ChoralEd: Introducing Sight-Reading to New Students

In ChoralEd Episode 22, Bryce Gage discusses techniques for introducing sight-reading to new choral students.  To begin, Mr. Gage utilizes Call and Response.  Initially, this exercise should be performed on a neutral syllable using simple intervals.  As student’s develop their listening skills and demonstrate their ability to match pitch, the exercise should be extended to incorporate solfège (or your preferred sight-reading method) and larger intervals.  In conjunction with call and response, the teacher should incorporate vocal exercises that reinforce various Solfège Patterns.  Patterns can vary between exercises but are designed to reinforce the correlation between syllable and pitch.  As students are introduced to the various solfège syllables, they can begin to Sight-Read Simple Solfège Patterns.  These sight-reading exercises should not include any traditional music notation.  Instead, they should be notated using the abbreviated solfège letter (Figure 1).  Once students are proficient at sight-reading these simple solfège patterns, rhythmic values can be added to the exercise (Figure 2).  Finally, students can begin Sight-Reading in Parts using the previously discussed method of abbreviated solfège syllables (Figure 3). 

To watch ChoralEd, Episode 22 on YouTube click HERE

To listen to ChoralEd, Episode 22 on Apple Podcasts click HERE