Band Director Teaching Choir HALP!

[nafmeadmin]

I am a first year teacher, fresh out of college. With much luck I have received a job! Hooray! I’m now the Choir Director/Assistant Band Director at a High School. I am at heart an instrumentalist and a band director. So the thought of having to teach choir, and all by my lonesome is TERRIFYING! At the moment the expectation for the choir is very low. The program almost didn’t happen, and was salvaged at the proposition of adding to the responsibilities, being the assistant band director, which is why I accepted the job. I’m fairly certain that the group will most likely be an SSA or SA composition, as it’s around 15-20 girls. I know that in every discipline comes the opportunity to teach kids music. I just have no idea how to approach this first year. I know that I need to plan, but what do I need to plan, how do I accommodate if the students do not meet expectations? What do I need to focus on for the first couple of weeks? What are some books that I can use as references? Where can I find a list of choral repertoire that I can poke through? I know in teaching beginner band, every lesson comes from a method book. Is there a book like that for choir? To work out of and supplement their learning? From what I’ve been told, the kids have had zero musical background so it is literally building from the ground up. In essence, I need to know everything so I can plan accordingly and not be knocked on my butt this first year. The last thing I want is to get burned out on teaching. At the moment, all that’s expected from the principal is that I provide a Christmas Concert, Spring Concert, and go to at least one festival. I want the students to have the best possible musical experience, while fulfilling my duties as choir director. I need help.

[nafmeadmin]

Hi. Congrats on the job. I am also one of your kind (band director/choir director).

The best way to approach it is to start them singing from day one! You’ll find that the best resources that you are going to get are from colleagues and friends in your area, but here are some things to get started:
1. Join a community choir- Find somewhere to learn some different warm-ups, vocal techniques, etc. Or take some voice lessons yourself!
2. The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book by Russell Robinson and Jay Althouse is very good! There are some rounds in the back that are also good to get them singing in parts
3. Let them sing stuff that they know and enjoy singing. Quality music is important, but especially in a new position sometimes you have to win them over.
4. Observe a local high school. Take a professional day and do some networking to get some advice to be successful.

Good luck!

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