Choral Caffeine: Adolescent Singers

There are few of us who would willingly go through the turmoil and tribulations of adolescence a second time.  Once was probably more than enough.

Though no longer living thorough the experience themselves, those who teach on the middle and secondary levels need to remain keenly aware of the physiological and psychological effects of puberty as it pertains to their students (while certainly to a lesser degree, many of us who work with undergraduate also face adolescent issues with our students).

In her article, “Adolescent Identity Formation and the Singing Voice” (North Carolina’s Carolina Caroler, Vol.13, No. 1), Nana Wolfe provides an introduction into both the various factors affecting those in puberty, and how music educator should approach the adolescent student from the standpoint of vocal pedagogy.

Voice pedagogue Kristin Samuelson posits the idea that the singing voice can be an indicator of identity, as well as a shaping influence. Samuelson worked with two late adolescent women who showed symptoms of puberphonia (also known as mutational falsetto in young men). In this state, a person demonstrates child-like vocal behaviors after the physical changes in puberty have already occurred, i.e., speaking in a higher range than his/her natural speaking voice. Throughout the study, Samuelson noted that personal development simultaneously occurred as the voice improved into a healthier state of singing and speaking. She concludes that, “Emotional development manifests itself in the speaking voice, and the speaking voice carries over into the singing voice.” If puberphonia is left untreated, it “will most likely be carried into adulthood and become part of the individual’s identity.”

 

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