Never before have so many wonderful musical theatre performances been so readily accessible to such diverse audiences. Barely a day goes by when a singing teacher isn't presented with a song from Wicked, Six, Dear Evan Hansen or similar by their young students keen to explore these modern classics. Television shows such as The Voice and Britain's Got Talent inspire children to mimic celebrity singers. It can be a delicate balance for teachers to navigate the line between encouragement and children doing too much, too soon.
Vocal health is especially important when working with children in the realms of musical theatre and Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM). Children's voices are still developing, which means that their vocal technique and overall vocal health need extra attention to ensure they sing safely. A child's larynx, like the rest of their body when compared to adults, is smaller and more delicate. Their lungs and breathing muscles are not as strong nor as coordinated as they will become with age. These factors, not to mention consideration of the appropriateness of some of the characterisation and narrative in these songs, suggest that singing contemporary music with children may need some careful thought.
Musical theatre and CCM styles demand particular vocal qualities that can be intense for young voices, including projection, emotional expression, and sometimes the extremes of vocal range. These aesthetics and characteristics make embedding proper vocal care from an early age even more important. In musical theatre, children often feel the need to sing loudly, especially in large ensemble numbers to ‘stand out in the crowd’. CCM, such as pop, rock, or R&B, frequently demands high-energy performances with intense vocal agility and expressive vocal techniques like ‘belting’, which can be challenging for young singers.
We need to consider more than just vocal mechanics in our approach to genres, styles and vocal health. If children want to sing the music they love, we need to be creative about how we help them do this, while staying safe. We could ask whether the note is bigger because of stylistic choice, or because this character's emotions have reached that place. Exploring a character's intention and emotion with children is a great way to explore the voice and get them to craft the role as their own, rather than simply copying how it is done by adult performers. Perhaps you could get your young singers to play with emotions cards and sing the song ‘sad’ or ‘happy’ etc. Maybe they could bring in props or costumes and see what differences that makes for how a character might sing. Consider working from speech into song and notice how the children want to naturally place the words in terms of volume, articulation and emphasis. Belting doesn't have to be loud; ask whether it is needed at this point, and is there a different option vocally that might be a more healthy and authentic option for the singer in front of you?
In CCM styles like pop and rock, young singers may be exposed to other vocal techniques that are more intense, such as vocal fry, chest voice, extreme vocals, or even extremely breathy tone, which can in itself be tiring for voices. While these techniques can sound impressive and can fit the mood of the song, they can also put significant strain on a developing voice. Where appropriate, vocal teachers specialising in CCM should focus on teaching children how to use these techniques safely, ensuring that they are not forced into a vocal range or style that could be compromising. To do this, changing the key of a song might be appropriate to ensure that the vocal range is comfortable for the young singer. Working on microphone technique can give children a vital tool for enabling them to sing with louder backing-tracks and instrument accompaniment without having to add to their vocal load. Or perhaps there are times when it is our responsibility as teachers to keep children safe by saying ‘not yet’ and suggesting other ways that they can connect to the music they love.
With the right techniques, proper warm-ups and cool-downs, and careful attention to voice changes, young performers can enjoy singing all sorts of songs. By focusing on proper technique, hydration, rest and vocal conditioning, children can develop their voices safely and expressively. Ensuring they have a strong foundation in vocal health by encouraging them to consider the songs they sing, how they sing them and when they sing them will allow children to thrive in their performances while protecting their voices for years to come.
