CHAPTER 1 – The Formative Years

 “First grade is the most important year in a child’s school life. During this school year, the
growth of a child physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally is greater than in any other
school year.”

Quality of the Teacher’s Singing Voice

 Sing in a “head tone” quality, children of this age learn singing through imitation
 “Children need to hear a voice that is bright, pure, light, free of excessive vibrato”
 Males are suggested to sing in falsetto
 2 options if singing falsetto for males seems impossible 1.) Invite a soprano to do tone matching,
2.) Have 4 or 5 children who can sing in head voice to be role models

The Prepared Environment

 A good environment creates a good space for children to learn comfortably

 Room should be bright, well-ventilated, spacious, clean, and child-centered; floors should be
carpeted
 A list of children’s names written on a chart paper with a passport size photo mounted beside
gives a sense of belongingness to the children
 Rhythm instruments and rhythm flashcards in display
 Background music (preferably soft and slow music) to set the mood
 Try to convince parents and principals of the importance of having a music room

Effective Use of Speaking Voice

 Speaking voice should be soft, with an air of kindness and authority

 A loud and nasal speaking voice will receive a loud response from the children

Teaching First Graders to Find Their Singing Voices and Match Pitch

 “All children can be taught to sing if they begin their personal vocal discovery at a very early age
and if they are taught by someone who not only believes all children can sing but also has the
pedagogical skills to teach them to sing. Children must never, ever, be told that they cannot sing
or be told to just mouth the words.”

Reasons why children might have difficulties matching pitch (summary)

1. Might have not heard anyone sing in head tone (Children learn by imitation)
2. Have not yet tried to sing alone through tone matching
3. Poor concentration and inability to focus
4. Environment in home is not conducive to developing good singing or singing in general
5. Lacks self-confidence; having difficulties learning in school
6. Not interested (might be because of the teacher)
7. Lack coordination (engaging breath and producing sound)
8. Used to speak in a raspy tone/voice
Ways to Develop the Child’s Singing Voice

 Through exploring sounds (using sounds heard everyday and using it to introduce high and low
sounds, then introduce matching pitch)
 Through choosing appropriate song material (choosing songs with appropriate key and is doable
for the child for them to sing)
 Through individual questioning (asking questions in pitch then making them imitate the pitch by
answering)
 Through making tapes (for them to be able to listen and know what a head voice sound)

“You need to create an environment of trust so no child is ever afraid to make a mistake. In great
teaching, there are no wrong answers, just poorly set up questions.”

Teaching Strategies: The First Lesson (shortened)

1. Ask for name tags for the children; patiently wait for the children to be ready. Appearance (face,
stance, self-assuredness) are critical
2. Have the children seated with space between the kids
3. Introduce the singing voice and slowly transition to singing; “Your reaction to their singing must
always be positive and encouraging”
4. Teach a poem that you can use to as a stretch break, to teach beat patterns, and to develop
spatial awareness
5. Do some tone matching
6. Have them read some simple rhythm notation
7. Ask and have them sing their favorite song, all while teaching the children the head voice
8. Use positive reinforcement
9. Link with the parents by presenting them your goals through pamphlets

“Teaching six- and seven-year-olds to discover and use their singing voices, to develop a love of singing,
and to use their ears to listen discriminatingly is critically important. These accomplishments begin to
build a solid foundation for the skills that are to be developed in subsequent years.”

CHAPTER 2 – Training Eight- to Fourteen-Year-Old Children to Sing

 The conductor must understand principles of singing and is always nurtured every rehearsal
 Repertoire is of critical importance

Exquisite Tone

 The sound of the children’s choir reflects the conductor’s preference

  Children must be taught to develop good singing habits to help them sing in an exquisite tone

Qualities of exquisite tone one must try to develop

1. Ringing – a ringing and resonant tone (with buoyancy and projection)

2. Purity – a pure tone (w/o excessive vibrato or a distinctive color; w/clarity and sweetness)
3. Brightness – a bright tone that is easy to tune and blend (glimmers and shines; a hint of “oo”
vowel in every vowel sung)
4. Freedom – a free, unrestricted tone; without tension nor is forced

