[HANASHIR:6175] Re: Directing a Children's Choir

[Rachelle and Howard Shubert <notfranz...>]

A few private lessons from a respected choir director and attendance at a
choir directors' conference helped me to have the confidence to get started.
I would recommend it.  I also connected with a listserve web site for choral
people which was of limited help because they were predominantly concerned
with church music.  However you may find some good answers there.

The best resource I have found was a book called Lifeline for Children's
Choir written by the director of the phenomenally successful Toronto
Children's Choir.  If you are interested, contact me privately and I will
dig it up and give you the publication details.

Rachelle




----- Original Message -----
From: <Freedabet (at) aol(dot)com>
To: <Barton1320 (at) aol(dot)com>; <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2000 10:43 AM
Subject: [HANASHIR:6156] Re: Directing a Children's Choir


> Go sit in on some rehearsals of local choirs (youth or adult).  That will
> give you some ideas of practical techniques for teaching music and
conducting
> by example.
>
> You can find other directors and perhaps local workshops by finding the
local
> ACDA (American Choral Directors Assn.) chapter in your area.
>
> Michael Freed
>
> -------- REPLY, Original message follows --------
>
> > Date: Wednesday, 31-May-00 01:35 PM
> >
> > From: Barton1320 (at) aol(dot)com       \ America Online: (BARTON1320)
> > To:   Hanashir Mail Server     \ Internet:    (hanashir (at) 
> > shamash(dot)org)
> >
> > Subject:  [HANASHIR:6152] Directing a Children's Choir
> >
> > Sender: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> > Reply-to:       hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> > To:     hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> > 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
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> -------- REPLY, End of original message --------
>
>
>

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