Range, Tessitura, and Vowel Analysis of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Choral Audition Music: Tools for Successful Part Assignments

Paul M. Patinka, MM, MM
Jesus De Hoyos, MM
James Rodriguez, DMA

Objective: To test the applicability and comparative rigor of range, tessituragrams, and passaggio vowel analysis in determining part assignments for the TMEA All-State choral auditions.

Methods/Design: Utilizing models presented by Titze, Nix, and Schloneger, the range, tessitura, and given vowels in the passaggio of the TMEA All-State Large School choral audition music were analyzed. The highest and lowest extremes of the vocal lines for each part were recorded for their musical value, converted to hertz, and compared across voice parts. Tessituragram analysis was conducted on all pieces and converted into hertz for vocal dosing and recovery time. Vowels located in the zona di passaggio as defined by Miller were rated on a sliding scale for their usefulness in facilitating a timbre appropriate for western choral music.

Results: While range was determined to be an important factor to consider when assigning voice parts, vowel and tessitura analysis proved to be more accurate measures of difficulty. Results indicate that vowel analysis in passaggio regions can serve as a useful and succinct way of measuring a part’s difficulty, though a tessitura analysis remains the most comprehensive. Using this analysis, the investigators were able to describe vocal characteristics that individual singers would need to possess to successfully navigate the exacting All-State audition and rehearsal process.

Conclusions: Adolescent voices experience a multitude of dramatic physiological and hormonal changes that impact vocal production. As a result, singing a voice part that demands more than an adolescent laryngeal structure can readily support may be detrimental to vocal enjoyment and health. Teachers can better prepare their students for success by evaluating these factors ahead of time and assigning parts based on these methods. Further research is warranted to develop electronic analysis models to conserve time.

Key words: tessituragram, tessitura, range, passaggio, choral, analysis, all-state

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