Chapter 1: Vocal Pedagogy Flashcards
Describe the song approach. What are the advantages and disadvantages as a pedagogy for vocal instruction?
The song approach to singing places an emphasis on expression, with secondary emphasis on technique. Students learn songs by singing songs.
The song approach fulfills an important goal of music education: it involves children in singing.
Vocal technique, tone quality, and vocal placement are not taught on the college level, are not taught by public school teachers and students do not learn proper vocal technique.
State the two contemporary philosophies regarding the appropriateness of vocal instruction for children and adolescents. Which view does the author recommended and with what precautions?
The training of the child’s voice should be delayed until the vocal folds have completely adjusted to the physical changes related to puberty.
It is possible to and proper to train young voices to sing.
Caution should be used so that there is no vocal abuse and a gradual development of the vocal musculature and control should be implemented.
The author is a proponent of training young voices to sing.
Why was Lowell Mason important in early music education, and what was his philosophy for teaching young children to sing?
Lowell Mason was America’s first public school music teacher. He was responsible for the first formal inclusion of music in the Boston public schools in 1838.
Mason’s philosophy was to cultivate music literacy and proper vocal production among children.
Mason thought that singing instruction should begin when a child starts to read and continue throughout the child’s education.
What was the common theme concerning child vocal instruction among late 19th and early 20th century writers?
Were any of the ideas expressed by these authors unique for the time?
Breathing exercises; breath support;
/ proper breathing.
Francis E. Howard’s focus on children using their head voices at a soft dynamic level was unique.
In what ways did the English choirboy training influence the singing instruction of American children in the early 1900s?
Using the head voice.
Some teachers thought that the English choirboy tradition was applicable to teaching boys and girls to sing.
Why did the shift in philosophy away from child vocal instruction occur in American education?
When did this happen and what was the result of this change?
Was it successful? Explain.
The shift from an exercise approach to the song approach started with Karl Gehrken in 1934 with his book Music in the Grade School.
His method it was very popular because from 1934 until now there has been a lack of information on children’s vocal pedagogy.
The results of this change in philosophy is mixed. It was successful in that many people are using the song approach and students are learning song literature; however, it was not successful because it does not teach vocal technique or vocal coordination.
Describe the prevailing philosophy of American vocal music education at the mid 20th century both at the elementary and secondary levels.
Who were the prominent proponents of these philosophies?
Vocal music education became a singing class.
An emphasis was placed on the polish performances of a cappella ensembles.
James Mursell and F. Melius Christiansen, were proponents of the singing class philosophy.
Why did American music educators turned to European curricula after 1957?
What were the results of adopting these European approaches and methods to instruction in the United States?
After 1957, Americans were struggling to find ways in which to make music more viable in this new age of accountability. American educators were seeking a new direction for music education.
Summarize the views of prominent late 20th-century authors on child vocal instruction.
Principles of good singing are the same for all age groups in the muscular actions needed to produce good sound is identical from youth to maturity.
Posture, breathing, mental and physical coordination, phonation, resonation, and articulation must be taught by the teacher, comprehended, learn, and demonstrated by the student.
Why is a program of vocal instruction important at both the elementary and secondary school levels?
What are the five areas of study to be included in such a program and why is each important?
Singing is a learned behavior and students sing better through a skill-related sequence of vocal techniques.
The five components the vocal technique are: 1) proper breathing 2) phonation 3) resonant tone production 4) diction 5) expressiveness.
These are the foundation for good singing. With out any one of them a singing performance would suffer.
How much time should be spent on vocal instruction in both the elementary vocal music class in the high school chorus?
What precautions must of the vocal teacher be aware of regarding the time element and the use of exercises and vocalises?
The elementary singers should spend five or six minutes on vocal technique.
The high school singers should spend 10% of the rehearsal on vocal technique.
The precaution is not to let the singers strain their voice.
What has brought about the lowering of song ranges in today’s music series?
Is this justified? Please explain.
The lowering of song ranges is indicative of poor instruction in vocal technique. It is not justified. Teachers should improve their vocal instruction and vocal techniques for better singing.
What is the recommended age to begin child-voice instruction? Why?
What are the dangers in delaying such instruction?
Adult modeling of techniques can begin for the child during infancy and can be continued throughout early childhood.
Formal instruction may began at age 8 when the lungs are fully developed, preferably in a group setting.
At age 8 the child is capable of generating enough intrathoracic pressure needed to sustain the upper voice.
Delayed instruction can result in the inability to coordinate the vocal mechanism.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the select chorus at the elementary school level.
Advantages-
Producing superior musical result; providing special performance opportunities.
Disadvantages-
It can foster musical elitism.
Why is singing a threatening experience to many singers?
What four strategies can you suggest for encouraging competent singing by all children?
1) Share that singing is a complex skill.
2) Singing shares one’s inner self which can be intimidating especially if the student lacks confidence.
3) State that all children are able to sing when instructing.
4) Be the type of instructor that students trust to teach them.
