Conducting & Performing

Chorus America advances the artistry of choruses by providing masterclasses for choral conductors, sessions on repertoire and performance practice, convenings of artistic directors, research on conducting careers and transitions, information on performance trends and innovations, and forums for discussion of artistic issues.

Articles

What Every Chorus Should Know About Its Singers

What Every Chorus Should Know About Its Singers

Chorus America Staff | Impact/Value, Management/Leadership, Participation, Singing, Volunteer

What do choral singers wish their chorus managers and music directors knew about them? What would make singers' experience in the chorus more enjoyable, more meaningful, more fun? Read more

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Boys to Men: Singing Through Voice Change

Boys to Men: Singing Through Voice Change

Chloe Veltman | Children/Youth, Education, Health, Participation, Schools, Singing

An influx of new programs are beginning to recognize the value of keeping boys singing—through changing voices and for a lifetime. Read more

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Keeping Singers Well: Exercise and Sleep

Keeping Singers Well: Exercise and Sleep

Matthew Sigman | Health, Singing

When your body is the instrument, it's imperative to keep it in tip-top shape with good exercise habits and the right amount of sleep. Read more

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Keeping Singers Well: Hydration

Keeping Singers Well: Hydration

Matthew Sigman | Health, Singing

While it is ultimately the responsibility of the singer to stay properly hydrated, it's not always so easy. Read more

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Why the Bach Passions Are Problematic

Why the Bach Passions Are Problematic

Tom Hall | History, Performance, Repertoire

What is our responsibility as singers and as choruses when historic choral works are offensive, even hostile, to a whole group of people? Tom Hall, music director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, discusses Bach's St. Matthew Passion and St. John Passion. Read more

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Spotlight on Eric Whitacre

Spotlight on Eric Whitacre

Kelsey Menehan | Composing/Commissioning, Innovation, Profile, Repertoire, Singing

We take a look at the man behind the cluster chords: how Eric Whitacre arrived at a life in music, and the ups and downs he's encountered along the way. Read more

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Selecting Music for Diverse Audiences

Selecting Music for Diverse Audiences

An Interview with Julian Wachner

Chorus America Staff | Audiences, Conducting, Innovation, Profile, Repertoire

With so many music directors juggling multiple podiums, choosing repertoire that meets the specific needs of each chorus and the audience in that community takes on special significance. Read more

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The Rise of A Cappella

The Rise of A Cappella

An Interview with CASA Founder and Sing-Off Producer Deke Sharon

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Community Outreach

Choral music—especially a cappella choral music—is more popular than ever it seems. Chorus America sat down with Deke Sharon, founder of the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA) and a producer of NBC's The Sing-Off, to get the inside scoop behind the a cappella choral music movement and its current place in pop culture. Read more

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The Art and Science of Good Sound Design

The Art and Science of Good Sound Design

Michael Shaughnessy | Audiences, Performance, Technology

Whether your needs are as simple as amplifying announcements from the podium or as complex as balancing voices with instruments in a large space, paying attention to sound design can make or break your concert. Read more

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5 Tips for Performing Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil

5 Tips for Performing Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil

Alexander Ruggieri | Rehearsal, Repertoire, Singing, Technique/Tool

The All-Night Vigil doesn't last all night anymore, but doing what it takes to perform it well certainly can keep conductors and singers up nights. Here are five tips for conquering this masterpiece: Read more

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Resources

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Orientation Materials Checklist

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Orientation Materials Checklist

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Operations, Sample/Template, Strategic Planning

A checklist of documents and organizational background to prepare for the incoming music director. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: Developing a Communications Plan

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Developing a Communications Plan

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Marketing/Public Relations, Sample/Template, Strategic Planning, Technique/Tool

A worksheet to help choruses communicate to all constituents in the event of an artistic founder transition. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: Determining Your Organizational Direction

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Determining Your Organizational Direction

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Strategic Planning, Technique/Tool

Thirteen questions to help determine the future of the chorus when an artistic founder transition is imminent. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: Building Your Search Budget

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Building Your Search Budget

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Finance, Governance, Operations, Strategic Planning, Technique/Tool

Searching for new artistic leadership requires its own budget. This list of income and expense considerations will help. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: Annual Employee Performance Evaluation Guidelines

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Annual Employee Performance Evaluation Guidelines

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Evaluation, Governance, Strategic Planning, Technique/Tool

Ten helpful guidelines to help establish a healthy annual performance review process for the music director of your chorus. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: Action Plan Matrix

'Music Director Transition' Tool: Action Plan Matrix

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Sample/Template, Strategic Planning

A worksheet to help choruses plan for founding artistic leadership transitions. Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: 4 Tips for Building Your Board

'Music Director Transition' Tool: 4 Tips for Building Your Board

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Recruitment, Strategic Planning

