I had a breakthrough this week at school. Well, I don't know if I had the breakthrough or my 8th grade choir boys had the breakthrough....probably both of us. Glorious!
So, I'm not a male. That's obvious and an obvious hindrance when trying to guide adolescent males down the precarious path to great singing technique. Their constantly morphing voices make them uneasy and makes blending them into a united section as possible as herding cats. It's especially hazardous when I only have enough boys to have them sing one part, not a tenor and a bass part.
Without trying to detail all the challenges of effectively training adolescent male voices, suffice it to say that it's HARD. The biggest problem are the basement singers....those guys who have developed rich baritone and bass ranges and believe that the only manly way to sing is in the basement of their vocal range. And though I try to use the "Tenors-get-all-the-girls" line, the basement singers just stare at me blankly or sheepishly or with terror, wishing with all their might that they were in some other class.
Thus, I usually ignore the basement singers because, 1) my techniques don't work and 2) I don't want to cause needless humiliation in middle school.....
But, wait! Why is it that these students thrive on intense sport practices and even intense band classes? How is it that they will take a no-nonsense, you-better-get-competitive approach in football, but when they arrive to choir, it's a coddle-fest? Rebellion started seeping into my bones about this recently. I decided there would be no more pampering! No more protection from discomfort or challenges in choir! I decided to push my students, especially my guys, out of their comfort zones! Those basement singers had no more excuses!
So, last week, I gave multiple pep-talks about courage and about how choir should be like a sport. I reminded my young musicians that their voices were their instruments and that they should not take critique on their instruments personally. Then, I dove in. I worked my male section over and over, making each guy crawl out of his shell and try, especially my basement singers. I pulled out as many tricks as I could to get them to float into their upper range and falsetto voices. I decided to pick on them just a little...in a nice way. I was sure they would hate me forever.
To my disbelief, I was wrong! I was shocked that the one boy who was hovering in his low-range all year to that point was suddenly giving a shot at singing in his upper range...and he was making it! I was so thrilled that I began to chortle and giggle and clap my hands like a toddler at Christmas-time...but I didn't care if I looked like an idiot! All I could see were the boys' faces full of pride. All my badgering gave them a challenge and something to achieve! The girls seemed equally as pleased, watching these boys take on singing like they would a basketball play or a track race.
It goes to show you and me two things: 1) Adolescents like to be challenged and pushed even if they appear shy and insecure and 2) Singing is manly. Period. Especially when basement singers unashamedly sing high. Here's to you, Chris Martin and Michael Buble.
By the way, I think choir should be a sport.
No comments:
Post a Comment