Between the Staves: Choral Questions, Candid Answers, is fresh take on the classic advice column—this time for all things choral music! Modeled after the beloved “Dear Sally” format, this blog will answer your questions about choral music education, performance, and leadership. Whether you’re curious about vocal technique, rehearsal tips, repertoire selection, or the “other” side of our profession (business, fundraising, scheduling, recruiting, communication, audio engineering, etc.!), Between the Staves will have you covered.
This Month’s Question Is:
What systems or structures do you use to support different skill levels in the same ensemble, keeping advanced students challenged while beginners feel supported?–Anonymous
This Month’s Responses Are:
When working with mixed-level choirs, it is important to choose repertoire that offers flexibility. Music with optional divisi, countermelodies, or descants allows beginners to remain on the melody line while more advanced singers can take on the challenge of the additional parts. Rotating parts, especially with younger singers such as sixth graders or treble voices, ensures that all students gain experience hearing and singing harmony rather than always defaulting to the melody.
The focus of rehearsals should extend beyond preparing for performances or competitions, emphasizing music literacy and sight-reading as essential skills. This reinforces the idea that the learning process is more valuable than the final product. Leadership roles such as section leaders or choir officers can provide advanced singers with meaningful responsibilities, while also modeling strong musicianship and rehearsal habits for their peers.
Recognition is an equally vital element. Advanced students should be encouraged to audition for honor choirs, All-State ensembles, and other prestigious opportunities. At the same time, directors should celebrate small but significant milestones among all students, whether matching pitch, singing solo for the first time, maintaining good posture, or demonstrating persistence. Every singer contributes to the ensemble, and no one should feel like a second string. During sectionals, rotating advanced students as leaders offers them opportunities to guide the group while giving beginners and intermediates the chance to learn directly from their peers, reinforcing a sense of community and shared growth within the choir.
Brent Coleman (32 years), Heather Cantwell (28 years), Melissa Bonds (18 years), Cara Thomas (10 years), Taylor Stricklin (9 years), Bethany Peppers (3 years)–100 years combined experience!
Vestavia Hills City Schools Choral Feeder Pattern
Vestavia Hills, AL
Gamifying score study allows me to ask questions at varying levels, ensuring that every student can find success and contribute to the discussion. This approach not only engages them but also helps them learn from one another while reinforcing their own understanding. I also make space for student voices, recognizing that their ideas, perspectives, and lived experiences all matter in shaping the rehearsal and deepening our collective musical experience.
Christina Vehar (9 years)
Music Specialist, Choral Director, Musical Theatre Director
Cheatham Hill Elementary School
Marietta, GA
There are a lot of different ways you could approach this. One way I like is starting from the bottom up, since everyone can use a little refresher now and then. Sometimes students understand a lesson differently the second or third time around, and that new perspective can really help them connect with the concept. Plus, the kids who already get it usually turn out to be some of the best leaders in the room.
In my class, when we’re learning a new rhythm, we do breakout sessions. After I teach the lesson, I give them a rhythm chart where they can write the counts. Then I’ll ask four or five volunteers to walk around and help anyone who’s stuck. It cuts down on the long line of kids waiting for me, and it also gets students moving and feeling good about what they can do. We switch up the volunteers each time so everyone gets a chance to step up and “spread the love,” so to speak.
Blane Freeman (8 years)
Assistant Choral Director
Oak Mountain Middle School
Birmingham, AL
In my classroom, we focus on progress instead of perfection because I want my singers to grow into independent and confident musicians. To create this environment, I use several strategies that support beginning singers while continuing to challenge advanced ones. At the start of the year, I “randomly” assign students to peer groups that always include a mix of strong readers and developing singers; these groups serve as teams for sight-reading challenges, passing off music sections, and team-building, and the students take ownership by giving their groups high-spirited names. I also take every class back to the basics, beginning the year as if everyone is a beginner, providing review for advanced students while ensuring new singers can learn without being singled out. Scale drills are a key part of this process, moving through major, minor (natural, harmonic, and melodic), chromatic, whole tone, and pentatonic scales in nonstop rounds that progress from half notes to eighth notes and eventually triplets, with variations in thirds and fourths; while students may believe the purpose is speed and repetition, these drills allow newer singers to gain practice while advanced students stay engaged. Rhythm study begins each year with stick notation, then moves to note values, and finally to TaKaDiMi counting, while daily audiation practice strengthens inner hearing as students audiate scales, stop to check pitches, and use simplified pitch-reading exercises that focus on skips. Finally, I place advanced singers strategically throughout the ensemble so they can support newer or struggling students, modeling musicianship and encouraging leadership by example. Together, these systems create a culture where all singers can progress confidently, knowing that growth, not perfection, is the ultimate goal.
Allen Sanders (14 years)
Choral Director
Center Hill High School
Southhaven, MS
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Between the Staves is an initiative of the ACDA Education and Collaboration National Standing Committee. For questions, contact John McDonald at .
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