podcasts

Prior to a performance, it is beneficial for choral directors to carefully consider and experiment with various standing formation, as differing formations can affect the sound of an ensemble. When considering standing formations, most directors likely think of the physical placement of voice parts (blocked or mixed formations). But arguably the more important consideration is […]

Determining a singer’s voice part is a common task in the life of a choral director. Each semester, new students must be appropriately placed in a section of the ensemble. The key word here being appropriately, as improper placement of a voice can lead to negative vocal outcomes for the student and ensemble. ChoralEd episode […]

In secondary music classrooms, ensemble auditions are often inherently part of a program’s organizational structure. Each year, students audition or re-audition for placement in various ensembles. The assessments utilized for these auditions vary among directors based on the musical elements they consider most important. The following are a few suggested assessments that directors may want […]

In episode 40, Dr. William Baker discusses the choral audition process for community and professional ensembles. According to Dr. Baker, during the initial screening, the director should clearly articulate the vision and goals of the ensemble to ensure the candidate understands the expectations for membership. For the audition, it is suggested that the candidate perform […]

In episode 39 of ChoralEd, Dr. Robert Jordan discusses a democratic approach to repertoire selection. In a democratic approach, Jordan invites students to search for repertoire and share their discovered works with the class. For younger singers, students select music from a list curated by the director. As students develop their musical skills, they begin […]

Beginning July 2024, ChoralEd briefly transitioned from episodes on pedagogical technique to vocal exercise videos for classroom use. For many choral educators, starting class can be a challenge.  At the start of every class, teachers are expected to juggle multiple responsibilities (i.e. attendance, paperwork collection/distribution, behavior correction). Simultaneously, teachers must also actively engage students in […]