became surprised. I would have guessed a higher number...

3) The reasons Williams listed for possible early onset of puberty are quite interesting. (Improved diet, warmer climate, hormones in water/beauty supplies, increased psychosexual stimulation and increased exposure to light.)

Two questions I decided upon were:

1) On page 203, Davids explains a study that shows that these physical voice changes/vocal development (referring to A-Ha moment #1) are now happening 2 years earlier (the late 1990s), than in the late 1970s. Will this continue to happen?

2) Williams mentions in her book “the onset of puberty may be slightly earlier than it was 50 years ago. There is no conclusive evidence to show why this may be so” (pg. 76). This is very interesting to me. Other than the possible reasoning I found in the Vocal Technique book, has anyone done more research on this? Has anyone come up with a more concrete reason since these books were published?

Works Cited

Davids, Julia, and Stephen A. LaTour. Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers. Long Grove: Waveland, 2012. Print.

Williams, Jenevora. Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults. Oxford: Compton Pub., 2013. Print.