Creative Ways to Recruit More Singers

It’s time to recruit! You need to keep filling up those risers, and who knows what talent is out there waiting to be discovered. There are students in your school looking for a place to feel included and engaged so they have a chance to shine—they need you and you need them. Recruitment needs to be part of your long-term strategy for your program for several important reasons, including:

• Keeping your music program healthy. Having more students involved will allow you to offer more ensembles and performing opportunities and will raise the stature of the program in the school culture.
• Job security. More students enrolled, more classes created—the more value you create with your role.
• Spreading the joy of making music! Part of why you became a music teacher in the first place is that you want everyone to experience the benefits of being in a performing ensemble as you did.

Be proactive with your recruitment strategy; don’t rely on word of mouth or things happening “naturally.” You must be a spokesperson for your program and teach your students how to become advocates as well.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

In the School:

• Eat lunch in the school lunchroom; talk to kids in the hallway; sit down with a group and strike up a conversation. Let them know who you are and that you are looking for new singers and would love to have them.
• Visit meetings/rehearsals/practices of other groups that include your target singers. Ask the sponsor of the theater club, debate team, chess club, etc. if you can help out. Show an interest in what the kids are doing in these groups and promote choir at the same time.
• Attend school activities that don’t involve music. Be seen at a variety of events to become more familiar to students and parents, and be known as someone who is involved and approachable.
• Help out with enrollment before the school year starts. Check with your guidance counselor or administrator to find out how to volunteer. This is a great opportunity to recruit (and retain) students at a crucial moment.
• Ask the guidance office if you can review student enrollment forms to identify students who requested choir but couldn’t work it into their schedule and students who chose choir as an alternate course.

In the Community:

• Schedule your choirs to sing at school and community events throughout the year: school assemblies, pep rallies, sporting events, Veteran’s Day ceremonies, nursing homes, caroling, civic pride events, singing Valentines, etc. Being in the public eye will draw attention and add prestige to your program.
• Contact your local children’s or community choirs to grow a strong relationship. You can recommend singers to audition for their group to strengthen your current singers. You might also find singers in their group who should be in your choir. Ask if your choir can sing as a guest group to open one of their performances.
• Choir t-shirts: have t-shirts designed for your program, and have students wear them on a specific day each month to promote awareness.

Feeder Schools:

• Visit your feeder schools for rehearsals through the year. Let them get to know you by leading warm-ups or rehearsing a piece.
• Ask feeder school teachers to identify top candidates for your choir then write them personal letters encouraging them to enroll in choir.
• Attend the concerts of your feeder schools to show your interest and support.
• Arrange to have feeder groups attend a dress rehearsal for one of your group’s concerts.
• Bring your group to the feeder school to perform. Allow time for your singers to interact with the younger students in a “meet & greet” fashion.
• Establish a tradition of high school students volunteering at middle school concerts (passing out programs, helping groups on/off stage, distributing robes, etc.).
• Mass choir: invite lower grades to join in a mass choir number at the upper school concert. Arrange for the singers to attend a rehearsal during the day.
• Host a “choir party” shortly before a concert: play singing games, serve snacks and drinks, and have your students sing with the recruits as they learn a simple song that can be performed as a group at the concert.
• Pyramid Concert: host a concert in which choirs from elementary, middle, and high schools perform on the same program. Have everyone learn one song to sing together as a closer.

Creating Student Advocates:

• Bring a friend to choir day: students invite friends to attend an after-school rehearsal. Present appealing music that can be learned quickly so that singers quickly get a sense of achievement. Finish the rehearsal with some snacks and social time.
• You may be able to arrange a “bring a friend to choir day” during your regular class period, lunchtime, or other time during the school day.
• Host a karaoke night, pizza party, or ice cream social, and ask choir students to invite their friends.
• Educate your current singers on the need/importance of increasing the size of the group. Ask them to talk to their friends about what they do in choir and why they enjoy it.
• Incentivize your singers to recruit—offer a small reward to the student who brings in the most new recruits.
• Have your upperclassman create a recruitment video that showcases how fun the choir program is and includes current singers talking about their experience singing. Play the video at concerts and school events, and show it to your feeder schools.

Retention:

• The majority of your singers next year are the ones in your classroom this year. Make the effort throughout the year to ensure your singers are engaged and enjoy being in the group. Before they enroll for next year’s classes be sure they communicate to you any scheduling conflicts or other issues that would keep them from being in your class so that you can resolve it.
• Ask for feedback: if a singer drops your class, have them fill out a survey about what they liked or didn’t like about choir, reasons for leaving, etc. You may see recurring complaints or criticism that you can use to improve the experience for all singers and attract new members.

Next Level: Choir Fantasy Draft

We’ve all heard of fantasy drafts for sports, why not use the idea for choir recruitment! This method is a highly social and interactive approach to recruiting new members that relies heavily on your current students.

Set up a large display or bulletin board with sign-up sheets. The Recruiters (your current singers) sign up to recruit a student that they think would be a good addition to the choir. Allow 1–5 recruiters for each draft pick. Give your recruiters tips on how to appropriately approach the recruits.

Send a personal letter or email to each of the recruits.

Award a point for each drafted recruit (student who enrolls). You may choose to weight the point system so that more points are awarded for students with choral experience, voice parts you are in need of, grade level, or other factors. Points could be earned by individuals or by class, and the highest score earns a reward.

Start Planning Now

Now that you have a list of ideas to start with, plan your strategy. Start with something that doesn’t require any planning, like talking to students during lunch, and begin scheduling bigger projects, like establishing a pyramid concert. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone if needed to take the first step.

Keep track of your progress—find out what your rate of growth has been over the past years and use that information to set a goal. This will help you discover which recruitment techniques work best in your situation.

It’s time to go forth and spread the word about the amazing things happening in your music program!