Using Vocal Repertoire Composed and Performed by Chicago-Based Women to Meet Pedagogical and Stylistic Learning Objectives
Location
SU-217
Start Date
2-5-2025 9:20 AM
Department
Music and Dance
Abstract
For nearly a century, Chicago has been fertile ground for both developing and established musicians. The city’s residents have made significant, ongoing contributions to nearly all 20th- and 21st-century genres. By exploring a collection of vocal repertoire composed by Chicago-based women across a range of eras and idioms, this project will present pedagogical and stylistic elements that can be utilized in a music-teaching environment. In this instance, “vocal repertoire” can include, but is not limited to, the following: classical, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and other songs and styles developed by women composers and artists with significant ties to Chicago. “Significant ties” can include, but is not limited to, the following: being born and raised in Chicago, being an area resident for a period of time, or visiting the area on a consistent basis so as to be influenced by Chicago music and culture. “Artists” may include, but is not limited to, the following composers and/or performers: Betty Jackson King, Florence Price, Lil Hardin Armstrong, and Micki Grant. This project will be accompanied by a slide show and pre-recorded and/or live musical examples. For context, song selections will be introduced via a brief artist bio and historical highlights of Chicago at that time. Then, two main areas for learning opportunities will be presented for each song. First, pedagogical considerations such as larynx and throat position, use of articulators, and general singing mechanics will be explored. Second, stylistic aspects such as use of vibrato, slides, squalls, shouts, vowel modification, and so forth, will be discussed. The goal of this presentation is to provide information that can be tailored to meet the needs of music students of all ages and abilities in the classroom, the private studio, in outreach and community programs, and wherever else vocal repertoire may be sung.
Faculty Sponsor
Katherine Petersen
Using Vocal Repertoire Composed and Performed by Chicago-Based Women to Meet Pedagogical and Stylistic Learning Objectives
SU-217
For nearly a century, Chicago has been fertile ground for both developing and established musicians. The city’s residents have made significant, ongoing contributions to nearly all 20th- and 21st-century genres. By exploring a collection of vocal repertoire composed by Chicago-based women across a range of eras and idioms, this project will present pedagogical and stylistic elements that can be utilized in a music-teaching environment. In this instance, “vocal repertoire” can include, but is not limited to, the following: classical, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and other songs and styles developed by women composers and artists with significant ties to Chicago. “Significant ties” can include, but is not limited to, the following: being born and raised in Chicago, being an area resident for a period of time, or visiting the area on a consistent basis so as to be influenced by Chicago music and culture. “Artists” may include, but is not limited to, the following composers and/or performers: Betty Jackson King, Florence Price, Lil Hardin Armstrong, and Micki Grant. This project will be accompanied by a slide show and pre-recorded and/or live musical examples. For context, song selections will be introduced via a brief artist bio and historical highlights of Chicago at that time. Then, two main areas for learning opportunities will be presented for each song. First, pedagogical considerations such as larynx and throat position, use of articulators, and general singing mechanics will be explored. Second, stylistic aspects such as use of vibrato, slides, squalls, shouts, vowel modification, and so forth, will be discussed. The goal of this presentation is to provide information that can be tailored to meet the needs of music students of all ages and abilities in the classroom, the private studio, in outreach and community programs, and wherever else vocal repertoire may be sung.