So you have decided to start a children’s choir – now what? There are loads of resources for you out there! Here are a few tips and suggestions to get you started.
Where to Begin?
First you will need to get some choir members. Are you going to take any interested children or do you want to have auditions? If you are auditioning children, keep it simple. The children’s choir program that I have been a part of has gone to this procedure. With younger students we audition in groups of 4 so they aren’t so nervous.
- Simple warm-ups with sirens and yoohoos
- Easy song – Are you sleeping, My Country Tis of Thee
- Pitch matching/memory – echo a short pattern
This has been a great way to tell who is able to match pitch and who isn’t yet. Having 4 children at once allows for doing an easy round with 2 on a part and gives young ones a little more security while still allowing you to hear them.
Rehearsal structure
Right from the beginning you want to work on singing voice vs. speaking voice as there will be kids that don’t realize there is a difference! We also work on open spaces – Mary Alice Stollack of the MSU Children’s Choir uses the image of fish lips and bunny teeth for placement. Be sure you are using your own child-voice and doing lots of good modeling!
Keeping their attention
Anyone who has worked with young children knows that keeping their attention can be a challenge! It’s really important to keep the pace quick and change activities often. Movement is your friend! Use their natural energy to add motions to warm-ups, games, and your repertoire! Another great attention grabber is toys. I use them for posture, phrasing, vowel shape, articulation and any other concepts you can think of. Cut a tennis ball and add eyes and you have Mr. Pooch – squeeze the sides of the ball and he makes a nice open vowel! Shop the dollar store and be creative!
Behind the Scenes
Choosing appropriate music is the most important thing you can do for your young singers. It can be difficult to find quality literature that is age-appropriate but it is out there. Some things to consider:
- Range considerations – 4th grade and younger don’t go below middle C or above high F, watch the tessitura
- From unison to parts – always begin unison, work on matching tone, balance, shaping, move to partner songs – 2 contrasting melodies. Moving thirds are the toughest harmonies for kids
- Quality over quantity – Look for good texts, singable melodies, don’t be afraid of classics, foreign language
Where to go for help
There is lots of help out there! Conferences/Workshops are a wonderful place to get info. Gather as much free music as possible, look for tried and true lists, talk to experienced attendees and make contacts – most teachers love to share! On the internet you have:
- Publishers websites – find the quality publishers not always the most popular
- Choralnet.org – join the communities
- ACDAmi.org, ACDA.org – check out the articles, contact the board members
Children’s choirs are a wonderful and rewarding experience! Have fun!