Developing these characteristics depends on:

1. the consistent teaching of pure, uniform vowel sounds

2. the warm-up exercises used to develop the voices
3. the teaching of good breath support
4. the repertoire that the teacher has selected for the children to study
5. the positive teaching atmosphere created by the conductor in the rehearsal

 It helps if the conductor can demonstrate these qualities with his/her own voice; immediately
correct poor tone as soon as heard
 Use warm-up exercises (vocalization) to develop good singing habits and to resolve problems
seen in singing
- Use tonic sol-fa syllables to sing descending scale to address both vowel uniformity and
breath support
- Address raised tongue while singing by using “flee-flay-flah-flow-floo” on descending 5-note
scale
 The conductor can demonstrate a “head tone” to a “chesty tone” for the children to know which
tone is acceptable

Breath Support

 The most important aspect of developing exquisite tone, and of good singing in general, is
breath support

Some ideas for children to know the mechanics of good breath support

1. By having the children see and feel through your body what should it be like having good breath
support (belt on ribcage and their hand on your shoulders to see how should the body
move/react while breathing) then having them do it
2. Raise the ribcage by having them extend their arms high above their heads, then slowly bringing
the arms down, then inhale like sipping with a straw to keep the ribcage expanded (do the
exercise 5 times)
3. Start the exercise like with #2, but this time have them pant like a dog with one hand on the
waist, and one on the ribs
 4. Have the kids line up, then place their hands to the person in front of them; one hand on the
ribs and one on the shoulders (peer evaluation); as they sip air, ribcage should expand, and
shoulders should not move
5. Have the children lie on the floor with their belts and scarves around their ribcage, have them
notice the scarves/belts around their ribcage feel tight as they sip air
6. Have them say “puh, tuh, kuh, fuh, shhhh” in rhythm, with their hands placed on their ribcage to
feel the diaphragm engaging in breath

 Use wide conducting gestures, not vertical/tall

 Space is important for the children to learn and breath effectively
 “The wise conductor will teach breathing and vocal technique while the children are making
music”
 Correct posture is important for correct singing
- Stand on the balls of the feet with the knees flexed, not locked
- Arms must be loose at their sides, not held in front or behind
- Shoulders need to be low and without tension
- Chins need to be low and jaws relaxed
- Sit tall on the chair with their bottom at the back of the chair (if the chair is too high for the
children)

Clear Diction

 Consonants give choral sound vitality, clarity, energy, beauty, definition, intensity
 Vowels give color and vibrancy
 Good conducting gestures help the choir with diction
 The softer the vowels get, the louder and more intense the consonants must be; otherwise soft
singing loses its vitality; conductors could mouth the words to help maintain intensity; live
acoustics can play havoc with diction
 When the children are singing in foreign languages, invite an expert in that language to coach
them

Musical Phrasing

 Choral music does not move note by note, syllable by syllable, but by phrases
 The following important questions need to be asked: Where is the phrase going? What is the
most important word in the phrase? What is there harmonically that determines the length of
the phrase?
 It is much safer to teach the words and their phrase length along with the notes to avoid
isolation of the text from phrasing with notes
 The conductor’s effective gesture is vitally important in getting the choir to sing musically
 Sensitive phrasing, however, is another matter; it has everything to do with a choral conductor’s
taste, experience, and musical maturity
Perfect Intonation

 Singing in tune should become a habit (the choir sings out of tune because someone lets them)
 Singing in tune becomes a habit for the children if faulty intonation is corrected immediately

Spots where faulty intonation most likely will take place

- ascending whole steps and descending half steps

- major thirds that are not high enough
- key changes and sensing the new tonality
- repeating the same note several times
- leading notes that are not high enough

