081. Playing the Game of Tones with Zack Durlam!

The Choir Director Corner Podcast

Yes, my friends...Winter Is Coming! But it's not the Game of Thrones--it's the "Game of Tones"! ;)
In Episode 81 of the podcast, I'm talking with Zack Durlam, who serves as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Zack is a fantastic choir director (he was my cooperating teacher for student teaching back in the day), and also has a wonderful tenor voice. One of his passions is teaching healthy vocal technique in imaginative and creative ways, and he has done a number of collaborations with his collegiate voice faculty colleagues. When a voice teacher comes into your rehearsal and says, "I really like that--I'm going to use that in my studio", you know you're doing something right!
I've seen Zack present his session called "Game of Tones" multiple times, and it is fantastic. In this episode he goes through many of the concepts related to vocal technique, and gives you tips and strategies that you can use in rehearsal that will help your singers develop healthy vocal technique, while at the same time help you to mold the sound of your ensemble. And he does it in a way that's easy to understand, and a whole lot of fun!
If you're looking for a way to teach the basics of vocal technique to your singers, while at the same time assess their vocal development and document their progress, then my Vocal Technique 101 Teaching Unit is just what you need!
This classroom resources consists of eight video lessons, in which I discuss some of the basic concepts of vocal technique. Each lesson includes a Google Form Quiz that will guide your singers through the lesson (and act as an easy assessment piece), as well as some additional ideas that you can use to assess the vocal development of your singers! Use the lessons in rehearsal, as homework for your singers, or as an easy lesson for a substitute teacher! Click HERE for more information!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
choirdirectorcorner.com/membership