Oh my… Haven’t books been written on this subject?!? And aren’t seminars almost always presented at every major conference about keeping boys in your chorus? And I’m trying to sum it up in a quick blog post? Impossible. But…as I always say each time I write, I don’t have all the answers…or even half […]
Music in the Middle
What is your experience with Perfect Pitch?
What is your experience with Perfect Pitch? On Monday morning, I was on the treadmill running, and I came across this article about a child in Atlanta who has perfect pitch. I’ve always believed that perfect pitch was far more rare than some of us believe. Maybe it’s because mine isn’t perfect! 🙂 I certainly appreciate the […]
The Winter Months-When the Rubber Meets the Road in your Middle School Choral Music Classroom
January and February can hit a middle school chorus teacher square between the eyes. The dark, cold days can be trying ones. It isn’t easy motivating children to sing when they are struggling with the difficulties of getting back into the daily rigor and routine of life. If our classroom management techniques haven’t been as strong […]
Introducing a New Song to Your Middle School Beginners
The moment when you introduce a new song to your middle school beginners is so important. If we don’t get them hooked from the start, they shut down and decide they don’t like the song. Then, it’s like pulling teeth every time we sing the song. Most of the true beginners aren’t ready to sight […]
Share your ideas with your choral music peers!
My first year teaching middle school choral music in public schools was awful. I have no idea how I made it through. I didn’t know what I was doing. I was armed with a master’s degree from a very good music school, and I was not good at teaching choral music to beginners. I was […]
Difficulties of Reading Words and Music for your Beginners
It’s a New Year! It is highly likely that we are all teaching new music. Reading music is so natural for all of us who’ve completed college degrees and taken piano since we were children. Like speaking a language fluently, reading music feels natural to us. h …And it is highly likely that most of us […]