Reasons for Singing Flat

1. Breath support is inadequate and posture poor.

2. There is a lack of uniformity and brightness in the vowels.
3. Lethargy and general lack of concentration prevail.
4. The piece is in a key that is not conducive to good intonation.
5. The intervals are too close in ascending passages and too far apart in descending passages.
6. Leading tones and thirds are neither bright enough nor high enough.
7. The rehearsal has gone on too long. Too much time has been spent on one piece.
8. Boredom and fatigue on the part of the children occur as the result of an uninspiring director
with an uninspiring rehearsal technique.
9. Too much slow music is rehearsed, and there is not enough variety in the rehearsal.
10. The conductor fails to correct faulty intonation straightaway and the children have not learned
independent listening.
11. The children have come to depend far too much on the piano and have not spent enough time
on a cappella music.
12. Children are sitting according to the same seating plan week after week. Children need to sit or
stand in a variety of seating plans and be placed next to those who are singing harmony parts.
13. The conductor does not know the children’s individual voices well enough to arrange them
14. The choir is singing the same piece for too long in the same key. Often transposing up a half step
solves the faulty intonation problem.
15. Children are sitting in the same place during the rehearsal without stretching or moving around
the room. The chairs are too close together in straight instead of curved lines and the children
cannot hear anyone except the person on either side of them.
16. The children do not understand the harmony.

Reasons for Singing Sharp

1. Vocal production is faulty.

2. Too much tension exists in the jaw, lips, teeth, and tongue.
3. Vowels are pinched.
4. The conductor shows too much tension and nervousness in his or her stance, gestures, and face.
 5. The children have been singing far too long and are overcompensating.
6. The conductor sings sharp and the children imitate.
7. The conductor fails to hear the problem and correct it immediately.
8. The children are singing too loud to produce a beautiful sound.
9. The children are keyed up because of a major performance.
10. There is too much stress in the warm-up room beforehand, and too many changes are made at
the last minute.

Style

 Children need to be taught folk song arrangements and art songs at an early age
 What is reasonable for the piece and what is in the best interests of the developing child’s voice
should be questions the choral conductor tries to answer
 Tessitura is a very important consideration
 Children should not be using the chest voice until they are twelve years old and have been
singing in a children’s choir for a minimum of three years

Communication

 The essence of great choral singing is the communication that takes place between the choral
conductor and the choir and between the choir and the audience
 Our emotions can influence the essence of the performance and the very tone of the choir

Repertoire

 Choral conductors can teach the art of singing through repertoire carefully chosen to develop
resonant and buoyant tone, musical phrasing, good vocal habits, and musical taste in young
children
 Always examine the vocal range of the piece

“It is essential that the children are in the care of skilled and knowledgeable pedagogues who are also
fine musicians”

CHAPTER 3 - Checklist for Ideal Rehearsals and Preparation for Complete Artistic Performances

 A performance that touches the soul is the result of a well-organized, thoroughly prepared,
dynamic rehearsals
 An excellent rehearsal is perhaps an art form in itself; at the end of the rehearsal, the children
must be “on a high.”

Before Rehearsal

 The conductor should arrive with plenty of time to setup

 Room should be clean, well-ventilated (w/fresh air), well lit, with a comfortable temperature
  Chairs are better if arranged loosely; it shouldn’t be crowded
 The conductor must be visually seen in any angles; music stand shouldn’t be higher than the
hips
 Materials and items needed for the rehearsal should be organized well
 Use microphones if the room is too big

Musical Preparation

 Scores should be marked beforehand with breaths, articulations, phrasing

 Scores should be marked before photocopying to save time
 Anticipate difficulties
 “Begin with the end in mind”; be realistic with expectations
 Have the score in your mind, not your mind on the score

Arrival of Children

 A seating plan must be prepared beforehand

 Children must prepare their scores before socializing

The Start of the Rehearsal

 Never yell to get the children’s attention

 Start warm-ups, but don’t be monotonous with it
 Have warm-ups depending on the pieces to be rehearsed on the day
 Always instill good singing habits in warm-ups
 Use speaking voice effectively to calm or stimulate the children

