The Vanishing Tenor: A Crisis in Choral Harmony

Choirs around the world are confronting an unexpected crisis: the disappearing tenor. As women increasingly outnumber men in amateur and church ensembles, the pipeline of young male vocalists has narrowed, leaving a shortage of singers capable of carrying the high male parts that anchor traditional harmony. Directors are adapting—reassigning lines, simplifying arrangements, even rewriting classic scores—but the distinctive color of the tenor voice is hard to replace. In this episode, we explore what’s behind the imbalance and what it means for the future sound of choral music.https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/02/09/the-world-is-suffering-from-a-shortage-of-tenors