With the month of August coming to an end, my mind is on September and the choirs I will be working with. I have been doing some research on working with younger children and the different techniques and rehearsal plans that have worked for other conductors. This has inspired me to create a new choral rehearsal template and plan for some different activities that I will be trying. Here is a basic outline of the template I will be using:
Warm Up
Creating a good warm up that is tailored to each rehearsal will benefit your singers in so many ways. I like to follow a basic structure when planning my warms ups which include physical/mental, breath, tone, agility, range extension, and other exercises. This is also a great time to take attendance.
Physical/Mental
This is a good opportunity to do some stretching or movement that helps to align posture. You may also want to prepare your singers mentally by having them close their eyes and experiment with tension and release.
Breath
Starting out with breathing exercises reminds singers that they must engage with their breath to produce a healthy sound. I like to include the transition from breath to sound by having singers breath in and then exhale on a voiced consonant such as “v” or “zh” on no particular pitch.
Tone
Warming up the voice is a lot like stretching, so starting with gentle humming or sighing in the middle of the voice is easiest for singers. I also like to use descending passages (sol-do) which emulate a sigh. In this section, I also to like include exercises that help with resonance (words like “bing” or “hangnmee”) and focus on uniformity of vowels (mi me ma mo mu).
Agility
In this section, I like to include faster passages (do re mi fa sol sol sol mi do) and staccato exercises (do mi sol mi do).
Range Extension
By this time, your singer’s voices should be warm enough to do some arpeggios or octave slides. I like to use “sho-oh” (sol do……sol mi do) and ah-ah-ah (do do do). You can also move to the higher and lower ends of the choirs range with these exercises.
Other
In this section, I usually like to do something fun that also builds skills. This can include tongue twisters that enhance diction, or songs that include body percussion. I also like to introduce rounds that can be used at this time.
Welcome
When beginning a choral rehearsal, I like to start with singing right away. After the warm up is finished, you have a more focused group of singers waiting for their next instruction. This is a good time to set the tone for your rehearsal by reviewing the agenda or perhaps sharing an inspirational quote or devotion.
Piece #1, #2, and #3
In general, I like to have three songs that the choir works on each rehearsal: one song that is relatively new, a song that is a work in progress, and a song that is in the polishing stages. Of course, depending on the age of your choir or the length of rehearsal, you may have a different approach. It is important, however, to consider the amount of time in rehearsals you have to prepare the repertoire you are performing. Doing an in-depth score study is very important and helps in creating effective lesson plans.
Change of Pace
Choristers young and old can get fidgety or bored at this point in the rehearsal. To rejuvenate your group, try including a simple musical activity that will stimulate them while also developing their choral skills. You can revisit something you used in the other section of the warm up or teach them something new like a tongue twister. I like to include movement by using a song with body percussion to appeal to the kinaesthetic learner in all of us!
Announcement
Before you dismiss the choir, it’s always nice to thank them for a great rehearsal and include any reminders (ex. bring a pencil or don’t forget about the dress rehearsal next week).
Reflection/Notes
I like to include this section on my template to make any notes after the rehearsal. For example, I might comment that a new activity worked really well or the altos are still struggling with a particular section.
Having a written lesson plan will lead to success and good classroom management. Download this free printable Choral Rehearsal Template for your own personal use. Happy planning!
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