CN Rewind: Choosing repertoire the smart way, with Denise Eaton

Choir Ninja, with Ryan Guth

A Choir Ninja Rewind Today we bring you an encore airing of one of our most popular interviews with a Houston-area director. In today’s episode (Part 1) you will learn what Texas music educator and superstar, Denise Eaton, looks at when choosing repertoire for her choirs so they can be successful a learning through her innovative sequential layering method of teaching (Part 2 - Friday). Listen: Highlight to Tweet: “You need to make a noise before you can refine the noise” -Denise Eaton #choirninja Show Notes:

• Get ‘em in the room and get ‘em singing immediately
  • “You need to make a noise before you can refine the noise”
• No harm singing and sight-singing in unison
  • It elevates the weaker singing
  • Can be VERY artistic
• When choosing music, be conscious of…
  • Tonality
  • Rhythmic development
  • Harmonic rhythm
  • Vocal development
    • Range
    • Tessitura
    • Depth of sound
  • Language
• Use sequential layering (next episode) to teach the music.
  • Sequence matters because of muscle memory

3 Key Takeaways:

1. Score study is imperative for sequential growth for choir.
2. Elevate their strengths and not their weaknesses.
3. You are limited to your own creativity. Don’t let your limitations limit your students.

Resources/links Mentioned:

• Book: Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers 1st Edition
• Denise’s books: InSight Singing (A Multi-Sensory Approach to Reading Music), Choral Error Detection, Sight Singing Made Accessible Readable Teachable, Sight Singing Made Accessible Readable Teachable (MINOR)

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