Student Voice Use and Vocal Health During an All-State Chorus Event
This field-based case study documented students’ ( N = 256) voice use and voice health perceptions during a 3-day all-state high school chorus event through daily surveys, phonation duration data, analysis of rehearsal voice use behaviors, and field notes. Among the primary results are the following: (a) First and final day survey comparisons indicated significant declining changes in 5 of 7 voice health indicator statements and in self-perceptions of singing voice quality, yet (b) most students (78.8%) believed they had taken good care of their voices; (c) self-reported sleep hours decreased significantly; (d) vocal fold contact time measured with two students ranged from 15% to 38% during rehearsal periods, 1% to 27% during on-site non-rehearsal times, and 3% to 17% during measured pre- and post-event activities, but (e) overall percentages of vocal fold contact varied little between regular rehearsal and on-site non-rehearsal events (female: 19.37% rehearsal, 20.11% non-rehearsal; male: 22.89% rehearsal, 20.54% non-rehearsal); (f) rehearsal voice rest time (63%) exceeded voice use time (37%); (g) students sat in close proximity to other choristers for approximately 73% of rehearsal time; and (h) the two compositions ranked highest relative to demands on adolescent voices consumed 61% of rehearsal time.