Variety is the Spice of Life: Creative Strategies to Engage and Energize Young Singers

Planning the same thing the same way every rehearsal can be boring for young singers…and their director! This presentation is for the middle (or high) school director that is looking to spice up their daily rehearsal. We’ll explore a variety of engaging ways to approach teaching music theory, ear training, movement, sight reading, assessment and music.

These engaging strategies will help you help your singers to become more engaged in and enthusiastic about chorus, motivated in their own learning, improve overall participation and fosters a more positive classroom and program environment.

Don’t Stop Now: Literacy Skills for the Teacher

Learn practical ways to improve your own rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic literacy using classroom repertoire—designed for choral educators at any K-12 level.

This session explores ways for the K-12 choral teacher to improve their personal musical literacy. Participants will evaluate their own skill development and learn ways to practice and improve their rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic literacy and performance skills, using repertoire from their own classroom or ensemble, regardless of teaching level.

Accessible Latin American Choral Repertoire and Useful Tips & Teaching Strategies

Engage with accessible Latin American choral music and gain culturally responsive, practical teaching strategies to authentically present diverse traditions in any choral setting.

This interactive session will provide useful tips and strategies for effectively teaching Latin American choral music. We will also discover accessible choral music of all levels from diverse Latin American cultures and traditions.

Beyond SATB: Rethinking Voicing and Empowering Lifelong Singing

This session will explore how the voice changes throughout a singer's life and provide essential insights for those conducting choirs of any level. Our discussion will focus on understanding the physiological changes occurring during both estrogen- and testosterone-driven puberty which has varying impacts on vocal range, timbre, and control. Practical strategies will be offered for selecting appropriate repertoire, fostering a supportive and encouraging environment, and voicing students by honoring their vocal development while also empowering them to contribute to the ensemble. Through these comprehensive strategies, educators will be best equipped to support their students, promoting healthy vocal habits and maintaining enthusiasm for choral singing during this critical developmental stage.

Choir as a Community of Storytellers: Staging and Physical Engagement

In every culture, stories shape our understanding of identity. Whether through fairy tales, history, or current events, storytelling connects us. In choral music, singers become storytellers, using words and music to bring narratives to life. Staging choral performances, which blend auditory and visual elements, creates powerful opportunities for both performers and audiences to engage with a shared experience.

This interactive workshop invites participants to explore how theatrical techniques can enhance choral storytelling. Drawing from the “viewpoints” approach used in drama and dance, we’ll focus on three key elements—space, pace, and attitude—to deepen the impact of choral performance. Through a combination of video demonstrations and physical exercises, participants will learn how to integrate these concepts into their choir rehearsals, fostering greater unity and connection. The session aims to transform the approach to choral performance, building stronger, more cohesive ensembles.

Cultivating Positive Habits in the Choral Rehearsal: A Look at the Literature

Whether we’re discussing music literacy, vocal technique, style elements, or some other topic in rehearsal, much of what we are teaching boils down to establishing positive habits. While the habits we form in everyday life have been a topic of inquiry since Augustine, it has had an empirical renaissance recently in the writings of James Clear, Malcolm Gladwell, Anders Ericsson, and many others. In this session we’ll take a look at what we know about how habits are formed from philosophical consideration, empirical studies, and brain imaging. We will especially focus on forming positive habits through purposeful repetition or the application of decontextualized principles: those habits that build independent musicians that are able to transfer knowledge from piece to piece, rehearsal to rehearsal, and performance to performance. By paying intentional attention to how we present information and assess singers in every ensemble, we can make singing well as addictive as any phone game or social media application.

Care, Health, and Wellness in the Choral Setting: Risk Factors and Rehearsal Strategies

Discover how vocal, hearing, musculoskeletal, and psychological wellness impact singers, and explore rehearsal strategies that promote health and reduce risk in the choral classroom.

This interactive session will explore key applications of performing arts medicine to the choral setting. The four areas of musician health and wellness—vocal, hearing, musculoskeletal, and psychological health—will provide a framework for the discussion. Participants will review the unique risk factors associated with choral singing and investigate pertinent resources and research. Attendees will have an opportunity to reflect on their current pedagogical practices and to develop health and wellness strategies for their unique choral settings.

Reaching & Teaching Singers with ADHD in the Choral Classroom

Debunk myths and discover actionable strategies for supporting students with ADHD, enhancing classroom management and inclusivity for all middle and high school singers.

Music educators know that the students who enter our classrooms bring with them diverse needs and varied skill sets. For some students, those needs and skill sets allow them to thrive in an ensemble setting; however, students with ADHD may struggle with the expectations and unique environment of a school ensemble. This session debunks myths and outdated information about ADHD so that ensemble directors can identify and apply effective strategies for helping students with ADHD find success in their classrooms. From proactive classroom management strategies to pedagogical techniques, attendees will gain practical strategies for supporting students with ADHD, and all learners, in navigating the uniqueness of middle- and high-school ensemble classrooms.