Education & Training

Chorus America provides administrative, board, and artistic leadership development and peer networking through quality training programs, conferences, masterclasses, management institutes, online learning, technical assistance, and personal consultations. We advance the skills of singers and support the development of choral music education programs for children and adults.

Articles

Member Spotlight: Jerry Rubino, Voices of Experience, Minneapolis

Member Spotlight: Jerry Rubino, Voices of Experience, Minneapolis

Kelsey Menehan | Adults/Seniors, Community Outreach, Conducting, Education, General, Health, Professional, Singing, Symphonic

After 23 years of many roles with the Dale Warland Singers, including associate conductor, Jerry Rubino is leading a new "artistically ambitious" choir of seniors called Voices of Experience. Chorus America talked to Rubino about what he calls his "ministry" of music—how he encourages singers to bring their full, expressive selves to singing. Read more

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Member Spotlight: Justin Montigne, Clerestory, San Francisco

Member Spotlight: Justin Montigne, Clerestory, San Francisco

Chorus America Staff | Adults/Seniors, General, Health, Impact/Value, Performance, Professional, Rehearsal, Singing, Technique/Tool

Justin Montigne, a professional choral singer, voice teacher, and registered yoga teacher, teaches workshops, classes, and private lessons in the Bay Area and around the country. His interest in the free and easy alignment of body and instrument led him to yoga, which helped revolutionize his singing and teaching. Read more

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Evaluate Your Chorus’ Education Program—On Any Budget

Evaluate Your Chorus’ Education Program—On Any Budget

Chorus America Staff | Audiences, Civic Engagement, Community Outreach, Education, Evaluation, Impact/Value, Marketing/Public Relations, Participation, Research/Data, Schools

Your chorus has created and launched an exciting education program. How will you fund its evaluation? Kimberly Meisten of VocalEssence and David Myers of the University of Minnesota School of Music presented these ideas at the 2012 Chorus America Conference. Read more

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Singing and Wellness Resource Guide

Singing and Wellness Resource Guide

Chorus America Staff | Adults/Seniors, Children/Youth, Evaluation, General, Health, Impact/Value, Participation, Schools, Singing, Technique/Tool, Volunteer

Continue to explore the topic of Singing and Wellness with this online Resource Guide that includes studies cited in Voice articles as well as further reading. Read more

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Member Spotlight: Erica Battle, Detroit Children’s Choir

Member Spotlight: Erica Battle, Detroit Children’s Choir

Chorus America Staff | Children/Youth, Diversity, Education, General, Innovation, Management/Leadership, Operations, Schools

In Detroit, music and arts organizations are pooling their resources to buy management expertise. That's how Erica Battle, a certified public accountant, stepped into her position as executive director of the Detroit Children's Choir. Here she talks with Chorus America about the shared services model that has been successful in Detroit, her new role, and her recent experience at October's Chorus Management Institute. Read more

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Member Spotlight: Jane Ramseyer Miller, One Voice Mixed Chorus

Member Spotlight: Jane Ramseyer Miller, One Voice Mixed Chorus

Confronting Bullying Through Song

Chorus America Staff | Audiences, Children/Youth, Community Outreach, Diversity, Education, Families, Impact/Value, Innovation, Schools

One Voice Mixed Chorus, Minnesota's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allies chorus, is committed to building community and creating social change. The group's music director, Jane Ramseyer Miller, talked with Chorus America about how their mission propelled a unique outreach to public school students in the Twin Cities. Read more

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Six Essential Steps for Evaluating Your Chorus’s Education Program

Six Essential Steps for Evaluating Your Chorus’s Education Program

Chorus America Staff | Audiences, Civic Engagement, Community Outreach, Education, Evaluation, Impact/Value, Marketing/Public Relations, Research/Data, Schools

Your chorus has created and launched an exciting education program. How will you measure its effectiveness? Kimberly Meisten of VocalEssence and David Myers of the University of Minnesota School of Music presented some winning ideas at the 2012 Chorus America Conference. Read more

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Students Discover Their “Voices Within”

Students Discover Their “Voices Within”

Kelsey Menehan | Children/Youth, Community Outreach, Education, Impact/Value

The Los Angeles Master Chorale’s education outreach program leads young people into the heart of the creative process Read more

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Mothers and Music Education: The Influence and the Impact

Mothers and Music Education: The Influence and the Impact

Jan-Marie Petersen | Families, History, Impact/Value, Singing

Mom. It's one little word, but such an enormous job. In celebration of mothers, we asked members of our Facebook page to tell us: "What impact did your mother have on your life in music?" Read more

