Improvisation and creativity are essential elements of jazz. This clinic will work through techniques for fostering creativity and flexibility in your solo singers, address how to expand upon stock charts, and cover general vocal and instrumental improvisational concepts. Topics include: the goals of a vocal jazz ensemble experience; teaching connection to the vocal and instrumental […]
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The Conductor’s Muse: Advocating for the Choral Art through Creative Programming
One of our most creative acts as choral leaders is crafting compelling programs that showcase the value of the choral experience, often to audiences that may not have a background in it. Join Joshua Habermann and Santa Fe Desert Chorale singers in an exploration of some of the ways we can incorporate storytelling, spoken word, […]
Help! My Guys Sound Terrible: Quick Solutions to Common Problems
This research was inspired by the clinician’s own personal struggles as a beginning choir director with teaching novice male singers. As a part of her masters thesis, Jaclyn Johnson created a survey to see if other directors (in particular, female high school directors) had experienced similar struggles. During this session, Johnson will briefly discuss the […]
Eо‐ : Choral Music of the Hawaiian Islands
The choral tradition of the Hawaiian Islands seldom extends beyond Hawai‘i’s shores and, when it does, rarely carries with it themo‘olelo, or story and tradition that gives the music meaning. Eō, a call exclaiming, ‘I am here!,’ explores through song and word the rich, centuries-old tradition of Hawaiian choral music. This ongoing story is told […]
Developing Expressive Singing and Independent Musicianship in Young Singers through Vocal Preparation
This session will present strategies for developing expressive singing and independent musicianship skills of young singers throughout the rehearsal, especially focusing on the vocal preparation period. Connections between vocal preparation and rehearsal of literature will be emphasized with primary focus on the musical phrase as the foundation of musical experience, understanding, and performance. A variety […]
Creating a Connected Culture: Four Practical Steps for Effective Choir Recruitment
As choir directors, we can often feel like our recruitment possibilities are capped. We work hard to recruit at the beginning of the semester. Still, with every two or three gained, around the same number are lost. We can feel as though we are spinning our wheels. This session will focus on four steps for […]
