From crackling consonants to rich, uniform vowels, quick, easy, outside-the-box choral techniques to break the orchestral sound barrier. These ideas are a synthesis of thirty years with the Cleveland and San Francisco Symphony Choruses gleaned from Robert Shaw, Atlanta, Margaret Hillis, Chicago, and Robert Page, Cleveland Orchestra Choruses. Learn special color effects from printed examples […]
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Soul Searching: Is It Time to Rethink the Conventional Model of Youth Choir?
This session will examine a comprehensive study on adolescent spirituality in the United States, focusing on challenges the study presents for congregations and choral musicians hoping to engage teenagers in the church.
Rutter: Confessions of a Composer
Repertoire and Rehearsal Strategies for Adolescent Singers in Vocal Transition: The Emerging SATB Choir
Middle school and high school choral directors across the country are always faced with the challenge of choosing repertoire that fits the voices of their singers—especially male singers. The constantly shifting vocal range of male and female adolescent singers makes it difficult to plan repertoire and assign vocal parts. This session will provide the participant […]
Re-Discovering American Choral Music Before 1850
Context: It is safe to state that most music history classes focused on traditional Western music omit any mention of music from the United States until the end of the nineteenth century or early twentieth century when composers such as Beach, Ives, Copland, Barber, Bernstein, etc., begin to make an impact on the international musical […]
Recruitment, Retention, and Repertoire for Two-Year College Choirs
This session will offer recruitment and retention strategies specifically aimed at community college choirs. It will address methods for building a strong choral program when faced with a transient student body, budget constraints, and other challenges. A student-centered approach to recruitment and retention will be presented with the goal of decreasing reliance on non-student singers […]
