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Childrens Choirs

Pitch Matching
QUESTION: What are some of the reasons for pitch-matching problems?
ANSWER (ro!ided "# $%d# &enne"erger': So(e o) the reasons )or di))ic%lt# in (atching itch incl%de:
*+ lac, o) e-erience and training in singing
.+ lac, o) concentration
/+ %nde!eloed tonal (e(or#
0+ lac, o) coordination o) thin,ing1 "reathing1 hearing1 and !ocali2ation S,ills
3+ has no concet o) (elodic direction and high and lo4
5+ a%ditor# i(air(ent
6+ does not di))erentiate "et4een sea,ing and singing !oices
7+ oor ost%re
8+ health ro"le(s s%ch as asth(a
*9+ c%lt%ral and ethnic seech ranges
QUESTION: What are some of the remedial activities that improve pitch-matching?
ANSWER (ro!ided "# $%d# &enne"erger': Re(edial acti!ities sho%ld "e selected according to the !ocal and:or h#sical
needs o) the children and (a# incl%de:
*+ the %se o) seech chant 4ith !aried !ocal in)lections that grad%all# lead into singing
.+ %se e!er# oort%nit# to hel the child to "eco(e a4are o) !ocal so%nds and to di))erentiate "et4een the sea,ing
and singing !oices
/+ select !ocalises that )oc%s on (atching itch and that e-and the child;s !ocal range
0+ %se (o!e(ent and stretching ga(es to increase concentration1 ost%re1 and to teach the concet o) high and lo4
3+ %se o) correct ost%re and "reathing techni<%es
5+ choose songs 4ith aroriate range and tessit%ra
6+ %se o) seech1 singing1 and (o!e(ent ga(es 4hich energi2e the "od# and allo4 )or indi!id%al solo=singing
7+ (a,e a tae recording o) !ocali2es and songs to "e racticed "# the child at ho(e
8+ %se !is%al aids to introd%ce and rein)orce !ario%s concets o) correct singing
*9+ so(e children do not ,no4 4hat >singing in %nison> (eans1 there)ore one needs to esta"lish and de!elo an
a4areness and a"ilit# o) in=t%ne %nison singing
**+ la# recordings o) e-cellent (odels o) the child s singing !oice and o) children s choirs
*.+ %se lots o) >tender1 lo!ing care> and ositi!e rein)orce(ent in 4or,ing 4ith the children 4ho are e-eriencing itch=
(atching ro"le(s
*/+ (ini(i2e the %se o) the ,e#"oard in the choir rehearsal so that #o% and the children can hear the !oices and "etter
assess 4here i(ro!e(ent is needed+
Children;s Choirs=?etting Started
QUESTION: I am just starting a children's choir. How do I get the choir off the ground?
ANSWER (ro!ided "# Michael W%stro4': It is i(ortant to esta"lish a contact 4ith arents as 4ell as the children+ Contact
eole 4ho alread# 4or, 4ith the children1 or (a#"e e!en so(e (%sic teachers in #o%r area (iano teachers1 school
teachers'1 and as, the( to s%ggest na(es o) eole 4ho (ight "e interested+ This 4ill hel #o% set % a list o) riorit#
children to target+ Send a letter o) in!itation ((a#"e tell the( the# 4ere >reco((ended>' and )ollo4 it % 4ith a hone call to
the arent to disc%ss the 4hole concet o) 4hat a children;s choir is and 4hat it can do )or their child+ Once #o% tal, to a )e4
arents1 4ord o) (o%th 4ill sread the ne4s and #o%r choir 4ill "e o)) and r%nning+
QUESTION: How can I get parents to better support my choral program?
ANSWER (ro!ided "# $ohn Wit!liet': In!ite the( to attend a rehearsal+ Children 4ill en@o# i(ressing their arents 4ith 4hat
the#;!e learned+ And #o%;ll ha!e an oort%nit# to sho4 ho4 i(ortant (%sic can "e==not @%st tal, a"o%t it+ Statistics no4
ro!e that articiation in choir1 "and1 or orchestra raises a st%dent IQ and increases their a"ilit# to thin, and reason+ These
sa(e st%dents also had higher SAT scores+ The longer st%dents articiated in (%sic rogra(s1 the (ore i(act it had on
their learning+ This in)or(ation assed on to arents sho%ld hel increase their 4illingness to ha!e their children in choir+
QUESTION: How can I motivate the children?
