Choral directors and voice teachers at any institution of higher education have the same responsibilities and ultimate goals: the optimal education of their shared voice students. Historically, however, this relationship is often strained because choral and voice programs run at odds against each other. A coordinated approach to vocal training and to expectations of the […]
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Unlocking the Why: Finding Meaning Behind the Notation
The purpose of this session is to help conductors find ways to get past the notation of a piece of choral music and find the meaning and emotion that lie behind it. The session will use music from several historical style periods in order to demonstrate how to probe for meaning in a choral work.
Unique Rounds for Warm-Ups and Performance
From poignantly beautiful to deliciously complex, rounds can provide rich material for both choral warm-ups and exciting concert repertoire. This session will explore the fascinating variety of forms as we sing canons, catches, rounds, African-style cyclical songs, and quodlibets. The session will cover a wide range of levels and styles within this versatile and exciting […]
Turn Off That Autopilot
Every time we sing, the singing must be a fresh experience, and the song itself must be eternally new. Central to Nick Page’s approach is something he calls the democratization of music, giving the singers the responsibility to shape the music. Page will show how handing the baton over to the singers creates the spark […]
Trends and Transitions in Planning for Worship in Sacred Spaces
Conference participants will be led by members of the Eastern ACDA Division Music in Worship R&S Committee. The discussion will be framed by models of current practice in various church denominations. What’s new with congregational singing? What audio, visual, and print resources do you refer to when planning? What are the current performance practices in […]
Tiyimbe! The African Choral Music of the Manda Wilderness, Mozambique
Through video, photos, recordings, and audience participation, this session will demonstrate the practice of choral music as it exists in the Manda Wilderness of northwestern Mozambique, Africa. From May through August 2013, the clinician traveled to Malawi and northwestern Mozambique to work with the choirs. The clinician also attended local church services and observed how […]