by Stuart Hunt The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines music as “the art of combining vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.“1 To that is often added, something like the following: Sounds and silences organized in time. A pattern of regular or irregular pulses, some stronger some […]
choral education
ChoralEd: Suggestions for Implementing Vocal Exercises
In Episode 11, ChoralEd begins a new series on vocal exercises. For the first episode of the series, ChoralEd host Micah Bland shares some general considerations for incorporating vocal exercises in the choral rehearsal. In rehearsal, the vocal warm-up should not be taken for granted. Vocal exercises provide conductors with a dedicated time in rehearsal […]
One of the Inverse Relationships in Beginning Chorus Class
By Odell Zeigler, IV “It doesn’t matter whether you are pursuing success in business, sports, the arts, or life in general: the bridge between wishing and accomplishing is discipline.” – Harvey Mackay I believe the above quote can serve as our epigraph for this blog and our overall commitment to fostering and developing music literacy […]
ChoralEd: Correcting Challenging Vocal Tones
Choral directors that teach young singers regularly encounter vocal tones that require correction. In pursuit of choral excellence and the vocal health of the student, it’s important to properly train these voices. The following are some suggested strategies to implement when working with challenging vocal tones. Breathy/Airy Tone Before making corrections to a breathy tone, […]
ChoralEd: Developing Choral Tone, Part 2
Choral directors have unique opinions about choral tone. In part 2 of our choral tone discussion, ChoralEd talks with Dr. Merrin Guice Gill and Dr. Sean Pullen about their approaches to choral tone. Episode 8: Choral Tone, Part 3 – Dr. Merrin Guice Gill For Dr. Guice Gill, choral tone changes based on the style, […]
ChoralEd: Developing Choral Tone, Part 1
According to Howard Swan in the book Choral Conducting: A Symposium, there are six unique schools of choral singing in America. Between these six schools, and the personal preferences of choral directors, there are countless differing opinions about choral tone. Ask any two conductors and you will likely notice differences in their approaches to vibrato, […]