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Creative Approaches to Beginning Women's Choir

Learn creative techniques and team-building exercises to engage and empower your new women's choir. Presented by James A. Rode.

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Creative Approaches to Beginning Women's Choir

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  1. I  choir! What To Do When They’re New! Creative Approaches to Beginning Women’s Choir Presented by James A. Rode Freshmen Rule Solfege is my homeboy

  2. Find Someone! • Find the yellow half sheet at the back of your packet and take out a pen. • GOAL: Get the name of someone who fulfills each question. • You must find a different name for each question. • Be prepared to introduce a new face to the crowd!

  3. References Bagley, Priscilla. Private Voice Instructor. Director of the Dramatic Institute of Vocal Arts, Orlando, FL. Hetzel, Dr. Lori. Choral Music Education Professor and Women’s Choir Director. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. Howard, Laura. Choral Director. Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY. Lawrence, Cynthia. Voice Professor and Professional Opera Singer University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. Miller, Dr. Kelly. Choral Music Education Professor and Women’s Choir Director. University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

  4. Beginning Women • Duh DuhDuh! • Why are beginning women important? • Three/Four year investment • Jobs depends on numbers • Advanced choirs require great auditions • Setting the tone

  5. Team Building "Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." -Andrew Carnegie

  6. Principles Respect • “I don’t expect everyone to like each other. I expect everyone to respect each other.” Individuals • “I teach a choir of individuals. I want each individual to succeed and feel welcome.” Time • “I will commit to making time for team building/community development.” RIT • Slow down and remember what’s important

  7. Quiz Prepare a quiz of 8-10 questions concerning students in your choir. Examples: Who has the initials A.J.? What student has been to Europe? What student attended Central Middle School? Who has an older sibling in the choral program? Distribute the quizzes among your students and give them a certain amount of time to get signatures under each question. This can be a competition or simply an in class assignment. USE:Ice Breaker, name game

  8. Dyadic Encounter Form dyads (2) and have participants complete the rest of the sentence. One partner reads the provided sentences while the other finishes it. Here are some examples: My favorite subject is… The way I would describe my family is...I joined choir because…The things I value most are...My favorite pastime is...My greatest fear is...In five years I hope to be…A perfect day consists of… USE: Get to know someone personally.

  9. Hula Hoop Pass Ask everyone to stand in a circle with their hands clasped. Find two people, unclasp their hands, put a hula hoop through and ask them to clasp hands again. Their goal is to pass the hula hoop around the circle until it’s back at it’s original position without letting go of hands. Once completed, ask if they could do it faster. Other ideas: 1) Add another hoop going in the opposite direction, which means that they’ll need to pass at two points. 2) Disable members of the circle with blindfolds, turn them around, make them sit. USE: Discuss the potential of choice. Choosing to be in choir, choosing to be prepared, choosing a productive rehearsal.

  10. Carousels Have everyone find a partner. One set of partners forms a circle facing out, and one set of partners forms a circle facing in. Ask a question, and give them about 2 minutes for the pair to answer. Say "Switch" and have one of the circles move a number of people to find a new partner. USE:Ice Breaker, communication styles, how to communicate in rehearsal, with each other, with the director.

  11. Team Banner • Create the letters that spell the choir name (i.e. Freshmen Women). • Cut the letters into pieces to equal half the numbers of your choir. (50 women in your choir, cut them into 25 pieces and then number them 1 to 25). • Number separate pieces of paper 1 to 25. • As women enter rehearsal, they get a numbered puzzle piece or a number. • Women get matched up randomly to design their piece together, talk, etc. The piece should represent something they share in common. • Have them introduce each other to the class and their design. USE: Unity. What does the banner represent? How do we each individually contribute to the choir? Something visible to represent them on the walls.

  12. Team Banner Wall

  13. Thanksgiving Chain

  14. Choir Vision Statement

  15. Vocal Technique How can I sound like Meghan Trainor quicker?

  16. Guiding Principles • It’s called Vocalization, Not Warmups • Hearings are essential • Musicianship isn’t a choice: No American Idol syndrome

  17. Vocal Tone • Describe freshmen tone on the 1st day • Bright • Childish • Unsupported • Breathy • Immature • Breathiness is the devil! • NOTE: Glottal chink

  18. Mental Checklist • Posture: are they sitting/standing correctly? Are they facing outward or looking down? • Breath: are they taking enough breath? Are they supporting the breath? Are the ribs expanded throughout singing? • Scared Singing: are they not singing out? Are they singing too softly? • Bad Vocal Models: Are they trying to imitate a breathy pop singer?

