Finding your Principal Focus Points


What music teacher would not answer the fol- lowing advertisement?


Attention High School Choir Directors. Would you like to have students who:


Sing with engagement, intensity and focus Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the music content of each choral piece Demonstrate literary and historical com- prehension of the text of each choral piece Enjoy rehearsals even more than perfor- mances?


Is this another of those ads that are just too good to be true? You’re thinking, “There must be a gimmick, these results are unrealistic, especial- ly in this era of block scheduling.” Actually the ad assertions are very attainable, and even better don’t cost additional money. As an added bonus, most of the national standards and Michigan benchmarks will be addressed in a secondary level choir. What a deal!


So what is this all about? It’s about thinking “outside the box” in regards to high school choir.


It’s about letting the customary general


music ideas of eclecticism, integration and relat- ed arts find their way into the high school choir rehearsal. And it’s about thinking more like a vocal recitalist; approaching a choral piece by equally embracing the text and the music.


Before you can successfully answer the adver- tisement, a few prerequisites are necessary. Your choirs must be continually sight-reading and be able to work in small, independent groups. Even if your students haven’t mastered these skills, some proficiency will make the process of mu- sic learning more efficient. The three following areas are significant issues concerning choral music instruction.


Choosing musical selections of the highest quality


As choral music educators we are given two 16


Norma Freeman


priceless gifts: beautiful melodies and discern- ing texts. The time you take to thoroughly re- search your choral music selections is the most productive time you will spend out of the class- room. Selecting the right music makes all the difference in the success of your students and your program. Here’s a brief checklist to keep in mind as you choose music for each choir.


• Does the piece have gorgeous melo- dies, engaging harmonies or compel- ling rhythms?


• Is the text clever, profound, poetic or inspirational?


• Are the musical demands appropriate for the singing level of the ensemble?


• Will I be able to pull the piece out of the library and sing it every few years?


• Will the students ask to sing the piece all year?


Using an appropriate sight-reading system


Choose a sight-reading system and stick to it. If you have given proper time and thought to your musical selections, your literature should provide most of the sight reading examples you need.


Working independently in small groups


Choir students feel a great sense of satisfaction and ownership when they can accomplish tasks without the teacher. They can also be incred- ibly nurturing to each other. The same skills that classroom teachers employ in cooperative edu- cation can be used with student led sectionals and small group work. This is the true essence of the word ensemble.


Learning to work in small groups is probably the most challenging issue of the three, but with time, patience and perseverance, small accom- plishments in independent group work will con- tinually reap great benefits.


Choral


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36