About Session
There is much discourse in relation to the early onset of puberty in adolescents in general society, and a wealth of research into the subject of adolescent voice change. Much research has focussed on the varying stages and changes that a child moves through as they enter puberty. However, the subject of early and late onset puberty, and therefore voice change, with the implications for the music classroom and boys’ wider engagement with music education is less explored. This talk will present the methodology and findings from academic research that I completed at UCL in 2024, giving recommendations and practical application for singing, and music teachers ,within their practice.
My study examined the subject in detail through literature review, questionnaires and observations examining pupil and teacher experiences first-hand and capturing data from over one-hundred students and teachers. I analysed the quantitive and qualitative data and developed recommendations for further research and practice. This study demonstrated that early and late onset voice change can affect a quantity of students, significantly impacting their engagement with music-making and singing during their adolescent years, and is, therefore, a subject that warrants further attention from the music education community.
