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CHAPTER 1
THE EXPERIENCES OF BOYS WHO SING
My student teaching experience at Harbor High School provided me with the
opportunity to work with talented students, dedicated teachers, and allowed me
freedom to pursue my own ideas about how to teach choir. I was fortunate to work
with 34 wonderful boys and 30 fabulous girls in Meistersingers, the top choir at the
high school. But the beginning choir only had four boys and 27 girls. When I taught
choir in northern California I had a similar struggle in recruiting boys. I had one boy
to 24 girls in my beginning choir, and only three boys to nine girls in my select choir.
My experience is hardly unique. Across the country it is a truism that boys dont
sing in choir (Koza, 1993). Perhaps I can shed some light on this issue by sharing my
experiences as a boy singer.
My Journey: An Example of What Happens to Boys Who Choose to Sing

Elementary school
When I was eight years old I joined choir. I loved learning more about how to

use my voice. I was a very high boy soprano, placed in the "highs" section (versus
the "lows") in the 50 voice choir at Fairmount Elementary School in Mukilteo, WA. I
attribute my love for singing to those early years in choir, but I also must share other,
darker emotions and experiences as well.
My lot cast in elementary school was not a good one. I was not a popular kid
and I did not spend time talking about baseball or football. I did not have all the

2
statistics memorized and had not seen the game the previous night on television. I
was a singer and I was lonely. There seemed to be an unscalable wall between me
and the other boys at school.
The girls were friendly when I asked to play four square or jump rope. The
other choir members enjoyed singing the latest tunes from the radio. And the boys
wanted nothing to do with me because they considered me "gay. I will discuss this
issue in chapter two and what is meant by the term used so often in schools now. I
did, however play in little league; I played catch with my father; I learned how to
play tennis beginning at age four; I began skiing around the same time. Still, I was
shunned from the boys playground activities because I was also interested in music,
which was perceived as a "sissy" activity. The label had appeared as soon as my
interest in music emerged. If I sang like a girl, I was a girl.
I must emphasize that this is the experience of many boys in elementary
school not only here in America, but in Australia and the United Kingdom, according
to Clare Hall (2007), Martin Ashley (2006), and Scott Harrison (2003). Many [of
Harrison's] subjects indicated parental in`luence as a factor in early music making,
before contact with teachers through school (Hall, 2007, p. 273). Such was the case
with me.
Throughout elementary school, my reputation as the boy who sang hung
around me, following me home with the neighborhood boys and even following me
to a new school for the `irst semester of 5th grade. I had been given so much grief

3
about being different I had decided to leave the school I had attended with the same
20 children for two years to see if I could start fresh. It was too much to hope for.
I began singing at Colson Elementary as well, in a much more accepting
atmosphere for boys, in the 100+ voice choir. Unfortunately, the neighborhood
children who had already been contaminated by my sissy gay reputation at Mount
Far were in my class. I kept asking myself, What is wrong with me? Then came my
`irst big break. My teacher, Mrs. OReilly, was much more attentive to what was
going on in the classroom and my demeanor after recess. I had `inally found an
advocate in someone with power. Things did not improve at school, but Mrs. OReilly
was a comforting reminder that perhaps something was not wrong with me.
I decided to leave Colson Elementary and return to Mount Far Elementary
after Christmas Break. A spot had become available and I wanted to be back in a
place that was familiar and challenging. I really enjoyed the choir atmosphere better
there too. But before I left Colson Elementary, my teacher showed that she
understood my predicament by giving me a small wooden plaque that she had
hanging beside her desk. On it was the conclusion to Henry David Thoreaus
Walden, If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he
hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however
measured or far away. It was a very comforting gesture, something I always come
back to whenever I feel like I am being marginalized for my beliefs or activities.

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Upon arriving back at Mount Far Elementary I immediately found kinship
with another new boy, Brad, who had not really been able to `it in. We became fast
friends, spending nearly all of our time together at school and often traveled to one
anothers homes. My prayers had been answered for friendship without judgment.
In the last few months of school, though, Brad became the brunt of much
teasing because of our friendship. Over a few days Brad began calling me names and
said some very hurtful things, joining the rank of bully that the other boys had
lorded over me for so many years. Anyone who breaks the team to support an
accused 'poofter' can also be considered suspect (Harrison, 2003, p. 53). Brad
decided to rejoin the team. I was completely devastated. This time I had Thoreau
to fall back on, but it did not seem to help. My continual prayer growing up, from age
seven to age eighteen was to have true friendship with other men, devoid of
judgment for my singing. Brad was not strong enough to answer that prayer for me.

Junior high school and middle school

In Junior High I decided not to sing in choir. I wanted to leave my reputation

as a sissy boy soprano behind me. Of course, that would not be dif`icult with my
voice beginning to change.

I focused on the attributes of masculinity that I wanted to have: I began

weight training, played basketball and tennis and completely abandoned singing.
Then I saw an advertisement to audition for the musical. I knew I could sing, though

5
my range had been severely lowered and shrunk in size, and I had always wanted to
act. But, I did not want the stigma that came with drama either.

It was my mother who `inally convinced me to audition. I succeeded in

`inding a group of people where I felt accepted, but the expectations were then
placed upon me to act in ways that did not seem genuine to me. Again, I felt alone,
but I at least had some acquaintances at school. I felt adrift with talent I wanted to
explore with no safe way in which to do it. There was no one to guide me through
the perils of being a thirteen-year-old male singer in a place that was hostile toward
me.

I continued to pursue drama throughout middle school (the district changed

from junior high to middle schools after my 7th grade year) and was able to perform
the part of the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. I began to feel that I was being accepted
for my musical talent, but now music and drama were the only things I allowed to
de`ine me.

High school
In high school, music was still a large part of my life as I continued piano

lessons, sang in two choirs, and pursued musical theatre. But, I was also interested
in tennis and writing. I found myself in advanced placement courses and strongly
entrenched in a vigorous French program. I was developing the talents I had, but
was still `inding my character and personality to be de`ined by the box that others

6
had built around me. I was the guy who liked to sing, like one of Harrisons subjects
who had this to say:
Richard: All through most of my High School life I had to persevere with a lot
of nasty comments and rumours from most of the mainstream students and
for a while I was alienated purely because I enjoyed singing. The really sad
stuff happened in my earlier years though, Years 9 & 10. I couldn't sit
through a lunch-hour or recess without people screaming things at me and
throwing pieces of food at me. For a while it was really terrible (2007, p.
277).

I knew I was good. I was the `irst in my schools history to participate in the

All-State and All-Northwest choirs and I received almost every solo. I was proud of
my achievement, but by then thought I was only accepted because I could perform,
not because of who I was as a real person. My pride, sel`ishness, and self-hatred had
reached such heights that I contemplated suicide. While it is dif`icult to determine
the exact causes of suicide, there is an argument that the expectation of living up to
the demands of hegemonic [natural, expected] masculinity is one of the
reasons (Harrison, 2003, p. 58). I did not see any other way to get out of the box I
had meticulously maintained around me. I will be discussing in much more detail
hegemonic masculinity in chapter two, including its de`inition and the effect this
form of masculinity has on boys who sing.

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Moving On
What does all this have to do with boys singing? My experiences are not the
same as every boy, but it is all too common for boys to have to brave the ridicule that
comes with following their passion for singing. I want to change the mindset
America has that singing is somehow less a masculine pursuit than football and
other sports. I needed to tell my story in order to show the harsh realities that boys
face who sing in America. Boys should not be embarrassed of being part of such a
life-enriching activity.
A few of the particular issues that face boys who sing in choir will be
analyzed in chapter two. I will be presenting some of the research done on the
subject of boys in choir and also discuss some of the possible reasons for why boys
dont sing in choir. Chapter three focuses on what I can do as a choir teacher to
apply what I have learned from this research, and ways in which I can encourage
more boys to sing.

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CHAPTER 2
ANALYZING MASCULINITY AND ITS EFFECT ON SOCIETY
Does My Experience Matter? Is it Common?
The American Music Supervisors Journal documented the boy problem, as a
lack of participation by boys in choir, beginning in the late 19th century (Koza, 1993).
It is not, therefore, solely a 20th or 21st century problem. But why has it been a
problem for so long? Does Americas dominant de`inition of masculinity affect boys
who sing in choir? What areas of support ensure that boys do not give up? Family
support? Cultural support? What about peer relationships? I will discuss these
questions in greater detail in this chapter and further in chapter three.
Forms of Masculinity

R. W. Connell, in his 1995 book Masculinities, attempted to de`ine multiple

masculinities and their relation to one another. He broke masculinity into four
types: hegemony, subordination, complicity, and marginalization. I will use Connells
understanding to de`ine these four masculinities in order to provide some context
for understanding hegemonic masculinity and the inherent de`iciencies within that
type of masculinity.

Hegemony

Hegemony is a form of domination that seems natural to a society, providing

men, in this example, an obvious superiority over women and other men. The
hegemonic male is aggressive and controlling. He exercises strong in`luence over

9
society and shuns anything feminine or weak. This role may not be consciously
enacted by a majority of men in America, but the de`inition has been
institutionalized to be synonymous with male.

This rigid de`inition of masculinity, and the ways in which society expects

boys to behave in very speci`ic ways, such as telling boys to act like men, not to cry,
and to take charge of their lives apart from their families, has hindered boys abilities
to express emotion. They do not learn how to deal with emotion in constructive
ways, and try to ignore it and hope it goes away. Therefore, the lessons of
hegemonic masculinity distance boys from physical weakness, expressive skills,
creativity, and cooperation (Harrison, 2003, p. 37).
Subordination

Subordinate masculinity directly opposes hegemonic masculinity. Any hint of

femininity places a man in the subordinate category. By de`inition they are seen as
less masculine than real men and stigmatized. This form of masculinity is the
repository of whatever is symbolically expelled from hegemonic
masculinity (Connell, 1995, p. 78).

Complicity

As the name suggests, this type of masculinity is complicit with the

hegemonic view. Though this type of man may not agree with the hegemonic view
of masculinity, they recognize that it is the normative standard for masculinity.
Despite the fact that these men fail to live up to the normative standards of

10
hegemonic masculinity, they are nonetheless bene`iciaries of the patriarchal and
oppressive constructs of it. My friend Brad from chapter one falls under this type of
masculinity

Marginalization

Marginalized masculinity refers to the relations between the masculinities in

dominant and subordinated classes or ethnic groups (Connell, 1995, p. 81). This
masculinity only has in`luence over speci`ic spheres of society. This type of
masculinity is hegemonic, but on a smaller scale, subordinate to hegemonic
masculinity, which in turn refers to men of the dominant race or class, the white race
and rich class, in America. According to Connell, despite the adherence to
hegemonic masculinity in minority groups in America, they are quali`ied as
marginalized because they will always be subordinate to the majority.
Is masculinity the key?