A founder transition requires strong leadership from the board. Is your board ready? Read more

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'Music Director Transition' Tool: 3 Key Transition Questions

'Music Director Transition' Tool: 3 Key Transition Questions

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Governance, Operations, Sample/Template, Strategic Planning

Questions to answer as you begin a founding music director transition. Read more

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The Choral Music of Ruth Watson Henderson

The Choral Music of Ruth Watson Henderson

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Repertoire, Research/Data

Research Memorandum Series No. 198 Read more

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Events

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir - Choral Conductors Symposium Concert and Webcast

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir - Choral Conductors Symposium Concert and Webcast

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Mendels... | Audiences, Conducting, Families, Performance, Singing

    A free Toronto Mendelssohn Choir concert. Enjoy a potpourri of great choral works performed by the Mendelssohn Singers and by the 20-voice Elora Festival Singers. This concert concludes the TMC’s 3rd annual Choral Conductors’ Symposium for emerging conductors, led by Noel Edison. The five conductors participating in the Symposium will conduct: Xavier Brossard-Ménard, Catherine Klopoushak, Brett Kostrzewski, Jennifer Min-Young Lee and Kemuel Wong. <a href="http://www.tmchoir.org/tmcPerformances/conductors-symposium-concert.cfm">Find out more about the concert</a>. If you can’t be at the concert, you can watch a live webcast at 3 pm (UTC -5) on the TMC website. The webcast will be Adobe Flash and iPhone and iPad compatible. <a href="http://www.tmchoir.org/tmcPerformances/webcast-register.cfm">Sign up to watch the webcast</a> .   Read more

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The Skylark Vocal Ensemble presents: Joyous, Clear and Fresh

The Skylark Vocal Ensemble presents: Joyous, Clear and Fresh

Marietta, GA

Matthew Guard | Performance

“Joyous, Clear, and Fresh” Classics from both sides of the Atlantic Featuring English Madrigals, English Folksongs set by Gustav Holst, and American Classics arranged by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker March 17, 2013 at 3pm Episcopal Church of St Peter and St Paul, 1795 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA Read more

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The Skylark Vocal Ensemble presents: Something About Mary

The Skylark Vocal Ensemble presents: Something About Mary

Atlanta, GA

Matthew Guard | Performance

"Something About Mary” Ancient, Romantic, and Modern Hymns to the Virgin Featuring works by Victoria, Gombert, Parsons, Brahms, Bruckner, Britten, Tavener, and Kvoschchinsky Read more

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The Washington Chorus Presents "Elijah"

The Washington Chorus Presents "Elijah"

Washington, DC

The Washington ... | Performance

ELIJAH Janice Chandler-Eteme, soprano Laura Vlasak Nolen, mezzo-soprano Benjamin Butterfield, tenor Stephen Salters, baritone with the Children’s Chorus of Washington Joan Gregoryk, Music Director Experience Mendelssohn’s masterpiece—one of the greatest choral works of all time! Read more

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Prelude to Spring

Prelude to Spring

714 S. Westnedge, Kalamazoo, MI

Leona Gould-McElhone | Performance

The five choirs of The Kalamazoo Children's Chorus will herald the coming of Spring with a concert sure to put the audience in the mood for flowers blooming, tress budding and the shedding of winter's gloom.  Join us for a joyous celebration of the coming season. Tickets: $10     Read more

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Missa Pangea

Missa Pangea

157 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201-3587

CHM | Audiences

Grace & Spiritus Chorale of Brooklyn performs Missa Pangea: One Text, Three Cultural Perspectives Read more

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Missa Pangea

Missa Pangea

85 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11217

CHM | Audiences

Grace & Spiritus Chorale of Brooklyn performs Missa Pangea: One Text, Three Cultural Perspectives Read more

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Missa Pangea

Missa Pangea

286-88 Seventh Avenue (at Seventh Street), Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215

CHM | Audiences

Grace & Spiritus Chorale of Brooklyn performs Missa Pangea: One Text, Three Cultural Perspectives. Read more

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The Bach Concert Series Season Finale Concert

The Bach Concert Series Season Finale Concert

701 S. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21230

BachConcertSeries |

The Bach Concert Series' 25th Anniversary Season comes to an exciting close. Read more

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The Bach Concert Series: May First Sunday Concert

The Bach Concert Series: May First Sunday Concert

701 S. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21230

BachConcertSeries |

The Bach Concert Series continues its 25th season of free First Sunday Concerts with a performance of J.S. Bach's Cantata 56. Read more

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Dialogue

Questions During Rehearsal?

Questions During Rehearsal?

Anonymous | Rehearsal, Singing

Conductors, do you let your singers ask questions during rehearsal? What are the pros and cons? Read more

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