<p>I thought I'd pick your brains, because you guys have so much experience/knowledge, and I have very little. Anyway, my 12 year old D wants to try out for a solo competition at a choir festival coming up this summer. (She is in a children's choir). If selected, they need to prepare one folk song and one classical. Ideas anyone? She'll be talking to her voice teacher in a few days about this, but I'm interested to know what ideas you all have, just to get some ideas. None of my kids have done anything like this before with voice. I am just not familiar with suitable vocal repetoire for young singers.</p>
<p>as far as a folk song, i would do something along the lines of "to the sky" by carl strommen. It's a simple melody but beautiful. As for her being so young, i really don't know what is appropriate for a classical piece.</p>
<p>Mstee, this is a tough one (which probably explains the lack of responses). The main problem I see with asking a 12-year old to sing a classical piece is that it's difficult to find music that is age appropriate. How many 12-year olds can sing about love (in the throes of, gained, or lost) which is the prevailing theme of so many art songs? I'd rely heavily on your daughter's voice teacher, but I'll throw out a few suggestions anyway: consider looking at works by Celius Dougherty (most are tough musically, but he has a strong sense of whimsy that might make some of his songs age-appropriate) or the Easy Songs for Beginning [insert voice type here] edited by Joan Boytim; if your daughter is a bit more advanced, she might even be able to do the next level up of Joan Boytim's books. G. Schirmer publishes a collection of humorous art songs, but I'm not familar with a lot of selections in the book so I don't know how "humorous" they actually are. I find TIS Music and J.W. Pepper two of the best sites for exploring classical repertoire. Their websites are <a href="http://www.tismusic.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.tismusic.com</a> and <a href="http://www.jwpepper.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.jwpepper.com</a> respectively. </p>
<p>Hope this helps; good luck in your search!</p>
<p>Can anyone explain to me the purpose or value of having a solo vocal competition for 12 year olds? including classical repertoire no less? Our experience suggests that 12 yr olds shouldn't even be taking voice lessons yet!</p>
<p>Color me befuddled........</p>
<p>theatermom,</p>
<p>I had a parent of a 6 year old call me for private lessons. No matter how hard I tried to explain that it was too young to start private lessons, (she had already been "studying" with someone before their move to our city) and that they should look for a "fun" music program to build on the love of music, they just didn't agree. Talk about befuddled!</p>
<p>When my parents, who knew nothing about singing, asked someone if they should find me a voice teacher they were told to "leave me alone". I was getting proper instruction at my public school on how to sing/breathe correctly, etc. I did not start private voice lessons until I was 20. I know that is not the "norm" these days but I got by OK.</p>
<p>Theatermom, I'm of mixed emotions on this one. My daughter started taking "voice lessons" at the age of 9 or so, but they in no way resembled the more structured lessons she takes now. She focused on Disney/musical theatre selections that were chosen for their sense of fun (and sometimes as prep for auditions for children's roles at the local community theatre), and the musicianship was mostly about breathing, articulation, and a very rudimentary understanding of vocal health. The only reason she started taking them was because it was the only way she'd get music at all; her elementary school had zero in the way of music classes at the time. She did compete one year for the Michigan Music Association competition, but their categories for younger singers were of the contemporary/musical theatre type, and she did a song from a Disney movie. It was actively discouraged to do anything more than that, and we didn't even continue with it because the sense of competition was not what my daughter or I wanted for her or from music.</p>
<p>I do think there's a place for the type of voice lessons that my daughter had for younger kids, particularly if music is limited or unavailable in schools. But I was wary when my daughter started and sat quietly in the background during every one of my daughter's lessons, just to ensure that it really was fun for her. If she had ever said or suggested in any way that it was no longer fun, the lessons would have ended right then and there.</p>
<p>as far as taking voice at a young age, there are always pros and cons.</p>
<p>I started when i was ten, and my mom called everywhere and they all said that i couldn't take till i was 13. I asked my chorus teacher and she said no, but gave me her card for when i was older. My mom did find someone who would take me and called the chorus teacher to talk to her about it. It was within the next five minutes that my chorus teacher asked to take me on as a student because she was afraid that i would get hurt by someone just looking for some money.
...needless to say, i stuck with her for the next 5 years.</p>
<p>As much as i love the fact that i started training so much earlier and i love the fact that i feel comfortable anytime someone askes me to sing something classical, i don't feel like i ever got to find "my voice". When you are that young, you are supposed to be figuring out what style you like to sing, and how you like to sing. It took me twice as long to do that because i had been pushed into the classical/folk genre and for a long time, that's all i could handle. </p>
<p>I think if anyone starts voice that early, they need to have some sort of direction. </p>
<p>you win some, you lose some..</p>
<p>Well, the reason she is taking lessons is because she is singing the role of Marian the Librarian in the middle school musical, and I thought it would be a good idea to get some coaching. And then this solo thing with the choir came up. The choir sings things like "Homeward Bound" (folk) and "Bist Du Bei Mir" (classical) and they recently sang part of the Monteverdi Vespers with an adult choir. I don't think they are looking for anything too complicated. </p>
<p>The voice lessons seem to be mostly about breathing and articulation, and even "how to act" when singing. I have a 16 year old taking from the same teacher, and the approach does seem different for the older one, so I do feel okay about the 12 year old, and that she is not being asked to do anything she shouldn't at her age. </p>
<p>Anyway, gotta run, but I will take a closer look at the suggestions--tks!</p>