START A CHOIR
- Conducting Techniques:
o Don’t
sing with the choir.
o Learn
every part.
o Practice
conducting every piece in front of a mirror.
o Monitor
your facial expressions and body language.
o To tell
who is singing what part.
o To help
your singers understand harmony.
o Don’t
start at the beginning every time. Start with the most difficult chord or
phrase of the music.
·
When you are conducting a choir, your face must
represent the
meaning of the song/ music so they can understand how
to sing.
- Musical Entrances:
o Look at
the person and/ or section that you are conducting.
o Exaggerate
the beat in the conducting pattern before any new part’s entrance. Be sure the
actual rhythm is not changed.
o Breathe
when you want your singers to breath. Take an exaggerated breath on the beat
before any new part is supposed to start.
- Breathing Techniques:
o Breathe
silently.
o Neck
& shoulders should stay relaxed.
o The
stomach should expand when you breathe.
o After a
stomach-controlled breath intake, gradually tighten the stomach wall to control
the quantity of air being released with singing.
- Breathing Exercises:
o Pronounce
the “sss” exercise.
o Create a
very narrow stream of air, focused on a common point.
o Remind
the singers to gradually tighten the abdominal muscles to help control the
stream of air.
o After
singers can breathe in rhythm to your directing, having them sing a unison/
octave Ah or Ooo, still breathing in rhythm.
*
LISTEN for TUNING at all times.
- Conducting Patterns:
o The
conducted CUE BEAT should always be the correct motion for the beat before
music should begin, and the cue beat should always be the same duration as any
of the rest of the beats.
*
One may conduct with or without a baton; however closing the hand
is a useful signal to indicate a change from
open vowel to a hum.
SINGERS’ PAGE
- Improve Your Voice
- Sing often.
- Open your mouth.
- Drop your jaw.
- Your instrument is
your body.
- Breathe silently.
- Neck and shoulders
should stay relaxed.
- The stomach wall
should expand when you breathe.
- Gradually tighten
the stomach wall, to control the amount of air being released.
- Sing nonsense
syllables.
- Never force either tone or pitch.
- Improve The Choir
o Listen.
o Learn
your part-and the music around it.
o Keep a
mental beat going all the time.
o Sing on
the vowel.
o Everyone
should pronounce vowels the same way.
o Diphthong
vowels.
o Watch
the conductor!
o Avoid
sing the “R” sound at the end of a syllable.
o Syllables
ending in “L”.
o “M’s”
and “N’s”.
- More Efficient
Rehearsals
o Listen
the all directions.
o Learn
your part ahead of time.
o Learn
the music that comes before your own entrances
o Advanced
musicians: you are needed.
o Mentally
rehearse your own parts.
o Attend
every rehearsal.
o Be on
time.
o Save
socializing for later.
SOME BASIC TIPS FOR VOCAL HEALTH
- GOOD POSTURE
- PROPER BREATHING
- VOCAL WARM-UP
Other
vocal health hints for both you & your students:
1. Be sure
you keep your vocal folds moist & well lubricated.
2. Keep tea
& coffee consumption to a minimum though.
3. Take
time to take a relaxed, deep breath when you need to before you start to sing
or speak.
4. Don’t do
all the talking in class.
5. After
speak for a long time, warm – down by drinking some tepid water. Yawn &
breathe deeply.
6. To nurse
your voice through a cold or a throat infection, steam it.
7. Look
after your voice.
8. Watch
that you and your students DO NOT push your voices from the throat.
CONDUCTORS’
TIPS
- Give your choir a
voice in logistical decisions.
- If you feed them,
they will come.
- Listen to everyone,
but make your own decisions.
- Start with easy
music.
- Get a commitment.
- Don’t be discouraged.
- Remember you need
your singers.
- Accompanists are
wonderful!
- Never forget your
roles as teacher.
·
Every concept they learn is one less that you will
have to teach by rote.
CHOOSING
MUSIC
- How to pick music
your choir and congregation will love?
- Where to find choir
music?
- Musical things to consider when choosing music?
PHYSICAL
PLANNING
- Comfort
- Set-up
- Extras
ORGANIZE
YOURSELF
- Folder Organization
- Minimize Page Turns
- Be Dependable
- Plan Ahead
AM I
ABLE START AND DIRECT A CHOIR?
MUSICAL
ABILITIES
- Good musical ear.
- Good rhythmic
ability.
- Reading music.
- Having a knowledge of
vocal techniques.
- Working knowledge of
conducting patterns and conducting techniques.
- Be able to plan.
- Match music with
choristers’ abilities
- Choosing music.
OTHER
ABILITIES AND CHARACTER TRAITS
- Being prayerful.
- Enthusiasm.
- Persistence
- Be a cheerleader
- Flexibility
- Compromise
- Can you communicate?
- Can you get along?
- Tips and practical
suggestions.
- Are you practical?
- Are you patient?
- Are you willing to
take the times?
- Are you able to get a
commitment?
