Internationally renowned choral expert Dr Michael Barrett from South Africa will present a day of conducting tips, rehearsal ideas and South African repertoire resources for all primary and secondary school choir conductors and music teachers. Come along ready to improve your skills and sing uplifting music with your colleagues!
Session One: Choral Warm Ups
Building the Instrument, Inspiring the Singe Through vocal exercises and games, conductors will explore the voice as an instrument and
learn ways to encourage singers to be creative and brave.
The session targets aspects pertaining to intonation, sound production, resonance and above all, waking up the mind. Every participant sings throughout and each warm-up lays groundwork for a pillar in Session 2.
Questions this session answers:
How long should a warm-up be, and how should it be structured?
How do I wake up a tired, distracted or self-conscious choir?
Which exercises build healthy sound production and resonance in young voices?
How can a warm-up improve intonation before the music is even opened?
How do I connect the warm-up to the repertoire we’re about to rehearse?
How do I get reluctant singers to take creative risks?
Session Two: Five Pillars of a Solid Choral Foundation
Every choir stands on
and blend, intonation, and precision. Each pillar is unpacked through practical “tricks of the trade,” supported by workshop notes. Participants then test each one as a choir. Questions are welcome throughout.
Questions this session answers:
What is a good choral tone for young voices, and how do I achieve it without forcing?
How do I balance and blend uneven sections or a few dominant voices?
Why does my choir go flat and what can I do about it in the moment?
How do I get the choir to breathe, start, release and move together?
Good repertoire is both the best recruitment tool and the most effective teacher. In this reading session, participants sing through accessible, effective songs for young singers, from two-part (SA) to SATB. Along the way they see the warm-ups and five pillars come to life in real music. A repertoire list will be provided to take home.
Questions this session answers:
How do I choose repertoire that attracts new singers and keeps them?
How do I match repertoire to the voices I actually have?
How do I use music from different cultures and languages authentically?
How do I build a concert programme with variety, contrast and confidence?
