It is no secret that middle school students are “unique”! However, when we make appropriate and relevant musical choices, those same “unique” students always Love Opportunities to Learn. Denise Eaton will share her ideas about practical and relevant score study, skill development, and lesson planning throughout the school year. She will also explore the effect […]
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Get Guys Singing!
Choral program lacking men’s voices? With a focus on repertoire that works for ten to a hundred young men at the middle and high school level, discover what other tips and tricks worked at Marsteller Middle School in Bristow, Virginia, to grow a choral program in which there is now an equal number of boys […]
Engaging the Power of the Visual: Artful Movement and Dynamic Formation in Performance
By engaging the power of the visual, we extend our impact and viability in a culture increasingly disconnected from the world of art music. According to the Youth Media Reporter (2009), studies estimate that children are exposed to sixteen thousand images in one day. These same children populate our ensembles and audiences. How can we […]
Composers and Conductors Working Together
Do we have a responsibility to ensure that choral music is a living art? How much new music should we do? Are our composers immersed and educated in choral music? The session will explore the joys, pitfalls, and terrors of taking our responsibilities seriously!
The Conductor as Vocal Athlete: Vocal Health for the Overworked Choral Conductor
Working as a conductor doesn’t have to lead to vocal fatigue or strain. Participants in this session will learn exercises and techniques for retaining vocal health despite the hectic rehearsal schedules, maturing/aging voice, and heavy speaking demands. The emphasis here is not on healing damaged voices but on making healthy conductors more resilient. Exercises will […]
Be Not Afraid: Vocal Improvisation in the Choral Rehearsal
Using solfège and popular songs to learn progressions is a great introduction to improvisational techniques. This session will use I-V-vi-IV to experiment with rhythm and melodies. From that gateway activity we can move to circle songs and vocal improvisation over other progressions. The goal is that activities such as this can help students to create […]
