Boston is central to the history of choral music education in America. Early eighteenth-century Bostonians advocating for the learning of music “by note” rather than “by rote” produced America’s first two music textbooks in 1721. Singing schools spread from Boston across the Northeast, spurring the compositional creativity of William Billings and other tunesmiths from the […]
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Order Amid Chaos: Dialogue in the Choral Rehearsal
Effective choral conductors act in the dual roles of musician and teacher, expertly weaving back and forth between the two. In addition to preparing our ensembles for performance, we seek to create independent musicians who have musical and critical thinking skills. This hands-on session will explore a number of rehearsal techniques based in verbal and […]
Musica
This session, presented by the Board of Directors of the Musica International Database and led by Tim Sharp, will explore all of the features available through Musica to search for choral music through out the world. The database offers a video performance of the score, a pronunciation guide, library information, along with composer, publisher, and […]
Music that MOVES You! Integrating Elements of D-O-K in Choir
The approaches of Dalcroze, Orff, and Kodály (D-O-K) are traditionally utilized in elementary general music classrooms, but the fun doesn’t have to stop there! Explore a variety of strategies incorporating elements of D-O-K to energize and engaging your students in each and every rehearsal. Discover the benefits of eclectic approach as singers of all ages […]
Multi-generational Harmony: Working Effectively with Older Singers to Recharge, Respect, and Retain
Singers want to sing throughout their lives. Informed and passionate conductors can make that happen. This presentation will focus on: the aging body’s impact on vocal ability; recognizing and addressing stamina and postural changes as they relate to breath; rehearsal engagement; vocal exercises for older singers; three critical steps for creating a culture within your […]
Managing Sound: Finding Unification through Prioritization
Given the limited amount of preparation time, variance in levels of musicianship and experience, and contrasting vocal timbres in large, non-auditioned choirs, conductors can view developing a sound (unified tone, blend, and clear intonation) too overwhelming to be prioritized or accomplished. This interactive and demonstrative session will present approaches that help conductors expand the musical […]
