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
|