Joey Jackson
Music Education 356
Appropriate Voicings for Middle School Choruses
March 1996
Article # 1
Lon Berry
Summary
Middle School Vs. Junior High
Middle School
-Post 1960 Model
-Grades 6-8
-Becoming the preferred system in school distracts
Junior High
-Pre 1960
-Grades 7-9
Main Differences
-Choral Literature
-Amount of change in male students voices.
Balance
Union Singing
-Pre 1945 union singing was strongly recommend in Junior High
-Song rage must be between B3 and G4
-Most songs in this range will be inappropriate for Middle School.
Two Part Singing
-Introduce in the 4th grade
-Two Part and Three Part songs are appropriate for choirs with little voice changing accruing.
-Do not use Two Part songs with baritones singing 8vb.
-Creates a false base line that sounds out of tune
SATB Singing
-Herman Approach
-Students can and should pivot parts when the range of the song is no longer comfortable.
-This requires the teacher to know each individual voice extremely well.
-Many believe SATB singing is inappropriate for Middle and Junior High
Three Part Singing
SSA
-Richison states that SSA marking may cause gender conflicts and should be marked with Roman Numerals
SAB
-Cambiata students are often left out
-SAB songs often lack musicality (mainly harmonies)
Three Part Mix
-Eilers was the creator of Three Part Mixed
-Created for Middle & Junior High mix and boy’s chours.
-Comprised third part for the majority of boys can sing
-Creates a limited range for other parts
Adolescent Basses
-Third of all males are adolescent bass
-Will have a comfortable lower register with highest note around A3.
-Still can sing in soprano range but will experience black spots in middle of range.
Three Part Mix Optional Baritone
-Three distinct advantages
-Flexibility
-Development
-Recruitment
-Relatively hard to find
-Use list found on page 19
Discussion
Lon Berry makes several valid points throughout his article. However, I believe that he left out a very important factor, the teacher. The teacher will have a better understanding of his students’ abilities, so therefore each individual teacher will be able to decide what is or is not appropriate for his students to sing. Despite this flaw, I believe that this information is useful. This article lays the ground works to build a musical library that well encompass all potential obstacles. However, it is important to note, that I do not agree with SSA marking creating a gender conflict.
Music Education 356
Appropriate Voicings for Middle School Choruses
March 1996
Article # 1
Lon Berry
Summary
Middle School Vs. Junior High
Middle School
-Post 1960 Model
-Grades 6-8
-Becoming the preferred system in school distracts
Junior High
-Pre 1960
-Grades 7-9
Main Differences
-Choral Literature
-Amount of change in male students voices.
Balance
Union Singing
-Pre 1945 union singing was strongly recommend in Junior High
-Song rage must be between B3 and G4
-Most songs in this range will be inappropriate for Middle School.
Two Part Singing
-Introduce in the 4th grade
-Two Part and Three Part songs are appropriate for choirs with little voice changing accruing.
-Do not use Two Part songs with baritones singing 8vb.
-Creates a false base line that sounds out of tune
SATB Singing
-Herman Approach
-Students can and should pivot parts when the range of the song is no longer comfortable.
-This requires the teacher to know each individual voice extremely well.
-Many believe SATB singing is inappropriate for Middle and Junior High
Three Part Singing
SSA
-Richison states that SSA marking may cause gender conflicts and should be marked with Roman Numerals
SAB
-Cambiata students are often left out
-SAB songs often lack musicality (mainly harmonies)
Three Part Mix
-Eilers was the creator of Three Part Mixed
-Created for Middle & Junior High mix and boy’s chours.
-Comprised third part for the majority of boys can sing
-Creates a limited range for other parts
Adolescent Basses
-Third of all males are adolescent bass
-Will have a comfortable lower register with highest note around A3.
-Still can sing in soprano range but will experience black spots in middle of range.
Three Part Mix Optional Baritone
-Three distinct advantages
-Flexibility
-Development
-Recruitment
-Relatively hard to find
-Use list found on page 19
Discussion
Lon Berry makes several valid points throughout his article. However, I believe that he left out a very important factor, the teacher. The teacher will have a better understanding of his students’ abilities, so therefore each individual teacher will be able to decide what is or is not appropriate for his students to sing. Despite this flaw, I believe that this information is useful. This article lays the ground works to build a musical library that well encompass all potential obstacles. However, it is important to note, that I do not agree with SSA marking creating a gender conflict.
Joey Jackson
Music Education 356
Choral Curriculum As It Affects Performance At the Secondary Level
Ruth Whitlock
October 1991
Summary
Ruth Whitlock believes that music education is at a crossroads. Continue on the path of performance-based curriculum or evolve the curriculum to teach life long musical skills. If the previous is chosen then the defunding or even the cancelation of music education will ensure. Whitlock gives the most basic elements of a secondary choral curriculum, which includes; vocal technique, choral technique, music reading, and the fundamentals basics in music theory and history. Nonetheless, Whitlock believes that “curriculum and performance are related in that attention to one will improve the other” (40).
Whitlock, later, uses the state of Texas to demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between education and performance. For example, the musical skill of sight singing is required to be able to hold a contest rank. If the students are more developed in the skill of sight singing then their peers, they well achieve a better score. Whitlock believes that nearly half of all musical students fall between the ratings of V (unacceptable) and IV (basic).
At the end of article Whitlock uses a structure to defined what a good musical curriculum should be, with the most important skills as the fundamental base. Whitlock states that repertoire, vocal technique, and choral technique as the important fundamental elements to becoming a good musician.
Decision
Music education is at a cross roads in this nation. I believe that music education as chosen the path of a performance-based curriculum, which is questioning the academic value and music education, and hence, is an easy subject to cut to reduce school deficits. Whitlock uses a valid argument for competition-based assessment; however, I do not believe that competition is a valid form of assessment of individual musical development.
Music Education 356
Choral Curriculum As It Affects Performance At the Secondary Level
Ruth Whitlock
October 1991
Summary
Ruth Whitlock believes that music education is at a crossroads. Continue on the path of performance-based curriculum or evolve the curriculum to teach life long musical skills. If the previous is chosen then the defunding or even the cancelation of music education will ensure. Whitlock gives the most basic elements of a secondary choral curriculum, which includes; vocal technique, choral technique, music reading, and the fundamentals basics in music theory and history. Nonetheless, Whitlock believes that “curriculum and performance are related in that attention to one will improve the other” (40).
Whitlock, later, uses the state of Texas to demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between education and performance. For example, the musical skill of sight singing is required to be able to hold a contest rank. If the students are more developed in the skill of sight singing then their peers, they well achieve a better score. Whitlock believes that nearly half of all musical students fall between the ratings of V (unacceptable) and IV (basic).
At the end of article Whitlock uses a structure to defined what a good musical curriculum should be, with the most important skills as the fundamental base. Whitlock states that repertoire, vocal technique, and choral technique as the important fundamental elements to becoming a good musician.
Decision
Music education is at a cross roads in this nation. I believe that music education as chosen the path of a performance-based curriculum, which is questioning the academic value and music education, and hence, is an easy subject to cut to reduce school deficits. Whitlock uses a valid argument for competition-based assessment; however, I do not believe that competition is a valid form of assessment of individual musical development.