[HANASHIR:6154] Re: Directing a Children's Choir

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

Linda - Get in touch with the North American Jewish Choral Festival.   They
have a conference each summer (soon) and offer just the types of workshops
you're looking for.   It's not cheap, but either you can go for a day or
two, or maybe you could find a sponsor.   It's well worth it and the
advantages will benefit you as a director in terms of repertoire, technique,
fundraising, conducting skills; all kinds of things.    I know that some
people on this list have the website for it.   I think you could try the
following address :   ZamirFdn (at) aol(dot)com
which would put you in touch with Marsha Bryan Edelman, one of the
coordinators of the conference.    Good luck!
Meris Ruzow
-----Original Message-----
From: Barton1320 (at) aol(dot)com <Barton1320 (at) aol(dot)com>
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2000 1:38 PM
Subject: [HANASHIR:6152] Directing a Children's Choir


>I hope I have sent this correctly.  This is my first time communicating via
>this list.
>
>First, I have to say how much I have enjoyed receiving information through
>this list.  As enjoyable is reading the variety of discussions on songs and
>song leading.  It's been very educational.
>
>I am part of a directorial team for our Youth Choir.  We began this program
>last year and completed the active year with a resoundingly successful
>performance at our May congregational meeting.  However, as a trial
program,
>we kept the songs performed throughout the year rather simple, and were
>satisfied with the fact that the children showed up and sang all of the
words.
>
>Our plans for the upcoming year are somewhat more aggressive.  Which leads
me
>to my request for help.  We have two very competent musicians backing up
the
>choir on guitar, one of which who scours this list for new and innovative
>music.  My primary role is directing the choir.  I play piano, dabble in
>guitar and sing.  But my directorial experience is nil.  Can you suggest
>resources for learning how to pull a choir such as this together?  I'm
>primarily interested in ways to help the children learn the music (although
>we plan to make tapes of the music for the children to listen to), some
good
>ways to organize the group according to range and ability (the choir is
open
>to children of all ages with the caveat that their parents help them keep
up
>with the musical requirements), techniques for rehearsal to help the choir
>progress from learning to learned to innovative performances (i.e., solos,
>rounds, perhaps some harmony). I'm sure there is much I've left off, but
this
>message is getting long.  Any direction to web-sites, books, or other
sources
>would be greatly appreciated.  Although what we lack in knowledge is more
>than made up in enthusiasm, we would really like to get on track to helping
>our children make the most of their abilities.
>
>Thank you.
>
>Linda Barton
>Temple Shir Shalom
>Duluth, Georgia
>
>
>

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+