Books

Class voice: fundamental skills for lifelong singing (Release Date 2/15/2022)

"Class Voice: Fundamental Skills for Lifelong Singing is a unique undergraduate textbook which can be adapted to needs of any potential voice user, including music education students, voice students who are not majoring in music, and adult learners. By explaining the basics of singing using practical skills and examples, this text is accessible to students with a wide range of talents, interests, and expertise levels. With chapters devoted to skills for singing solo and in groups, instructors can tailor the included materials to encourage students to become thoroughly familiar with their own voices and to identify and appreciate the gifts of others." 

More Details here

Smith, Brenda and Burrichter, Ronald. Class Voice: Fundamental Skills for Lifelong Singing. Plural Publishing, Inc., 2023

Music, Wellness, and Aging: Defining, Directing, and Celebrating Life 

This definitive account of the intersection between music, wellness, and aging explores deeper aspects of human nature and later life.  As one reviewer has written, 'This book is a joy to read. In clear, compelling language, the authors explain the pathways by which music brings coherence, joy, healing, and growth to our lives. Packed with evidence and personal stories, the volume is a fabulous achievement and a significant addition to the field.' - Andrea Creech, Professor of Music Pedagogy, McGill University, Canada.
Madey, S.F. & VonDras, D.D. Music, Wellness, and Aging: Defining, Directing, and Celebrating Life.  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021.

Making Time For Music

Making Time for Making Music can help adults find ways to make music part of their lives. The first book of its kind, it is filled with real-life success stories from more than 350 adults who manage to fit music-making into their jam-packed schedules.
Nathan, A. (2018). Making Time for Making Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press

So You Want to Sing for a Lifetime: A Guide for Performers

The book contains chapters on the basics of singing (relaxation, posture, breathing and resonance), practical examples of exercises and lists of repertoire suited to each age group, and suggestions for negotiating individual musical obstacles related to aging.  Featuring guest-authored chapters in voice science, vocal health, and how age affects the physiology of the human voice, the book serves as a useful guide to amateur and professional singers, music educators, choral conductors, church musicians, and private voice teachers.
Smith, B. (2018). So You Want to Sing for a Lifetime: A Guide for Performers. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Choral Pedagogy and the Older Singer

Choral Pedagogy, Third Edition, is intended for voice teachers, choral conductors, church musicians, and professional and amateur singers who wish to develop strategies for lifelong singing. It concisely and clearly presents the principles of voice pedagogy from the perspective of both conducting and voice science in a user-friendly fashion, including helpful charts and simple anatomic diagrams. In addition, it offers teaching methods from history and philosophy, medical and voice science, and pedagogical concepts from active musical experts. Special attention is given to the needs of amateur singers and conductors. Topics covered include choral diction, posture and seating, rehearsal practices, and matters of vocal health.
Smith, B. & Sataloff, R.T. (2013). Choral Pedagogy and the Older Singer, 3rd Ed., San Diego: Plural Publishing.

Andragogy and music: Canadian and American models of music learning among adults

This research is based on inferences derived from ethnographic research conducted with adult students and teachers from the Cosmopolitan Music Society in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and from the New Horizons Band in East Lansing, Michigan. Specifically, this research focuses on (1) telling the stories of Canadian and American adult musicians who have been motivated to perform in an instrumental ensemble, (2) suggesting that what we know and learn about adult learning may be used in fostering pre-adult learning functions among school music students, and (3) providing the impetus for lifelong learning by discussing teaching approaches for bridging the gap between schools and communities. Results indicated that group dynamics were key factors in sustaining music participation. The degree to which individuals were satisfied with musical experiences depended on musical difficulty, instructors’ teaching styles, belonging to a larger community, and a strong awareness of reciprocity. Participants in this study also reported that they continue to search for creative, self-directed ways to overcome issues of time management, as fellow musicians depend on their readiness to perform. Based on these results, I identified several ways in which school teachers can apply lessons drawn from adult learning, including recognizing the need for structured music lessons; acknowledging and embracing the social characteristics of being in a music ensemble; deepening musical awareness through critical thinking activities; decreasing reliance on notation for beginners; encouraging chamber ensemble experiences; investigating ways in which to include non-traditional school music students in music; and encouraging the advancement of community music and the notion of lifelong learning through music participation.
Kruse, N. B. (2008). Andragogy and music: Canadian and American models of music learning among adults. Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG.