Sparking Joy and Connection in the Choir Room

The Choral Playbook

There was a time in my life, as a young teacher just out of university, when I was very concerned about rigor. The difference between me (a vocalist and collaborative pianist who had chosen music as a profession) and my adolescent students (teenagers with a full slate of sports, activities, and classes, one of which happened to be choir) was vast. In an effort to prove that choir deserved the same focus and dedication as their other classes, I collected formative assessments on a weekly basis, assigned a ridiculous amount of homework, and generally attempted to forcefully create an atmosphere of excellence in the model of my own collegiate choral directors. I see now that I was simply enforcing student compliance within a teacher-centered system.

Oh, how the tables have turned. As a choral educator, I have come to prioritize joy, purpose, and belonging above all else. The long and winding road that brought me here includes continued education, state conferences, the influence of many incredible public school educators, and simply listening to and observing my students themselves. In a life filled with very little personal choice, our students choose to be in choir. They are present to make friends, to “relax their mind” during the school day, to express themselves, to let their voice be free, and perhaps most importantly, to simply have fun. To take on a pursuit simply for the joy of it is a beautiful thing. How often do we do that in our adult lives?

I aim to help my students develop positive beliefs about their ability to learn and grow in choir by creating an environment where they are free to explore and make mistakes without penalty, where short cycles of play and exploration are followed by immediate, non-judgmental feedback, and where activities slowly ramp up in challenge and rigor as foundational skills are built. Rather than forcing music to fit the mold of a traditional American education, I now see music as a model for what other content areas could be. As Bridget Sweet says in the fantastic publication Growing Musicians , “Making music is not a competition … It is not a race to the top … It is a unique chance to work together, feel together, emote together, create together, and more.”

If I’m working with a beginning ensemble (of any age), I gently ease into singing at the beginning of the year. I purposely program lots of movement activities, spoken chants, unison songs, and choir games that help my students relax around me and each other. The method is structured play, and the goal is to establish the choir room as a safe, supportive space, build connections with each other, explore our singing voices, and generally emphasize that singing is an enjoyable, non-threatening activity that anyone can engage in. Singing is for everyone! There is absolutely no discussion of voice parts, mention of auditions, facilitation of voice placement, or similar. There is a time and place for all of that later in the year.

From the very first day of choir, when I teach my students “Jig-a-Low,” a chant for learning names, I get everyone moving. We move our arms and hands to shape the sound as we warm up, we choreograph dance moves to go with rounds and silly songs, we use Curwen hand signs when we sing on solfège syllables, and we stand up, sit down, circle up, and more throughout rehearsal. Incorporating movement helps singers concentrate on the task at hand, develop a physical awareness of their bodies, and connect with their fellow choir members. This is true for singers of all ages, but especially young singers.

I believe that movement is an essential component of a well-designed choral rehearsal. Some movement ideas I have learned from others, others I have developed myself, and many more my students have suggested over the years. When a student has an interesting idea, I generally say, “Okay, let’s give it a try!” It is incredibly freeing to let go of competition, achievement, and grades and instead center laughter, play, and collaborative music making. It feels like what choir was meant to be all along.

For warm-ups, rounds, and other exercises in support of this approach to choral education, take a look at Anna’s most recent publication, The Choral Playbook .