I realize that I must focus on some common issues that face boys who sing in

choir in order to determine why many choose not to sing. The aperture through
which I `ind myself gazing is masculinity. Three lenses I will be focusing on are
community involvement, the value society places on choral education, and the
prevalence of hegemonic masculinity found in Pollacks (1998) concept of the Boy
Code. The three lenses all come back to issues of masculinity. Masculinity is
interwoven with the issues that surround the many reasons boys (dont) sing.

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Issues of Masculinity

It was a BBC article that caught my eye entitled, Why boys do not join the

choir. The simplistic treatment this article gave to the subject is part of the root
issue: masculinity surrounding choral singing. When young people listen to boys
singing, they hear the changed voices of boy bands and thats what they think boys
are (BBC, 2008) witnessed Dr. Martin Ashley (2006) of the University of the West of
England. Ashley conducted a study on what happens when cathedral choristers (boy
sopranos) go in and sing to the children: [the audiences] say its weird and
unnatural (BBC, 2008). Boys do not want to sound like girls. I believe this is a
central issue. But, what happened in society that denigrates a boys natural singing
voice?

Dr. Ashley mentioned the affect of boy bands on society. These include N

Sync, Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block, and many others throughout the
1980s, 1990s, and through the turn of the century. Most of the male singers in
popular music are tenors (the high male voice), they are not sopranos and they
sound quintessentially male.
Boys may choose not to sing because they want to sing like a mature male,
and so choose not to sing until their voices have changed, which can be detrimental
to developing the talent apparent in so many young boys. By not using their voice
before and during the change boys are less likely to be able to sing and match pitch
after the change. G. F. Welch as quoted by Hall (1997, 2005, p. 3) says the lack of

12
any signi`icant differences in pitch-matching ability between boys and girls at the
beginning of school suggests that the decline in boys song-singing ability is more
likely to be cultural in origin than biological. The consequence of boys not learning
to sing before their voices change is disadvantageous to their future singing ability.
Many of the boy band members sang from an early age in the soprano range, just like
the cathedral choristers in Ashleys study, which may explain why they are highly
skilled and professional vocalists. Unfortunately, this fact does not appear to be
widely known.

We are not educating boys about their voice and what it takes to develop

vocal skill. That seems to be one of the causes for why boys dont sing. Because of
social stigma against boys sounding like girls, due to hegemonic masculinity, boys
stop singing and therefore cease their development as vocal musicians. Though
society has enforced hegemonic masculinity in the way we treat boys, there has also
been a call for a more sensitive and emotionally present man during the last two
decades. Can these two expectations of how men should act be reconciled?
Juxtaposing masculinities
In order to shed some light on the aversion boys have to singing, I have
prepared a chart (Figure 1) that juxtaposes what society encourages boys to be
(hegemonic masculinity) with the expectations and tenants espoused in choir. The
chart provides a context for the argument that hegemonic masculinity is in direct
opposition to the experiences and skills learned in choir.

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Figure 1
Hegemonic Masculinity

Choir Experience

Aggressive and Reactionary

Gentle and Thoughtful

Competitive

Cooperative

Individualist/Independent

Cooperative/Family

Expressionless (except Anger)

Expressing full range of emotion

Hegemonic masculinity con`ines boys to showing only one emotion: anger.

Choral music requires the widest range of emotions to be experienced and
communicated to the audience. Hegemonic masculinity does not allow for
cooperation, requiring boys and men to be independent and individualistic. Choral
music is highly cooperative and develops interdependence among choir members,
forming a tightly knit family. This is compelling rationale that the hegemonic
masculinity expected by society raises boys who are incapable of understanding
choral music, let alone participating in it.
As I re`lect upon what society expects a man to be and what I, as a choral
teacher, try to teach boys to be, I can see the irony in the situation. There is an
obvious dichotomy between hegemonic masculinity and the choral experience that
boys try to reconcile within themselves without ever realizing their internal
struggles. Hegemonic masculinity, and the patriarchy it supports, affects men as
much as it does women.

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Men are oppressed and isolated by the models to which they are expected to
conform. Men struggle to prove themselves to be men and the penalties for
failing to do so are considerable. They are teased, isolated and forced into
constant competition in drinking, sport, womanizing and risk-taking
behavior (Harrison, 2003, p. 49).
If a boy is struggling to establish his manhood but has a proclivity for singing, is
there really a choice, or is he oppressed and pushed into the mold set aside for him?
We must allow boys to make choices that engage their passions, whether those
passions lead him to sport, music, or both. Both must be seen as masculine.
The gender straitjacketing that Pollack describes (1998, p. 184) is also
something that must be discouraged.
According to the old Boy Code, we expect our boys to be little men: tough,
independent, autonomous creatures. We restrict how much affection they
show one another. Society teaches us that boys-and men-are less in need of
friends, close personal bonds, or connections. Furthermore, society often
views open displays of empathy and affection from boys as somehow
inappropriate.
Music requires exactly what hegemonic masculinity is denying our young
boys, as described in Figure 1. Choir requires empathy in order to communicate the
emotions of the text to the audience. Choral singing also requires a wordless
understanding of the individuals around each singer that transcends emotion and

