Overview

Boy choirs are one of the oldest musical traditions in the Western world.  Known as “unchanged trebles” in the choral world, these groups have historically included biologically male singers who sing soprano notes until they go through puberty.  But what does this mean in a culture that increasingly sees gender as an individual choice, rather than a fixed, biological category?  And is this tradition, which is rooted in exclusion of girls and women, one that is even worth saving?   In Unchanged Trebles, sociologist Rebekah Peeples charts an unexpected, thought-provoking, and deeply personal journey into the peculiar world of contemporary boy choirs, where boys learn to do something together that they’re often embarrassed to do alone: sing in their soprano voices.  Considering her experience as the unlikely mother of a boy soprano alongside dozens of interviews with current directors and former choristers, she argues that some of the tools for creating a more gender-inclusive future can be found in an ancient tradition that has long recognized gender fluidity within the pre-pubescent male body.  With humor, insight, and the voice of a gifted storyteller, Unchanged Trebles explores a cultural tradition in which singing and expressing emotion are encouraged for boys, showing them a more expansive form of masculinity as they transition from boyhood to manhood.

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9781978844568

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Reviews

""Unchanged Trebles is an exquisite read: a rich, clear, and compelling contribution at the cutting edge of gender studies, it is also a deeply moving search by a boy mom for a world where her son can fully be himself. Though it is about a relatively rare cultural niche, the boy choir, Rebekah Peeples's book demonstrates the thrilling power of social science research to help us get things right for children."" -- Michael C. Reichert * author of How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men * ""In this honest and beautiful account of her experiences with her son during his early adolescent years, Rebekah Peeples provides carefully researched insights alongside thoughtful personal reflections that illuminate ways to foster boys' healthy emotional expression and relationships. Unchanged Trebles emphasizes the power and pleasure of listening to boys and explores the possibility of building communities with boys that are inclusive, center on mutual respect and collaboration, contribute to their sense of purpose and belonging, and enable their authentic voices to develop and find resonance."" -- Judy Y. Chu * author of When Boys Become Boys: Development, Relationships, and Masculinity *

Author Information

Rebekah Peeples is Associate Dean of the College for Curriculum and Assessment at Princeton University. She is the author of Walmart Wars: Moral Populism in the Twenty-first Century (NYU Press, 2013).

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