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The Child's Voice: a Closer Look at Pedagogy and Science

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The Child's Voice: a Closer Look at Pedagogy and Science The Child's Voice: A Closer Look at Pedagogy and Science Kevin D. Skelton I have found it an art by itself to teach children singing. It requires the most careful gentle treatment, much more so than the cultivation of the voices of _"M adults demands; and therefore only the best teachers should be trusted with IE the cultivation of children's voices.' ANY TEACHERS SHY AWAY from the issue of voice pedagogy for children and adolescents. While some may have a firm belief that serious voice training should not take place be- M fore the completion of puberty, for many there is simply in- sufficient consensus on what teaching young singers entails. Most likely it Kevin I). Skelton is not the issue of teaching children to sing itself that worries voice peda- gogues, but rather how such instruction can proceed responsibly and ef- fectively. For example, on one hand, someone may celebrate an adolescent boy's capability of "singing solo songs and choral music skillfully and expres- sively."' On the other hand (the stronger one with the pointing finger), one feels obliged to include a warning such as: "During voice transformation, with the rapid growth of cartilages, muscles, ligaments, and other tissues, the larynx is particularly susceptible to misuse and abuse."' Such a di- chotomy is all the more surprising when one realizes that there is little sci- entific confirmation of a child's vocal vulnerability. Throughout the literature there is an undertone of controversy; under- standably, many are reluctant to put themselves (as teachers) or others (un- suspecting and defenseless children) at risk. Pedagogic debates certainly will never cease; however, with the findings of voice science it is possible to establish some fundamental principles from which this debate may take place reasonably. The present article seeks to present the facts of vocal fold development as they are now understood, and then hypothesize what this implies for practical application in the voice studio. To begin, I offer a brief introduction to the first major study on the child's voice. Then, following a brief comparison of voice mutation of male and female voices, I attempt to establish a chronology of vocal fold development from prepuberty through adolescence to adult. By drawing on scientific literature, it will become ev- ident that there is a serious gap in physiologic knowledge that is vital to understanding vocal development in young voices, specifically the period Journal of Singing. May/June 2007 preceding puberty. Ultimately several fundamental principles for working Volume 63, No. 5, pp. 537-544 Copyright © 2007 with young singers will be suggested, as will directions for further peda- National Association of Teachers of Singing gogic and scientific research. MAY/JUNE 2007 537 Kevin D. Skelton In the Beginning... Although there may be no "anatomical or physiologi- The Child's Voice: Its Treatment with Regard to After cal difference" in the larynges of prepubescent boys Development (1885) by Emil Behnke and Lennox Browne and girls,' general physicality undoubtedly affects over- was the first extended commentary specifically on the all vocal sound. Early works on children's voices make child's voice. The work was originally intended as an reference to the fact that boys generally were physi- appendix to the 1883 Voice, Song, and Speech by the cally stronger and more active than girls. Thus, while same authors; however, the subject required so much the anatomy of the larynx itself may have been the attention that the appendix expanded into a book of same, the breath support of boys generally permitted the its own. Both Behnke and Browne were widely pub- capability of more powerful singing. Certainly this gen- lished in the area of voice science, and much of The der distinction was more relevant 100 years ago; how- Child's Voice involves descriptions and explanations of ever, even today it is fair to assume that increased phys- voice physiology. In addition to their own ideas, Behnke ical strength and activity play a part in the distinction and Browne surveyed and compiled the ideas and ex- between the vocal qualities of children. periences of 810 individuals. These responses, many Of course, it is during puberty when the most marked of them transcribed in the treatise, demonstrate the difference between male and female voices first is controversy much in the same way it exists today. The present. The rapid voice mutation during puberty, strength of The Child's Voice is that these empirical re- where male and female voices gain their distinctive- sults exist alongside the scientific findings of Behnke ness, generally takes place over a period of six months and Browne, who are clear in their purpose of dispelling to one year, sometimes extending to two or three .7 at least some myths about working with the young years Lynne Gackle offers a comprehensive