Explorez tous les épisodes de The Choir Director Corner Podcast
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08 Feb 2022
055. Tech Tip: How to Get Rid of Those Pesky YouTube Ads
00:09:43
My singers learn so much when I play videos of choir performances for them. And one great resource for finding those videos is, of course, YouTube. But the ads drive me CRAZY!
In this podcast episode, I'm sharing with you not one, but two solutions that I'm using to work around those annoying ads. And, the first works not just for YouTube, but other websites as well!
Looking for a listening activity to do with your singers? Head over to:
to get an NCAA-style bracket full of choral performances. Links included!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
056. Five Focus Points for More Productive Rehearsals!
00:24:29
How do you structure your choir rehearsals? How do you plan them out? What are your objectives you want to accomplish in a choir rehearsal?
These are questions that I hear a lot, from fellow choir directors, from coaching clients, and from members of our CDC Community Membership. So in today's episode of the podcast, I share with you my five focus points for every choir rehearsal. I strive to make these five things a part of every rehearsal, and everything else in my planning just seems to fall into place. By focusing on these five things consistently, we can create more productive rehearsals that will get us closer to our ultimate goal of a successful performance.
Looking for some help organizing and planning out your rehearsals? My PDF Rehearsal Planner is made specifically for choir directors just like you! You can get a free copy over at:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
057. Highlights From the 2022 ACDA Midwest Conference
00:13:58
One of my favorite events to attend is the ACDA Conference. For those that are unfamiliar, ACDA rotates every-other year, regional conferences with their national conference. This year was a “regional conference year”, and I was fortunate to be able to attend the Midwest Division conference in Chicago.
In today's episode of the podcast, I share with you my "conference highlights", including some repertoire and resource ideas from the conference that I think you should check out!
Looking for some help organizing and planning out your rehearsals? My PDF Rehearsal Planner is made specifically for choir directors just like you! You can get a free copy over at:
Looking for more rehearsal strategies and techniques? How about support, encouragement, and resources to help you solve your biggest teaching challenges? Want to get access to dozens of rubrics, templates, handouts and project ideas, as well as online workshops and an awesome online collaborative community of choir directors? Then head on over to:
and sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!
11 Mar 2022
058. Five Quick Strategies For Spicing Up Your Choir Rehearsals!
00:18:16
It's easy for our choir rehearsals to get a little stale, a little repetitive. We are always working towards something, and we get focused, because stuff needs to get done! And especially at this time of year, when we may feel like we are treading water until Spring Break, we may need a little something to spice up our rehearsal.
If this feels like you, then Episode 58 of the podcast is right up your alley! Today, I'm sharing with you five quick strategies to spice up your choir rehearsal. These are all easy to do, and can quickly be implemented into your rehearsals. I'm all for quick wins!
If you want to dive deeper into rehearsal strategies, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership. One of the online courses in the membership is all about thechoral rehearsal process, with one lesson specifically on rehearsal techniques. And, when you join the membership, you'll also get a FREE copy of my PDF, "The Big Guide to Rehearsal Techniques", which has 75 different choral rehearsal techniques inside sure to add some spice to your choir rehearsals!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done with others! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
059. Using Choir Warm-Ups to Teach Vocal Technique--New Resources!
00:10:58
I had a question recently from one of our Choir Director Corner Community Members about how I choose warm-ups for my choir rehearsals, and what my main goals and objectives were for my warm-ups in rehearsal. In today's episode of the podcast, I share with you my response, and I also share two choir warm-ups resources that I know you are going to love!
To get access to my free online training and PDF, "My Ten Favorite Warm-Ups for Teaching Vocal Technique", head on over to:
To learn about TONS of choir warm-ups that you can use to engage and energize your singers, check out my new ebook! You can get a copy of "50 Awesome Choir Warm-Ups to Focus and Engage Your Singers!" over at:
If you want to dive deeper into rehearsal strategies, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership. One of the online courses in the membership is all about thechoral rehearsal process, with one lesson specifically on rehearsal techniques. And, when you join the membership, you'll also get a FREE copy of my PDF, "The Big Guide to Rehearsal Techniques", which has 75 different choral rehearsal techniques inside sure to add some spice to your choir rehearsals!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done with others! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
060. How Practice Tracks and Music Literacy can Co-Exist in your Choral Program!
00:43:04
This week on the podcast, I’m sharing my fantastic conversation with Charlie Kinnison. Charlie and his wife Carrie run Kinnison Choral Company, which provides practice tracks for choir directors.
I had a blast talking with Charlie, as we dove into how music literacy and practice tracks can co-exist in the choral program, the incredibly valuable work that Kinnison Choral Company is doing, and how they can make your life as a choir director better!
This is a resource that every choir director should be aware of! Not to mention, we had a lot of fun talking about topics that you will definitely relate to.
