The Value of Vocal Modeling in Repertoire Rehearsal for Choral Singers

Nacogdoches, Texas-based musical professional Dr. Tod Fish serves at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) as the associate director of choral activities, and is also the student teaching supervisor for all choral music education majors. Dr. Tod Fish has expertise in teaching opera chorus, Italian diction, and choral repertoire.

Practicing the choral repertoire using the vocal modeling methodology is somewhat controversial among choral teaching professionals, since some believe it teaches students to produce a manufactured tone based on what they hear. However, the sung and unsung models of vocal modeling can provide singers with specific benefits.

The sung model of vocal modeling, which involves the teacher modeling vocal sounds to students, is highly efficient at helping students to achieve the ideal tone quality, dynamic level, rhythmic precision and articulation, and musical line during rehearsal. Because this methodology involves more singing and less talking, learning is expedited.

The unsung model of vocal modeling relies on the use of unsung cues from the teacher to help students achieve correct sounds. Examples of such cues include using physical gestures to indicate rounded and tall vowel sounds. This methodology provides the advantages of not requiring stopping and redirecting while students are learning musical sounds, and also reinforces previous learning instructions.