Choral Directorship Course

Choral Directorship Course 2010 - Level One

A Course for elementary school choir directors, and for directors of children's choirs

August 15 - 21

The BCCF is proud to be offering the Choral Directorship Course aimed this year at conductors of elementary-school-aged choirs. Our focus is on those who teach at an elementary school - though we anticipate having children's choir directors involved as well.

The faculty will include Sandra Meister, Sarona Mynhardt, Fiona Blackburn and Inez St Dennis - all with much experience with this tender age group.

The course runs over the duration of a week, with sessions scheduled from 9am-noon and 1-4pm. Additional masterclass sessions are offered from 4:30pm onwards for candidates wishing to work one-on-one with a member of faculty. There is daily group vocal instruction, with opportunity for individual vocal and keyboard coaching by an experienced teacher, and one day of the week is spent at the reading clinic run by our music sponsors for this year, Long & McQuade.

Whether you're an experienced choral director, a singer who wants to acquire new skills, or an instrumentalist who needs to know more about how voices operate, this is a course for you! Thanks to a generous donor, some funds are available to assist registrants who need travel or accommodation assistance, and some scholarships may be available. We hope to see you at St Mary's Kerrisdale, Vancouver, in August.

Topics will include

  • basic vocal physiology
  • breath support and techniques for developing that support
  • development of the head voice
  • choosing appropriate repertoire
  • what defines 'good/excellent' repertoire...what do I look for?
  • the role of the accompanist
  • organizing for the choir (short-term and long-term)
  • what to do in the first rehearsal
  • making rehearsals "fun", productive and musically successful
  • getting the whole body involved
  • ideas for involving and engaging boys
  • sitting or standing - when to do what
  • useful (but simple) conducting gestures

Registration

Please contact the course administrator, Brigid Coult: 604-272-4216 or projectmanager@bcchoralfed.com. for more details or download brochure