ANSWER (ro!ided "# $%d# &enne"erger': Al4a#s ha!e a s%rrise or a ne4 aroach or teaching strateg# in each
rehearsal+ Aee the rehearsal ace (o!ing along 4ith no "ig ti(e gas+ Ano4 the (%sic so #o% can >e#e"all> the children+
Bo not send a lot o) ti(e >drilling> a iece+ Thin, o) di))erent 4a#s to reeat the di))ic%lt assages+ Sing and la# (%sical
ga(es (ore = tal, less+ This hels to (aintain the interests o) the children as the# anticiate and loo, )or4ard to the ne-t
rehearsal+
QUESTION: Give me some tips about how to eep children engaged during the rehearsal.
ANSWER (ro!ided "# Madeline Cridges':
*+ Aee the( singing+ The (ore 4e as directors TADA1 the (ore easil# the ,ids get >o))=tas,+> The (ore the# are
in!ol!ed in (a,ing (%sic1 the less ti(e the# ha!e to "eco(e %n)oc%sed
.+ &a!e a seating chart+ In (# oinion1 this is a (%st+ Man# directors %se )olders 4: na(es on the( laced in the
chairs+ Others %t na(e tags on the chairs+ I do not reco((end %tting girls on one side o) the roo( and "o#s on
the other+ Mi- the( %+ &o4e!er1 I a!oid %tting a "o# "et4een t4o girls+
/+ Post an agenda+ &a!e a chorister cross o)) each ite( on the agenda as it is co(leted+ Engage children in the @o# o)
acco(lish(ent+
0+ Ere<%entl# call on indi!id%al children to sing an echo attern1 a line o) an anthe(1 or an#thing+ Mo!e <%ic,l# )ro(
child to child+ It;s a(a2ing ho4 <%iet the# 4ill get to hear one o) their eers sing+ PDUS 4e ,no4 that children learn
so (%ch a"o%t ho4 the# so%nd 4hen the# sing alone+ I had (# choir assistant co%nt ho4 (an# ti(es I called on an
indi!id%al child to sing so(ething in a recent rehearsal==it 4as o!er .3 ti(es+ (I don;t (ean one child sang .3 ti(esF
rather1 .3 ti(es I as,ed one o) the children to sing so(ething "ac, to (e1 etc+1 "# hi(:hersel)+' M%sic and Materials
Reso%rces
!r. ". #empster from $%ifeline for &hildren's &hoir !irectors(
A seating lan and the 4a# the chairs are set % are t4o o) the h#sical )actors that hel (a,e a good choir rehearsal+
She ad!ises to ha!e a seating lan that organi2es the children "# height1 !oice and cond%ctF %tting the ones that atG to
(is"eha!e 4ith those that %s%all# are the 4ell "eha!ed+ I "elie!e that her rehearsal techni<%es lend the(sel!es to
ro(ote good "eha!ior and (e("er articiation+
So(e s%ita"le 4a#s )or the @%nior choir to share their (%sic1 learn their (%sic1 and ha!e otential goals are to ha!e:
childrens choir )esti!als1 co(etiti!e (%sic )esti!als1 4or,shos1 and o%t=o)=to4n choir e-change 4ith other schools+
Also1 the# can er)or( at n%rsing ho(es1 hositals1 %ni!ersities1 and li"raries+
In the $%nior Choir ha!e elections: elect a resident1 co=resident1 secretar# and li"rarian+ The o))icers ha!e their
resonsi"ilitiesF the resident hels 4ith than,=#o% seeches at secial er)or(ances1 and hels #o% to ,ee trac, o)
"irthda#s and secial da#s+ &a!e arties a)ter concerts1 )esti!als and at the end o) the #ear+ Bont )orget to sa# than,=#o%
to all #o%r !ol%nteer helers1 arents and so on+

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