Unfortunately, it seems, far too many choral directors ignore the incredibly important matter of TONE. In her article, “Developing Tone Quality in Choral Ensembles,” Karen Willie explains:
Healthy tone quality at the secondary level is largely dependent on the vocal development of individual members of an ensemble. A collection of “bad” voices will undoubtedly yield an undesirable collective sound. We are often tempted to ignore basic fundamentals of vocal production in the hope that attention to pitches, rhythms, ending consonants, blend, dynamics, facial expression, choreography, placement on the risers, and/or camaraderie will be sufficient.
In the choral world, talent often refers to tone quality, and at the secondary level, beautiful choral tone is difficult to achieve if individual members of the choir sing poorly. Ones vocal instrument cannot be directly manipulated like fingerings on a clarinet. The position of the larynx cannot be demonstrated like hand positions on a piano. The vocal instrument resides inside the body, out of view. As a result, improving vocal tone quality can sometimes feel like an impossible undertaking, causing one to wonder if there is indeed no substitute for talent.
So, developing a beautiful tone takes a LOT of time and effort. So what? Karen’s article provides a step-by-step plan for improving the choir’s tone. Give it a go!
This is a magical time of year in the choral profession when the slate is clean, the choir is nothing but potential. Make this the year you get serious about improving the choir’s tone.
(For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)
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