Children's choir
A children's choir is
- a community of singing boys and girls, in which each vocal range is cast several times ( equal-part choir ); compared to the female choir singing in the same vocal range , a children's choir has a lower sound volume
- the abbreviation for the work to be performed by children's voices
Children's choir and school music
The secular children's choir has its roots around the 19th century. It developed out of efforts to promote music in schools. Due to the changed mental attitude in this epoch, the call for a musical education of the people was loud. Teachers should be specially trained to sing with children, arts schools should be founded, and children's singing should be encouraged in general.
The children's school day started with a children's song (often improvised with several voices). Then the school choirs came along. This development continued after the Second World War . Children's choirs emerged in schools and churches; Almost every ARD station had its own children's choir. In the children's programs, only children sang for children. Children's choir literature increasingly came onto the market ( Carl Orff , Cesar Bresgen , Paul Hindemith , Günther Kretzschmar and many others).
Most opera houses now also have their own children's choir, which is included in the performances. Children's choirs are used in Hansel and Gretel , Carmen , Tosca and Boris Godunow , for example .
In the 1970s, the idea of early musical education came up in Germany. Countless youth music schools sprang up everywhere (many as private initiatives of parents and music teachers). In the 1980s, the subject of "music" was more limited to what was teachable and learnable. Long-term studies in arts schools, such as the Bastian study, show the effects that singing in childhood can have on child development.
However, it is thanks to the unbroken joy of singing (especially among younger children) that people still sing “themselves” today. Music educators advise families to start again by trying to sing together. Singing weekends for children and adults are offered. Many committed teachers and choir directors (often amateur musicians) sing with their children and set up children's choirs. Many songwriters still make songs for singing children and children's choirs today . The idea of early musical education lives on in a modified form in music and baby music gardens .
In 2002 there were still 18,790 children's and youth choirs in Germany (that is 30.9% of all choir divisions).
See also
Web links
literature
- Tjark Baumann: singing of course! - The practice-oriented singing school. Fidula , Boppard 2008, ISBN 978-3-87226-940-9 .
- Karl-Peter Chilla : Handbook of children's choir management. Schott, Mainz 2003, ISBN 3-7957-8727-0 .
- René Frank : Singing in several voices. Introduction of polyphony in children's and youth choirs. Practice book. Tectum, Marburg 2005, ISBN 3-8288-8884-4 .
- Robert Göstl: Singing with children. Models for a personality-building children's choir work. Conbrio, Regensburg 1996, ISBN 3930079623 .
- Gerd-Peter Münden: Children's choir direction. Strube, Munich 1993, ISBN 3921946263
- Christiane Wieblitz: Lively children's choir. Creative - playful - dance. Fidula , Boppard 2007, ISBN 978-3-87226-941-6 .