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From:  "Laura Sharp" <lasharp@n...>
"Laura Sharp" <lasharp@n...>
Date:  Sun Nov 26, 2000  10:42 pm
Subject:  The Aging Voice


Dear List:

I sing in a rather fine church choir with a better-than-average soprano
section. But this year I've seen one after another quietly head over to the
alto section or switch to second from first. Each woman who made a switch
was older - between 65 and 70 and each was saddened by loss of range
accompanied by increase in wobble. Not all were large-voiced or classically
trained, but all have lovely instruments and are excellent musicians.

Some have asked me to help them see if they can work towards feeling
comfortable in the section again and I'd like to try. I know I've seen some
studies on the aging voice somewhere in my web research and I'll dig those
up again, but do any of you know of any published work on this subject? I
know there are physical changes - ossification and the like, but I don't
believe the physical changes cause the wobble - I've known more than my
share of 30-something wobblers! It makes sense to me that a certain amount
of body bracing becomes more habitual as we get older and maybe some of us
get less in tune with our bodies and how to relax that tension to breathe
freely and efficiently.

I'd like to believe, as a future old but still groovy soprano, that much of
the changes reflect a need to acknowledge a changing body and therefore,
instrument. There are drivers ed. classes for the older driver called Alive
at 55. What about Divas at 75?

Thanks!

Laura Sharp
Albany NY



  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
6831 Re: The Aging Voice Mezzoid@a...   Sun  11/26/2000   3 KB
6832 Re: The Aging Voice Mezzoid@a...   Sun  11/26/2000   2 KB
6834 Re: The Aging Voice Sheila Graham   Sun  11/26/2000   5 KB
6843 Re: The Aging Voice RALUCOB@a...   Mon  11/27/2000   2 KB
6847 Re: The Aging Voice Caio Rossi   Mon  11/27/2000   2 KB
6853 Re: The Aging Voice RALUCOB@a...   Mon  11/27/2000   2 KB
7209 Re: The Aging Voice Patricia M Smith   Fri  12/1/2000   4 KB

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