Hello Everyone!

I'm hoping some of you wise people might be able to offer some good advice. I currently teach a very bright and talented young singer. She is 13 years old and has a very high voice. In warmups, she easily sings a secure and focused staccato G (above top C). She really enjoys singing up there and would love to sing repertoire that makes use of that part of her voice. While I am keen to develop the lower and middle of her voice too, I would like to ensure that we keep working on this particular facility at the extreme top. She is still very young, so I was hoping to avoid things like Queen of the Night or Blonde as I feel it's too early - what do you all think? I thought perhaps some Handel with embellishments that use that part of her voice? I might add - she is very bright and musical. She soaks up everything and I can't throw enough new music at her - she certainly enjoys a challenge. I have never had a pupil like this before, so I'm at a bit of a loss!

Thanks for reading!

Sherry x

Good heavens, yes, keep off Queen of the Night and Blonde. When I was that age, I was singing things like Rossini's La Pastorella delle Alpe, which can go to C at the end, Poor wand'ring One - Eb in the cadenza, Db in the run in the middle. Whatever you do, keep the repertoire light and textually appropriate for the age as well. I don't think I went above Eb until I was in my 20s.
How lucky you are to have a pupil like that!

Hi Sherry_verdi. First of all may I wish you a very belated welcome. I have not read any of your previous posts although I see that you have been a member for a whole year. I must have been
Nice to have another singing teacher here.

I would suggest that you sing some early music, some Purcell; Nymphs and Shepherds, transposed up a little is a great one for developing flexibility, or perhaps the very lovely Caccini Ave Maria as well as some of the beautiful Handel arias. O had I Jubal's Lyre (Jeptha) and Myself I Shall Adore. (Semele). These are nice when sung lightly. Then perhaps some of the easier Mozart ones: Batti, batti and Vedrai Carino. You can cheat a bit of course and transpose other songs up to suit your student's voice. When I do this I use the transpose feature on my digital piano or the Yammy keyboard if I want a lute or harpsichord sound. Micheal Head's Little Road to Bethlehem would work well in a higher key than those published.
Folk songs are always useful too and may be sung unaccompanied in any key.

Hi Sherry_verdi and welcome to the boards!

I would second the suggestion to use folk songs - use Northumbrian ones if you want pretty melodies, Irish ones if you're interested in getting her used to modal singing and Scots ones if pentatonic scales could do with a bit of a brush up - stick them in the key you want to work her voice (or use some of the shorter ones as warm up songs moving up a semitone each time) and you get to sneak a bit more music theory in too!

Other than that, early music will suit a light vocal production nicely.

Allan

Would transposing "the sort of piece you might use for a young alto/mezzo in her situation" up an octave sound utterly horrible? I mean the voice part, not necessarily the entire accompaniment as well... It might be worth a try just once!

Many thanks for all the great suggestions!

I'll definitely stick to early music - great for encouraging good coloratura and flexibility and keeping that lovely lightness. I love the folk song suggestion too!! I see her tomorrow and I'm going to take along a selection of Handel arias. We'll see how it goes. I'll keep you all informed!!

Thank you all again! I've been a lurker on here for a while and it's great to actually talk to you guys!!