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Choral Pedagogical Tools and Vocal Exercises A Practical Guide to Teaching Handel's Messiah

From a current viewpoint informed by voice science use of “quick fixes.” Singers can navigate the offered
research, singing melismatic music with an aspirate [h] exercises by establishing muscle memory slowly and in-
is inefficient: “The vocal fold vibrations must complete- crementally increasing speed as they learn to regulate
ly stop in order to make it. Therefore, it is not possible their phonation, glottal closure, and breath control.
to sing a completely legato melisma with inserted [h]
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aspirations.” When singers insert an [h] before every
pitch in a melisma, the rate of airflow increases because Conclusion
the folds not only stop vibrating to produce the conso- Choral directors and music educators are charged
nant but remain partially open to enable the sounding with a fundamental responsibility: the fostering of vo-
of the voiceless fricative. This partial opening between cal technique to support healthy, vibrant, and beautiful
the vocal folds releases a higher volume of airflow; this singing within their ensemble. The singing technique
increased airflow can inadvertently impede a singer’s that is established on an individual level accumulates
ability to sing long melismatic phrases. In The Science to choral excellence. By providing supplemental study
of the Singing Voice, Dr. Johan Sundberg describes this guides and tailored technical exercises, a choral director
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inefficient use of air with the term “glottal leakage.” can establish and reinforce healthy and efficient vocal
This is essentially air escaping during phonation. Be- technique. Directors can predict potential technical is-
cause the vocal folds are not fully closed/adducted for sues that will result in inefficient uses of rehearsal time.
vibration, a drop in air pressure below the vocal folds Targeted study guides and vocalises, like the ones of-
(low subglottal pressure) also impacts the singing tone: fered in this article, can clearly provide crucial stylistic
the voice sounds breathy. Not only is the ensuing sound information to singers to offset projected challenges.
breathy but it can lack resonant vibrancy and impact Interpretive and technical skills are teachable and ap-
pitch clarity. plicable in historically informed performances, regard-
At the other end of the spectrum, the “remedy” in- less of a singer’s prior experience. There is no substitute
volving constant glottal onsets is another potentially for sequential learning: the cost of time and effort is
inefficient technique used in melismatic singing. Con- eclipsed by an engaged, informed, and artistic perfor-
tinuous glottal onsets require sudden bursts of air that mance. Barbara Doscher’s reflection on singing artistry
escape due to a build-up of subglottal pressure when tenders this wisdom:
the vocal folds are closed. These bursts of air are a
form of “pressed” phonation. During “pressed” pho- Emotional expressivity is difficult, if not impos-
nation, the subglottal pressure is increased, and in turn, sible, unless what is called the “technique” of
increases glottal resistance as the vocal folds alternate making sound is perfected enough to provide a
between rapidly opening and fully closing. This form foundation. The foundation consists of knowl-
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of pressed phonation prohibits the flexibility needed to edge and control of the basic material of an art
seamlessly modify subglottal pressure during melismas. form, what Herbert Witherspoon, the famous
With less flexibility and agility, melismatic singing has American singer and singing teacher, called the
little potential to be sung healthily and artistically. “medium.”
Successful melismatic singing carefully balances air-
flow, air pressure, and vocal fold closure. During the “The object of art is expression.
learning process, singers should be instructed to avoid
using the general “quick fixes” stated above. Although The essence of expression is imagination.
sequential practice takes time to learn at the onset,
once a skill is learned properly, it saves rehearsal time The control of imagination is form.
when it is transferrable to differing melismatic passages
in a musical work. The vocalises included below are The ‘medium’ for all three is technique.” 33
intended to be used as teaching tools to help offset the

CHORAL JOURNAL October 2023 Volume 64 Number 3 33