15
develops a greater bond within the choir. Self-denial is an integral part of [gender
straitjacketing]: as certain actions are unacceptable for males, they guard
themselves from experiencing vulnerable feelings and revealing that vulnerability to
others (Harrison, 2003, p. 38). The very elements of human connection and
communication that are so important to relationships and inherent in choral singing
are not being taught to our boys and young men because of the insidious nature of
hegemonic masculinity.
Post-feminism
Post-feminism may be an appropriate balance to hegemonic masculinity.
Post-feminists claim that the feminists (male and female) lack an understanding of
the disproportionate ways in which males suffer, are disempowered and are at risk
of abuse and neglect (Harrison, 2003, p. 43). Feminists have labeled any male-
af`irming voice as misogynist and damaging to the feminist doctrines established
over the last thirty years (Harrison, 2003, p. 43). The call of feminism to stop the
oppression of women in society is noble, but it must not deny the post-feminist
observation that there are men who are oppressed under the hegemonic masculinity
of America as well.
Post-feminists af`irm the need for society to establish true equality between
men and women, to encourage broader de`initions of feminine and masculine,
and to address the needs of men who are disempowered and
marginalized (Harrison, 2003, p. 44). The application of post-feminism to the case

16
of boys singing in choir seems most natural because of the stigma that `ilters
through hegemonic masculinity, and the need to change societal labeling of certain
activities as feminine or masculine.
By not applying post-feminist concepts to the problems we have seen in choir,
boys are avoiding anything that labels them feminine or calls into question their
sexuality. Boys do so because of the prevalence of the current de`inition of
hegemonic masculinity (Harrison, 2003). The existence of male gender role
rigidity: the restriction of their gender role development and expression, [is]
brought about through a lack of ability to experience femininity as much as females
experience masculinity (Harrison, 2003, p. 37).
Another issue that has emerged is the evidence that women are crossing the
gender boundary in order to assume traditionally masculine roles. A feature of this
process is that, while females are pursuing 'masculine' endeavors, they are still
retaining their participation in traditional 'feminine' activities. This gives women
the broader base rightly demanded in feminist thought, while marginalizing male
participation (Harrison, 2003, p. 124). Post-feminist thought encourages men to
participate in activities that have been labeled feminine in the 20th century, for
example music, dance, and cooking. Men can learn from post-feminist thought by
adopting certain feminine pursuits like singing, without giving up their masculinity.
Perhaps a less stereotypical de`inition of 'masculine' might be 'pertaining to
things men do.' Using this de`inition, one may appeal directly to boys' gender

17
identity in a much more natural way (Demorest, 2000, p. 2). By expanding the
de`inition of masculinity to include things that men do, singing may become much
more appealing for boys. Communicating the expanded de`inition to society, on the
other hand, could be complicated.
Societys InRluence

Encouraging boys to join choir is a dif`icult proposition. How do their

parents feel about choir? Is it masculine enough for them? Do their family and
ethnic cultures see the bene`it of choral education? So often I see boys who love to
play the guitar and sing along, or sing in the choir at church, but refuse to sing at
school. What is the different perception of choir at school? Is there a type of singing
that is OK for boys in which to participate? Harrison (2003) discovered that rock,
alternative, pop, and country musical styles are dominated by men. Therefore, boys
should be lining up to sing in choir. Yet, they are not.
Why is the opportunity to learn proper vocal production shunned by boys in
school when they aspire to be professional musicians? Are boys intimidated by the
way the girls may view them if they make a mistake and their voice cracks? This
may be one reason for the lack of participation by boys in choral programs in middle
school. Perhaps boys choose to pursue music outside of school to avoid the stigma
and possible embarrassment that comes with singing in the school choir.

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The dilemma of the changing voice in society

Boys tend to choose to participate in choir if there is a safe place for them to

discover their new voice, in middle school and early high school in particular. If
there is an all-male choir option available for them to have fun with other boys, and
learn to sing apart from the watchful eye of girls, they are much more likely to
participate. If the boys trust the choral teacher, they will be willing to try just about
anything to improve-if the girls are out of the room (Munson, 1998, p. 34). This
boost in con`idence in the early stages of vocal change can propel boys into choir
participation in high school and beyond. The same is true for boys in an all-boys
boarding school. With the absence of girls, boys are much more willing to take the
risks necessary to discover the boundaries of their voices and how to better use
them. In America, however, very few schools allow time in the schedule for an all-
boy choir. This will be discussed further in chapter three.

Perhaps another barrier that is keeping boys from participating in choir is

the association of choir with femininity, especially in the younger grades when boys
voices have not changed. The experiences I shared in chapter one are more common
than I think many of my readers want to admit. The consistent bullying, calling into
question the masculinity of boys who sing, with remarks like sissy, fag, gay, and
queer, is also used to devalue anyone who deviates from the traditional role. It is
only incidentally directed at homosexuals it is more common against the
heterosexual male (Harrison, 2003, p. 52). This tactic by boys who are steeped in

19
the hegemonic mold is meant to not only pull boys who have deviated from the path
back to the normative masculinity accepted and enforced by society, but to point out
that anything feminine is not meant for boys to pursue.
Harrison continues, Teachers who challenge students on the use of these
words are met with the response that the words have no connection to
homosexuality but are used to brand an individual as odd, non-traditional or
girlish (1995, p. 56). Our current concept of hegemonic masculinity con`ines
masculinity to too narrow a view. By de`ining masculinity as something men do, the
door opens to allow men to pursue more activities.