The Rehearsal

 Energy and momentum should emanate from the conductor; be positive and self-assured;
connect with the children through gestures, eyes, etc.
 Rehearsals should be 90% singing and 10% talking
 Pacing is critical; have an element of surprise for the rehearsal to be engaging
 Give specific instructions and feedback
 Ignore insignificant errors; have them sing the piece through even with mistakes
 Be flexible with the rehearsal plan
 Always have time for unaccompanied singing
 Have them move (sitting and standing regularly)
 Encourage them to look at conducting gestures
 Rely on the intelligence of singers; work to the top third of the choir, the other two-thirds
will come along
 Encourage involvement from the children by having them evaluate the progress of the piece
 Be careful not to lose the momentum
 Breaks and socializing are vital parts of choir life
 Be effective and efficient in using your rehearsal time
Checklist of an ideal rehearsal:

 began and ended on time

 was well planned, with a list of pieces to be worked on and activities to be done listed on a
board that all could see
 began with greeting the children with warm smiles and calling a singer by name each time
an interaction took place between the conductor and the singer
 continued with an appropriate warm-up, geared not only to the voices but also to skill
building related to pieces being rehearsed
 started with pieces that were familiar and needed polishing and went on to new material
that needed much concentration
 finished with something the choir sang well, leaving the singers on a high
 taught skills in sight-reading and improved musical knowledge
 was mostly singing, with minimal talking from the conductor
 contained a few elements of humor to break any tension that may have gathered
 included space changes when there was a lull or the children were restless
 created opportunities for peer evaluation and assessment
 rewarded excellence with a gesture, a word, or a tangible thing like a star or badge
 enabled children to predict what was coming next but also had a few elements of surprise
 gave the children a feeling of satisfaction, enjoyment, accomplishment, and importance
 created opportunities for challenges without frustrations
 left the children eager to come back to the next rehearsal

Checklist of a poor rehearsal:

 wastes precious rehearsal time with personal anecdotes

 wastes precious rehearsal time on lengthy analyses of the score to make sure the choir is
aware of how talented and knowledgeable he or she is
 spends an unnecessary amount of time getting, for example, a final “t” on a consonant,
while the rest of the score is not learned
 yells over the talking of the singers, so no one listens and explanations have to be repeated
 belittles the singers, has a condescending manner, and uses sarcasm
 tells the singers everything is wonderful
 uses words such as “fantastic,” “brilliant,” “great,” and “marvelous” too often
 asks open-ended questions so everyone gets to help make decisions on the interpretation of
the music and respond to the open-ended questions simultaneously
 constantly sings with the choir and as a result never really hears the choir
 over rehearses easy things and leaves challenging pieces hanging in the balance
 thinks choral discipline is unnecessary because he or she wants everyone to have a good
time

Dress Rehearsal

 Acoustic changes must be addressed; drop the piece from the program if it’ll be ruined by
the acoustics
 Dress rehearsal shouldn’t be physically and vocally tiring
  Don’t drill musical details in the dress rehearsal
 Work out entrances and exits
 Have the children conserve their energy; build their confidence and self-esteem

Further Thoughts on Rehearsals

 Provide translations for foreign text

 Acknowledge birthdays
 Have non-verbal rehearsals to check children’s response to your gesture and face
 Answer questions at the right timing, without disrupting the rehearsal
 Don’t copy other’s rehearsal; develop your style
 On pitches and rhythms – correct firstly; do creative repetition and ways to correct pitches
and rhythms
 On intonation – correct intonation should be a habit

Children can sing out of tune:

- if the conductor creates a tense working environment
- if they cannot hear one another
- if they cannot see the conductor
- if the conductor cannot see all of the children
- if they cannot hear the piano
- if the room is stuffy and the children aren’t getting enough oxygen to the brain
- if they have spent too much time on the same piece and are bored with it
- if the lighting is dull
- if the ceiling is too low
- if the acoustics are too live or too dry
- if the rehearsal space is too small
- if they have not been placed strategically for vocal and social reasons
- if the chairs are placed too close together
 On vowels – vowels should be beautifully shaped and well supported
 On diction – have the children learn giving cut-off gestures to reinforce how to place final
consonants; peer evaluation is suggested (ex. working by pairs)
 On blend – if a child starts to have the “unique” solo sound, work with seating arrangement
to resolve the problem
 On balance – have all of the children to learn all parts, to be able to easily delegate children
on other voices
 On phrasing, style, and interpretation – have the children learn to mark breathings in the
score; use imagery effectively to teach style and interpretation

