Female Tenor
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    I had a young woman (14) approach me to join my church choir. She has a very low voice. In fact, when she began speaking, I thought she was about 20 and a smoker! I asked if she had a cold, or if her voice was naturally pitched low, and she said that yes, she normally has a low voice. I have one female tenor (older, in her fifties) who is very good and three male tenors. So, do you think it would be better to put her in the alto section, because she is female and that will help her higher tonal quality, or put her with the tenors to broaden her lower range? I don't need more altos, could use a tenor, but in the end, I would like to do what is best for her. Thanks for your input.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,424
    Put her where her natural voice belongs. If we can cultivate and prize male altos (at least in the Anglican tradition) then we can certainly treasure female tenors. (The female tenor does have a distinctive though definitely tenor timbre... but so does the male alto. Still, both belong with others who sing in their respective registers.)
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,198
    Your female tenor is probably an example of a (low) true contralto (whose meaning is the opposite of countertenor or contratenor or male alto). Such low female voices should be treasured and nurtured. I have known some excellent professional female choral musicians have/had extremely low voices. One was Margaret Hillis, who was the director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorus (I studied conducting with her 30 years ago). A very few such "female tenors" or contraltos actually have voices that descend into the baritone range.
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    Considering she is 14, there is a likelihood of hormonal imbalance or other physical problem that needs to be addressed. I would ask her to get an evaluation with a voice teacher and she if the teacher recommended further evaluation with a doctor.
    If she truly is a low contralto at such an age, that will become evident, and she can happily join the tenors.
    If she has any condition that needs attention, it should be addressed before singing in choir and possibly damaging her voice.
    I would be cautious out of respect to her. God gave her one irreplaceable instrument, and we choir directors are partly stewards of all voices that sing under our direction.
    Thanked by 2canadash CHGiffen
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,424
    Sage advice!
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