Prediction of the onset of voice mutation in singers of professional boys'choirs: Investigation of members of the Thomaner Choir, Leipzig

During mutation specialized phoniatric care seems important in members of a professional boys' choir due to the high demands made of the singing voice . Because frequent singing during the change of voice can result in severe singing disturbances we developed methods to predict the remaining time unt il the start of mutation and to distinguish it from inflammations of the Vo cal apparatus and hyperactivity of the voice. We examined 36 members of the Thomaner Choir of Leipzig; ten vocal and eight nonvocal parameters were me asured every 3 months over a period of 3.5 years and their predictive value was evaluated. The most precise prediction of voice mutation was given by the capillary level of testosterone and growth velocity. The investigation of the genital stage and the mean voice fundamental frequency during speech offer additional information about the presence of mutation, but these are not parameters for prediction. Copyright (C) 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel.