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The article offers information on Headliners or Special Events for the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Region Conference, to be held in Providence, Rhode Island, from February 28-March 2, 2024. The conference will include eight Invited Choirs, 15 adjudicated Performing Choirs, and three adjudicated Insight Choirs. Immersion Choirs will take the form of two open rehearsals focusing on performance practice issues.

The article outlines the proposed changes to the bylaws of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). These include fostering and promoting choral singing and variety of choral music, encouraging rehearsal procedures, promoting organization and development of choral groups, development of choral music in religious and spiritual contexts, and promoting international exchange programs.

The transfer and survival of the cultural accumulation of Turkish art music is very important for the Turkish society in terms of the sociological phenomenon that Bourdieu put forward with the conceptualization of cultural capital. Cultural capital is functional in many areas of life. Music choir conducting is one of these fields. It tries to understand the repertoire preferences of amateur traditional Turkish classical music choir conductors in Izmir by making use of Bourdieu's concepts of social route, doxa, cultural capital, habitus. Within the scope of the study, interviews were made with amateur traditional Turkish art music choir conductors, choir members and instrumentalists working in these choirs, and observations were made in rehearsals for concerts and concerts. In addition, concert program booklets of about 30 choirs and repertoire booklets used in the studies were examined. In addition to the field study, a wide literature review was made, and the results obtained in the light of the data obtained from these two channels were evaluated from the perspective of Bourdieu's concepts of cultural capital and habitus. Strategies followed by choir conductors in the field were examined in the axis of Bourdieu's concepts (containment, surveillance and subversion). In addition, in our study, it was determined that while choir conductors were forming their repertoires, economic capital and social capital were also affected as well as cultural capital. Choir conductors' preferences to create their repertoire; their social routes, their habitus, their cultural capital, the habitus of the works and the musical elements that make up the works (the habitus of the tunes and the styles), the habitus and cultural capital of the choir members, the audience, the instrumentalists and, if any, the institutions they are affiliated with, affect the rules established in a field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers suggestions from a recent poster session and lecture the author presented at the 2022 Western American Choral Directors Association Conference. It mentions take care of yourself first mentally, physically and spiritually; when recruiting for your choirs, build program around solid citizens, people you can trust and depend on; and in rehearsal, establish and maintain a positive, open, nurturing, inclusive, and affirming atmosphere.

A reprint of the article "Critical Thinking in Rehearsals," which originally appeared in the fall 2020 issue of "ChorTeach," is presented. It discusses the benefits of including critical thinking in choral rehearsals like speeding up the learning process and achieve meaningful musical performances. Also cited are how critical thinking allows performers to analyze the score for musical structure and form, as well as the use of knowledge in new ways called transfer.

In article the author talks about words including Choir and Chorus used in choir music industry. Topics include that ensemble music performance instruction in North American schools typically involves large-group instruction in bands; and the teaching of correct vocabulary of words and gestures to students in rehearsals and while conducting performance.

The article discusses a court case involving double taxation of a German choir singer performing in Switzerland and his rights for income. Topics include an agreement between the German and Swiss tax authorities for uniform application and interpretation of tax laws in the case; commitment of the singer toward choir procession contracts; and calculation of remuneration by the opera house for the plaintiff's participation in rehearsals.

Growth mindset, or the belief that talents and abilities are malleable and can grow, is known to hold immense benefits in the world of education. What benefits could it hold for our students' musical growth as well? This article explores the many benefits of instilling a growth mindset into our ensembles by examining research in educational psychology and general music. This article provides an overview of the benefits of a growth mindset as well as strategies to help ensemble instructors implement the concept into the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on importance for vocal directors to rethink the needs of the vocal athletes in their team. It discusses how the choir director can be an effective coach to guide the vocal development of a vocal athlete and the ensemble. These include establishing an honest dialogue and rapport with the vocal athletes, planning longer choral rehearsals each week, and physical fitness on singing.