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Lessons Learned from Successful School Education Programs

Lessons Learned from Successful School Education Programs

Kelsey Menehan |

Consider these insights and cautionary tales gleaned from the experience of four choruses about how to establish and maintain a strong, school-based education outreach program. Read more

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Resources

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Relaxing the Tongue

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Relaxing the Tongue

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how to train the powerful tongue muscle to cooperate with rather than hinder the singing process. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Achieving Relaxed Alertness

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Achieving Relaxed Alertness

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how being both relaxed and alert can bring greater freedom in singing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Vocalizing To Release Tension

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Vocalizing To Release Tension

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

Through a self-discovery process using movement, the practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark guides a singer to notice and then release tension while vocalizing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Releasing Eye Tension

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Releasing Eye Tension

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how releasing tension around the eyes contributes to less effortful singing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Opening the Throat

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Opening the Throat

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates how opening the throat releases tension and allows for greater freedom in singing. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Centering with the Breath

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Centering with the Breath

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark demonstrates the use of breath to center and stabilize the singing process. Read more

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The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Introduction

The Feldenkrais Method for Singers—Introduction

Karen R Clark | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

You know that freed-up feeling where it seems your body is singing itself? Singers yearn for more of that, but myriad stresses, tensions, confusions, and vocal issues can get in the way. Through a self-discovery process using movement, the practice of Feldenkrais can help singers perform with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. In this video series, Feldenkrais practitioner Karen Clark describes and demonstrates how this approach has helped her—and the singers she works with—release tension and find greater freedom in their singing. Read more

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Choral Conductors Today: A Study

Choral Conductors Today: A Study

Chorus America Staff | Careers, Conducting, Management/Leadership, Recruitment, Research/Data

Chorus America interviewed more than 700 conductors about their career paths, levels of education, salary, job satisfaction, and more in 2005. The resulting data provides a profile of the "typical" choral conductor that may be surprising. Read more

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28 American Master Choral Composers

28 American Master Choral Composers

A Repertoire and Recording Listing to Support NEA's American Masterpieces

Chorus America Staff | Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Government/Policy, Repertoire

Celebrating America's greatest choral composers, this publication provides repertoire and recording lists for 28 composers from Billings to Whitacre. Read more

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Events

Great River Chorale (St. Cloud, MN) Announces Auditions for the 2013-2014 Concert Season

Great River Chorale (St. Cloud, MN) Announces Auditions for the 2013-2014 Concert Season

St. Cloud, Minnesota

Great River Chorale | Adults/Seniors, Community Outreach, Education, General, Networking, Participation, Performance, Professional, Rehearsal, Repertoire, Singing, Symphonic, Volunteer

Great River Chorale is a select, auditioned 45-voice choral ensemble based in St. Cloud. The chorale rehearses Sunday nights and holds extra rehearsals prior to concerts. Members (ages 18 and up) are skilled professional and avocational musicians and choral enthusiasts who desire to sing high quality repertoire at the highest level of excellence. Read more

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Breath of Inspiration: An evening of Gospel, Classical, Jazz and More!

Breath of Inspiration: An evening of Gospel, Classical, Jazz and More!

111 S Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012

iris@DCINY.org | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Children/Youth, Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Diversity, Education, Families, General, Marketing/Public Relations, Participation, Performance, Repertoire, Schools, Singing, Symphonic, Venue

An evening of triumphant music! Members of Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra, Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony and Gwen Wyatt Chorale (CA) provide an entertaining palette of unique genre-bending sounds. From Gospel to Classical, these passionate, energetic artists perform with a supreme gusto and enthusiasm that is sure to delight and entertain audiences of all ages and tastes.   Read more

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Choral Journey to the East

Choral Journey to the East

5 Thomas Circle, NW Washington, DC 20005

Children's Chor... | Audiences, Children/Youth, Families, Performance, Repertoire, Venue

Join Children's Chorus of Washington, the finest children's chorus in our nation's capital, on its "Choral Journey to the East" on Sunday, May 12 at 4:00pm at National City Christian Church. The concert will feature all CCW's ensembles joined by Erhu and Guzheng players, for a program of songs from various countries in East Asia. Read more

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Symposium: The American Choral Tradition

