Here is the link to a recent discussion forum on ChoralNet: http://www.choralnet.org/view/454044
The question is: Should I let my students choose what they sing?
This has always been an important question in my life because I have seen music teachers make wonderful choral performances out of pop tunes, and I have also seen children fail to learn anything as they sing "Home" by Phillip Phillips for the thirtieth time. My opinions:
1) Let your students make suggestions but make it very clear that they are just that, suggestions. From there, you can research the tunes, find arrangements, or make your own arrangement as you see fit.
2) Always have a pedagogical reason for choosing the repertoire you choose. A pop tune has the potential to teach a lot to a young singer (syncopated rhythms, interesting harmonies, form, expression, etc.)
3) This could be a wonderful opportunity for an extra credit project! Have a keen student make a choral arrangement of their favourite song!
4) Don't let pop music be an excuse for poor technique, unhealthy singing, or lazy reading skills.
5) Try to mix pop music with staples in the choral repertoire so that students get to experience all different kinds of choral singing.
Thoughts? Do any of you feel strongly against using pop music in a choral setting? Have any of you experienced students requesting to sing gospel music? African spirituals? Choral standards? I'd love to hear your opinions!
I agree that students should be allowed to make suggestions as long as they realize that they are just that - a suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI'm not strictly against singing pop music in choir at all, as long as the arrangement is good and there is some value to it. What I am not so fond of, however, is the trend that arose in my high school choir of singing the Glee arrangements of pop songs. This usually included a soloist, possibly 2, and the rest of the choir singing a simple harmony on "la" or "oo" As someone who had no desire to be the soloist, this was incredibly boring and almost forced me out of choir. Because the piece is based heavily on showcasing the soloist, who is generally the only one to sing the melody, I feel like it isolates the rest of the choir. Even though this teaches students how to sing a harmony, doing more than 1 in a program seems a bit excessive to me.
I agree with all of the points you've made!
You make a good point, Emily. Although I enjoy some of the "Glee" arrangements (yes, I just admitted that), they are heavily geared toward the soloist and can quickly become boring for the remainder of the choir. They would be better utilized in a small ensemble setting where each student, at some point, had the opportunity to solo.
ReplyDeleteI think that there are many non-popular choral pieces that are "fun" and "pretty." It is up to the choral director to adequately research the very vast repertoire to find some of these pieces. Although I am not unwilling to perform popular music in a choral setting, there are many awful arrangements of popular songs in the choral literature. A choir is not always the most suitable context for popular songs.
That said, I do think it is important to be open to students' suggestions and to have an open dialogue with interested students about the repertoire being chosen and the rationale behind it. When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to go with one of my music teachers to the store one day to help pick out repertoire. Most of the repertoire I picked out was non-choral music - musical theatre books, popular music, etc. - which I was able to use with friends during lunch hour, and as solo or small ensemble opportunities in concerts.
I think exploring various genres/styles of music should be included in an educational choral setting. Doing so can not only widen a child's knowledge, but also help to intrigue and enhance their learning- especially when they are included in the selection of the pieces. No matter what style/genre a piece is, there is always something to be learned from it. You may have to dig a little harder and put in a bit more effort to find or incorporate it, but there will always be something.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is great to include students in the repertoire selection process. It will make them more interested and enthusiastic about the music because they have chosen it. It is nice to provide student input once in a while, but there should definitely be a limit to it. As a teacher you can also choose two or three charts and get students to decide which one they like the best, and add that one to your list of repertoire.
ReplyDeleteI'm about to make a bit of a contradictory statement here - but does all music have to have a "pedagogical purpose" for singing it?
ReplyDeleteThink about it. What does it matter if the piece teaches your students about dynamics or diction, if they don't even like singing it and just give up choral singing altogether? While there are many reasons why children give up music, I remember very clearly that many of my friends were uninterested in singing and music because they thought the music was lame. In truth, they were often quite right! Is programming a pop tune for the purpose of appeasing the choir members not "pedagogical purpose" enough?
I think it's definitely important to include them in the repertoire choosing process, as it gives them a sense of independence - but have limits. Let them choose something they find enjoyable. but make sure it has aspects within that they can learn from. There are a lot of great arrangements out there, and with some effort and time spent looking, as a teacher it is possible to find something that the students will both learn from and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I've often found that when kids are exposed to high-quality choral repertoire, they don't even want to do those "A Cappella Group"-style arrangements any more. Kids can tell when they're really being challenged and are making a real contribution to the music...rather than just singing "la la la" on F# for 22 consecutive bars (sorry altos). Moreover, they can get really really excited about good choral repertoire - I can't tell you how may 13-year olds I've seen fangirling over Eric Whitacre's "Sleep" or "A Boy and a Girl", which combine traditional choral approaches and challenges with sonically unique and rewarding experiences. I once read a report that says that the number one factor in job satisfaction is not having an easy job, but feeling that your job makes a difference in the world. I'd bet the same thing could be said about choral music - youths are going to enjoy giving their all as a unique contributor to an awesome aural experience more than taking the easy way out and singing backup vocals for Susie Soprano.
ReplyDeleteThis being said, there are some awesome arrangements that combine traditional choral approaches with great pop tunes - like Bob Chilcott's arrangement of "And So it Goes" (Billy Joel tune). That's a great way to bridge the divide.