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this ongoing debate, the purpose of this article became of Singing) titled “The Individual Voice in the Choral
threefold: 1) summarizing the historical narrative found Ensemble.” Wise and Opheim would each take a turn
within the pages of Choral Journal and Journal of Singing respectively “for” and “against” the use of vibrato in
pertaining to vibrato from the perspectives of both the choral settings. Opheim largely denied the implemen-
choral conductor and vocal teacher; 2) investigating tation of “straight tone” and explained how listeners
current conversations proposed by those authors re- mistook a good unison for this erroneous notion. By
garding vocal pedagogy, vocal health, and choral per- “hiding” voices through strategic placement of person-
formance in relation to vibrato and nonvibrato singing; nel, conductors managed varying types of vibratos.
and 3) surmising a pathway forward for this third pos- (Conductors such as Weston Noble have used place-
sibility of synchronized vibrato. While this article will ment strategies to address the balance between choral
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offer no real tie-breaking judgments, some often-used blend and the individual employment of vibrato. )
tactics for entrenchment and areas of common ground Wise lauded the healthy nature of vibrato and sug-
revealed themselves. gested that well-trained singers could blend through
a variety of means without suppressing their vibrato.
Regier ended with summary remarks, positing that
Sourcing the Relevant Literature singers might coordinate their vibratos, a feat that still
The literature reviewed came primarily from two lacks empirical understanding today.
locations: an index of articles previously complied for From this time through the 1990s, Choral Journal
a content analysis of Choral Journal, and a search of published several articles that reintroduced the con-
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the Journal of Singing database using keywords: vibrato, flict between vibrato and “straight tone.” Not want-
choir, choral, chorus, straight. These locations yielded ing to fall on the side of advocating “straight tone,”
thirty-seven articles, sixteen from Journal of Singing, and some authors called upon singers to develop a range
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twenty-one from Choral Journal. Figure 1 shows a chron- of vibrato flexibility, and others presented evidence
ologically organized table of all articles. One article ap- suggesting most conductors did not factor vibrato into
peared in both journals, though here it is attributed to considerations of blend. Authors who fell squarely on
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Choral Journal. In nearly every decade since inception, the “pro-vibrato” side explained the blendable and vir-
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both journals published at least one article reflecting tuous properties of vibrato through mathematics, by
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the ongoing tug-of-war between proponents and oppo- decrying the laborious process for modifying a singer’s
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nents of vibrato in the choral setting. vibrato, by employing medical opinions, by discuss-
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ing potential pathologies resulting from “straight tone”
efforts, and by categorizing the development of vi-
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The Debate on Vibrato brato as part of the natural process of pubescence.
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within a Choral Setting Journal of Singing authors similarly wrestled with
The fourth issue of Journal of Singing (in 1945 it was advocating for vibrant singing, though largely fell on
called The Bulletin) contained the journal’s first peda- the “pro-vibrato” side. Some denounced the use of
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gogically aimed article, “Concerning Straight Tone.” “straight-tone.” Others denied its existence, explain-
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Members of the Chicago Singing Teachers Guild la- ing it as an issue of amplitude reduction. In 1983, the
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mented the use and potentials dangers of “straight column Point Counterpoint included point 11: “Choral
tone” by conductors and argued that natural vibrato singing is usually bad for the serious young solo singer
did not inhibit blend. Choral Journal published their first of pre-college or early college age, because it tends to
related article in 1962 in its second volume of issues. cause or augment vocal problems.” Two issues in-
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Bernard Regier moderated a symposium at the Chica- cluded this point with responses from twelve individu-
go National Conference between Vernon H. Opheim, als. The topic of vibrato, as to be expected, came up.
a high school choral director, and Fred B. Wise, recent These vocal pedagogues stressed that conductors need
president of NATS (National Association of Teachers not repress the voices of trained singers but rather im-

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