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The purposes of this study were (1) to categorize examples of vowel sounds by means of subjective evaluation, (2) to ascertain by spectrographic analysis the distinguishing characteristics of the acoustical properties of the examples in the categories, (3) to determine the similarities and dissimilarities which exist within and between the categories, and (4) to analyze the implications of the findings for the teaching of choral singing.

Thesis (M.M.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

This is a research project based on the author’s experience of more than 20 years as conductor of the Eastern Cape Childrens Choir. It investigates the effectiveness of technical exercises - with special reference to selected “warm-up” exercises - in creating a superior choral tone in the children’s choir. The investigation is motivated by the fact that it is an ongoing challenge to effectively overcome problems with intonation and poor choral tone, problems which are mostly caused by lack of attention to pure vowel formation. Toward this end, a practical “tool box” of vocal exercises for the children’s choir is ultimately proposed. The toolbox is based on one single exercise with different variations. Each variation is designed to address multiple vocal needs and to correct vocal production during singing. In this manner a great many technical aspects are covered with the simplest of means and in the shortest possible time, bearing in mind that the rehearsal session allows limited time to focus on such matters to the exclusion of all else.

For an untold number of years the vocalise has had an integral place in many of the methods used for the training and development of singers. Commonly referred to and used as "warm-ups" in the choral rehearsal, vocalises are considered by many conductors to have a usefulness that surpasses that of simply preparing voices for the singing which is immediately at hand. It remains a tendency in many cases, however, for vocalises to be used in an indiscriminate fashion without a clear understanding of the purposes of the vocalises used and/or using a method of presentation of vocal exercises that can diminish their usefulness or perhaps even have detrimental effects on the singers. A common additional plight facing many choral conductors seems to be the lack of availability of practical, printed resources for choral vocalization. Conductors can feel forced to rely only on exercises passed onto them by colleagues or by their own teachers. Either because of this lack of understanding of purpose or because of a lack of knowledge of vocalise repertoire, or both, a conductor might choose to limit or avoid entirely the use of vocal exercises in the choral rehearsal, depriving the conductor and the singers of what is perhaps one of the best tools for vocal development and conditioning. This study attempts to contribute toward the alleviation of the problems mentioned above. The study provides an extended collection of vocalises arranged with optional piano accompaniments by the author for use in the choral rehearsal, including original exercises, as well as those borrowed from colleagues in the solo and choral music fields and from selected printed sources. In addition, through a review of the writings of noted authorities in the field of voice education, the study discusses the usefulness of vocalises in the development of specific elements of good singing, with reference to the vocalises contained in the collection. Included in this discussion is a determination, based on these writings, of certain principles for the effective use of vocalises in the choral rehearsal. Finally, this study provides a selected list of known, available resource material that specifically contains vocalises for choir.

The intent of this study is to attempt to create new scientific criteria for the evaluation of choral literature for senescent singers, The first criterion developed for selection of age-appropriate choral literature was a measurement for voice quality registration called phonetography. Phonetography is the registration of the dynamic range of a voice as a function of fundamental frequency. Manual phonetograms on twenty young adult singers and twenty senescent singers were developed to determine individual frequency-by-intensity relationships of the senescent voice. The graph that was created when all points of minimum and maximum sound pressure levels are connected, thus enclosing the subject's total phonation area, was the singer's phonetogram. Three choral adjudicators were present at the phonetogram testing to determine which pitch levels and dynamic ranges were acceptable for healthy choral singing in each subject. Gelfer acoustic-perceptual rating scales were completed by the choral adjudicators on each phonetogram test subject. Adjectives utilized most frequently by speech pathologists, singers, otolaryngologists, and untrained listeners were codified and confidence ratings were made by each of the four groups who were polled. Appropriate opposites for the selected descriptors were chosen. The Gelfer test results were consistent with phonetogram findings. Criteria for age-appropriate choral literature were proposed from phonetogram data and the Gelfer acoustic-perceptual analyses. The four pieces which were selected as age-appropriate were analyzed by tessiturometry as a final criteria of suitability for aging singers. The tessiturogram is a graphic analysis of the frequency of note occurrence within a composition. Lower tessituras and limited ranges were recommended for aging singers. Choral selections with long phrases, rapid melismatic passages, wide unprepared leaps, and sustained singing should be avoided. High, soft singing for older female singers is not suggested. Rhythmic, homophonic works are recommended for successful performance. Instrumental accompaniments are beneficial in reinforcing the older singers' intonation.

Thesis (M. Mus. (Mus. Ed.)) -- University of Sydney, 1998. / Title from title screen (viewed November 11, 2009) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music (Music Education) to the Music Education Unit of Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

In recent years, research has shed light on the nature of singer perception in the choral setting; however, only a few studies have explored the nature of singer placement and its impact on members of the ensemble, and little research has been conducted on gender-specific ensembles. Fifty participants from two male choral ensembles took part in an experiment to assess the choristers’ perceptions of and preferences for four choral formations based on individual singer placement within sections and placement of sections within the ensemble. Participants’ perceptions and preferences were assessed in response to four overall choral formations based on criteria derived from factors relating to the Self-to-Other Ratio (SOR) – a singer’s perception of his sound within his section and the chorus. The study also sought to determine whether Voice Part and Musical Experience Level are significant factors in participants’ perceptions of and preferences for four different formations featuring a combination of placements within section (Acoustic and Experience placements) and sectional formations (Block and Column Sectional formations). Participants rated their perceptual experience of the four immediately after having sung in each and then indicated preference for specific placements based on their perceptual experience. Participants’ responses were analyzed for significance through ANOVA and chi-square testing of all pertinent variables. In terms of Voice Part, tenor singers indicated preference for Block Sectional formation, while bass singers indicated preference for Column Sectional formation. It was also determined that singers’ musical experience was significant in determining their preferences for formations, with singers of higher musical experience preferring Block Sectional formation and singers of lower musical experience preferring Column Sectional formation. Singers’ preference for placement within sections was not found to be significant, possibly indicating that this type of placement does not impact singer perception in the choral setting as much as has been thought by many choral conductors and pedagogues. Continued research exploring the nature of individual singer perception in the choral setting will provide a better understanding of the nature of singers’ individual vocal production when combined in ensemble, thus enabling conductors to foster more fulfilling musical experiences in their choirs. / School of Music

Thesis (M.Mus)--Australian Catholic University, 2004. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. Bibliography: p. 150-156. Also available in an electronic format via the internet.

Thesis (D.M.E.)--Indiana University, 2007. / Computer printout. Adviser: Charles P. Schmidt. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 151-157).