How to choose a repertoire for a teenager, taking into account the peculiarities of teenage perception

Modern teachers in music schools are often faced with the fact that a teenager does not want to sing this or that song or romance, and all attempts to convince him to change his mind lead to complications and conflicts. Often, a teenager not only refuses to perform a romance that he does not like, but may even stop going to music school altogether. To properly understand this issue, you need to take into account all the age characteristics of adolescents. You will learn about them in this article.

This age is characterized not only by increased vulnerability, but also by the desire to impress. He wants to appear bright, spectacular and beautiful, to be appreciated and approved, and the less love he receives in his environment, the more acute this feeling. He also becomes sensitive to ridicule, so it is important for him that the romance he will sing from the stage favorably emphasizes his strengths as a vocalist and as a person. Therefore, in order to choose the right repertoire for him, you need to take into account such age-related characteristics of the teenager as:

1. When performing a romance, a teenager wants to feel not just a performer, but a star. To do this, his repertoire must be interesting, conveying feelings familiar to the teenager himself and corresponding to his perception.
2. It is also characteristic of adolescence, therefore, if there are places in a vocal work that are incomprehensible to him and cause embarrassment, he can simply refuse to perform it and decide that “he doesn’t need classical vocals, since the works there are uninteresting.” And here you also need to be careful when selecting the repertoire.
3. In adolescence, a boy or girl may decide that no one needs classical music and it would be better for him to study pop vocals or even choose dancing. You can maintain interest only with a bright and understandable repertoire, the content of which will help the teenager open up. Beautiful arrangements will also have a significant effect, allowing the teenager to feel like a popular star on stage.
4. age characteristics of a teenager, or more precisely, his perception. Much depends on your specific character and temperament. There are boys and girls who perceive light works, without strong drama. And some, on the contrary, can perfectly convey the character of the heroine Carmen at an early age. So a vocal teacher should pay attention to a particular teenager’s ideas about love in order to choose a repertoire that will be understandable to him and will help him open up.
5. It is when a teenager begins to be stubborn, show character and show himself that one can see what his temperament and perception of the world around him is. Some become bright and flirty, an imp in a skirt, while others turn into a dreamy, glamorous girl, tender and easily vulnerable. Based on these features, it is worth selecting works. You shouldn’t make Carmen out of a prude and vice versa. It is better that the character traits of a teenager are manifested in the work, then it will be easy for him to perform it.

When choosing a romance, it is worth analyzing its content and thinking about whether it will fit into the perception of a teenager. There are romances that sound good sung by a mature man. They contain words about deep dramatic love, about years that flew by unnoticed. They should not be given to a teenager, as they will not be able to convey his mood, emotions and character. But songs and romances about first love, falling in love, tenderness or, on the contrary, betrayal, a teenager will be able to convey if they correspond to his perception. Also, the romance should effectively show the teenager himself. For example, the romance “I loved you” will sound beautiful when performed by a teenager who takes failures lightly and is not inclined to dramatize the situation. For a vulnerable and withdrawn teenager, this romance will evoke melancholy both for himself and for the listeners. Therefore, when choosing a repertoire, it is worth taking into account the teenager’s perception and his formed character.

The main secret of how to create the image of a teenage vocalist is to advantageously present his features to the public. Anything can be played beautifully. Is your teenager short-tempered and impatient? He should choose a repertoire where he can beautifully present his unbridledness. Is he reserved? Lyrical romances that are not too emotional in nature are what you need. Does your teenager have a cheerful disposition? Moving romances or, on the contrary, dramatic works will sound light and beautiful from him. After this, it is worth thinking about his image, costume and message that he will have to convey to the audience during the performance. Acting lessons will help you create a complete image. It’s these little things that make up the image of a teenage vocalist.

1. Although composers did not write works for this age, romances and songs for boys and girls should be in the arsenal of any teacher.
2. Think about how it might be of interest to a teenager. It is always easier for a teenager to perform an interesting repertoire than to sing something that is not to their liking.
3. Girls should not sing male romances and vice versa. They don’t need to look funny on stage.
4. Interesting repertoire for teenagers should be positive and, if possible, optimistic.