Since Harriet Simon’s survey in the Choral Journal revealed that over 75 percent of the conductors surveyed experienced a wide assortment of debilitation or physical limitations, it has been well known that a career in conducting can induce a wide variety of short-and long-term impingements, especially in the back, neck, and shoulders of the conductor. […]
Sample Page
Singing in the Groove: Connecting with Our Rhythmic Roots
Gospel, spirituals, music of Africa and Latin America: choirs and audiences cannot seem to get enough of music with rhythmic roots. How can we best help our choirs connect to their natural sense of rhythm? This session gives participants an experience of the many facets of rhythm, including movement, clapping, and singing a variety of […]
The Senses Collide: Connecting Artful Movement and Dynamic Formation in Performance
Kinesthetic connections activate the spirit, mind, and body, enhancing both technical and expressive pathways. This session will present movement principles partnered with art music in the context of traditional choral performance. The models explored in this session seek to augment the meaning and potency of the repertoire performed. Topics include the connection of body and […]
Musical Malpractice: Dumb Things We Do and How to Avoid Repeating Our Failures
Failure is a part of life and part of being a choir director. Failure can either be instructive or destructive—and many good things we accomplish have come from making mistakes, learning from them, and ensuring they never happened again. This session deals with the actions we take that undermine our ability to be effective, musical, […]
Music as a Powerful Force for Healing
Participants will explore the subtle aspects of live music that may bring comfort and a sense of well-being to the musicians and those who hear their music. The clinician will share how her own life experiences as a choral conductor led her to become a certified music practitioner for hospice and hospital patients. Topics include […]
Laban Movement Theory: Body and Shape Concepts for the Choral Rehearsal
Laban Movement Theory (LMT) is a process for labeling and recalling human movement in four component are as: body, effort, shape, and space. This workshop will use a choir to demonstrate a series of effective and creative physical and vocal exercises for an inspirational rehearsal followed by a brief application of LMT to the choral […]
