Chorus Class — Day One

The first day of chorus class for the chorus teacher starts long before day one for the choral music student.  The chorus teacher must choose the music for each choir in time to order it, if necessary, and learn it or review until she knows it inside out.  If this is your first year . . . → Read More: Chorus Class — Day One

Choral Rehearsal

The best advice I ever got about running a choral rehearsal came from the Department Chair at the university where I was working on my Master’s degree.  He said, "Use as few words as possible.  They want to sing, not listen to you talk."  I figured he said it to me because I love . . . → Read More: Choral Rehearsal

Singing Basics

As a chorus teacher, one of the first things you must teach are singing basics.  A great choral sound starts with a great individual sound.  The basics are the same.

Start . . . → Read More: Singing Basics

Beginning Singers

Wow.  Sometimes you have beginning singers that will knock your socks off.  Sometimes you have a youngster or two who chants — loudly — on one pitch, usually about a M6 lower than everybody else.  But most everybody is somewhere in between.  Your job is to start where they are and help them to . . . → Read More: Beginning Singers

Concert Dress

Different choirs require different concert dress.  Various performances require various concert dress.  Musical theater requires costuming.  So how do you decide what to have your students wear?

Cost is always . . . → Read More: Concert Dress

Choir Performances

 

What are the requirements for choir performances?

What is proper concert dress?

What are the behavioral guidelines for performance, and what are the consequences for failure to follow those guidelines?

How do you grade performance?

How often should your choirs perform?

Where do . . . → Read More: Choir Performances

Choral Music Boosters

A critical part of being a chorus teacher is developing a good rapport with the parents, and the outgrowth of that is the organization of Choral Music Boosters.  Great parents and parent involvement will make your job so much easier than it could ever be without them.  Besides, you will meet wonderful people who . . . → Read More: Choral Music Boosters

Choir Folders

Every teacher has his or her own preferences regarding choir folders.  I prefer plain old black binders.  I get the ones that have a clear plastic outer sleeve so that when Laura feels a moral imperative to write Laura Loves Sean and Laura and Sean Forever all over everything she owns, embellished with the . . . → Read More: Choir Folders