My Son Loves to Sing: Is an Edmonton Boys’ Choir Right for Him?
Does your son sing along with the radio in the car? Does he ask you to play the same song for the 6th time in a row? Is he making up his own songs while getting dressed, building LEGO, or waiting for lunch?
If your son loves to sing and is constantly doing it, you don’t have to jump straight to formal music lessons. But it might be time to give all that singing somewhere else to go.
How to Encourage a Kid Who Loves to Sing
Your interest in his singing will mean more to him than knowing anything technical about music, so celebrate the creativity and courage it takes to use his voice. Getting every note right can come later.
Introduce him to different music
Give your son a chance to choose what you listen to, but introduce some new music too. Try different genres, languages, and styles. Pay attention to what he sings along with and what makes him ask, “Can you play that again?”
Sing with him
Join his singing in the car or around the house. You don’t need a beautiful, professionally trained voice or even to know all the words. But when you sing with him, you show him that music is something to enjoy and share.
Find other kids in Edmonton for him to sing with
If your son wants more opportunities to sing, a choir can be the perfect place to explore that interest. He can learn new songs, build musical skills, and meet other children who love singing as much as he does.
Your Son Is Constantly Singing, But Would He Love a Boy’s Choir?
Some kids are happiest singing to themselves. Others light up when they get to learn a song with a whole group. Chances are, you already have a pretty good idea of which one sounds like your son.
If he’s curious about music…
Choir gives him a dedicated time every week to do more of what he already loves. He’ll explore new songs, start to learn to read music, and discover how different voices can sing different parts at the same time.
If he likes games and group activities…
For younger children, learning music involves lots of Kodály-based singing games, movement, and instruments to introduce music theory in fun ways. In choir, your son will also get the experience of working with a team (with a lot less physical contact than hockey).
If he wants to meet more boys who love music…
Spiritus is Edmonton Youth & Children’s Choirs’ program for boys and gender-diverse singers in Grades 2–4. By joining, your son will meet other kids who already love to sing, which gives them something to connect over from the first rehearsal. As the season goes on, those choir friendships often carry over into weekend play times.
Does My Son Need Singing Experience to Join an Edmonton Boys’ Choir?
No previous choir experience is required for your son to join our boys’ choir, Spiritus. He doesn’t need to know how to read music, and he doesn’t need to have performed anywhere other than your living room.
If he likes singing and wants to give choir a try, that’s more than enough to join.
What If He Loves Singing at Home but Gets Shy Around Other People?
A kid who happily and loudly performs entire musicals at home may walk into his first choir rehearsal and suddenly have nothing to say. This is completely normal and something Spiritus conductor Christian Maxfield is used to.
During your son’s first rehearsal, he can watch what’s happening and join in when he feels comfortable. Parents are also encouraged to stay in the lobby during the first rehearsal if knowing you’re nearby helps your child relax a little.
And because the children sing and play together, your son won’t have the pressure of all eyes on him. He can start by following along and adding more of his voice as his confidence grows.
For many quieter kids, that’s the magic of group singing: they get to be heard without feeling singled out.
Give Your Constantly Singing Son a Place to Sing in Edmonton
Spiritus rehearses every Tuesday from 5:15 to 6:10 p.m. at Southminster-Steinhauer United Church. And once your child joins, it’ll only take a few rehearsals before Tuesday becomes known as Choir Day in your home.
It starts with your son asking whether it’s time to leave for rehearsal yet, or how many more days he has to wait. Then, he’ll come home singing whatever the choir worked on that evening and keep it going for the rest of the week. (If you were hoping choir would get all that singing out of his system, we have bad news.)
Before long, you’ll know his choir friends by name. You may even find yourself arranging more playdates as those friendships move beyond Tuesday rehearsals.
And as he becomes more comfortable with the group, he’ll start using more of his voice during rehearsals. That confidence often trickles outside of choir too, from speaking up in class to being willing to try something new.
By the time Spiritus singers reach Grade 4, many of them are already asking how they can keep going. The answer is Harmonia, EYCC’s choir for singers in Grades 5–7, where they can keep learning alongside some familiar faces.
However long he keeps singing, Spiritus gives him a place to start.
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Choir is a perfect choice for any child who loves to sing, especially younger kids, and our choral conductors know how to help developing voices build healthy, age-appropriate vocal techniques. For older children who want to develop their voice further, private voice lessons can be a great complement to choir, offering more individualized, one-on-one instruction.
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Kids can start choir as early as Kindergarten. At Edmonton Youth & Children’s Choirs, Kindergarten and Grade 1 singers join Angeli. In Grades 2–4, boys and gender-diverse singers can join Spiritus, while girls and gender-diverse singers can join Luminaria.
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Spiritus is a no-audition Edmonton boys’ choir for boys and gender-diverse singers in Grades 2–4. Singers can join without previous choir experience or the ability to read music. Rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings at Southminster-Steinhauer United Church in south Edmonton.