The issue here is not about homosexualityit is more about characteristics

and behaviors (Harrison, 2003, p. 52). As boys move through puberty and their
voice changes, the stigma of singing being a feminine activity does not go away. The
bullying is perpetuated by the homophobic and anti-feminine concepts that the
hegemonist masculine male assumes. Lehne (1995, p. 334) is aware of the limited
way in which men see whatever seems to be sissy when she con`irms that:
Homophobic men do not participate in sissy, womanly, homosexual activities
or interests. Maintenance of the male sex role as a result of homophobia is as
limiting for men as female sex roles are for women. An appreciation of many
aspects of life, although felt by most men in different times of their lives,
cannot be genuinely and openly enjoyed by men who must defend their
masculinity through compulsively male-stereotyped pursuits. Fear of being

20
thought to be a homosexual thus keeps some men from pursuing areas of
interest, or occupations, considered more appropriate for women or
homosexuals.
Boys are afraid that if they break out of the expected mold of masculinity they
will be branded feminine, and thus, less masculine, stigmatizing them and denying
them a positive expression of their gifts through participation in choir. All boys are
affected by our current American de`inition of hegemonic masculinity. Boys with
changed voices rarely return to sing after the change and as a result, the gender bias
remains into adulthood (Harrison, 2003, p. 165). Once boys begin to pursue
hegemonic masculinity, they do not see singing as part of their paradigm, which is
constructed by how they think men should act.

Parental and community support

The lack of support from the community is another issue plaguing

participation in choir. Competition in sports, developing the body, and getting the
girl are often regarded more highly than developing the spirit and providing healthy
competition with oneself (hegemonic masculinity vs. balanced masculinity). I will
describe my concept of balanced masculinity in chapter three. Still, choir is not
devoid of teamwork. In fact, choir may be the best arena for learning how to work as
a team.
Sports teach many of the same skills boys learn in choir. However, sports can
also enforce hegemonic masculinity.

21
As much as they offer a break from the Boy Code, a chance for openness,
expression, and intimacy, sports can also push boys back to loneliness,
shame, and vicious competitionthe goal of winning at any cost, a quest for
narcissistic glory at the expense of others. They cause some boys [who are
not interested or skilled in sports] to feel left out, unworthy, ashamed
(Pollack, 1995, p. 273).
Although with the right coach and watchful parents, sports can be a positive place
for boys. There has to be perspective and balance in order to combat hegemonic
masculinity in sports. Yet, sports trump the arts in nearly every community in
America. The bene`its of choral singing also include learning to work as a team, but
in a different way from sports, and it demands self-discipline and respect for the
conductor (Fairbank, 2007, p. 2).
There are bene`its to both sports and choral participation, but are parents
and communities aware of the bene`its and willing to encourage participation in
both? This concept will be discussed further in chapter three. It takes a lot of
discipline and time to pursue both sports and music. I know from `irsthand
experience, as do many of the boys who have participated in choir with me and
under my tutelage.

As an example of the focus of society being primarily on athletic participation

over music participation, my mentor teacher for my student teaching experience has
been at the high school for nearly 20 years. However, he has not seen any

22
improvements to the facilities for the arts since he began teaching there. The drama
department `inally raised money over the last few years to replace old lighting
equipment, purchase wireless microphones for the musical theatre productions, and
upgrade the sound system to bene`it drama and choir.
However, also during that time, the sports `ields were completely overhauled
more than once, the tennis courts were resurfaced, and the track was resurfaced. In
fact, not only were the arts amenities not improved, but the choir was downgraded
to a room with poor acoustics and a low eight-foot ceiling which is too small for the
premier 65-voice choir. The stage is hardly large enough to hold the choir and far
smaller than ideal to provide the opportunity for a representative number of the
1700-member student body to participate in the annual musical.

Now, this is not a typical high school choir. It has been ranked highest in

performance and preparation for almost all of my mentors 20-year career. They
have traveled all over the world, performed for political leaders, and acted as
ambassadors, internationally, for their school and community. I believe the quality
is one thing that attracts the junior and senior boys to join choir. The prestige and
the ability to be part of something spectacular is very alluring. But everybody likes
shiny new facilities and boys are no different. Boys also want to work with the best
facilities, the `inest equipment, and a respected and supported program. Without
support from the community in the arts arena and with the overabundance of

23
support in the sports arena, boys choose to belong to the most supported activities:
sports. But what is that doing to our boys in America?
Boy Culture

The boy culture, how boys interact with each other, is one of cruelty,

according to Kindlon & Thompson in Raising Cain. anything a boy says or does
thats different can and will be used against him (1999, p. 72). Painful
repercussions come with being a boy. As evidenced in my own stories, boys can be
cruel to each other. With every lesson in dominance, fear, and betrayal, a boy is
tutored away from trust, empathy, and relationship (1999, p. 73). Boys are so cruel
as to [urinate] on other boys belongings or into their shampoo bottles and many
other horrid acts of cruelty described by Kindlon & Thompson (1999, p. 73).

