To promote classroom success, Jason Sickel lives by a simple oath: “Well-defined procedures and clear expectations trump everything else!” Establishing clear procedures in the classroom can save music teachers from a lot of headaches and strife. In ChoralEd Episode 58, Jason shares strategies for identifying and implementing practical classroom procedures. By focusing first on creating […]
ChoralEd, Implementing the Challenge System – Travis Rogers
Have you ever considered implementing an instrumental-style chair test system in your choral ensemble? In Episode 57 of ChoralEd, Travis Rogers shares a method for encouraging constructive competition through an approach he calls the challenge system. Similar to a chair test approach found in an orchestra or band, Rogers’ method invites students to challenge their […]
ChoralEd, Common Audition Mistakes
In choral music, honor choir auditions are a common feature. However, students often prepare for these auditions by rehearsing extensively with others or utilizing a recorded track that features their part being sung or played. While these musical aids are beneficial in helping the student learn their part, overreliance on these resources can lead to […]
ChoralEd, Fun Choral Warm-ups
For summer 2026, ChoralEd briefly transitioned from its typical podcast format to releasing five fun warm-ups for the choral ensemble. 2. Pizza Hut – sung to the tune of “Ram Sam Sam” with lyrics changed to fast food establishments. 3. Choral Improvisation 1 – Improvisation based on a harmonic chord chart. 4. Choral Improvisation 2 […]
ChoralEd, A Democratic Approach to the Choral Rehearsal – Dr. Robert Jordan
In a previous episode of ChoralEd (Episode 39), Dr. Robert Jordan shared a democratic framework for repertoire selection. In Episode 55, Dr. Jordan expands on this philosophy discussing a democratic approach to the rehearsal process. To foster student ownership and agency, Dr. Jordan encourages feedback from students by recording and listening back to portions of […]
ChoralEd, Basic Audio Recording
In the twenty-first century, knowledge of audio recording equipment has become an essential tool for every choral director. From submitting national and state honor ensemble auditions to creating learning tracks for at-home practice, producing a quality audio recording is now a pedagogical necessity. Despite its importance, many directors lack the technical expertise and confidence to […]