A Handbook for Beginning Choral Educators

"This book comes from a very fine music educator with exceptional experience, who has common sense and a real understanding of what a beginning teacher should know. The book puts into print issues that are widely discussed at conventions and at conferences, and that are common knowledge for the experienced teacher, but that are not covered in a music education class. It is a plain and simple book, written in a language that is easy for anyone going into the profession to understand. It makes valuable suggestions in just about every aspect of the role of a choral music teacher." --Michael Schwartzkopf, Professor of Music Education, Indiana University School of Music

Walter Lamble is a retired choral educator with more than 30 years' experience in the classroom. He has a Ph.D. in music education from the University of Iowa.

Introduction

Foreword

1. Getting Started

A. Designing a Choral Music Program

B. Choosing and Purchasing Music

C. Before School Begins

2. Choral Basics in the Rehearsal

A. Warming up the Choir

B. The Unison Sound

C. Vowels, Consonants, and Diphthongs

D. Choral Sound and Vocal Production

3. The Academics of Rehearsal

A. Teaching Sight-Singing

B. Presenting a Basic Sight-Singing Lesson

C. Acquiring Basic Skills in the Choral Classroom

4. Important Related Topics

A. The Boy's Changing Voice

B. Singing in Foreign Languages

C. Popular Choral Music

5. The Extracurricular Program

A. So You are Going to do a Musical

B. Travel, Parent Groups, and Competitions

C. Popular Music Styles

6. Non-Choral Concepts

A. Preparing a Budget

B. Preparing a Student for College Music Study

C. Music Professional Organizations

D. Why Should Music be in the High School Curriculum?

7. Fifty Things No One Ever Told Me