  19. Exercise 1 • Ask the students to sing a very forward and bright [i] vowel with their noses plugged on F above middle C. Have the students repeat this to create a solid sense of vibration in the sinuous cavities. • Have them practice moving the sound back and forward along the hard palate. • Have them move the sound “up and over” the soft palate into the sinuous cavities creating a solid forward placement.

  20. Exercise 2 • Ask the students to sing the word “Sing” and hold onto the [ŋ] or “ng” of the word with the back of the tongue against the hard palate. Have them phonate exercises on this [ŋ] or “ng” such as a descending 5-4-3-2-1 pattern. • After a few days, transition to vowels such as [i], ee. Students begin on ng for steps 5 and 4 of the descending pattern and on step 3 open to the vowel.

  21. Exercise 3 • Have students speak basic one syllable words with a pure vowel sound such as “Flea” [fli], “Key” [ki], “Boot” [but], “Dude” [dud], etc. • After speaking it, have them elongate the vowel on speech. Ask them to sing it in their head voice; ask them to sing it in their low voice; ask them to slide it maybe? • Move from speech to phonation by adding a pitch and vocalizing.

  22. Exercise 4 • Vocalize on a hum, any given exercise. • Ask the students to describe where they feel a buzzing or vibration. (Lead the answers to upper cheeks, forehead, sinuses, etc) • Vocalize on a neutral vowel, asking the students to “tune in” or “focus” their sounds into that place where they felt a buzzing.

  23. Exercise 5 • Ask students to sing like an elementary choir. Progress to middle school, high school, college and even adult. • Ask the students to describe the differences between the sounds. How did the sound mature? How did they make a more mature sound? Continue that process when singing always!

  24. Exercise 6 • Ask students to sing or speak staccato exercises on short, one syllable words like “ho, ho, ho”. Have them place their thumbs under the diaphragmatic arch (where the ribs meet). • Ask the students to describe what they feel. Can they feel the muscles working for them? Ask them to sing from here, not the throat.

  25. Exercise 7 • Ask students to say “Hey” to the person next to them. Then ask them to say “Hey” to you. Then ask them to say “Hey” to the back of the auditorium. • Ask the students to describe the difference. Where does the power come from that makes a difference? SUPPORT MECHANISM!

  26. Exercise 8 • Ask students to sing on [i] very breathy. • Ask students to subtract half of the breath, clear it up a bit. • Ask students to remove all of the breathiness, but make it all tone. • “Let the tone follow the air flow” • “Make the tone the girl, make the breath the boy. Don’t make the girl chase the boy.”

  27. Phraseology • "Resist allowing the air to pass through the tone." • "Less like a flood light, more like a laser beam." • “Send your sound back, up and over.” • “Aim your vowel at your top, back molars.” • “Inhale the sound over your soft palate.” • “Send the sound out the back of your head.” • “1st Floor: breathy, 2nd Floor: Nasal, 3rd Floor: Tone

  28. Literature

  29. Guiding Principles • Unison • Latin or Italian • Possible solo repertoire • Paired with the upbeat piece in parts

  30. Some Thoughts • Avoid the “moderato cycle” • Always be on the lookout for the “barnstormer” • Subject matter should mean something • Women, not girls • Explain the piece • Don’t make excuses for the piece • Explain your rationale for the piece.

  31. Literature Suggestions • Tone Builder • Ave Maria, Bach/Gounod • Pie Jesu, Faure • PanisAngelicus, Franck • Ombra Mai Fu, Handel • 24 Italian Songs • “Barnstormer” • River in Judea, Marcus & Feldman/arr. Leavitt • Can You Hear, Jim Papoulis • We Will, Jim Papoulis • Oye, Jim Papoulis • Yo Le Canto Todo El Dia, David Brunner

  32. Thank You! rodejame@Osceola.k12.fl.us

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