Beginning a Middle School Choir
It’s been two and a half years since I directed a choir. (Thanks Covid.) Here’s a rundown of what I’m doing to grow interest in our middle school choir including how I’m organizing rehearsal time, what songs I’ve selected, games students will learn and goals for the first semester.
Building Interest
If you’re not excited about choir, your students won’t have any interest in it either. If you don’t talk about it, they won’t know about it. The best way to build interest in something is to be excited about it yourself and to talk about it. Talk to students about what they get to do: sing with friends, learn songs, play games, and have fun. Let them know when rehearsals begin, where they’ll be held, why you’re excited and why they should show up.
I built interest in our MS choir by sharing that for the first time in almost three years we’d be able to have choir again. I told students when rehearsals would be held and what they could expect in the rehearsals. My school sent out sign-up reminders through our weekly news and in a separate email to all MS families. I talked to individual students at school and texted some moms whose students I know love to sing. I encouraged them to join and shared the kinds of music we’d be doing. What ended up happening was that one student decided to do it, told a friend about it and got them excited and it continued to build until almost 30 students were excited and signed up.
One of the reasons I almost didn’t begin a choir this year was out of fear that only a few students would show up. But you know what? A choir is a choir even if only ten students are there. You want to have students participate in something they love so don’t hold back from starting something because it might be a small group. Sometimes smaller is better. The size doesn’t matter. I have a recorder ensemble that started back this year with only five students, but they are making amazing music because they work hard, love playing music together and want to be there. Share your excitement and love for music making. Begin with the students that show up and serve the students that are excited to be there.
Rehearsal Time
I will see my choir students once a week for 35-40 minutes. For my first rehearsal we did the following:
Physical, Breathing and Singing Warm-Ups
Introduce Song No 1: Teach by rote
Game: Big Fat Biscuit
Introduce Song No 2: Listen to a recording and follow along in the music; Highlight specific part (whether they are Part I or Part II)
Introduce Song No 3: Teach melody for verses 1, 2, 3. Then sing through each verse.
My goal for rehearsal time is to make it joyful, teach unison and 2-part pieces, and build community through singing. Your goals may be more content focused, performance focused or be similar to mine. Knowing what you are wanting students to get out of the experience will help you determine how you focus your rehearsal time.
Want to hear how another choir teacher focuses their time? Listen in to the Afternoon Ti Podcast Episode 217 with Jodi Coke (@the_Choir_Queen on Instagram). She shares many great takeaways for organizing your rehearsal time!
Song Selection
Since this is the first time my students in grades 5-6 will have had the opportunity to do choir with me, I wanted to be sure that I selected music that they would learn more easily and be successful in singing. The music I’ve selected is either unison or 2-part. The melodies are either fun or beautiful. There’s a mix of ostinato patterns sung with a melody and pieces that have harmonies with echoing or are more easily learned due to their range or composition. I selected five pieces to begin our year. Since it will be a winter concert in December, it’s a winter theme. Though not all of the songs are completely winter; some I just love because of the body percussion, tempo, or fun elements within it. I’m beginning with five pieces, but planning to add more if time allows.
My Song List:
Galop
Cold Snap
Mary Sat A-Rockin’
Once Upon a December (from Anastasia)
When Winter is Passing Canon (from the Waldorf Website)
When you’re selecting repertoire, consider what your students can handle. Have they sung often in the general music class? Outside of school in other ensembles? Is the focus of the choir on a specific genre or style of music? Is there a concert theme? Will they be competing and you’ll need to choose from a specified list? Music selection is often a personal decision based on what you find your choir needing, the songs you love and the songs you believe your students need to learn or would enjoy learning.
Singing Games
In episode 192 I interviewed Amy Knous (@kodalyinthemiddle) about middle school choir. She always posts amazing ideas for singing. I’m usually so focused on repertoire that I forget to lighten up and make time for a few simple, short musical games. Each rehearsal I’m including about 5-7 minutes on a singing game. You can find game ideas HERE!
Choir Goals
Goals are my favorite. What am I setting out to do with my choir? What is the purpose of this choir? What do I want them to learn musically? What do I want them to gain that is not musical? Determining the type of experience we want to offer our students helps us decide the other aspects of what we teach, how we structure the rehearsals, and our end goal.
If you haven’t made a list of the goals for the ensembles that rehearse outside of your regular schedule, I’d encourage you to try it. You’ll likely find clarity and focus towards what is important to you and your students. Here are a few of my choir goals this year:
Begin a new choir program for students in grades 5-8, but mainly 5-6 as many 7-8 graders are in sports after school.
Create a joyful atmosphere where students feel valued and included.
Teach music fundamentals such as how to read a choral octavo, solfege scales and solfege melodies in octavos, rhythm reading, and incorporating singing games that teach music skills
Focus on unison and 2-part songs with simplistic harmonies
Teach less music with better tone and expression (five pieces of music is my goal over 12 weeks)
Performance opportunity for parents of choir members in a smaller, intimate setting
Help students love singing and feel good about their musical abilities as singers