MCDA Reporter SPRING 2015 MISSOURI CHORAL DIRECTORS’ ASSOCIATION

In this issue…Greetings from Jonathan Owen, 2Tried and True Selections, 3Changing the World with Choral Music, 4A Legacy of Encouragement, 6A Shot in the Arm, 7The Magic of Men’s Chorus, 8Making it and Authentic and Impactful Performance, 10Contest Tips for High School, 12

Connect Learning Events with Movements and Physical Activity, 14Stating the Obvious - Are We Fulfilling Our Purpose as Church Leaders?, 15Show Choir Hangover, 16To Recruit and Retain, 17So, What’s So Special About Women’s Choirs?, 18Dont’t Be a Joysucker!, 20A Full-Body Approach to Vocal Health, 21

Greetings! We have come off of the “high” that is MMEA. It was a wonderful time. I heard fantastic choirs and had the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones. Congratulations to each of our MCDA colleagues who had choirs performing for the membership. You have all worked hard to share something for us to enjoy. Such great tone, energy, intonation, literature….. I am so very happy for each of you. I hope you will have an opportunity to rest up a little.

I hope that all of your students had a fantastic time working with Allen Hightower. I know that my student absolutely loved the

experience. I always hope that All State will be a life changing event for students and I think that was the case for many of the singers this year. I truly enjoyed watching Allen work with the choir and am so happy that Luther was able to work the Nordic Choir’s tour around MMEA. I heard many wonderful comments about the concert. As I have said many times before “I think it was the best all-state concert yet”. I am already looking forward to next January…hopefully I will be able to share soon who our 2016 All-State Conductor will be.

We leave MMEA and all of the exciting things we heard and learned, and get back to the normalcy of working with our own choirs. Many of you are in contest season…both solo/ensemble and Large Ensemble. Some of you are beginning the Lent and Easter season at your churches. Some of you may be in the middle of a musical on top of everything else. Some of you are doing all of the above. It can be overwhelming. Know that you have friends who know exactly how you feel and are there for you. That is a great thing about MCDA. We understand each other. We all know what it is like. We care for each other. MCDA is a wonderful, musical, creative family. In your crazy, busy, hectic schedules, stay connected with others. Share your triumphs and your failures. MCDA cares about YOU.

As you work through this spring semester of singing, begin to make plans to attend our summer conference in Jefferson City. In the next issue of this magazine, we will share all of the wonderful things planned for July, but know that the R&S Chairs are busy at work making sure that “Show Me Something New” will be the very best MCDA conference. The line-up of clinicians and conductors is great.

Best wishes to each of you as you accomplish great things in this season of singing.

Jonathan Owen

President, MCDA2

Spring Tried and True Selections!

City Called Heaven arr. Josephine Poelinitz

SATB piano

Baba Yetu Chris Kiagiri & Christopher Tin

SSAATTB

Dream a Dream Ed Robertson

2-part

O Colored Earth Steve Heitzeg Unison/2-part

Alright, Okay, You Win arr. Steve Zegree

SATB

Slightly Out of Tune (Desafinado) arr. Paris Rutherford

SATB

Jesus, My Lord, My Life, My All Burroughs

SATB

Stars I Shall Find Johnson

SATB

Sail Away Greg Gilpin

SA, accompanied

Thula Klizeo Leanne Macdonnell 2-Part, accompanied

Multicultural

Boy and Children’s Choirs

Jazz

High School

Middle Level Choirs

All of the tried and true selections will soon be available on a fully interactive database that is accessible to all MCDA members.

More details to will be available in the MCDA Conference issue of

The Reporter. 3

There is a lot of turmoil in our world right now. People hurt and kill other people in the name of religion. People lose rights and privileges simply because they don’t share the culture, values, or appearance of those in power. People strike out in anger because they feel marginalized or victimized. Often, we hear about these things happening far away – in other cities, other states, other countries. Sometimes, though, conflict happens close to home. This past summer, we watched and listened as violence erupted here in Missouri. Many groups, representing many facets of the conflict, came out to express anger and to encourage resolut ion. Thei r voices commanded international attention, and hopefully have helped bring constructive attention to what is a complex and destructive situation. But what happens now, months later, when the demonstrations have started to subside and the media has other stories to headline? What happens now, as the people in the affected neighborhoods go about the business of rebuilding? Catastrophic events catch our collective attention, but it is easy to forget once we turn back to our daily lives. Catastrophic events make us stop and think, but it is in our daily lives that we find the power for real change. Real change begins when we see each other as equal human beings, despite cultural differences. Real change begins when we realize we are not alone, but part of something greater than ourselves. Real change begins when we can

imagine the joys and sorrows of people we’ve never met. Real change begins when we feel empowered to make a difference.

The events of last summer were, and continue to be, very upsetting to me. I have felt, at times, almost overwhelming frustration. Why is this still happening? Aren’t we past this? Why can’t people get along with each other? What can I do? If real change begins in our daily lives, in our relationships with others, I have to start here. And now this becomes an essay about choir. If we take advantage of the opportunities we share as communities of musicians, if we form habits of caring for others in our daily interactions, if we use our voices to sing of important things, we can be agents of change.

Choir helps us see others as equal human beings, despite cultural differences.

In our school, choir brings together all kinds of people. We have scholars, athletes, artists, popular kids, shy kids, kids who don’t speak English at home, kids from all sorts of family configurations, wealthy kids, poor kids – and the list goes on. Choir brings together people who might not ever interact in other situations. Choir helps us see each other as real people, rather than strangers across the cafeteria.

Choir allows us to be part of something greater than ourselves.

When we feel isolated, it is difficult for us to

Changing the World With Choral Music

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invest in the big picture. Choir is a team; a community. Everyone contributes; everyone matters. All our individual actions matter and impact the group’s success. When we feel the joy of belonging, we want to reach out to others. When we are valued, we value others.

Choir helps us to imagine the joys and sorrows of people we’ve never met.

When we sing music from other places, we open windows into other cultures. We learn about our differences and find common ground. Reading about other cultures provides us with facts, but the music of other cultures helps to bring meaning to those facts. It helps us to imagine what it must feel like to be in a different place. Music helps us to realize that we all feel the same things and we all can express those things through music.

Choir empowers us to make a difference.

I stood in the hall this afternoon, stopping choir members on their way to class with this question: “How can choir change the world?” Here is a small sample of responses:

“We can make people happy by singing beautiful music.” “We can change the way people feel about things.”

“We can sing about doughnuts and make everyone want to go buy doughnuts and then all the doughnut stores will run out of doughnuts.”

The first two responses speak of the power of music. They were delivered without hesitation by students who know firsthand that music

reaches people in a way that words alone cannot. The last answer, in its clever silliness, really drives the point home. Words are powerful, and music delivers words powerfully. If we choose music with a meaningful message, and deliver it with conviction, we can make people stop and think. We can jumpstart important conversations. We can make a difference.

I will close by doing what I try to do in rehearsal and in performance. I will step back and let the music do the talking, because music can do this more eloquently than I can ever hope to. Here are two pieces that my 5th and 6th grade treble choir has enjoyed singing. One is an oldie that I first learned in junior high choir, one is new to me and to the ensemble. Both have texts that speak of empathy, understanding, and personal empowerment, and are set to music that is uplifting and inspirational. I hope you can use these songs to make a difference in your part of the world.

Stephanie Fridley

Boy and Children’s Choirs

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It is Monday night and time for our regular rehearsal of the Mark Twain Chorale. As I dr ive in to the parking lot, I see one of our oldest members , Ruth getting out of her car. The car door is heavy and since my hands are full

with music, I asked one of our younger members to assist Ruth. What drives an 85 year old to continue to sing? How does she have the physical s t a m i n a t o r e m a i n i n t h e c h o i r ? Encouragement!

Regardless of the age of our community choir members, most say they remain singing because of the feeling of community and the encouragement that they received from other members. Regardless of the age of singers, each one needs to feel important. Choral singing uniquely unites all of us to where we must realize the importance of the legacy we contribute to. When we integrate all ages in community singing, it leads to a broader understanding of choral music and its attributes.

How can we encourage community singing for all ages? Here are some valid ideas for choral directors:

1. For older members, assign younger members to assist them. (Have you ever tried to be visually impaired, stand with a cane, and hold your music?) Just by providing a music stand during rehearsal and someone to assist them in turning pages makes a huge difference.

2. For young parents that have small children- a child care co-op is a great idea. (If these young parents are taking the time to attend rehearsal,

then why not support them?) Our child care services are organized by young parents and paid for by the parents.

3. F o r u n i v e r s i t y s t u d e n t s - O u r community choir meets on a college campus. Invitations to join usually are made through campus-wide announcements. College students are encouraged to attend since our rehearsals are easily accessible. We assign a “Choir Mom/Dad” adult to welcome and mentor those university students.

4. Younger voices-When programming music, consider including at least one song that features a child’s voice or a children’s choir. Encouraging younger singers by performing with older singers sets an excellent example for encouraging life-long choral singing.

It is now Tuesday morning and as I walk into the local YMCA, there is Ruth getting out of her car again. She is out to do her daily swim routine. I ask her about last night’s rehearsal and the Mark Twain Chorale, she replies, “As long as I have physical breath-I will sing.” Encouraging singers of all ages takes thought and integration, but our ultimate goal is to have lifelong singers, just like Ruth. Including some of the easy steps mentioned in this article, will make you more aware as you lead choral groups in your communities.

Lori Scott

Community Choirs

A Legacy of Encouragement

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A SHOT IN THE ARM:Give your Men’s Choir a boost, with these three fresh warm-ups.

Warm up 1: Singing a cappella, listening, singing on pure vowels

This exercise is a simple chord progression that you can use to get the men listening, and holding their parts in a simple 3 or 4 part a cappella phrase. Try teaching the phrase pitches by rote, using either solfege, numbers, or whatever sight reading system you use. This is more concrete than using a

neutral syllable, and the boys will hold-their-part more effectively. After the boys have the part, you can switch to neutral vowels (mee, meh, maw, moh, moo), and move the key higher or lower by half steps and whole steps. You can modify the above 4-part version to make it a 3-part, or even a 2-part version.

Warm up 2: Breath management

Using any melody (e.g - Happy Birthday), or an excerpt from a song that you are currently singing in choir. Have the men perform the rhythm and pitches (if using a voiced consonant) in a marcato yet sustained style. Young men have an especially difficult time singing sustained phrases. This is a quick way to help them connect more to the breath.

Warm up 3: Supported/Energized Tone

At the beginning of the year, many young male singers have a difficult time connecting to their breath. When singing with any dynamic above mezzo-forte, they tend to shout from their throats. This warm-up, combined with some movement (possibly squats), will help the men to support their and build vocal technique.

Jonathan Krinke

Men’s Choirs

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Click here for the interactive version!

For years I proposed to my administration the inclusion of a Male Chorus as a part of the curriculum at Parkview High School. My principal would direct me to the secondary upper-administrators who would quickly turn me down due to Title 9 issues (?). I never followed up to see if this was a legitimate reason to keep us from having a Male Chorus, but I continued to make the request year after year. A new principal came on board and I geared up my best sales pitch for why we should have a Male Chorus at Parkview. I was giving her my most passionate plea when she stopped me about 1 minute in and said, “Willie, do you want a male chorus?” and I replied, “Well, yes.” She looked at me, (clearly ending the discussion) and said, “If you want a Male Chorus, then have one…if they don’t want us to have it, then we will change back”. This year marks the 14th year of the Parkview High School Viking Men’s Chorus.

The Men’s Chorus at Parkview has become a highlight ensemble of my teaching career. A highlight not because of the choral artistry that we create (that is somewhat hit and miss), but more because of the wonderful atmosphere of camaraderie and inclusion that is present. This rag-tag group of sophomores, juniors and seniors are from all walks of life, in and out of school. They come together to experience each other in a safe and welcoming environment that fosters more benefits than one can comprehend. Many have asked how this

atmosphere was created. I can point to a couple defining factors that were put in motion by one of the senior members of the groups many years ago. He taught me to two things: 1. Feed them, and 2. Let them play.

Feed them: There is now a long tradition of “doughnuts on Friday” (every other Friday in rolling block schedule). For the first couple of months of the year this is accomplished by graduates who take turns visiting the rehearsal with Krispy Kreme doughnuts. It is moving to see these young men return to give back to the group that gave them so much. We don’t share this instructional technique with our district health and wellness people, but MUCH can be accomplished at 8am when high school boys are jacked up on sugar. (shhhhh!!)

The Magic of the Men’s Chorus

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Let them play: Several years ago on a morning following our Fall Choir Concert the President of Men’s Chorus approached me and said, “Let’s go to the football field and play”. I indicated that this was NOT going to happen because we “don’t do that”. He never skipped a beat, and confidently continued, “yep, we will go to the football field with a soccer ball, football, and Frisbee and let them play”. Again, I was clear to him that we could NOT leave the building. As if he hadn’t heard a word I said he got more excited, “I’ll go talk to the PE coach and get the stuff, this will be great”. As I started to state my case again he interrupted me with, “what do you have planned today?” Well now I was busted because my plan was to “chill” and watch the video of the previous night’s concert. His beautiful vision and determination taught me a lot that day and every year since. The singers need time away from the music to “play” and interact and build relationships with people outside of their group of close friends. We grew as an ensemble and as a team far more by leaving the choral room than we would have watching a concert video.

It is now a tradition for guys to take Concert Choir and Men’s Chorus in their senior year. This is

another significant ingredient to our success. To have several “varsity starters” playing on the “junior varsity” team brings about a completely different atmosphere and talent level than if the group were made up of only inexperienced underclassmen. I don’t anticipate that the Viking Men’s Chorus will ever reach the musical level necessary to be featured in January at Tan Tar A, but I look forward to being a part of the magic that happens in Room 136 when they enter the room every other day.

Willie Grega

President - Elect, MCDA

9

Have you visited the MCDA website lately?

Click here or scan the QR to check it out!

It is vital that we expose our students to global repertoire. As many of you can attest to, as educators, we must go beyond just teaching notes and text about music of other cultures. We must immerse our students into the cultures presented to them as we take them through the learning process of the music. We must find ways for them to make connections to the music and cultures set before them. We must make the music become captivating by using movement, body percussion, and dance. All of this results in a rich choral experience, an expanded wor ldv iew, and a deeper understanding and connection between people and ways of life from cultures different of our own.

We first might want to consider how we will teach the piece of music. Often in other cultures, songs are learned by rote. By teaching our students a piece of music by rote we are still fostering skills such as their aural abilities and challenging them to learn in new ways. However, we must also be careful to remember to build on the previous knowledge that our students possess. By listening to the cultural music and paying attention to the specific elements they hear, students might begin to make connections to the elements they already know. As a result, this further fosters what students look and listen for in their own Western literature, making them more aware.

Another way to immerse your students into a culture might be by exposing them first hand to a native from that culture. With today’s

technology, this can be done through bringing in someone to speak to students, or even video conferencing with someone who is far way. This wil l al low opportunity for improvement and to perfect the cultural aspects of the piece of music being studied including text, vowels, consonants, inflection, and other sounds of the culture. By using media and the internet, possibilities could be endless in bringing in qualities of the culture to our students.

Movement and dance play a very important role in all cultures. It is important to consider and explore movement within your rehearsals to authenticate your performance. Dance, dress, and community all play important roles. When considering movement, pay attention to formation and the spatial arrangement of the performers. When using body percussion for the performance, it is important to research the specific style that reflects the culture. Take clapping for example. Depending on the culture, clapping may be done in different ways. It may be done in front of the body or the side of the face. Facial expression and posture must also be considered for an authentic representation of the culture. Paying attention to these details makes an authentic performance and shows true honor to the represented culture.

Altogether, it is important to simply try and take that first step. Here are some great and helpful resources to get you started in making an authentic and impactful cultural experience for you and your singers.

Making It an Authentic and Impactful Performance: Things to Consider

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www.earthsongschoralmusic.com - earthsongs is a publisher of world music. They have sound clips on their site and cds available for purchase.

h t t p : / / l i b r a r y . m u s i c . i n d i a n a . e d u /music_resources/ethnic.html - Indiana University School of Music has compiled a list of Worldwide Internet Music Resources.

www.multiculturalmedia.com - Multicultural Media specializes in producing and distributing world music and dance CDs and DVDs.

http://www.singers.com/index.html - Primarily A Cappella catalogue of vocal music and resources, including world music materials from Africa, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Latin America, Russia, and the South Seas.

http://spiritchorale.com/onyx_pub_.htm and http://www.spiritchorale.com/ - The Spirit Chorale of Los Angeles and Onyx Publishing, two web sites for the music (gospel and spirituals) of Byron J. Smith, Director, Composer, Arranger, Pianist, and past Ethnic and Multicultural R & S Chair for the ACDA Western Division.

http://www.molliestone.org/ - In her DVD Vela, Vela, Mollie Stone of the Chicago Children’s Choir, helps choral conductors, music educators and singers to learn about black South African choral music, and learn to teach it in the oral tradition.

www.folkways.si.edu - Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. “We are dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased

understanding among peoples through the d o c u m e n t a t i o n , p r e s e r v a t i o n , a n d dissemination of sound.

www.nickmusic.com - Nick Page is a song leader, composer, and writer who studies and arranges folk music from around the world.

www.ccchoir.org - Chicago Children’s Choir: Several sound clips can be found on this site. The Chicago Children’s Choir is known for its authentic multicultural performances.

http://echarry.web.wesleyan.edu - Eric Charry is a professor at Wesleyan University. His website has many resources for music and cultures around the world.

http://choralnet.org/resources - ChoralNet is a great site for networking and asking questions. They have some great links for multicultural repertoire. Click on “repertoire.”

Gregory Mueller

Multicultural Music

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It was wonderful to see many of you at MMEA. I am always enriched by your encouragement, ideas, smiles, laughter, and your very presence. Missouri truly is a place where, to borrow a biblical phrase, “iron sharpens iron.” To those with performing choirs, thank you for inspiring me once again toward excellence. We have such a rich tradition of excellence and camaraderie in Missouri, and I never want to take that for granted.

Spring semester means contest. When I first started teaching twelve years ago, I honestly had no idea how to form ensembles or pick appropriate music. I had no high school choral experience, so I truly had to learn through the school of “hard knocks.” While I am still tweaking my system each year, I have learned some important tips over the years that have met with success. I hope you find them helpful.

1. Read the MSHSAA Rules Manual. Although this document can be overwhelming and tedious to read, you will avoid many mistakes and have a better understanding of the format for enter ing your ensembles. It is a great place to start.

2. Consider auditions for ensembles. My philosophy regarding student participation in ensembles has evolved over the years. I originally let any well-behaved student to be in an ensemble, regardless of his or her ability to hold a part. However, I have since begun to hold auditions for ensembles for two reasons. First, I want to see who is dedicated and hard-working enough to prepare for an audition since ensembles are an extra-curricular activity. Second, with the limited time to learn two pieces of music, it is imperative to see who can learn a specific harmony part and hold it. Auditions tend to separate the serious students from those with casual interest. Of course, you as director can mold these auditions to fit your own needs.

3. Birds of a feather should flock together. I made the mistake years ago of grouping really strong students with weaker students in order to pull the weaker

students up. This backfired. The weaker students only slowed down the learning process and made the stronger students extremely frustrated. Since then, I have tried to group students with like abilities, age, and voice quality. This has met with greater success. Also, it has allowed the groups to start together and stay together over several years, which fosters better b l end , en semb le p rec i s i on , and camaraderie. The groups get better each year.

4. Miscellaneous ensembles are a beautiful t h i ng . Do no t be a f r a i d t o u se miscellaneous ensembles! Although they should not comprise the entirety of your entries, there are several advantages to forming miscellaneous ensembles. First, there is greater flexibility regarding numbers of people on a part. For example, you can have three sopranos, three altos, and two men. Second, you can use any song from any of the other categories on the Prescribed Music List (PML) for a miscellaneous ensemble. For example, you could use an SATB piece or an SAB piece, or one of each. This flexibility can be a great solution when the numbers of students you have participating do not work perfectly with the usual ensemble formations.

5. Avoid forming ensembles with one person to a part. I rarely form ensembles with one person to a part, mainly because if one student gets sick, there is no recourse for the other members of the ensemble. With two or more to a part, the illness dilemma is more easily overcome. I have actually had a student in a double mixed quartet with laryngitis the day of music festival. Thankfully, the ensemble did not have to cancel because there was another student singing that part. They received a 1 rating at district, and all eight students were healthy and sang at state festival, also receiving a 1 rating! I typically only form ensembles with one person to a part when the students are upper classmen, can be trusted to hold their parts, and phrase with impeccable maturity.

Contest Tips for High School

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6. The Prescribed Music List is your friend. The PML is large and can be confining. However, it must be used for one selection, so look at it as a friend and not an enemy. There is actual freedom in the limit of this list. If you are new to this list, I would recommend meeting with an experienced teacher for his/her favorites from the list. If you don’t like the list, you can always propose additions to the list on an annual basis through the process described on the MSHSSA website.

7. Harder music is not necessarily better. Another mistake I made earlier in my teaching was picking pieces that were too hard for an ensemble in an attempt to “challenge” them. While I never want to encourage lowering the bar, there is something to be said about not picking music that is simply “difficult for difficulty’s sake.” I finally learned that students are much happier learning a great p iece that may seem less challenging if they can master it and receive positive feedback at contest over performing a ridiculously difficult piece inadequately. At this time, a class A piece does not receive more leniency than a class C piece just because it is harder.

Both are expected to be performed with excellence. Match the music you select to the abilities of the ensemble, and remember that you have a very short time frame in which to perfect two pieces of music.

8. Teach one ensemble piece during class. This can serve several purposes. First, this piece could be used for a concert. Second, the piece could be used as the audition piece for ensembles. Third, it will give one ensemble a leg up in the learning process. Fourth, it might peak interest in someone who enjoys the piece to try an ensemble that might not have been interested otherwise.

Preparing ensembles for contest can be a daunting task. I hope these ideas help make the process easier for you or give you some new approaches. I wish you all the best this contest season!

Jason Huneycutt

High School

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Welcome to the spring semester! I know we are all working diligently to prepare our students for large ensemble and solo and ensemble contests in the high school and the middle school level. Since I teach both high school and middle school, my day is split with my middle school in the morning and my high school in the afternoon. I feel so lucky to have my middle school at 8 a.m. because I am the one who wakes them up and sends them on their way to their next class. You have to be extra energetic and enthusiastic for middle schoolers. One way I wake up my students is by using physical activity to help teach students how to find the beat or pulse in music. This will later carry over into our literature when having tempo issues as an ensemble.

We all know that we have that one kid who lacks all coordination. Hopefully, using the fun technique will help them develop some coordination and you can even get all of the students to clap on the same beat at the same time.

I usually use this technique on Monday mornings because they walk like zombies into my classroom. Luckily, I’m a morning person so I enjoy moving and dancing around, looking like an idiot at 8 a.m. First things first, I pick out an appropriate popular song on the radio and download it to my phone or you can YouTube a song if you don’t want to spend the money. I start by having the students find the beat by tapping the beat on their thighs. You can change this part up to clapping, snapping or tapping their toe. I like starting with the thighs

because it’s not too loud so they students aren’t afraid to be wrong. Once they have all found the beat, I change it up. I have them snap, clap, stomp, or tap their toe. I make sure all of them are finding the beat before I move on. Since my students are good at doing this activity I make it more complicated as the year goes on. I have them follow me and I do different patterns. I have them raise the roof, push down towards the floor, flap like a chicken, marching band “marking time”, or walk around the room in all different directions. I’m always asking them where is the beat? Is your toe up or down on the beat? Are your arms down or up on the beat? I always try to pick a lively song in the morning otherwise this activity might not work. I use slow songs in the afternoon to calm my kids and fast songs in the morning to wake them up. I usually only spend 2-3 minutes on this activity or the length of the song. Not only do I pick popular songs to draw in the kids, I also pick songs that have a story so I can give a mini-history lesson, too. Or I pump them up with the theme song to “Rocky.” Sometimes I run out of songs so I have the students suggest songs using a Google form. This way the students feel involved and cool when their song gets chosen. I always remind them to suggest only school-appropriate songs. Just remember to start small and don’t get too complicated too fast. This activity will not work if you jump ahead. Be creative with it. Come up with your own movements to show off how cool you really are as a teacher. My kids absolutely love this morning activity. I call it the “song of the day” and they beg me to do it all the time!

Once I wake them up, I go into our normal choir rehearsal schedule. Just waking them up in the morning can help you as the director move faster during the rehearsal. I have had far less tempo issues this year and I barely talk about staying together as an ensemble because they are internalizing the beat without me addressing the issue. Plus, I like to see them smile, have fun, and enjoy choir.

Connect Learning Events With M

ovements and Physical Activity

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Christy Dickinson

Middle Level Choirs

What is your purpose as a church musician? Do you consider yourself a spiritual leader, cheerleader, a rock? I think we are all those things.

Do you come to rehearsal prepared? Are you in touch with the sermon themes, and in touch with your ministers? Do you try a variety of music of different genres?

Are you ready for Sunday’s six weeks from now? Or, are you playing catch up? Is EASTER prepared? Or at least literature picked? Preparation ahead relieves lots of uncertainty and tension, right? RIGHT!!!!

We are so blessed at our faith community to have the unending support of our pastors in support of our music and the end it serves. We are continually affirmed in our mission of faith.

I’m overjoyed that I can concentrate only on my church choir at Lee’s Summit Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) This is a far cry from my life as a Choral Director at Lee’s Summit High School. There, I had seven choirs and music appreciation. You all can relate. ☺

It was when I was so busy that I learned how to be truly organized. For those of you with full time church positions, I’m sure you are juggling a lot too. We all do.

Do you have lesson plans for your church choir? I have them on my music stand each Wednesday night as I begin. I put a rehearsal together listing anthems, certain places in the music that I want to fix, etc. We end rehearsal with Joys and Concerns and prayer.

I think I mentioned before that I prepare a monthly calendar with all rehearsals and anthems listed for each Sunday. All of our office personnel and clergy get a copy. It’s very helpful. This year, I’ve included birthdays and anniversaries of our choir members.

One of my goals this year is to write each person with a birthday or anniversary a personal note, telling them what a difference they make in our choir, and how important they are personally. It’s like another gift they receive on their special day.

As I think about my roll as a church leader, I remember that at the end of each worship service, the

congregation says “OUR SERVICE HAS ENDED, OUR MINISTRY NOW BEGINS”. That speaks volumes to me as a faithful servant.

Take this season to look inward. Look to your purpose, no matter how busy you are.

Blessings to you all! I can hardly wait for this summers’ MCDA. Dr. Eph Ehly is our Sacred/Community Choir Clinician.

Please encourage your Church Choir Members to participate. All forms are on line at the MCDA website.

Carla Oliver

Church Choirs

STATING THE OBVIOUS – ARE WE FULFILLING OUR PURPOSE AS CHURCH LEADERS?

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As I am still suffering from what music teachers call the “Show Choir Hangover” I found this fun poem by Mike Dailey:

Show Choir Moms

The Jazz and Pizzazz would not be what it is

If not for the Moms of the musical kids

Sure it’s the Dads who build every set

But it’s the Moms of these shows that we mustn’t forget

They sew on the sequins and alter the hems

And buy the girls ear rings when the song calls for gems

They make all the calls and drive kids around

These show choir Moms just never slow down…

It’s so very true that our kids couldn’t do this without the love and support of their parents, relatives, and friends. But neither could we. We must remember to make sure we recognize everyone we can for the care and support that is shown to us.

Show choir is great, but who’s ready for the season to be over so we can relax a little bit? Rest? What about District Music Contest, then State, then final year end concerts, award banquets, and finally Graduations? Wait have to throw in next years auditions for Show Choir, oh and lets not forget the constant phone calls from new parents wanting information for next year. It’s ok, I’m sure I can catch some sleep in June, Oh dang, I forgot Summer School, Summer Camps and Community Chorus. Thankfully there are the weekends.....Oops, I forgot Church choir, ok so I can pencil in 45 minutes on July 14 or 15 for a Power Nap!

Is it worth it? Heck yes it is! I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Don’t forget that we have All State Show Choir Auditions coming due March 15th. Adam Pulver will be the Guest Director this year and Maxwell Deo will be the Choreographer for this year’s All State Show Choir at our summer conference in Jefferson City, Missouri. They both have great energy and it will be a blast. Check out our website for additional details. It will be a great experience had by all.

Wes Morton

Show Choirs

Show Choir Hangover?

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At East Central College, the faculty is under consistent pressure to recruit and retain students. This is accomplished by visiting high school programs, maintaining good relationships with area choral directors, keeping in contact with students who have dropped out for various semesters, and so on. All of these are important, but I feel the most vital area to attract students to your program and to keep them coming back each semester is to select literature that will both nourish them musically and feed them emotionally.

ENTREES

My mentor, Larry Wyatt, the Director of Choral Activities at the University of South Carolina, spoke about programming concerts like a preparing a meal. It is important to balance the plate with a main course, vegetables, and a dessert. I plan each concert with this idea in the back of my mind. I find one or two works that either anchor the concert or is the work that I plan the concert around. This is my main course. The work is usually something more substantial, which could be in difficulty level, length, or weight of text. This work is crucial to the two-year college students. It is the work that will present the greatest challenge to the youngest singers while giving the more experienced singers something that will make them feel accomplished after the performance. Hopefully, this will be the work that the choir will most connect with emotionally and musically throughout rehearsals and performance. Examples of works that I have used in this place are:

Magnificat D 486 Franz Schubert www.cpdl.org

Fern Hill John Corigliano G. Schirmer

Water Night Eric Whitacre Walton Music

VEGETABLES

Some people enjoy vegetables more than others. The same is the way with works that serve in this place at the concert meal. These are the works that need to be sung; pieces that teach historical context and performance style. Selections like motets and madrigals, selections from oratorios and operas, romantic part songs and early 20th century English literature. These are often my favorite works, but are the least fun for the choir to rehearse… at first. If I do my job well, they will be the favorites of many of the singers by the performance, but rarely all. Much like a plate of well-cooked asparagus. Works I have programmed for this purpose are:

O virtus sapientiae Hildegard www.cpdl.org

Jesu dulcis memoria Victoria www.cpdl.org

Abendstanchen Brahms www.cpdl.org

I Love My Love Gustav Holst www.cpdl.org

DESSERTS

The dessert is everyone’s favorite in rehearsal, except possibly the conductor. It may be a spiritual, multi-cultural work, musical theater chorus, or popular song. The important thing to remember is that even though it is the “fun” work, it must still be musically challenging enough to make it worthwhile in rehearsal for all of the singers. No one wants to insult singers with works that are not appropriate to their level. In the past, I have included these works to end a concert:

Tres Cantos Nativos arr. Marcos Leite Earthsongs

Can’t Buy Me Love arr. Keith Abbs Hal Leonard

My God Is A Rock arr. Ken Berg Colla Voce Music

I firmly believe that if singers feel that they are being both emotionally sustained and musically challenged, they will want to continue to be part of the ensemble. This is especially important at the two-year college where students may not be required to take ensembles each semester as a music major or the ensemble credit will not fulfill a requirement for graduation for the non-music major. It is also vital that students in the recruiting area see and hear the works you program. They need to see that you are programming works that are from various time periods, multiple languages, and in contrasting styles while hearing the works that are emotionally exciting for the singers. If your choir is being fed a balanced meal, your choir will be sustained and continue to grow.

To Recruit and Retain: Selecting Literature for Success at the 2-year College

Dr. Tim Sexton

Two-year College

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So, What’s So Special About Women’s Choirs?

A s a c h o r a l conductor with “a number” of years of experience, I have had the opportunity to conduct many, m a n y w o m e n ’ s ensembles. For many (too many) of t h o s e y e a r s I struggled with my women’s choirs. I struggled to find music of quality and depth; music that

challenged my ladies but didn’t overwhelm them. I struggled with the girls. I had little patience with their need for individual attention. I had little patience with the, “I’m afraid to sing out” girls. I had little patience with the dramatic social issues that seemed to occur on an all too frequent basis. I struggled with the girls. Two things happened over the last ten years that changed my perspective and helped me discover, “What’s so special about women’s choirs?”

One spring about eight years ago, a group my junior girls performed for district and state music festival. These girls tore it up! They worked together tirelessly and with great cooperation. They performed difficult music and sang that music with energy, passion, technique and artistry. In short, they were a joy! They wanted to keep singing together and so we began an after school a cappella group. These ladies were the impetus for what became the Oakville High School Women’s Chorale, an extra-curricular auditioned ensemble. They meet on Fridays after school. They always have food, and when I say they have food, THEY HAVE FOOD! They rehearse every Friday without fail! They attend with remarkable regularity, even though they are also involved in a number of other organizations, sports, and activities. They come to rehearsal prepared! They work hard. They laugh! They are so excited by the music and are

so willing to express themselves! The ladies of the OHS Women’s Chorale changed my perspective. Through my search for meaningful and challenging pieces for them to sing, I discovered a love for women’s literature. I found a new appreciation for the uniquely beautiful timbre of women’s voices singing in harmony. I will always be grateful for the many blessings and many lessons that I learned from the members of the OHS Women’s Chorale. Working with these ladies was a life changing experience for me. Thank you!

The other thing that happened to change my entire perspective on working with women’s choirs was that we hired a young teacher by the name of Erin Falloon. Erin became the accompanist and Associate Director of Choirs at Oakville High School. After the first year that Erin and I worked together, it became obvious that it was time for Mrs. Falloon to take on more responsibilities. We talked together and agreed that in Concert Choir Treble, Erin would take on the responsibilities of Head Director and I would become the Associate Director. WOW, that was an eye opening experience for me! Over the next few years, as I watched Mrs. Falloon work with the ladies of CCT, I began to see the girls the way that Erin saw them. I began to appreciate the girls for where they were in their musical development as opposed to seeing them primarily as the “future” of our program. Erin really helped me learn to appreciate the journey and not just the destination. I will always be grateful for the many blessings and many lessons that I learned from Erin Falloon. Thank You!

Recently, I came across a post on Facebook, written by Nathan Cornelius. I don’t remember his words exactly, but his post was generally in praise of women’s choirs. His post inspired me to ask him, along with a few of my esteemed colleagues, for comments on the topic, “So, what’s so special about women’s choirs?” Here are some of their responses:

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A group of young people who take care of and protect their director as much as he does them. They embody the six core values that I teach by and even share stories of observing/using those values in “real” life. Six core values: Humility, S e r v i c e , T h a n k f u l n e s s , P a s s i o n , Accountability, and Unity. (Nathan Cornelius)

I love hearing an amazing women’s choir so much more than a men’s choir. I don’t know why, but there is something special about that sound. When working with women’s choirs (especially at the middle school level) I find there is a strong link between the social and developmental maturity of the singers and their ability to be musical and exude artistry. My middle school boys, God bless them, just aren’t at the emotional maturity level to put that polish on their sound. Not sure there’s any “scientific” evidence behind this, but that’s my take on it. (Lacey Cupp)

I love to see the sisterhood form with young ladies through singing together. I feel like they are more open to making themselves vulnerable in expressing the music and how text speaks to their mind and soul. Through effective programming I can provide a musical outlet for them to express the multitude of emotions they experience as a high school student each and every day. They tend to be more focused than boys and are more appreciative of what I do as a teacher. (Jerry Scott)

Just today my girls and I ended up in real life conversation about raising a family. While in this instance it didn’t particularly tie in directly to the piece we were working on, many times girls are open to real life discussion that brings the message of our music to life and reminds us that our influence goes past the notes on the page and into the life of the singers. (Jordan Cox)

I think the coolest thing about women’s choirs is how free they feel to express themselves. When you add the complication of boys, you lose the sacred fellowship of “girl time.” Girls have shared experiences, struggles, and dreams. Giving them a place to express these and find others who feel the same is a gift that we as teachers cannot construct with any other instrument than the sense of safety and confidentiality they feel in a women’s choir. Having “just the girls” allows the choirs to grow very close, and that greatly enhances their performance and expression. (Chelsea Ayres)

I personally don’t think that women’s choirs get the recognition or appreciation they deserve! Often the more advanced singers in a school program are placed in mixed ensembles and the beginning singers are placed in women’s ensembles. To hear a wonderful women’s choir is such a treat! When a women’s choir sings literature that they are really connected to physically and emotionally, it can be such a cathartic experience for the members of the ensemble and a memorable performance for their audience. Another thing I love about teaching a women’s choir is the fact that the ladies have to depend on each other so much! It teaches young girls about being there for each other physically, mentally and emotionally. (Erin Falloon)

And that’s what’s so special about women’s choirs!

Paula Martin

Women’s Choirs

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Beth Enloe Fritz Vocal Jazz

My students and I come together in the choir room to take refuge from the negative and from people who siphon the joy out of life (we call them “joysuckers”). In my classroom, we describe the process with a number of metaphors: we talk about dropping our baggage at the door or about using the doorframe as an imaginary waterfall that will wash our cares away as we step through or about taking a 50-minute vacation from worry. We also talk about just simply letting go so we can make music.

"Let it go" was a theme established in our choir room before “Frozen” incorporated the phrase into a theme song. I adapted this idea from Bill Grace, who visited my class several years ago to work on keeping energy in the room. Here’s his image: you’ve got a little fish by the tail, but it really wants to swim away, so you let it go. Afterward, my students and I talked about how, sometimes, our daily issues are like the little fish but how, other times, the drama is like a whale. We recite our "let it go” pledge at the beginning of the year, especially for my young women’s choir. We also use Bill Grace’s gesture: we put our fingers and thumb together, wiggling with the fish’s tail, then we open our hands to let the negative swim away. All we have to do is show each other the gesture to help us remember that we need to refocus toward the positive

(admittedly, the “Frozen” theme sometimes accompanies the gesture now).

I know that I am responsible for setting and maintaining a joyous atmosphere, that is, not letting joysuckers change it. This is a wonder-full concept to practice. In order for it to be genuine, though, I have to live it. One of the hardest parts of living it is to admit to times when I myself was the joysucker. Yikes! Sometimes I still fall short. When I am tired, I forget. When I am at yet another meeting about data collection, I might even rant. But when I do fall short, I try to do what I counsel my students: see the mistakes as stumbles, let them go, and then move joyfully forward.

It is important for my students to see that I love being with them in class. If I am a joysucker, many of them might interpret that as my disliking them and/or being with them (who wants to be in choir with a teacher that dislikes them). I remind myself that there are kids in choir who have been through things already with their families that I will never experience; there are ones just trying to get through another day without people noticing that they are wearing the same pair of jeans as yesterday or ones obsessing over the friend who ignored them in the hall. This is humbling to me. I show them that I have fun working hard with them when we sight read, run that tough part again, or continue working on the right vowel placement.

I find joy in my work, and I defy the judgment that I don’t take my profession seriously because I have fun while doing it. Here, in this room, is where my students buy into the “Fritzness.” Here, in this joyful space is where we let it go and trust. The sweet result is that all the “work” becomes easier. We come together in the choir room to take a vacation from the negative, to think, not I/ME but WE/US, where we come to be a family, a community. Here is where we come - as a team - to use our voices to feel powerful together and to love performing great music.

This is fun and this is joyful. This is making music.

Contact me if you would like to check out some of my joyful resources (Let it Go pledge, etc.).

enloefritz@att.net

Don’t be a joysucker!

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A Full-Body Approach to Vocal HealthWhether one works with singers who are 5 or 55, finding ways to teach healthful vocal technique is of the highest importance. During January’s Missouri Music Educators Association workshop, I spoke to elementary educators about ways to build a foundation of success with young singers. While my suggestions were geared toward those par t ic ipa t ing in an elementary choral experience,

many of the techniques for teaching vocal health are applicable to singers of all ages.

In this article, I will share some techniques for developing healthful posture for singing. By encouraging your students to make a habit out of healthy posture for musicianship, you set them up for lifelong success as a singer and as a human being! Healthy physical alignment facilitates easier breathing, reduced bodily and vocal tension, and allows the singer to sing for longer periods of time without fatigue. An additional benefit of healthy posture is the non-verbal communication of confidence in ones self. I start most of my rehearsals with a few of these ideas, regardless of the age and ability of the singers. Use your own creativity to adapt the presentation style and context of these exercises for your own situation.

In general, consider warming up larger muscle groups (whole body) before smaller muscle groups (vocal mechanism). Try shaking various areas of the body to a steady beat (arms, legs, head, shoulders, hips, then whole body), commonly called an 8-count shakeout. A variation on this activity is what I jokingly call Mrs. McFarland’s dance class – turn on some fun (school appropriate) music and lead students in basic dance moves. This helps students with steady beat skills, coordination, and accomplishes the task of warming up the whole body physically. After such active movement, you may find that students need to find a more calm focused way to enter in to the rehearsal process. Basic stretching can be done as a group, including stretching hands above the head and to either side, gentle neck stretching, etc. From that point, you might encourage your singers to stretch their facial muscles. Doing so alleviates tension from this area, and reminds students of the full range of expression available to them as performers. I call a full/wide stretched face the “watermelon face” since it is as wide as a melon; squeezing the face in to a sour expression provides the opposite experience, or what I like to call “prune face”. Partially as a way to continue the process of exploring facial expression and the release of tension through contracting and relaxing muscles, and partially because they find it humorous, I have students do “eyebrow pushups” to raise and lower their eyebrows (I even have them pause on the last “rep” to “feel the burn”). While I do not believe that pitch

and resonance problems should be corrected by raising the eyebrows, I do see the benefit of encouraging playfulness in our students and the communicative possibilities that expand when we allow them to gain comfort showing facial expression. Finally, you can help your student develop a healthful singing posture by encouraging accurate body awareness. Reminding students that their spine shouldn’t be “straight” but that it is healthfully flexible and slightly curved is a goal. Misunderstandings of the “straight” spine have caused many students unnecessary tension, which in turn is perceived through the vocal sound produced. Another way to more accurately develop students understanding of their body’s functioning is to describe the head’s position as balanced on top of the spine just like a lolly pop is balanced on top of the stick. Have students alternately nod their heads gently “yes,” then “no”. Ask students to draw small circles in the air with their nose. This movement helps develop awareness of the balanced feeling that the head should have on top of the spine. By spending adequate time giving your students the experience of exploring healthful body positioning for singing, you will help them to develop habits conducive to lifelong freedom of expression using their voices. Attention to this work will help students to find success and enjoyment in our art.

Special Opportunities for Youth and Students: • Special events at the ACDA National Convention in

Salt Lake including a conducting competition, student resource area, and a student reception – see the conference schedule for details!

• 2015 Tresa Jo Wilson Memorial Scholarship – Juniors /Seniors , apply onl ine a t h t tps : / /d o c s . g o o g l e . c o m / f o r m s / d /1 s q 8 z d g P S y B h U v z l Y N D W b C 5 x -CRydwp5ERXwwGUuphPY/viewform or see www.moacda.org for details

• 2015 Student Work Crew: If you are interested in serving as a member of the work crew for MCDA’s summer convention, please indicate interest on your application for the conference. Work Crew team members receive a free room in exchange for volunteering some of their time to assist in conference duties. Plus, you’ll meet colleagues from around the state!

• Is your college chapter doing wonderful things? Email Carrie Walther (carrie.walther@gmail.com), our Student Secretary of Membership, to have your chapter’s info included in our next student newsletter.

Elizabeth Hogan McFarland

Youth and Student Activities

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