Chorus in the middle school years? Changing voices, interaction between boys and girls, adolescent development, suitable repertoire -- the challenges can seem endless.

Here’s a quick look at some of the more frequently discussed middle school choral issues shared on the MENC online forums. In coming weeks, we’ll elaborate on some of these topics.

REPERTOIRE Discussion

Repertoire List for Middle School

BOYS CHANGING VOICES Discussion 
Excerpts:

“Boys sing. Boys sing beautifully. Leave the 2 and 3 part - just make sure the music is appropriate. And thank your lucky stars that boys are interested still - don't lose them.”

“I would encourage you to talk about the voice change a lot. I found in my middle school, the only time students had heard about the changing voice in school was during sex education. Therefore, they assumed the changing voice should make them feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. My first year, the boys would totally disappear off the radar after their voices started to change, even if they were enthusiastic before the voice change. They were ashamed, and I think it's because they thought of the voice change and they thought of sex ed.”
 
“I periodically do a range test with my MS kids. Who sings highest and lowest and how their voices are changing over the year are really interesting to them.”

Additional Articles on Boys' Voices
Boys to Men
Guys in the Middle: To Sing or Not to Sing?

RECRUITMENT Discussion 

Motivating Middle School Choir Quitters

ADDITIONAL READINGS/RESOURCES

MENC/RLE Publications
TIPS: The First Weeks of Middle School Chorus by Patrick Freer
Getting Started with Middle School Choir, 2nd Edition by Patrick Freer

Music Educators Journal (MEJ) articles available online with MENC membership: log on with member number:
 

• MEJ March 2009 - Choral Warm-Ups for Changing Adolescent Voices
• MEJ September 2008 - Boys’ Changing Voices in the First Century of MENC Journals
• MEJ November 2007 - Between Research and Practice: How Choral Music Loses Boys in the ‘Middle’
• MEJ Special Focus issue on Music and Middle School Chorus January 2000: “The Challenge of the Middle School Chorus,” “The Successful Middle School Choral Teacher,” “Positively Adolescent!” “Choosing Music for Middle School Choirs,” “Encouraging Male Participation in Chorus,” “Embedding Assessment in Choral Teaching.”
  
  Next Week: Let’s Hear It! (Poll)
  
  -Sue Rarus, August 19, 2009, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education