Boys face these dif`iculties daily. Even if a boy is in the popular crowd, the

boys who make the rules about what is okay, he is not immune to the same ridicule if
he steps out of line. Here again, like my friend Brad from chapter one, the culture
of cruelty imposes a code of silence on boys, requiring them to suffer without
speaking of it and to be silent witnesses to acts of cruelty to others (Kindlong &
Thompson, 1999, p. 92). This is the result of hegemonic masculinity. It is very
dif`icult to step out of the mold. Many boys are kept in the mold by their fathers who
grew up under the same culture. Many fathers fear that if they dont follow the old
Boy Code by acting tough around their sonsand by pushing their boys as early as

24
possible to act strong and independenttheir sons will become outcast sissies
rather then real boys (Pollack, 1995, p. 128).
As evidenced in Kozas (1993) study of the Music Supervisors Journal articles
from 1914 to 1924, the culture of cruelty is not a new thing in America or elsewhere.
But there must be a way to counteract it because hegemonic masculinity has masked
and obfuscated what masculinity truly is.

What strength is evident in boys who bully others because of their own

insecurity? Is boldness not striking out on a different path, differentiating oneself

from the crowd? These truths of masculinity have been hijacked and hidden by the
current hegemonic masculinity in America. Do we want boys to have an
exaggerated sense of manliness without a sense of what it means to truly be a man?
As expressed in the chart earlier in this chapter, boys who participate in music learn
to express themselves in varied ways, developing a well-rounded personality.

Hegemonist men often disregard music as a legitimate pastime for men.

Masculinity, on the other hand, in its truest sense, is being comfortable and secure in
physically being a man and boldly following ones passions.
When boys relate in ways that are considered traditionally feminine
when theyre tender and affectionate, when they are emotionally expressive,
when they talk sensitively about dif`icult friendshipssociety often does not
support them because it sees them as violating the Boy Code of masculine
toughness and independence (Pollack, 1995, p. 65).

25
Is there a way to reclaim masculinity from its hegemonic shell?

Until teachers, fathers, and other role models are willing to train boys to be

more than stereotypically hegemonic men there will not be a change. The constant
pressure on boys to be tough, combative, unnaturally competitive, and independent
is denying men an opportunity to express themselves in healthy ways that can still
be considered masculine.

26
CHAPTER 3
WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SINGING SOMETHING MEN DO?

So what can teachers do to counteract the ingrained and enforced concepts of

masculinity in the choral classroom? Connell maintains that hegemonic

masculinity is not a `ixed character type, always and everywhere the same. It is,
rather, the masculinity that occupies the hegemonic position in a given pattern of
gender relations, a position always contestable (1995, p. 76). This means that
concepts of normative or hegemonic masculinity are always changing. We can
change what society views as hegemonic by changing the way we think about boys
activities and what de`ines masculinity in our classrooms. Still, this is not a simple
thing to do. Fortunately, American society has begun to see the damage that our
current de`inition of hegemonic masculinity is doing to our current generation of
men through the post-feminist theory, as discussed in chapter two.

Let me point out again that the missing male problem is not a new issue, but

something that has persisted throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Julia Eklund
Koza wrote about a question posed to a presenter at the 1917 National Convention
of Music Supervisors in Grand Rapids, Michigan:
[O]ne supervisor asked Allen how the boys were made to sing; Allen
indicated that because the boys were encouraged to use proper vocal
technique early on, they like to sing and they do. (1992, p. 20).

27
Boys will naturally sing if they are taught that it is something men do. But we must
be diligent as music educators in garnering the support of the administration and
other teachers, as well as coaches, parents, and the larger community, working with
them to create a school community that encourages choral participation for boys.
Role Models

It is imperative that boys have strong role models as they learn to sing. Too

often boys have no paradigm for knowing what they should sound like.
To overcome this, Mizener (1993, p. 241)[, who surveyed 78 American
students from grade three to grade six,] advocated the use of role models in
singing and raising the awareness of men's roles in social singing activities to
contribute to more positive impressions of singing. The disparity between
those who liked singing (64%) and those who were willing to sing in a choir
(33%) is noted (Harrison, 2003, p. 111).
Hall (2007) pointed out in her research regarding Year 1 boys in Australia, that when
they were able to see a boy older than them modeling the proper singing technique
and sound, they were much more engaged in the process of learning to sing. The
tradition of cathedral choirs in England provides a built in discipleship system. As
boys voices change, they move to lower sections in the choir: alto, tenor, bass
respectively. Thus, they provide leadership and act as role models for the younger
choir boys entering.

28
The traditional avoidance boys with changing voices have to singing is
damaging to their future musical participation, as evidenced in chapter two.
Despite the nature of the change, the young male is still capable of free, natural
singing throughout puberty, provided he receives encouragement (White & White,
2001, p. 2). This encouragement from the teacher can come in many forms. Boys
need to be told what is happening with their voice, and what they can expect to
happen, and be allowed to use the range they are capable of using pro`iciently, no
matter how small that range may be. Boys also need to see what they have to look
forward to if they continue singing. Male role models can be gathered from alumni,
current high school students, parents, barbershop quartets, or mens glee clubs. The
emphasis must be on proper vocal production and making boys aware that men do
sing.

