Singing

Articles

Member Spotlight: Dominick DiOrio, Composer and Choral Conductor, Indiana University

Kelsey Menehan | Composing/Commissioning, Education, General, Impact/Value, Innovation, Participation, Performance, Professional, Singing

Dominick DiOrio is one of the youngest people ever to be hired on the conducting faculty at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He leads the Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, a 30-member auditioned ensemble that specializes in music of the last 50 years. Chorus America talked to DiOrio about his own compositions and his passion for finding and performing the music of contemporary composers. Read more

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Can Everybody Sing?

Singer and Composer Melanie DeMore Says Yes!

Kelsey Menehan | Audiences, Community Outreach, Conducting, Diversity, Participation, Performance, Rehearsal, Singing, Technique/Tool

Singer and composer Melanie DeMore enjoys nothing more than gathering together a group of people and forming a spontaneous choir. “I think that singing in a community allows people to have a certain bigness that they cannot have in a solitary way,” she says. In this Chorus America interview, DeMore talks about the importance of spreading the gift of choral singing far and wide. Read more

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Going Viral: The Power of Video to Raise Your Chorus's Profile

Kelsey Menehan | Audiences, Civic Engagement, Community Outreach, Fundraising, General, Impact/Value, Innovation, Marketing/Public Relations, Singing, Social Media, Technique/Tool, Technology

Plug the words “choir videos” into your search engine and you’ll get an astounding number of links (Google found 112,000,000. Yes, million.) Is your chorus among them? It could be—and more easily than you may think. Chorus America asked several choruses to tell us how they are making video a key part of their marketing strategy. Read more

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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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Chorus America's Top 10 Most Viewed Web Articles

Lauren Rosenthal | Performance, Recruitment, Rehearsal, Repertoire, Research/Data, Singing, Technique/Tool, Volunteer

The beginning of a new year is a time for reflections, resolutions—and top 10 lists. Here are 2012's most viewed articles from the Chorus America website. Read more

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Is It Okay to Ask Questions During Rehearsal?

Kelsey Menehan | Conducting, Management/Leadership, Operations, Performance, Rehearsal, Singing, Technique/Tool

Chorus America polled a number of choral directors and singers about the pros and cons of allowing questions in rehearsal. Their answers shed light on different teaching and learning styles and the collaborative process in general. Read more

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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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Conductor's Corner: When What You Say Is Not What You Get

Axel Theimer | Adults/Seniors, Conducting, Education, Performance, Rehearsal, Research/Data, Singing

Do you feel like the instructions you are giving your singers in rehearsal are not getting the desired result? Conductor Axel Theimer, the founder and artistic director of the Twin Cities-based Kantorei, has developed new approaches that align with research on how humans learn best. Consider his strategies for putting your singers at ease and tapping into their abilities. Read more

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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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Is it Ok to Ask Questions During Rehearsal? Tips and Strategies

Kelsey Menehan | Conducting, Governance, Management/Leadership, Participation, Performance, Rehearsal, Singing, Technique/Tool

Here are more techniques for both conductors and singers to consider after reading the article "Is It Okay to Ask Questions During Rehearsal" by Kelsey Menehan. Read more

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Resources

Singer Information Form

Chorus America Staff | Operations, Recruitment, Sample/Template, Singing

Use this template as a guide for collecting useful information about new and returning singers during auditions. Read more

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Singer Handbook Table of Contents

Chorus America Staff | Operations, Performance, Rehearsal, Sample/Template, Singing

Most choruses provide singers with a handbook for participation; use this sample table of contents to make sure you haven't forgotten any policies. Read more

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Singer Audition Form

Chorus America Staff | Evaluation, Operations, Recruitment, Sample/Template, Singing

A sample form for conductors to use when evaluating potential singers. Read more

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Additional content: Ambassadors of Peace

Kelsey Menehan | Community Outreach, Impact/Value, Profile, Repertoire, Singing

Examples of concert programming that are designed on themes of peace or reconciliation. Partner piece to "How Choruses Have Become Ambassadors of Peace." Read more

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Access and Accommodation Resources

Chorus America Staff | Diversity, Legal/Licensing, Operations, Singing, Technique/Tool

