Confidence and sincere expression seem to be most important.  If they're confident with the music that will help a lot.  Have them sing staccato so they're sure of the rhythms.  And ask for crescendos and diminuendos when appropriate.  Choose music that is quiet, because they're shy and not confident yet, and this music might feel more true to them.

 

Be very, very patient -- with yourself as well as with them.  Your first concert will not be as good as your second.  Enjoy the experience and your time with them.

Keep in mind also that when  you go from your normal rehearsal space to the sanctuary, your vocalists may experience a drop in volume.  I generally attribute this to the change in what their ears are telling them in the new space; they're used to hearing one sonority, and the new space might make them feel exposed, vulnerable, or just 'weird.'  Prepare them for the new feedback and the adjustment will come more quickly.  John is dead on- confidence is a big, big issue with adolescents.

 

Best of luck!

Leslie- Your band background will serve you well in conducting a MS choir. Teach the choir vocalises that focus on scalar passeges (down a perfect fith sol-fa-mi-re-do), beginning on second space "a" in treble clef. Listen for boys- can they sing the "a" an octave below? Then take 'em up by half steps. Remeber that young treble voices- boys as well as girls- may have to modify the vowel as they ascend in the vocalise.

Devise other vocalises that strenghten the upper register of the girls and develop confidence in boys.

 

The key elements in singing in any choral ensemble are (to me!) precision of rhythm, precise intonation, vowel consistency, expressive singing, and lotsa energy. Work to get the same vowel sound you want in all singers. Have 'em stand in a circle and sing vocalises -or some music- to each other, focusing on hearing other singers. Instrumental musicians do it! That's why three trumpets and two trombones can hold their own against all those strings! (Ha!)  Precise intonation, beautiful tone, and "tight" rhythms will allow you to build an ensemble that sings expressively and beautifully.  And ask 'em if they DO hear other singers.  

 

Best Wishes in your exciting endeavour,

 

Carl Smith, Ph.D., Choral Music Education

Founder and Artistic Director,

Community Chorus El Paso. Texas

Have them hum, softly at first, then with growing intensity, making sure their teeth are apart and throat is relaxed. Tell them to make their lips tickle, to feel the bridge of their nose vibrating, and/or even feel their cheekbones vibrating; it should sound intensely nasal, almost nasty. Then open to an ee vowel (use others as well), and keep that forward focus/intensity as is their lips were still vibrating. This forward focus, or placement, is how projection is achieved without stress in the throat. Demonstrate how much difference it can make. Ask them to keep that buzzing at the lips idea all the time; another visualization that works is to imagine the tone spinning from between your upper two front teeth out into the room. Also ask them to imagine their voice is a movie (or video) projector, and that they have to focus their tone so that it hits the back wall of the room. If it's a small room, ask them to imagine a bigger one, perhaps your performance venue.

 

Yes, confidence and sincerity are important. I don't agree that you should only choose quiet music, however. The above approaches are a bit more nuts and bolts.

 Don't force them to sing flat out super loud!  The middle school voice has limits on how well they sing at a loud dynamic.  NEVER sacrifice excellent tone quality and good vocal technique for loudness!  Altos (or any other part) should not be encouraged to sing in the chest register in order to "belt" it out and sing loud!  After 30 years of middle school teaching, I recommend not damaging those tender young voices permanently for "loud" singing.  The tone should always be a good one-never forced.  Support is always important and breathing warm-ups over a long period of time will gradually build up the strength of the mechanism. 

Leslie,

 

Here are a few past threads which apply:

 

 

 

 

 

All my best,

 

Tom

 

 

Leslie:

 

Susan is right.  DON'T DO IT!  Both your boys and your girls are likely to be going through voice changes, and loud is NOT desireable for any reason at all.  In fact the only way you can get LOUD out of them would be to have them force their chest voices up too high--the Oscar Meyer Wiener sound!--and doing so will probably damage their voices, perhaps irretrevably.

 

If you're in a hall that's too large, you shouldn't be!  But if you have no choice, don't expect them to fill it.  That's what microphones are for.

 

You didn't say what your instrument is, but picture a really dumb band driector asking middle school players to play nothing but LOUD!  Please, just don't go there.

 

All the best,

 

John

 

 

Lots of good suggestions already on this topic. Your singers need to be clear about your goals for them, confident in your ability to guide them to those goals, and secure that you will support their efforts and help them develop their individual abilities and self-confidence. Clear and consistent vowels, crisp consonants, and spot-on intonation, supported by carefully monitored technique and support, will produce volume and color that will be strong and powerful, although it may not meet today's definition of "loud." Choices of repertoire that touch the upper "brighter" parts of the singers' ranges will also add to the total sound.

 

Another important aspect is the development of the sense of a range of dynamics. A healthy full sound is often coupled with the ability to produce a healthy sound almost down to inaudibility. Help them explore and expand their dynamic range by moving both directions.

 

I think microphones are often (not always) counterproductive to good vocalism, but more importantly, counterproductive to development of the sense and ability to produce a healthy dynamic range. I would stay away from amplification of young voices with (almost) no exceptions. When there is an audience, careful programming and a beautiful sound will actually cause them to listen -- and to be moved and amazed by the dynamic range that you do produce. Healthy natural acoustic sound can accomplish things that even the most advanced amplification techniques can't equal.

 

Charles Q. Sullivan

cqsmusic(a)hotmail.com