It is also important for boys to have role models outside the choral classroom

as well. Being a good role model during the middle school years requires that choral
teachers make an effort to form connections with students interests outside the
classroom and incorporate those interests into their teaching. Choir teachers can
get involved in the school culture by volunteering to coach, keep score for games,
and simply be present in front of as many students as possible. As football has the
highest pro`ile of any sport, the advantages of having a music teacher coach rugby
union [or American football] were appreciable (Harrison, 2003, p. 217). Male choir
teachers who can de`ine themselves as a singer and something that is currently

29
valued in the hegemonic masculinity accepted by America have a much better
opportunity to recruit boys for their program and rede`ine hegemonic masculinity in
society.
Phillips, as quoted in Harrison,
recommends music teachers cultivate good relationships with athletic
coaches to help bridge the gap between music and sport. He advocates open
discussion with students about vocal change and single-sex classes for music
in middle schooling years. Phillips advocates a physiological approach to
singing, rather than a song-based approach to keep boys engaged (1992
Harrison, 2003, p. 211).
Teaching the physical aspects of singing, such as the use of the diaphragm, breath
management, and vocal support, can help bridge the perceived gap between choir
and sport because they require the use of targeted exercises to develop speci`ic
muscles needed to perform these tasks.

Another aspect of social role modeling is found within the social hierarchy of

the school community itself. The most successful high school choral programs,
those with the highest participation by boys, recruit the political and athletic leaders
of the school. Koza (1993) found in her study of the Music Supervisors Journal from
1914 to 1924, that getting role models, including student athletes and student
leaders, into the choral program was advocated by the journal at that time as well.

30

Teachers must be pro`icient in the psychology and physiology of music

teaching as well. Teachers who know how to engage students in music, choose
appropriate repertoire, and develop an understanding of music in their students are
much more likely to recruit and maintain a large number of young men. Teachers'
subject knowledge, enthusiasm, con`idence and practical competence matters a
great dealLack of opportunity and appropriate teaching are emerging as more
signi`icant factors than either cultural norms or even the 'sing like a girl'
factor (Ashley, 2006, p. 201). Again, boys want to be part of a program that has a
strong leader at the helm who knows how to teach and can guide them as a
competent role model.
Parental and School Support

Parents
Another front the music educator must engage is parental involvement and

institutional support for the music program. In an article written for a website in
Victoria, B. C., Nicholas Fairbank (2007) quotes a renowned Canadian tenor,
Benjamin Butter`ield, as saying,
If boys are to choose singing it starts with the parents. The choir has to be
something they need for their kids. We have to persuade parents that singing
is an important part of the whole package [growing up playing sports and
singing in choir]. Singing in a choir is not about being cool but about

31
achieving something. Like in a good sports team, building a choir is about
building a community which draws members in.
A well-coached choir, just like a well-coached athletic team, is encouraging, holds its
members accountable for their vocal (physical) preparation, and provides a safe
environment to risk learning new things. In order to be successful, a choral music
teacher must convince parents, the school administration, and the community at
large that the positive outcomes of athletics are also developed in choirs. However,
music educators must be careful not to suggest an either/or philosophy to music
and sports. Students would be well-served to do both to become well-rounded
individuals.
[Parents] need to be challenged in their own lifestyle to look at prejudices, to
challenge institutions in which their children may be involvedto reduce
assumptions and increase inclusiveness and support the agents of
change (Harrison, 2003, p. 203). Parents need to be made aware of the many
bene`its of choral participation and the opportunities their sons will have to grow
and learn. This information can be communicated in many different ways, but a
newsletter home and an often-updated website are two communication techniques
that have worked well for me.
Getting parents involved in the choir program can have a signi`icant effect on
how dedicated students are in the pursuit of learning music. Parents need to be
willing to show their sons that they value their choral participation by volunteering

32
for the Boosters club, attending the concerts, providing refreshments for the concert
intermission, chaperoning the tour, or simply asking questions about their
experiences. Almost all candidates reported the in`luence of a close family
member or music teacher as having fostered their interest and talent (Harrison,
2003, p. 177). Boys show and understand love through action. Showing sons that
you care through action can be the most powerful way of approving of the choices
boys make (Pollack, 1995, p. 111).
School and community

School communities begin to change in the last couple of years of high school,

allowing a broader de`inition of masculinity and enabling wider participation by

boys in the arts. [One of Harrisons research subjects,] Subject 2: In year 11 and 12
with school productions, suddenly music, acting and singing were accepted by the
majority of students. I really loved the productions because I had been so
lonely (Harrison, 2003, p. 195).

If boys have not previously participated in the arts, encouraging them to take

advantage of the opportunities present in high school is another challenge that must
be overcome. Although boys want to participate in the musicals, stage productions,
and choir, they are often ill equipped to do so. So, if boys show any interest in the
arts late in high school, music educators must get them involved and help them catch
up. Teach them whatever they need to know (Ashley, 2007). Again, boys
understand love through action (Pollack, 1995). As I pointed out in chapter two,

33
boys rarely choose to become singers after their voices have changed because of the
lack of support, which is why such encouragement from the wider community is
important when boys show interest later in high school.
Expanding the DeRinition of Masculinity
It is useful to communicate the bene`its of choir to a society that sees
hegemonic masculinity as normal. The current expectation of men to prove their
masculinity through competition, drinking, and womanizing can have too high a cost
to society. Men are forced into isolation, a narrow range of acceptable emotions, and
risky behavior in order to `it the mold of hegemonic masculinity (Harrison, 2003, p.
49). This masculine identity has been identi`ied by feminists as patriarchy, or the
power men hold over women. Arguably, the concept of patriarchy could be applied
to men holding power over other men, as Connell (1995) pointed out. The societal
reaction to such patriarchy generated support for the development of post-
feminism, the concept that men should be encouraged to cross the gender barrier
and be allowed to participate in activities that have historically been perceived as
feminine.

