The Aging Voice: Challenges and Exercises

All her life, my great-aunt Eleanor loved to sing, especially in church choirs. However, I remember a story told about her last choral experience, which did not have a happy ending. She had moved to a new community and therefore to a new church and immediately joined the choir, as was her habit. Apparently after about a month or so, it was suggested to her that she not sing with the choir anymore. She was devastated, of course. I don’t think she ever sang again after that. What a loss, both to her and to the church community. Rather than pass judgement about the handling of that situation, I prefer to reflect on how it might have been avoided and turned into a teaching moment. What were the issues at stake? As an aging singer myself, I am quite aware of the forces at work that present challenges to singers “of a certain age.” In this article, I would like to discuss those issues, their causes, and talk about solutions and vocal exercises meant to help those singers maintain or improve their aging voices. Through understanding the most prevalent conditions of the aging voice, conductors will be able to craft rehearsals that will both accommodate the special needs of this age group and promote vocal health and improved ability. The techniques and warm-up exercises provided here are meant to be of assistance.