[almostdiva]

OK, so maybe this won't chap any of you the way it does me, as a classical singer, but see the following story:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=4711549

Mikhael Rawls is being barred by Texas education officials (the Music Educators Assn specifically) from competing in a All-state choir competition. The reason? He's a counter tenor!

For those of you not in "the know" about classical voice types, a counter tenor is a man whose natural range falls into what is traditionally the territory of altos or sopranos. It is a legitimate voice, these guys are NOT singing in falsetto. There are not many of them out there and their voices have a very unusual quality and timbre to them. They are actually quite remarkable.

These IDIOT music education officials (who if they are REALLY musicians, should KNOW BETTER) are barring him from the competition because he would have to sing either an alto or soprano part, which they say he can't do because he's a male not a female, and they say this all-state choir should be "representative of school choirs throughout the state". WHAT a crock of horse dung!



...ESPECIALLY, since, in his PUBLIC SCHOOL in his home town, Mikhael does in fact sing with... THE GIRL'S CHOIR.

Apparently, the TMEA has their collective head in the sand (or somewhere else....), in their ability to not recognize this kid's unique talent.

He went to the trouble to send a 25-page packet to each member of the comittee discusing counter tenor voices, the resurgence of baroque operas (those of Handel and other composers, where counter tenor voices are the staring roles), and the careers of singers like David Daniels and Brian Osawa, who are some of the busiest, highest paid opera singers around. Daniels is an alto counter tenor, Osawa a soprano.

The thing that I find MOST appaling is that as music education "professionals" these people SHOULD know better!

[Ninong]

Rebecca,

I think their problem is that they don't have a category for him to compete in with other boys. If they had a counter tenor category, he would be the only contestant. How do you think they should have handled that situation? I don't think that it would be appropriate for him to compete with girls and I'm not sure he would want to do that even though he's singing in a girls' choir right now. Maybe they could have allowed him to compete with the tenors in spite of the fact that he would be singing in a slightly higher range?

I wonder if Jose Carreras had the same problem when he was 17? He was definitely still singing soprano at 17 because I remember his teenage voice very well. In fact, I distinctly remember hearing him when he was in his early teens. I think Carreras could have been a counter tenor in his late teens and early 20's if he wanted, but he switched to tenor because that's where the roles are. His voice in his 20's was much more lyrical than his more mature voice. Even though he is considered a great tenor, his voice doesn't have the same depth that Pavorotti's did when he was in his prime.

Who are your female favorites? Mine are Kiri Tekanawa and Maria Callas.

[almostdiva]

He should be able to sing the repertoire suited to his voice. He would be singing in a large choir if he was selected -- he would just be singing in either the alto or the soprano section. When I was competing in state choir competitions, there was one audition piece. You sang the vocal line that was your voice part. Then there was a solo piece -- one piece assigned for each voice part -- so that judges heard the same piece from every singer. Why shouldn't he sing with the girls?? It's not like it's track or swimming or a "sport" where he has a physical advantage. I sing with an alto counter tenor on a regular basis, and trust me, my dramatic mezzo is MUCH bigger than his voice and we sing some of the same literature.

As a dramatic mezzo, I'm more partial to lower voices than to some of the sopranos -- I listen to Dolora Zajick, Olga Boradina, Violetta Urmana . I DO like Renee Flemming -- saw her in recital in Phila a year ago. I love Callas! Also Leontyne Price.

[Ninong]

OK, I thought maybe it was some sort of competition event to choose the "winner" in each category.

[almostdiva]

Originally Posted by Ninong

OK, I thought maybe it was some sort of competition event to choose the "winner" in each category.

Nope. The competition is to get into the state choir -- individual singers audition to be members of their particular vocal section (soprano, alto, tenor, bass). If Texas runs their state competitions like PA did, you compete to get into the choir, then the choir give a concert (or series of concerts).

Texas for some reason has a problem with this kid singing in the soprano or alto section. Which is DUMB, IMO.

[schrocat]

Why?

Because this thread ultimately informed me that my employer has determined NPR to be non work safe.

I'm wondering if it's fallout from Buster the lesbian visiting rabbit.

Sheeesh...worked yesterday.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by almostdiva

Texas for some reason has a problem with this kid singing in the soprano or alto section. Which is DUMB, IMO.

Maybe they figure he should have chosen something more macho, like being a high-school cheerleader for the boys' football team. That sort of early "leadership" training helped one famous Texan become governor of the state before he became President of the United States. His daddy actually played on the high-school football team but he chose the leadership training route and became a football team cheerleader in high school. Of course, he didn't actually go to high school in Texas, but who would if they could avoid it? Andover was much more preppy.