Known as the first English oratorio, Esther is a compelling work not only for the beauty of the music but also the relevance of important issues in the narrative: a young woman, chosen for her beauty, becomes queen and accepts the task of averting genocide of her people. How does knowledge of the Jewish story […]
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Get with the Program! New Approaches in Concert Programming
This session will explore ways to create effective concert programs that move beyond the period-based, style-based, or straightforward thematic approaches. Examples of the types of programming we will explore: ensemble selected, narratives, arch form, arbitrary restriction, progressive venue, outside text-based, and audience participation. There will be time for sharing of effective programming approaches and philosophies, […]
Getting “Heady” with High School Singers
Developing a freely produced, well-supported head voice is the greatest factor toward achieving good intonation and blend in the high school choral ensemble. This presentation demonstrates techniques for developing a buoyant and lyric head tone in both female and male singers during the choral rehearsal. Recordings of four high school choirs will present examples of […]
Finding the Mustard Seed: How to Introduce a New Choral Work to Your Choir
Where to begin? What is the essence of a piece? What will capture student interest in a new choral piece? Octavos will be studied in terms of score preparation, what should be introduced in a first rehearsal, and what should be reinforced in subsequent rehearsals in terms of music understanding and rehearsal efficiency. Thorough preparation […]
Exhaling with Sound: Yoga for the Choral Ensemble
For many voice users, an overactive stress response in performance situations, or even general anxiety and/or depression, leads to unwanted muscle tension, which can significantly contribute to vocal difficulty. In order to maximize vocal potential, choral directors and singers must become more aware of how the whole body, including the autonomic nervous system, impacts vocal […]
Disability Aesthetics and Praxis in Choral Music
This session will explore innovative choral music practices that enable and empower singers experiencing disabilities. Singers from the Notes from the Heart Music Program in Pittsburgh will collaborate with conductor Andrew Clark in a lecture-panel-demonstration that explores inclusive and accessible approaches in their creative process and values drawn from their collective work that can inform […]
