Workshop (2): Resonance and its Application in Choirs

Some common aesthetics of choral singing are the mastery of dynamics, tone colours, resonance, and choral blending. Nevertheless, these are the most abstract topics in choral training. More often than not, teachers regard “singing louder” as the same as singing with “resonance”, and students’ intonation and tone suffer. Modern-day technology concerning the fields of sound acoustics and spectrograms visualises sounds and tone colours into tangible signals. With knowledge of the acoustical phenomenon of “resonance” and its applications, teachers are able to encourage students to employ resonance strategies in their singing, in time improving their ability to sing more sonorously and with more colours, as well as to blend in with the choir.

This workshop aims to provide participants with a clear, concise concept of “vocal resonance” in the realm of vocal acoustics. Attendees are prepared to “see” sounds and learn to incorporate topics like dynamics, diction and registration in their choral training, facilitated by the latest voice science research and pedagogical tools.

Ms. Cheuk Yee Wong is a voice pedagogue who coaches singing at all levels, ranging from beginners to professionals. She completed her master’s degree in Voice Pedagogy and Performance at Westminster Choir College (USA) with Distinction. Through Ms. Wong’s guidance, her students went on to become avid choral singers as well as professionals or even voice teachers. Ms. Wong has been a returning guest coach for the School Choir Incubator Programme of the Hong Kong Inter-School Choral Festival, where she teaches voice pedagogy to choir leaders and singers.