A list of resources to help choruses provide reasonable accommodation in accordance with ADA regulations. Read more

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Daily Warm-Ups to Prepare for the New Choral Season

Kathy Fitzgibbon | Singing, Technique/Tool

You wouldn't run a marathon on your first day back from a jogging hiatus. The same concept applies to singing. Head of faculty at Berkshire Choral Festival and director of choral activities at Lewis and Clark College, Kathy Fitzgibbon, offers her advice for coming back to singing after a summer off. Read more

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Sing Along with Melanie DeMore

Melanie DeMore | Singing, Technique/Tool

Warm up your voice with Melanie DeMore during this "Morning Sing" at Chorus America's 2011 Conference in San Francisco. Her exuberant energy and innovative technique for teaching the songs are at the core of these refreshing and uplifting clips. Read more

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Yoga for Singers: Introduction

Justin Montigne | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

The ancient practice of yoga can help you establish good singing posture, become aware of your body, and use your breath effectively. Read more

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Yoga for Singers: Why Yoga?

Justin Montigne | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

Instructor Justin Montigne explains how the practice of yoga or proprioceptive awareness can benefit singers. Read more

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Yoga for Singers: Twists

Justin Montigne | Health, Singing, Technique/Tool

Long seated rehearsal? Alleviate tiredness in the lower back with this simple twist. Read more

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Events

Helena Choral Week (9th!)

Helena, Montana

Musikanten | Singing

Morning lessons and classes, lunchtime mini recitals, evening chorus rehearsals, final concert Saturday evening, Sunday morning liturgy at St. Peter's. Guest Artists Evanne Browne (soprano), Jay White (countertenor). Thomas Gregg (tenor), Bobb Robinson (baritone), Robert Tudor (baritone). Jean Browne (piano). See www.musikantenmt.org for more info. Read more

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Santos: World premiere oratorio

3321 Sixteenth Street, San Francisco, CA

sf girls chorus | Children/Youth, Composing/Commissioning, Performance, Singing

World Premiere oratorio by Gabriela Lena Frank and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Nilo Cruz Read more

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NEW MUSIC FOR NEW YORK

450 West 37th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues New York NY

Manhattan Chora... | Adults/Seniors, General, Singing

The Manhattan Choral Ensemble will premiere three newly-commissioned works about New York City, followed by favorite folksongs, partsongs and madrigals. At intermission the audience will select its favorite piece, to receive the grand prize and an encore performance. Read more

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The Great American Sing

4310 County Road 137, St. Cloud, MN 56301

Great River Chorale | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Children/Youth, Community Outreach, Education, Families, General, Marketing/Public Relations, Participation, Performance, Repertoire, Schools, Singing

Music by the people and for the people! Read more

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Spring Hymn Sing

1000 Elm Street, Glenview, IL 60025

Sheryl1017 | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, General, Participation, Performance, Singing

Come and sing praises at a Hymn Festival led by acclaimed organist and improviser Bruce Neswick. Read more

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The A Cappella American Songbook

171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville, IL 60540

Matt Greenberg | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Children/Youth, Families, General, Performance, Singing

CHICAGO A CAPPELLA PRESENTS THE TIMELESS MUSICAL TREASURES OF AMERICAN POPULAR SONG Read more

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The A Cappella American Songbook

460 Lake St., Oak Park, IL

Matt Greenberg | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Children/Youth, Families, General, Performance, Singing

CHICAGO A CAPPELLA PRESENTS THE TIMELESS MUSICAL TREASURES OF AMERICAN POPULAR SONG Read more

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The A Cappella American Songbook

1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL

Matt Greenberg | Adults/Seniors, Audiences, Children/Youth, Families, General, Performance, Singing

CHICAGO A CAPPELLA PRESENTS THE TIMELESS MUSICAL TREASURES OF AMERICAN POPULAR SONG Read more

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The A Cappella American Songbook

915 E 60th St., Chicago, 60637

Matt Greenberg | Adults/Seniors, Children/Youth, Families, General, Performance, Singing

CHICAGO A CAPPELLA PRESENTS THE TIMELESS MUSICAL TREASURES OF AMERICAN POPULAR SONG Read more

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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