PATRICK K. FREER, E.U.A

Growing the population of male choral singers, boys tell us how 

There has been a large amount of recent international research conveying the thoughts of boys about singing, their changing voices, choral instruction, and the recruitment and retention of young male singers in choirs. This session will present the first meta-analysis of all narrative research about adolescent boys and choral singing, with specific attention to two areas: 1) what attracts boys to choral singing, 2) what deters boys from choral singing, and 3) what are boys’ suggestions for reform in choral pedagogy and performance?  This session will include the presentation of relevant information about male adolescent development and voice change as it relates to the boys’ comments.  The goal of the session is to identify and share common themes among this growing body of narrative literature so that teachers, conductors and researchers can positively address one of the most pervasive problems in our field: the lack of choral participation by adolescent boys.

Patrick K. Freer is Professor of Music at Georgia State University. His degrees are from Westminster Choir College and Teachers College, Columbia University.  He has guest conducted or presented in 36 U.S. states and 18 countries. Some of his most recent professional activity has been as keynote speaker and guest conductor for the 2015 International Symposium of Singing and Song (St. Johns, Canada), visiting professor at five universities in Spain (2016), visiting Endowed Chair at the University of Alabama (2017), and guest lecturer at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria (2017). He was recently inducted into the Westminster Choir College “Music Education Hall of Fame.”

 

Dr. Freer is immediate past Academic Editor of Music Educators Journal and has authored multiple book chapters, and over 120 articles in most of the field's leading national and international journals.  Publications include "Getting Started with Middle School Chorus" (named Outstanding Academic Title by Choice) and the DVD series Success for Adolescent Singers.  His most recent publications include articles in the British Journal of Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Research Studies in Music Education, Music Education Research, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, and Canadian Music Educator. Dr. Freer’s research focus is on the sociological and pedagogical factors impacting the singing of boys during and beyond the adolescent voice change. ​