The Complete Artistic Experience

Preparation

 The conductor must have thoroughly analyzed the score

 “Begin with the end in mind”
  Mark the score effectively
 Play through all the parts of the score; identify difficulties to form solutions ahead
 Check the style of the piece; read the text and check how related the text is to the music
 Consider the background of the composer
 Consider conducting gestures – must be effective

Tempo

 Follow the correct tempo, yet be considerate and flexible

Text

 Must be clearly heard; foreign text should be sung with great clarity and expression
 Teach proper pronunciation and enunciation of the text
 The choir must be taught to express the text

The Tyranny of Bar Lines

 The conductor must think of musical phrases horizontally, not vertically

 Making the music live and have a soul of its own requires imagination, inspiration, and a
thorough understanding of the text and how the music relates to the text

“Artistry is a live process and great artists often “seize the moment” in live performance and go with it.
As a result, no two great performances are ever the same.”

CHAPTER 4 – Developing Literacy

 It is a great disservice to the children if they are not taught to read music well
 If the children learn to read music well, much time will be saved in the rehearsal and advanced
work on the repertoire can be done

Opportunities to Read Independently

 Children can learn the major scale through the conductor singing it perfectly
 The children should have scores with them, not just a sheet with words (the authentic music-
reading experience)
 It’s better to teach them to count than use syllables in counting rhythm

Tonic Triad

 Children must sing the tonic triad in solfa syllables for every piece they sing (tonic solfa syllables
with movable “do”)
 Sequentials can also be taught early; integrated in vocal warm-ups; integrated in games

Dummy Keyboard
  Helps children learn to read music and understand whole tones and semitones

Private Instrumental Study

 Children who study an instrument can learn to read music more easily
 A 30-minute weekly lesson will help children be better readers

Weekly Sight-Reading

 Children should be taught sight-reading, even on a weekly basis

 Reward children who do well (positive reinforcement)
 Adjust the difficulty depending on the children’s skill; children might become unmotivated if the
work is either too hard or too easy
 Discover what “ticks” to the choir

The 5-Minute Silent Study and Drill

 When introducing a new piece, give the choir 5-minutes of silent study for them to discover as
much as they can about the piece
 The point is to keep the children involved in the teaching process by following the score

New Skills

 New skills must be taught in every new piece

 Cumulative learning is critical when one is learning a language or learning to read music; skills
must be carried over from one piece to the next
 When choosing repertoire, conductors should always consider pieces from which the children
can learn new skills in sight- reading.

Theory

 Sight-reading skills will be developed and understood more effectively if the children are given
the opportunity to learn basic theory
 Make learning theory fun

From Unison to Harmony

 Slowly teach the children to sing two-parts to three-parts; have the children learn singing in
unison first
 Divide the children of equal distribution in terms of skill
 Keep in mind to always have times to let the children sing in solo
 Integrate some lessons or reinforcing questions on sight-reading
 For two-part songs, sequentials is a good way to prepare children

Choosing the Altos

 Altos are chosen for their excellent ear, not for their voice color
 Ratio should be 2/3 soprano and 1/3 alto

Sectional Rehearsal
  It is better to teach small sections of work in harmony than to teach an entire work in
sectionals
 Children have a richer musical experience if they learn their parts simultaneously
 Have the accompanist double some parts to reinforce; avoid singing “over” the choir
 When the children know their parts well, it is effective to jumble the seating to encourage
the singers to be more independent
 Hand-held recorders helps choristers a great deal

CHAPTER 5 – DISCIPLINE

 Despite knowing the music thoroughly, however, if the mechanical preparation has not taken
place, the rehearsal is doomed to failure