Current research on choral practice has studied various aspects of interpretation and different strategies for improving rehearsal. This article considers the amateur choral rehearsal as a setting for teaching and learning music. It analyses choir conductor profiles that may be related to conceptions of teaching and learning and their possible relationship with the implicit theories of teaching and learning. A questionnaire was administered to 41 conductors, considering three variables (expert/non-expert, teacher/non-teacher, and children's/adult choir conductor). Quantitative evaluation through different cluster analyses showed three conductor profiles: Traditionals, including conductors who use little supervision, few different ways of representation other than corporeal, poor difficulty management and greater use of repetition during the rehearsal; a Focus on Reading profile, conductors who, in addition to using moderately complex processes, rely heavily on reading the score; and finally a Focus on Learning and Representation profile including non-experts and teachers, who use different representation modes in the rehearsal (corporeal, audio, visual, combined) and other complex processes such as transferring learning or metacognition. We also found significant differences among conductors for score processing levels. Finally, some features common to all three profiles characterise the choral environment as a peculiar field of musical learning, which may suggest some strategies for learning music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the methods and benefits of the silent rehearsal concept in choral music which involves deployment of the ''mute'' button. It outlines the considerations for deploying the technique by choral conductors for the singing choir, which include physical engagement and facial expression, visual connection and timing. Other considerations including phrasing, audiation and accompanied music are also discussed.

Despite the ubiquity of choirs across time and cultures, relatively little is known about the internal dynamics of these social systems. This article examines the group processes involved in a small European chamber choir. The research adopted a mixed-methods qualitative approach that combined individual interviews (n = 13) with ethnographic observation. Analysis described the group processes of the choir in relation to standard models of effective teamwork. The results suggest that certain dynamics of this choir lie beyond conventional conceptualisations of teamwork. Further conceptual and empirical research is necessary to develop a model of teamwork that can be applied to the conditions of performance-based teams and inform choral practice and training. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses that for soul healing and joy, the music selected in a choir must represent a wide diversity of composers, including music by women and people of color, to achieve the highest level of identification by most people in the choir. The composers should make eye contact with the ensemble in rehearsals and know the score well to avoid being glued to that score, with the correct facial projecting the meaning of the text and the music.

The article offers the author's insights on the importance of worship in the choral rehearsal. The author mentions the practical ways on how to include worship in choral rehearsals which include letting the choir group to perform sermon themes, sharing the history of religious songs, and the interaction with choir members on the meaning of the lyrics.

The article offers information on a music rehearsal plan for a successful choir concert. It mentions that the rehearsal involves the analysis of music and examination of the process by the conductor, creation of a separate page for each song dubbed as "Kids Pages" to prepare the singers, and creation of a "Rehearsal Prep Sheet" for each song.

The article offers information on the incorporation of improvisation during rehearsals of choral ensembles. Topics discussed include insights of musicologist Robert Levin on the benefits of learning to improvise, the importance of experiencing performance improvisation into concert programs, and the benefits of free improvisation in the enhancement of connection and communication among members.

The article offers information on improving the middle school students' chorus singing by improvising independent practice sessions to develop vocal technique, music reading skills, and expressive singing ability. Topics discussed include the need for apprenticeship and strategies in music rehearsal, setting practice goals and rehearsing music into parts, and silent practice and the use of technology.

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore the perceived values and benefits associated with participation in a highly successful community-based girls’ choral ensemble. The benefits of membership in the Seattle Girls’ Choir organization were explored, with particular attention to the expressed values and observed behaviors of choristers. Regular choir rehearsals, musicianship classes, festival and summer camp experiences, concert performances, faculty, staff and board meetings, and other community events were documented carefully and examined during a yearlong period of fieldwork. Semistructured interviews with choristers, faculty members, parents, and staff members were used to elicit participant perspectives on the girls’ choir experience and the perceived values and benefits of participation. Emergent themes included music, personal, social, and external benefits, which were examined in an effort to augment an ever-growing understanding of modern music-making and the value of music engagement in the lives of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses several failings that affect choirs' musical performance which are conducted through choral conductors. It highlights that lack of eye contact, inefficient listening as well as lack of preparation of choirs conductors are common problems which hampers artistic performance. It also suggests several ways for choral conductors to efficiently conduct the choirs through repeated number of rehearsals before final performance.

