Time Management in the Choral Rehearsal   Before Rehearsal Organize your space before the rehearsal begins. Make sure the physical organization of the space is taken care of in advance and that all materials that will be used during the rehearsal are at hand. Place items on individual seats if possible before the rehearsal. Put the rehea... read more

10 More techniques to improve intonation Frank F. Eychaner- University of Texas of the Permian Basin   1)     CONSONANTS- Executing consonants clearly and allowing the vowel to sound on the beat improves intonation by avoiding the ‘noise’ of a lack of rhythmic unity.  This was a pet peeve of Robert Shaw.... read more

Rehearsing and performing using a variety of movement exercises will powerfully impact the artistry of a choral performance. The applications of movement in our choirs are nearly endless. Vocal technique is aided through the liberal use of movement in the rehearsal.   Our gestural choices are limited only by our imagination and our artistic ... read more

Becoming the best choral leader you can requires a lifetime of committment, hard work and a never ending willingness to learn and grown.  Consider the following principles on your journey to maximizing your impact as a leader both inside and outside of the rehearsal room. Build up those around you by identifying how serving the organization... read more

10 TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE INTONATION   1)   GOOD MODELS– Most the students in our choirs have not grown up listening to exceptional choral singing.  Obtain great recordings, listen to them regularly and share them with students.  Youtube, Itunes, Spotify, Rhapsody and Naxos Music Library are all excellent sources of ... read more

Rehearse at a faster pace- When learning a slow song, pitch and line suffer because of vocal fatigue.  Speed up, or even double the tempo to learn notes.  You’re reinforcing good pitch and line!  Slow down the fastest tempos. Rehearse on a neutral syllable/vowel- Rehearse pieces with a bright affect on a bright vowel, darker... read more

Artistry in the Choir Loft Frank F. Eychaner- Colorado Christian University   One of our many goals as music ministers is to make our musical and worship offering to the Lord the best we are able to produce.  Artistic performances begin with our preparation, both musical and personal, and are facilitated (or hindered) by our choices.&n... read more

Beyond the Music: Building Community in our Musical Ensembles, Part VI Praise in Public, Correct in Private 1)      Catch people being good. 2)      Praise in Public 3)      Correct in Private 4)      The importance of consequences and our follo... read more

Beyond the Music:  Building Community in our musical ensembles, Part V Building Esprit de Corps in our Choirs   1)      Learn names and backgrounds of students 2)      Know the singers outside of choir and be aware of their interests and pursuits 3)      Trave... read more

     Praise in Public for legitimate accomplishment, don’t pander. Create challenging but attainable goals; short term, mid-term and long term. Take trips to both destinations and festivals, combined trips are best Schedule concerts and performances, 3+ per term, this is especially for beginning groups Have unified... read more