Establishing and Implementing Routines

 Seating Plans
- Device a seating plan that takes into consideration children’s heights, behavior patterns, and
voice types
- Mentoring system proves to be beneficial for a multi-aged group
- Place 2 singers w/good ears next to each other, each sitting beside a child with a more
modest ear
 Chairs
- Should be arranged with ample space between
- Must be placed like bricks so that every child can be seen and can see you
- Arranged in a curve
 Music Materials
- Must be organized in a way that is easy to find/recognize (use colored folders, binders. etc.)
 Room
- Must be well lit and well ventilated
- The rehearsal must begin and end on time
 Know the Children
- Have a seating plan with a photo of the children on their names to easily remember their
names
- The conductor should be sincerely interested in the well-being and development of the
children
- Know them in the nonmusical aspects of their lives

The Speaking Voice

 A teacher’s speaking voice is a most important asset as well as a powerful tool

An effective speaking voice should:

- Be well modulated
- Be confident and calm
- Be well paced and child-centered
 - Use grammatical language

During the Rehearsal

 Establish an Effective Method of Getting Control at the Beginning – have a strategic way to
have control over the kids without resorting to shouting; have a presence that is polished
enough to command respect
 Use Peer Evaluation – recognize children in positive ways; recognize children doing well
 Use Praise Effectively – reinforce positive self-esteem in the rehearsal; praise honestly
 Vary the Activities – be creative in ways of teaching; incorporate movement in teaching
songs; rehearsals must never be dull and uninspiring
 Have Realistic Expectations – unrealistic expectations will lead to discipline problems

CHAPTER 6 – THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZATION

Personal Time Management and the Effect It Has on Your Work

 Spending time organizing your projects, your priorities, and your thoughts is one of the most
valuable things a children’s choir director will ever do
 Setting quadrants to organize time
- Important and Urgent – daily and weekly commitments
- Important and Not Urgent – doing serious work, planning, vacation, learning new skills,
thinking, dialogue with colleagues, reading
- Not Important but Urgent – meetings, paperwork, emails, phone calls
- Not Important and Not Urgent – meaningless reading, internet surfing, watching TV
 Some time savers
- Work from a prioritized list
- Invest time training people to do things for you
- Have a student to help you organize music sheets
- Skim periodicals once a week; save what you need and throw what you don’t
- Obtain copies of programs of conferences you’ll attend
- Keep a time log to keep track of time spent for work
- Share projects with colleagues
- Have multiple rehearsals on the same day (to save time)
- Get up early; spend time with projects in the “Important but not Urgent” quadrant
- Have time for leisure, family, exercise
- Have breakfast meetings between 7:30-9:00 in the morning
- Know how to spend your time

Effective Routines That Save Time and Maximize Results

 A June Parent Meeting – helps to connect to the parents; orient the parents of the plans for the
year
 Rehearsal Times – have rehearsals planned so that they can begin and end on time
 Weekly Memos – the children must receive a detailed memo each week with information they
need (w/homeworks listed)
  Seating Plans – helps children find their seat easily; indicate voice parts on the seating plan
 Absence Forms/Rehearsal Assistants – have absence forms prepare in case; have rehearsal
assistants to work with problems regarding absentees
 Use of Blackboard – pieces and exercises must be listed on the blackboard; gives a sense of
satisfaction when the list of things to do are accomplished
 Use of Tape Recorders – helps children remember their parts well
 Three Sharp Pencils – HB (easy to erase), children must learn to mark their scores effectively
 Sight-Singing and Ear-Training – materials for sight-singing and ear-training must be prepared
beforehand and marked by parents for homework
 The Season Calendar – have a detailed season calendar for the choir
 Your Personal Calendar – have your own calendar marked with daily and weekly plans

Planning a Concert Season and Long-Range Strategic Planning with Management, Volunteers, and a
Board of Directors

 Set mission statements for the whole organization

 Quite often, ideas may seem quite “off the wall” but, when discussed and shaped, can prove
quite innovative and worthwhile
 Performing opportunities are critical, particularly for the younger singers
 As much as possible, order the music immediately

