Choral singing has long had a gender-bending history, but women singing tenor is a recent phenomenon. (Chris Maddaloni / CQ Roll Call via Getty Images) When I was 18 years old, I wanted to sing tenor.

As we get older, we are able to understand more about how to control our breath and our voice. To perform more challenging music, we have to be able to sing for longer without taking a new breath.

WASHINGTON – When Toby Spence was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last year, his first response was denial. The 43-year-old lyric tenor from England had built a life around his voice. The diagnosis and ...