ChorTeach Preview: Winter 2017

ChorTeach is ACDA’s quarterly online magazine for choral directors and music educators. The articles in each issue are gleaned from ACDA state and division newsletters and from submissions. ChorTeach is specifically designed for those who work with amateur singers and are looking for practical material to apply to classrooms and rehearsals.

Below is a preview of the articles in the current issue, available for download here. The annotated ChorTeach index has also been updated. Click here to view.
Email editor Terry Barham at for submissions or questions.

A New Normal: Choral Culture as a Catalyst for Change by Sarah J. Graham

Music has the unique power to speak to social issues in our world today. Conductors are more intentional with regard to programming, and composers are writing works that lead us away from fear and toward change. This article discusses composers and works that give voice to an important and timely event or theme.

Preparation, Practice, Performance, and Pondering: A Different Approach to Score Preparation by Thomas Blue

This article is based on the author’s interest session presented at the annual junior high/middle school fall conference. Discover teaching and rehearsal strategies and the author’s “thoughts along the way” based on his experiences inside and outside of the choral classroom.

Past, Present, and Future: Today’s Choral Repertoire by Lynne Gackle

Fresh concepts and new techniques are always exciting, but do we also have a responsibility to include classic music from the past in our programming? The author argues that we should not become too enamored of the “new” that we lose sight of the tried-and-true choral gems.

The Complexity of Singing by Gabriela Hristova

Teaching and making music with a choir is a complex process. The author of this article reflects on her years of training, teaching, and performing and shares ideas that she strives to communicate with her singers on a daily basis.

Hymns: A New/Old Resource for Teaching Choral Music by Jody Blake

Explore the endless possibilities of using hymns for teaching and performance in your choral classroom. This article provides practical strategies and suggestions for integrating hymns into the choral music curriculum.

Click here to read the latest ChorTeach!