Younger boys can switch easily into falsetto or head voice, as their voices have not yet begun to change. Falsetto is a light, high, head voice that is not pushed, yelled, or forced in any way. In terms of the voice, both boys and girls should remain singing in their head voice or falsetto. It is important to keep in mind that a rich musical environment at home and at school will greatly benefit a child’s musical and cognitive abilities at any age.
This doesn’t mean that children can’t learn music after the age of 9, of course, but that the language of musical enculturation is well under way by that age. Just as children’s aptitude to learn a foreign language stabilizes after the age of 9, Music researcher Edwin Gordon (2007) found that children’s musical aptitude is also developmental, fluctuating until age 9, and stabilizing afterwards. This chapter will offer music suggestions to inspire older children, including cultural games, songs, and dances. The lower to middle elementary-aged child is ready for more complex listening, singing, and music making. They’re familiar with the musical genres, timbres, modes, and instruments, rhythmic and melodic patterns, and have learned the culturally acceptable cadences, harmonies, texture, and so forth.
The songs and sounds they’ve absorbed are part of western musical style, and are now part of the musical lingua franca or the music that is “normal” for them. Older children, ages 6 and up, have listened to a great deal of musical material in their short lives. It covers their vocal ranges, preparation for multi-part singing including echo songs, ostinato patterns, drone and multi-part performing including polyphony (multiple melodies) such as rounds, partner songs, harmony and descants, as well as other age-appropriate repertoire such as cumulative songs, play-party songs, and African-American songs. Chapter Summary: This chapter explores the uses of music with older elementary-aged children.
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