Current trends of music in the public schools insure choral education majors an opportunity to direct a vocal jazz ensemble, swing or show choir at some point in their teaching career. In contrast with today's youth who are highly sophisticated through exposure to the entertainment arts, for many music educators, the popular performing arts were nonexistent in their own high school experience. Recognizing the presence of such deficiencies, and due to increased interest in the show choir movement among secondary education majors at Brigham Young University, a Show Choir Production Class was designed and taught. An attempt was made to cover in an introductory way the broad range of skills, concepts, and sequences with which the show choir conductor must familiarize himself if he is to succeed in this frequently slighted facet of music education. The course was taught on the premise that even though skills could not be mastered during this short period of time, an awareness of what resources were available for further study, research, and assistance would facilitate teaching upon arrival in the public schools.
A review of pertinent literature, class discussions, and practical application assignments
covering the many unfamiliar facets of show choir education, assisted the student to arrange his priorities in regards to the part show choir activity may play in a total choral program. Recordings, existing campus groups, periodicals, books, examples from successful educators, Walt Disney productions, and Hollywood, enriched the classroom activity.
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