Post-feminist thought can help music educators combat the concept that

singing high equates a young boy with being a sissy or girlish, one of our most
dif`icult tasks as music educators. As Ashley (2006) points out in his article, You sing
like a girl? An exploration of boyness through the treble voice,

34
All boys aged between roughly 8 and 14 sing with a high voice. If questions
of sexuality and gender identity associated with the voice result in boys not
singing during this period, then males are excluded from the opportunity of
developing a life-long and life-enriching interest in singing (p. 199).
The pressure to become a hegemonic male before they have grown up and before
their voice changes is another barrier to boys participating in choir with their
natural voice. This is a fundamental truth that all choir teachers must grasp and
understand in order to relate to and assuage the fears of boys who are hesitant to
sing. Then they must convince parents of the same and the incorrect nature of this
stereotype. Using Jane Roland Martins concepts of encouraging the 3Cs of care,
concern, and connection (1994, p. 5), it is important to convey that music is the
ideal place for these enriching traits to be taught. Music is a way to foster
connections between diverse cultures. Many marginalized groups are able to
communicate what they are experiencing through choral publication and
performance. The study of history, culture, values, and self-con`idence are all part of
choir, which supports Martins 3Cs.

Again, one of the most in`luential ways to get boys singing at an early age is to

provide them with a credible, older role model. Halls study of her Year 1 (roughly
age six or seven) boys in her Australian classroom indicates that providing students
with a role model makes a difference in how boys engage in music. A boy who is just
a few years older, who is competent and comfortable with his treble singing voice,

35
can provide the peer modeling [that] achieved increased levels of vocal
participation while contributing to the boys learning on many levelsBoys were
interested in learning about the joy and usefulness of singingand how to sing
well (Hall, 2005, p. 12). But with only a handful of boy choirs in the United States,
it can be dif`icult to `ind a proper role model for the typical music teacher. However,
good recording or competent role models close in age to the students, if they can be
found, provide examples of how the young male voice is supposed to sound.
Students not only appreciated a singing role model, but a teacher who acted
more like a parent than an educator. According to Stollak and Stollak (1996),
participants appreciated choirs in which the family element was employed more
than those which had a team element (Harrison, 2003, p. 116). The concept of
family and belonging is important to the draw and importance of choir. Providing a
safe space with ample opportunity for students to share who they are and how they
are feeling is essential to a choir. By developing an atmosphere of family, a feeling of
singing with brothers and sisters because of what choir members share, students
were more likely to appreciate their choral experience. The choir director then
becomes a type of surrogate parent. What we can learn from this as choir directors
is the importance of nurturing our students and being willing to listen to the
suggestions of choir members, [and to] exert `irm control and communicate clearly
in a non-manipulative way. These principles correlate with `indings attributed to
positive and effective parenting (Harrison, 2003, p. 116).

36
Conclusion

What we are trying to do in the long term is to expand the current narrow

de`inition of hegemonic masculinity to include all areas of the human condition. By

involving boys in music they become well-rounded by tuning into how their actions
affect others, developing empathy, understanding true camaraderie, and developing
healthy platonic relationships with men and women. Choir is the only activity in
which boys and girls are considered equal and work together toward a mutual goal.
According to Kemp (1985) as reported by Harrison (2003, p. 119), [c]hildren who
pursue music into and beyond adolescence were found to be in possession of the
kind of personal androgyny, which enables them to disregard socio-cultural
expectations. They also possessed the necessary high motivation towards music,
which allows them to continue regardless of social and personal cost. Even with the
pressures of hegemonic masculinity, if music educators can recruit boys and teach
them the principles developed in the choir classroom, they are more likely to
disregard the expectations of hegemonic masculinity and develop a love for music
and the arts. The personal androgyny that Kemp references, is precisely the
expansion of masculinity for which I am striving.
Music has the capacity to contribute to social, emotional, intellectual,
spiritual and moral values of all members of the community. As such, it plays
an important role in the educational process. The ultimate aim is for a

37
gender-just society where men and women can engage freely and
productively in activities of their choice (Harrison, 2003, p. 228).
By encouraging boys to participate in music we can help change the de`inition of
hegemonic masculinity, what is seen as dominant and normal, and expand what is
acceptable for boys to do, helping them to cross the gender boundary.

A balanced masculinity is one that allows boys to follow their passions

despite the labels of masculine or feminine. Encouraging boys to cross the gender
boundary, as some have done, by joining the nursing profession, womens fashion,
hair styling, and interior design, will expand the boundaries of what is considered
masculine. By applying the concept that masculine simply means what men do, boys
will attain the same freedom to choose their path as women have garnered through
the feminist movement. Through the concepts of post-feminism men will once again
be able to pursue music and other professions that have been labeled feminine by
society. The goal of a gender-just society in the context of choral education is
attainable with the right focus on expanding the de`inition of masculinity, providing
support for arts education, and encouraging parental and community involvement in
education.