Symposium: The American Choral Tradition

7 Vendeventer Street, Princeton, NJ

Princeton Pro Musica | Adults/Seniors, Community Outreach, Education, General

  Symposium panel discussion: Marjorie Herman of WWFM’s “Sounds Choral” and Dr. Amanda Quist of Westminster Choir College and Dr. Ryan Brandau, discuss American Choral Tradition – its roots and its future – including some of the repertoire on the upcoming program. Read more

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Symposium: The American Choral Tradition

Symposium: The American Choral Tradition

7 Vendeventer Street, Princeton, NJ

Princeton Pro Musica | Adults/Seniors, Community Outreach, Education, General

  Symposium panel discussion: Marjorie Herman of WWFM’s “Sounds Choral” and Dr. Amanda Quist of Westminster Choir College and Dr. Ryan Brandau, discuss American Choral Tradition – its roots and its future – including some of the repertoire on the upcoming program. Read more

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CHORAL CHAMELEON SUMMER INSTITUTE for Composers & Conductors

CHORAL CHAMELEON SUMMER INSTITUTE for Composers & Conductors

New York City

JefferyThyer | Adults/Seniors, Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Education, Innovation, Networking, Participation, Performance, Professional, Rehearsal, Repertoire, Singing

The Choral Chameleon Institute is an eight-day intensive workshop in New York City, designed to immerse emerging composers and conductors of choral music in the intricacies of the choral idiom in a nurturing environment surrounded by respected professionals. It gives students an opportunity to explore and experiment with writing and conducting techniques in a "best-case scenario". During the course of the institute, many new pieces of choral music are cultivated and ultimately publicly performed, with live recording of the concert. Standards of the choral repertoire serve as a springboard for young conductors to work on challenging matters of gesture, musicianship, and rehearsal technique. Generous lab and podium time is given to all participants to ensure maximum practical and hands-on experience. The Choral Chameleon Institute also places heavy emphasis on ear training and analysis as means of deep, joyful discovery and informed, innovative interpretation.   Read more

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Heritage Presents: 13th Annual Concert Sing On!

Heritage Presents: 13th Annual Concert Sing On!

4101 Nebraska Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016

Miriam Dixon | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, CA News, Children/Youth, Civic Engagement, Community Outreach, Composing/Commissioning, Conducting, Diversity, Education, Families, Fundraising, General, Impact/Value, Innovation, Management/Leadership, Marketing/Public Relations, Networking, Participation, Performance, Professional, Recruitment, Schools, Singing, Social Media, Symphonic, Venue, Volunteer

We Preserve the Past. We Inspire the Community. We Sing On. Join Heritage Signature Chorale for our annual concert which promises to stir your soul. Tickets may be purchased at www.heritagesignaturechorale.org or by phone (202) 808-0583. Read more

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Essence of Joy Alumni Singers Concert

Essence of Joy Alumni Singers Concert

22nd and Spruce St.

bluelyric7 | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Community Outreach

For one night only, we've got a choir of over 70 singers who are traveling in from all over the country, some straight from Broadway, Off-Broadway and National Tours for a special evening celebrating inspiring choral works and gospel music!  Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased here: http://eojas.eventbrite.com/ or at the door.For more information about our mission, visit eojas.org Read more

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Toronto Mendelssohn Choir concert webcast

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir concert webcast

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Mendels... | Audiences, Community Outreach

For choral music lovers across Canada, the U.S. and around the world, the TMC will webcast their performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle live at www.tmchoir.org as part of its outreach program.  Register online with an email and enjoy the concert from anywhere on Sat, Feb 9 at 3 pm ET, UTC -5. TMC webcasts are now flash and iPhone and iPad compatible.  Read more

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Mark Hayes Workshop

Mark Hayes Workshop

Sonoma, California

Sally Hilliard |

Mark Hayes will be in Sonoma the weekend of March 22-24. On Saturday afternoon, 3/23, he will be conducting a workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. for choir directors and music teachers in the area. Registration information can be found at www.sonomavalleychorale.org. Read more

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Dialogue

Measuring Education Program Impact

Measuring Education Program Impact

Anonymous | Education, Impact/Value

  We know intrinsically that chorus education programs provide great benefit to those involved—but actual data would help. Can anyone offer some specific examples of the impact of their programs? Read more

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Conference 2013 Ad
Please visit the 2013 Conference Website for information.
King FM Choral Music Channel

Enjoy Seattle’s First Online Choral Music Channel

In celebration of Chorus America’s Annual Conference coming to the Pacific Northwest, Classical KING FM has launched Seattle’s first all-choral music channel online at www.king.org. Listen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for music from top choral groups, including winners of Chorus America’s Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence.

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