Re-defining the Choral Warm-up

The choral warm-up is a vital component of every choral rehearsal. Students not only prepare and engage the entire body for singing, but also learn foundational skills in musicianship, vocal technique, and artistry. These skills can then be transferred and expanded upon in future learning experiences. We then can re-define this as the Choral Tech-Up; technique building for choirs throughout the entire rehearsal.

Choral Pedagogical Planning

Choral Pedagogical Planning is a holistic exploration of how conductor-teachers can engage in preparation and analysis, with a particular focus on vocal skill development, to help students learn transferable skills. Repertoire acts as the vehicle and is not the intended destination. Conductor-teachers will analyze their current context (external and internal), repertoire choice for skill acquisition and transfer, and build plans, exercises (vocal and gestural), and adaptable teaching sequences based on the ever-changing context of rehearsals.

What's In Your Vocal Model?

This workshop will focus on the power of a vocal model, for better or for worse. Do we truly know what our students are hearing? Is their merit in rote teaching for certain styles and points in a student's journey of skill acquisition? These questions will serve as an exploration of perceiving changes in voice production connected to anatomy and physiology, an introduction of spectrogram technology, and a connection to how the brain learns from a model.

Diction and Voice Quality

Vowels seem to get all the attention. This workshop will focus on the interaction of consonants and vowels in voice production. This will include using spectrogram technology to see their influence on sound pressure levels, pitch, and intonation. Connection to anatomy and physiology will be discussed throughout the workshop.

Estill Voice Training Introductory Workshop

Explore the 13 structures of the vocal mechanism that create a vast array of vocal quality possibilities to sing all styles of music in a sustainable manner. This introductory course will help you understand what is possible with the voice.

Estill Voice Training Level 1 Course: Figures for Voice Control

This course is for anyone who would like to improve their singing or speaking voice - singers, actors, vocal coaches, drama instructors, Speech-Language Pathologists, and other vocal health professionals. Level 1: Figures for Voice™ teaches the tools of the craft to add strength, clarity, and stamina to your voice! Participants will use EVT’s innovative Figures for Voice™ to learn control of the vocal structures that influence voice quality. Each Figure employs exercises that will give you new vocal options for all styles of speaking and singing.

Estill Voice Training Level 2 Course: Figures Combinations for Six Voice Qualities

Level 2 combines the Figures from Level 1 to produce six voice qualities: Speech, Falsetto, Sob, Twang, Opera, and Belting. Figure Combinations for Six Voice Qualities™ offers a clear understanding of the voice’s limitless possibilities, along with how to keep it vibrant and healthy. Throughout the day, the new voice skills are practiced in small group sessions or as a choral ensemble. There will also be ample time for questions, discussion, and work on individual/ensemble repertoire.

Choral Pedagogical Gesture/Conducting

Vocal ensemble teachers today need to be knowledgeable in multiple styles of music and vocal production. We can help students become independent musicians by providing them with sequenced knowledge and understanding they can take to the practice room. We can engage students with an anatomical understanding of the voice and attune them to gestural awareness (for both themselves and the conductor). In this technological age, there are also tools we can utilize to help our students succeed. With these elements in place, we can better meet our students in multiple learning modalities: aural, visual, and bodily-kinesthetic. This workshop will explore all facets of the choral rehearsal and build skills as singers, teachers, and conductors. The workshop can be tailored to both choirs and teachers.

Bridging Bel Canto and Contemporary Vocal Technique

This workshop discusses the ways conductor-teachers can develop a common language between the voice studios, vocal ensembles, and other music courses; helping the students to no longer be in the middle, deciphering information.

Positively Powerful: Feedback in the Choral Rehearsal