Paula Martin Choral Vice-preident
Quality Music and Musicality
Most us became choir directors because of the impact that past choral experiences have had on us. We were drawn into this profession, at least in part, because singing in choir gave us the opportunity to express our creativity and to express our emotions. The text, the melody, the harmony or the combination of one or more of these elements, drew us back to choir year after year. Now, as choral directors, we have the opportunity to provide such opportunities for our students. What a blessing and responsibility we have as music educators, to be able to provide opportunities that enrich the lives of our students!
How do we create opportunities for enrichment among our students? Start by building an atmosphere of safety and trust. Students will not share, express, and create, when they perceive that their thoughts and efforts are not appreciated. They will not share or contribute to their fullest when they perceive that they are not talented enough or smart enough. Building an attitude of acceptance for diverse opinions starts with you! If you model acceptance, and nurture fledglings as much as you accept and nurture your more experienced and accomplished students, then your students will
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follow suit. The atmosphere in your classroom starts and ends with you. What an honor it is to have that responsibility!
Start by providing your students with QUALITY MUSIC to sing. Your students will learn to think deeply and introspectively if you provided them with the impetus to do so. How? GREAT MUSIC! Below are some of my absolute favorite songs for spurring deep thinking. Studying these pieces inevitably led to wonderfully expressive performances. Why? Because we started by studying quality music.
• “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name,” by Tom Fetke
• “The Awakening,” by Joseph Martin
• “Cantique de Jean Racine,” by Faure
• “Music’s Empire,” by Pfausch • “Autumn,” by Kevin Memley and “Autumn,” by Joshua Shank
• “Tell My Father,” From Civil War, arranged by Ramsey
• “Prelude to Peace,” “Clothes of Heaven,” “The Pasture,” and “Omnia Sol,” by Stroope
• “Grace Before Sleep,” “Under the Willow Tree,” by Susan LaBarr
• “Os Justi,” by Bruckner • “Sicut Cervus,” by Palestrina
Here are a few ideas you might be able to use during rehearsal to encourage musicality, and expressive singing:
• Study the text first, as you would study a poem or a story.
• Before you present the musical notation, listen to a recording, or sight read the piece.
• Have your students journal about a piece as you study it. Give them some guiding questions to help them get started.
• Turn off the lights and have your students sing with their eyes closed.
• If the piece is accompanied, give the kids a chance to close their eyes and listen as you conduct the accompaniment without their voices. Next sing the accompanied piece a cappella so that they begin to understand the relationship between the vocal score and the accompaniment.
• On an a cappella piece, have the students hum their parts while thinking the text so they have a chance to appreciate the way the composer chose to set the text.
See MARTIN, pg. 22 15
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