The article offers the author's insights on the key elements during choir rehearsals. The author says that eurhythmics can be used by choral directors in teaching musical expression along with gestures and the movement. The author adds that movement can help singers experience the direction of phrasing and line, to obtain underlying dance rhythms and rhythmic patterns into their bodies. The author suggests that a music performed in an expressive and engaged manner can move the audience as well.

The article offers information on music memorization of a choir. It offers tips on enhancing the memorization processes which include consideration of blending dynamics, vowels and balance of parts, text exploration and understanding, and kinesthetic learning. It also suggests to engage choristers in active learning to make a more rewarding performance and rehearsal.

The article presents suggestions for conducting honor choirs. The musical goals for the honor choir experience are the responsibility of the conductor. The guest conductor also has an opportunity to invite teachers to gauge the effectiveness of his or her rehearsal, conducting, and performance techniques. Before accepting the first invitation to conduct an honor choir, one is advised to to attend a similar event. One of the primary tasks for guest conductors is submitting proposed repertoire for the organizing committee's approval. Guest conductors are often provided with programs from previous years as a guide.

The article focuses on the importance of vocal health for singers, choral conductors and choir directors in choral rehearsal . It states that promoting vocal health benefits both singers and conductor. For singers, it helps remove risk factors for vocal fatigue. With practice, singers using good vocal technique should be able to sing a two-hour rehearsal and not feel vocal fatigue. For the choir director, promoting vocal health begins before he or she stands in front of the choir. It further offers suggestions to improve vocal health.

The article offers information on the interest sessions that will be conducted during the 2007 American Choral Directors Association National Convention in Miami, Florida. It talks about the objectives of the sessions, as well as its keynote speakers. Topics of the sessions include strategies for church choral ensembles for high school youth, repertoire cycle of choral literature to be discussed by Allison Beaven, as well as learning process of singers during rehearsal and performances.

The article focuses on several sessions that will be held at the 2007 American Choral Directors Association National Convention in Miami, Florida. It offers information on the speakers, presenters and moderators of each session, as well as the topics of the discussions. The sessions will cover topics on choral compositions for boychoirs, choral selections for treble choirs, choral conducting and rehearsal activities for choirs.

The article features several performing school choirs throughout the U.S. It offers information on the history, members, rehearsals and performances of the choirs, as well as personal information of each choir director. The school choirs include Arlington High School Colt Chorale led by Dinah Menger, Chapman University Choir directed by William Hall and Columbus Children's Choir New World Singers led by Sandra Mathias.

The article focuses on the impact of the lockdowns due to COVID-19 pandemic on choral community. It mentions that infection to the March rehearsal of the Berlin Cathedral Choir and rehearsals in January 2020 of the "Voices of Yorkshire" and the "Altogether Now Community Choir," in England. It also mentions that Amsterdam Mixed Chorus which sang the Bach St. John Passion in concert on March 8, 2020.

The author reflects on how to rehearse choirs in isolation during COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include American Choral Directors Association, his views on how Greek philosopher Marcus Aurelius writes about how a fire turns everything that is thrown into it into flame, and how one can embrace the moment and strive to welcome challenge.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain instructional techniques used by three exemplary choral teachers to address performance expression in the secondary choral rehearsal. Data were gathered through non-participant observation, videotaping, and interviews. Seven categories of instruction emerged as the researcher attended rehearsals, transcribed videotaped rehearsals, and interviewed the three teachers regarding their strategies for teaching expression. Categories included student- initiated input, teacher inquiry, extra musical reference, demonstration, teacher feedback, detailing, and conducting. The study revealed the following: (1) the teachers use a wide range of diverse techniques for teaching expressive performance, (2) there is a lack of formal prescription guiding the observed techniques, and (3) the common teacher behavior category terms verbal and non- verbal were incompatible with expressive performance instructional strategies—many techniques being a combination of both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the importance of planning of rehearsal schedules for a successful choir program in the United States. Development of the musicality of the singer; Account on the number of pieces needed to be prepared; Calculation of the number of minutes available for rehearsing.