Vocal Range

I have a concert at school next term. I usually manage to find a suitable song for up to 60 pupils to sing together: however the task is getting harder.

People think that children can sing anything: this is not so. They can TRY to song anything and children are good mimics. The fact remains that a lot of the songs children hear - and like - are not within their vocal range. The image below (click to enlarge) illustrates the problem: it is driving me mad!

A = Too low for children
B = A good vocal range for children up to 13 (and girls beyond that)
C = Most children will not wish to sing up here unless they have individual singing lessons.
D = The range of most adult pop artists. Some pop songs are at the top of a tenor's range and, if the song fits within B will be good. However, a tenor's range is a good 12th but pitched a 5th below the 12th range of children. Thus, it is no good singing a song displaced by an octave. The current craze for songs from "The Greatest Showman" is extremely unhelpful.

Try telling that to colleagues, parents and children!