CHAPTER 7 – The Audition Process (Know Your Children, Your Parents, and Your Community)

Your Children

 The more knowledge you have about the children you teach, the more effective you will be
 Have a “Personal Profile” sheet from the children that contains personal information
 Know if the child study instruments; have the children list some songs they like and why
 Ask some questions about their nonmusical life; use acquired information to know what will
make the children “tick”
 Know the children’s individual voices, their strengths and weaknesses

Auditions and the Art of Discovering Each Child’s Potential

- Preparation before Auditions: Advertising and recruitment, Parent information booklets,

and registration
- Brochures may be used to advertise the choir
- Before they sing a note, several aspects of the children’s personality are revealed (their
stance, countenance, do they come late or on time, etc.)
- Have them sing any song and to bring an instrument to play
- With children, one must keep continually digging for further information, since some have
had absolutely no background but have the talent yet undiscovered

Know Your Parents

 Parents can play a critical role in their child’s progress

  Orient the parents of your plans and expectations with the choir
 Provide an outline of your plans to the parents; parents are busy people
 Knowing your parents and community well can help you understand potential problems and
concerns
 Having a “sixth” sense about people is very important; knowing who might do what well takes
some wisdom and people sense; matching the right person with the right job is critical

Your Community

 Understanding the community and its culture helps you to be effective as a conductor
 Understanding both the uniqueness of your environment and your own strengths and
shortcomings can bring you and your children satisfaction rather than frustration
 “All children everywhere can be touched by the profound beauty of the choral art.”

Conclusion

It takes time to know and understand the children, the parents, and the community. There’s no one-
size-fits-all formula, the answers to challenges will be found in the hearts of the children, the parents,
and the community.

CHAPTER 8 - Things They Didn’t Teach You at Music School

 Some of the things a conductor must learn are things that aren’t related to music-making and
aren’t taught in school, yet is as equally important to know for the program’s success

Making Your School Choir a Vital Part of School Life

 “There must be a rock-solid belief that great art touches every human soul and that every child
who experiences great art will be forever changed”
 Once children experience the thrill of singing great music with a glorious sound, they will never
look back
 The conductor must be patient, yet brimming with optimism, passion, and energy

Some goals and activities for the choir to look forward to, to be motivated to sing well

- Have them sing 3 of 4 songs at a senior’s home or a hospital; have one child or a trio with
beautiful sound to sing something alone, it encourages the children to improve their singing
- Take them to a choral festival where several children’s choir sing the same piece
- Organize a music evening in the school to encourage and have the parents experience the
joy of singing
- Collaborate with another choir and organize a performance
- List obstacles if the program does not seem to go well; then resolve them one by one
- Encourage the boys to sing by starting them as early as age 6-7; have them listen to great
recordings of boy sopranos, or have them hear a performance of a good boys’ choir
 - Build strong relationships with the parents and adults you work with; music teachers need
to get involved with the nonmusical aspects of the school’s program
- Find ways to have (or save) funds to purchase music; try asking for funds from the school; if
anything else, use smart ways to have music scores (self-arranging, performing at malls,
etc.)

Working with Management and a Board of Directors

 Have a mission statement from which the organization will live by; it must be meaningful for
everyone, where everyone can work together to achieve it
 An understanding that all decisions will be for the best interests of the organization
 Job descriptions and responsibilities must be clear; have an open and honest communication
among the organization
 All members of the organization must be recognized for their contribution and work
 Clear lines and scope of responsibility for everyone in the organization
 Effective committees that function with a specific purpose
 A safety net for staff, with genuine concern and respect for all parties involved; an atmosphere
that embraces teamwork and mutual respect for all the various components that make up the
“big family.”

Health and Well-Being and Personal Grooming on the Podium

 Health is important; exercise and healthy eating benefits the conductor

 Creative artists need time for rest and relaxation
 One becomes a better artist when one has a wide perspective and global thinking
 In grooming – the conductor should not wear anything distracting to the choir; wear
comfortable, yet formal; black is best