QUICK! I need ideas for my Choir Lesson- Topic- Achieving Blend and Balance

Who hasn't struggled with getting your beginning choirs to listen while they sing and learn to self-assess and self-correct?

I know I did.

I could watch their brains awaken throughout the school year through their eyes.  When students are truly listening and working to achieve a good blend and balance, you can literally see it in their eyes.  Singers who are not doing that usually look around the room or look at other singers, resulting in many problems for choirs and their conductors.  

So, we must teach them how to listen and what it means to sing with blend and balance.  

It takes time and intent.

In this lesson, you will get-

*You will find a link to a 21-page set of ideas for this product.

*We start with a 50-minute lesson to introduce and focus on what balance and blend are and how to achieve it.   They will use one of my favorite rounds to focus on balance and blend.  I’ve included a video example of the round for you. 

*You will listen to two video examples with your students.  One example is of a choir with terrific blend and balance.  The other is a choir that is still learning how to blend and balance.  You will discuss what you hear.

*You get direct video links to five choirs with great blends.

*You get 13 ideas to use to improve balance and blend and tips for assessing balance and blend.

*You get ten suggestions for easy rounds and canons to use, 8 tips for teaching blend and balance effectively, and 7 visual ideas on how to teach the subject.

*You get 9 activity ideas to help you drive home the subject of blend and balance with your beginners.

The questions we will answer-

*What is blend and balance?

*How can I help my choir achieve it?

*What are some techniques to use to achieve it?

*What are some examples of choirs with great blend and balance?

You'll find the lesson here in my TpT Store!

QUICK! I need ideas for my Choir Lesson- Topic- Navigating Various Repeat Signs

Learning to navigate the various repeat signs that students will encounter in music is right up there with navigating the choral octavo and is truly a part of teaching the navigation of the choral octavo.   We already covered that general topic earlier in the "QUICK!" series.  Find it here in my TpT Store.  It is critical to cover this topic so that your students continue to become more confident with getting around a choral octavo successfully.  Otherwise, they stop looking at the music and just look at you or they look around the room.  

So, take a Friday to teach this lesson, or break up your week by inserting this lesson into your plans mid-week.  You'll be glad you took the time to cover this topic because it will save you so much time later as you are trying to teach music for an upcoming concert!

Here is what you'll find in this lesson-

*You will find a link to a 19-page set of ideas for this product.

*The first part of this product is a product focused on the easiest form of repeat signs for students to follow- repeat signs with first and second endings.  As the lesson progresses, we cover DS Al Coda and DC Al Coda.  I make specific song recommendations that you can use or you can follow the lesson plan using songs in your library that cover the topics at hand.

*To extend the value of this lesson, I’ve included some ideas to gamify the learning process to make it fun as you reinforce these ideas.

*I include ideas for resources, many of which are free, with links to those resources.  For example, I mention playing Bingo to reinforce the lesson, and I include a link to a site on which you can create the Bingo cards.

*This lesson can last many days if you wish to make it do so and you can implement the ideas over time so that ultimately, your students get a strong grasp on how to handle various repeat signs in their choral music.

*I include a quiz and an answer key.

What topics are covered?

*Repeat Signs, First and Second Endings, DS Al Coda, DC Al Coda

*We include game ideas you can use to reinforce the lesson

*We share links to resources to reinforce the lesson as well as performance links to songs that include DS Al Coda and other repeats.

Here it is in my TpT Store!

Arkansas Choir Teacher Giveaway

Hello Arkansas Choir Teachers!

Someone will win the Mega Bundle of the S-Cubed Sight Singing Program for Beginners TODAY!  The winner will be announced on the link below before 3 PM CST.  To enter, simply answer the question on the Rafflecopter below the logo of S-Cubed.   When you enter, make sure to include your accurate email address.  I will email all of you who enter to let you know how you can get Level One or Mega Bundle 50% off.   

a Rafflecopter giveaway