Bandmasters Review - December 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • December 2019 8 The Importance of Singing in ALL Music Classes It is the goal of a professional musician to make playing an instrument or singing look effortless. This can only be achieved with years of intensive study and a well- developed ear. Teaching band and orchestra students how to sing will likely positively affect their aural skills, emotional health, confidence, and marketability. What are aural skills? Ear training is one of the most important aspects of music education since all musicians require the ability to hear and evaluate their performance. Individuals who select a music-related major in college will be required to take multiple semesters of an aural skills class (sometimes titled “sight-singing”) in order to perfect their “inner-ear.” David Loberg Code from the Western Michigan University School of Music describes aural skills studies as “a means of developing crucial musicianship skills.” He elaborates that the four main goals of this course are to enable students to understand what they hear, to hear what they see, to make corrections, and to better internalize music. It is necessary for music educators to first be able to look at a score and predict how it is supposed to sound in order to “detect and correct discrepancies” in rehearsals (Code), just as a professional performer must be constantly checking and re-checking their tuning and accuracy. Professor Code shares that singing is beneficial because of its ability to strengthen one’s “inner performance” with “something concrete and physical.” Creston Herron, Director of the award-winning Klein High School Orchestra (Klein, TX), believes that “kids will play as well as you expect them to” and that regular singing exercises help “to internalize pitch and improve aural skills.” These two musical concepts, he described as “equally important as the kinesthetic part of playing an instrument.” Herron explained that when students “understand what their function is” (within the harmonic structure), they are more likely to listen to the whole chord across the ensemble, rather than focusing only on their individual playing. Debbie Martin, the music instructor at Canyon Creek Elementary School (Austin, TX), also agrees that “instrumentalists who can sing on pitch are much more likely to play their instrument in tune” and requires all of her K-5 students to learn to use their voice. She also points out the benefits of learning proper posture, breath support, and how to balance with others through regular ensemble singing; three additional skills employed by all musicians. Additional Benefits of Singing Besides developing a stronger “inner ear,” singing in class also supports students’ emotional development and leads to more confident musicians. Stacy Horn of Time magazine cites a 2005 study that yielded the conclusion that, regardless of tone quality, ensemble singing “can produce satisfying and therapeutic sensations” that may alleviate the effects of anxiety or stress. Horn cites several instances where researchers have examined the release of various anti-stress hormones, like oxytocin and endorphins, that occurred during a vocal performance. Oxytocin is a hormone that controls elements of the reproductive system and multiple human behaviors including recognition, trust-building, and management of anxiety (Society of Endocrinology). Endorphins are neurotransmitters, or “brain chemicals,” which “function to transmit electrical signals within the nervous system” (Stoppler). Once released, these chemicals act to alleviate feelings of pain or stress and can also boost the immune system (Stoppler). In a 2017 study completed by Nicola Swain (Dunedin School of Medicine, New Zealand) and Sally Bodkin-Allen (Southern Institute of Technology, Invercargill), it was determined that a positive correlation exists between regular participation in vocal performance and increased self-confidence. For the purposes of the experiment, forty music educators who “self-identified as uncertain singers” were asked to regularly participate in either Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Marina McLerran