descrip- singer. The Child's Voice remains the most comprehen- tive comparison of male and female adolescent voice sive combination of pedagogic and scientific informa- change (see Chart 1). I maintain that Gackle's chart tion on the subject today. offers a "descriptive" comparison, because the points Considering the magnitude of The Child's Voice, and are those things that can be seen and heard externally. the profound influence it had on subsequent work in the Each of these points, however, coincides with a phys- field up to the middle of the twentiety century, it is sur- iologic mutation in the larynx and body itself. While prising that since then no one has undertaken a proj- laryngeal and physiologic changes continue well into ect of similar scope.' A contemporary version of The adult life, by the end of puberty voices fall into the Child's Voice drawing on the responses of today's voice classification categories common in contemporary pedagogues and choral conductors would be a fasci- literature on voice pedagogy. For the purposes of un- nating way to see how the attitudes and approaches to derstanding such changes it is now necessary to turn teaching young singers have, or have not changed since to scientific research. 1885. Similarly, to hold these responses up to our cur- rent understanding of child vocal physiology could re- Establishing a Chronology for Laryngeal Growth and Development suit in a significant step toward working with children singers more seriously and responsibly. Yet there re- Chart 2 is both chronological and comparative. Where main serious gaps in our scientific awareness that first possible, measurements have been noted, both of the must be addressed and pursued. macroanatomy and microanatomy of the larynx. Of the categories in Chart 2, up to the age of six is of lit- Comparing Young Male and Female Voices tle interest to most voice teachers. The period of pu- The conclusions of Behnke and Browne still seem to berty is described in Chart 1, and will be addressed pervade the general understanding of prepubescent again in the conclusion. Adult singers fall outside the boys and girls: "The truth would seem to be that, as scope of this article. The period from approximately age there is no anatomical or physiological difference be- six to puberty is a neglected area of research. For most tween the vocal organs of boys and of girls, so there children this period of stable laryngeal proportions can be no material difference between their voices."" lasts live to seven years. On this exact point, Francis E. 538 JOURNAL OF SINGING The Child's Voice: A Closer Look at Pedagogy and Science CHART 1. Comparison of male and female adolescent voice change.t Male Voice Female Voice Laryngeal growth Greatest growth is posterior-anterior (length); Comparatively, the overall growth is much less, protrusion of Adam's apple. but still the greatest growth is superior (height). Pitch (LIP) Lowers one octave; Lowers a third; (UTP) lowers a sixth. rises slightly. Range lowers and decreases; ultimately increases again Stays within the treble range and ultimately Tessituras decrease and greatly fluctuate. increases. Voice quality Lacks clarity; has huskiness/breathiness; Lacks clarity; has huskiness/breathiness; changes dramatically. changes in weight, color, or timbre. Register development Transition notes or "lift points" change Transition notes or "lift points" change throughout development; throughout development; falsetto becomes apparent. adult passaggi become apparent. Vocal instability Yes. Yes. * = Lower Terminal Pitch = Upper Terminal Pitch tAdapted from Lynne Gackk, "Female Adolescent Transforming Voices: Voice Classification, Voice Skill Development, and Music Literature Selection," in Leon Thurman and Graham Welch, Bodymind & Voice: Foundations of Voice Education (Collegeville: Voicecare Network, 2000), 815. Howard stated in 1898: ". undoubtedly, during these less clear, though this may be a result of the more minute years, there is a constant gaining of firmness and change of just 2 mm." Perhaps of more interest is the strength, in both the cartilages and their connecting chart comparing the ratio of length of the membranous membranes and muscles."' portion to that of the cartilaginous portion.' This chart Figures 1, 2, and 3 include several histological sec- seems to present a dramatic increase around age ten tions and schematic representations of human vocal with relatively stable proportions before and after (com- folds. Vocal folds are generally described as a tri- pare also to Chart 2, "to puberty"). partite structure (cover-transition-body; see Figure 1). The Hirano source states: "Vibratory movements of When comparing the newborn with the adult vocal the vocal fold take place chiefly at the membranous fold, it is clear that these structures become stronger portion:' and that their results "suggest that adults have and more defined with age; the lamina propria (LP) it- a greater capability for regulating vocal parameters, self develops into three distinct layers.
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