University of Texas at El Paso

Determining Basic Voice Classification of High School Choir Students

There is no definite, widely-accepted method to determine voice classification of high school choir students. My survey focuses on the five main criteria for high school voice classification: range, tessitura, timbre, passaggi, and speaking pitch. It asks whether or not each criterion is tested and whether it is tested with a scale pattern or with a common song. Additional influences for voice placement such as student choice and choral balance are included on a list of ten criteria that subjects will rank in importance. My hope is that this survey will identify what current high school choir directors in Texas are actually doing in order to classify their students and which criteria are most important.