Voice change occurs in all voices, and it’s important to find ways to encourage and support your singers throughout the process (and keep them singing).

As a middle or high school choir director, you need to know what to look for, how to evaluate your singers, and how to support and encourage them throughout the process.

Considered one of the leading authorities on this topic, Cooksey outlined five stages of vocal change and transformation in the adolescent male voice:

Working with a youth choir can be a fun, inspiring, rewarding, and deeply meaningful experience.

As a director, you balance the responsibilities of building community, integrating service, sharing meaning, inspiring purpose, and fostering musical development.

But how do you approach musical growth and development for adolescent voices? How is it different from working with children's voices or adult voices? What do you do when voices begin to change?

Here are a few helpful tips for working with 6th-8th grade singers: