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Presenters at the 2009 Summer Institute, July 22-24, have consented to have their notes and handouts made available on our website.
How to Get Students Involved in Your Elementary Choir Program
Jenny Price, R&S Chair Children’s Choirs |
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 Do you really teach them what choir is?
- 3rd grade curriculum – it’s a rite of passage in my school. Every third grader has 1 full year of choir curriculum. It is not an “extra-curricular” subject for them. It is part of their music education. If you teach it, it becomes more real, and every student will have an understanding of what choir really is.
- Voice training – begins in 1st grade. Vocal test your kids every 6 weeks. Make sure you reach every kid and get as many as you can to match pitch before their choir experience begins in 3rd grade. By the time 3rd grade happens, over 90% of my students match pitch. By the end of 3rd grade, 98%. 3rd grade is that age where the child’s voice blossoms into that children’s choir voice. It’s a miraculous thing.
Make it part of your school’s culture
- Our school is known for our choir program, has been requested to join events such as events by Seattle Children’s Chorus, Silvertips National Anthem performances and other events.
- Parents and kids have totally bought into the program
- My principal will basically support any activity for choir – even give us extra money secretly!
- Teachers are proud of the choir program and come back for evening performances to watch the kids.
Get them outside of their community
- Take them on choir field trips – for example, one year I took my after school choir on a field trip to 3 different churches in Seattle so that they could hear their voices in different acoustics. We went to an old Lutheran church on Capitol Hill, Central Lutheran. When we were there, the kids were met by Judy Herrington, who did a 45-minute choral workshop with them. After that, we went to St. Mark’s Cathedral and met the organist, who let the kids sing along with him as he played the organ. They also got to sing from different spaces in the Cathedral to hear the differences in their voices. We then ended the field trip at Epiphany Parish in Madrona and sang for a small group of Seattle Pro Musica women and then combined and sang a piece with them.
- I’ve brought my kids to St. James Cathedral, where their organist Clint Kraus taught them about the organ, let them sing along with the organ and then got to walk through the room where the pipes and bellows are while he played. I also sang some chant for them in the space.
- Bring them to choral events sponsored by children’s choir organizations – Fort Warden Festival, Seattle Children’s Chorus festivals, etc…
Let them see how much it’s a part of your life
- Have they ever heard recordings of the groups you are involved with?
- Have they ever come to a concert and watch you perform?
- Do they know how much you love it?
Do they know that other kids do this?
- Are your kids auditioning for All-State? Are they going to NW ACDA choir events? Do you have a local honor choir? If not, make one!! We did this in the Mount Pilchuck region of WMEA and we are celebrating our 10th year as an organized honor choir, which includes 200 kids from 22 schools.
Is it real?
Do you have quality rehearsal time?
- Make it part of your curriculum.
- Do an after school choir program for your advanced kids. Eventually, your district will value it and you and pay you for it.
Do you have parental support?
- Once you do, form a parent group who you trust and will help you.
Have they ever heard a real children’s choir?
- Take them to events that they can hear other choirs or start off your rehearsals with recordings of them.
Do they know what other level choirs sound like?
- Do events with your MS and HS choir and involved that teacher in your kids’ life to make a smooth transition.
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