6th Grade Chorus

[nafmeadmin]

If you teach 6th grade chorus, what type of music do you select? 2-part, SSA, 3-part mixed? I always have a hard time finding good literature for this group since often the 2-part songs have notes that are too high for many of the boys to sing comfortably, but the 3-part mixed often go down to low F which is too low for most of them. SSA works better but often the songs that would appeal to the boys aren’t available in that voicing. I’m curious to hear what others do!

David

[nafmeadmin]

Yes, those 6th grade boys – always a challenge!

I usually use 2-part music for the first half of the year, with unchanged voices singing part 2 (these parts are usually not too high), and changed/changing voices singing part 1 an octave lower (these parts are usually not too low when sung an octave down). For the second half of the year, I use 3-part mixed, and I choose songs where it doesn’t go below f or g. Sometimes I have to make some adjustments in the boys’ part to accommodate their current range.

Hope this helps –
Elizabeth

[nafmeadmin]

My approach is similar to Elizabeth’s, although I probably don’t use as much three-part mixed. Usually, I’m severely overbalanced with girls that I end up keeping the boys on part 1, singing the octave down, or invent a part for them. I do, however, spend a fair amount of the first semester with having the class sing in unison, as we work on vocal technique.

[nafmeadmin]

6th grade is the first year I really try to separate boys from girls, whether or not their voices have changed. Depending on the amount of boys I have, I may still do 2 part, but I do try to get into 3 part mixed just to get them ready for that type of singing.

[nafmeadmin]

Unison singing works very well and then write in a harmony for the boys and even alto that is simple with a smaller range. You can use SSA and SA music too and just change the parts where they don’t work. Don’t feel restricted by the music. The boys don’t feel successful if they are singing out of their range. Check their ranges individually often. It gives you one on one time with them and makes them feel important and you get to know their ability that way.

LeAnna Willmore
Choral Education Council Chair

[nafmeadmin]

I do a lot of unison at the beginning of the year with my 6th grade group. I slowly incorporate a song or two that has 2 parts, but usually modify the music to fit the students. By the end of the year, they are doing 3 parts. I don’t do a lot of mixed music because I have a small number of boys in each class. If I had the boys by themselves, then I could really incorporate mixed music more.

[Author]

Posts