To find out more about Kinnison Choral Company, head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
061. "Bent, But Not Broken"; A New Conference for Choir Directors
00:26:46
In today's episode of the Choir Director Corner Podcast, I'm sharing my conversation with Brittney Stanton and Arreon Harley-Emerson from the Choir School of Delaware. They are two of the organizers of a new conference for choir directors, called "Bent, But Not Broken", which strives to amplify the musical contributions and accomplishments of Black artists across time and genres.
In our conversation we discuss how the conference came to exist and the driving forces behind it, as well as all of the amazing sessions, concerts and choir directors involved with the conference. This is a conference, and an episode, you are not going to want to miss!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
062. Five Reasons Why Your Singers Aren't Singing Out, and What You Can Do About It!
00:30:54
I've seen a lot of choir directors over the past several months say, "My singers won't sing out! I've tried everything, what do I do?"
If modeling for your singers the sound you're looking for and asking them to imitate you doesn't work, that often means there are other issues at play.
In Episode 62 of the podcast, I discuss five potential issues that might be at the root of the problem, as well as suggestions for possible solutions to each issue. It won't happen overnight, but by getting to the real root of the problem, you can address it and start getting more volume out of your singers!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
063. Nine Tips to Get the Singers in Your Choir to "Buy In"!
00:32:00
I had a coaching call a while back with a middle school/high school choir director who was facing several challenges, with the biggest one being that the members of their concert choir were not “buying in” to this director’s way of doing things. This in turn was affecting not only the choir’s performance–as the director was struggling to get the choir to sing out–but also the general atmosphere and attitude of the choir.
I’ve been in this EXACT position in my teaching career, and we talked at great length about some of the issues this director was facing, and what they might try to combat these issues. In this episode of the podcast, I will share with you nine tips for getting your choir to “buy in”. Whether you are a teacher in a new position, or a 30-year veteran who is trying to raise the level of expectations in your program, these tips will help you increase the “buy in” that you are getting from your singers!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
064. Creating a Productive and Purposeful Choir Council!
00:23:11
Delegate. Delegate, delegate, DELEGATE my friends. This is one of the secrets to getting everything done and not driving yourself crazy in the process! But in order to make the best use of your time, and make sure that things get done in a timely and productive fashion, you need to have some systematic, repeatable ways of delegating certain tasks. One of the ways you can do this is with a Choir Council!
In this episode of the podcast I discuss the objectives of a Choir Council, the different positions that you can choose to create your Council, and the step-by-step process I would suggest for creating your Council. If you want to take a deeper dive, I also share with you where you can get your hands on the exact handouts and templates that I use in this process!
This is just one of the topics that I cover in my "Choir End of the Year Survival Pack", which you can find over at: choirdirectorcorner.com/shop
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
065. Should You Limit How Many Singers Are In Your Choir?
00:28:57
I saw a post on social media recently that prompted this question: "Should You Limit How Many Singers Are In Your Choir? In Episode 65 of the podcast I give my two cents on this issue: situations where this could be a beneficial thing to do, as well as reasons why this might not be a practice that is in the best interest of your singers.
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
066. Ten Activities to Do With Your Choir at the End of the Year!
00:16:04
So, you just finished up your spring concert. NOW WHAT?
You've got a couple weeks (sometimes more) left of school, what in the world are you going to do with your singers? I see this question a LOT this time of year, so in Episode 66 of the Choir Director Corner Podcast, I'm bringing you TEN ideas for activities that you can do with your choir at the end of the year!
One great idea for the end of the year is the Choir March Madness Listening project (if it's the end of year, just call it May Mayhem ;) You can get your own Project Bundle over at:
If you need some rehearsal ideas, but don't want to reinvent the wheel, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there's a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs--templates, handouts, rubrics and more, all designed to save you time!
You'll also find Online Courses and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
067. An End-of-the-Year Reflection for Choir Directors
00:16:32
How did the end of your school year/performance calendar go? I don't know about you, I'm ready for a bit of a breather! It was a sprint to the finish, with many, many irons in the fire (as usual). There were Senior pranks gone wrong, a massive internet outage, and more, but we made it!
Now that grades have been submitted and things are stored for the summer, I find myself reflecting on the year. While we might be tempted to totally leave work behind, now is the PERFECT time to reflect on how things went this past year, while everything is still fresh in our minds.
In Episode #67 of the podcast I share with you five questions of reflection for choir directors at the end of the year. These questions will help you to put the past year in perspective, and also get you brainstorming about what you want your choir program to look like one, three, five, and even ten years down the road. I hope this episode gets some thoughts percolating while you are sitting on the beach relaxing! ;)
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
068. Conversation with Paul John Rudoi: Bringing Creativity, Collaboration & Accessibility to the Choral World
01:01:06
In Episode #68 of the Choir Director Corner Podcast I'm sharing my conversation with Paul John Rudoi. Paul is a conductor, a singer, and a composer--a true choral Renaissance man! I talk with Paul about his growth as a composer and his compositional process. We also talk about some of his other projects that are designed to bring more opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and accessibility to your choral programs. You are going to love our conversation, and learn about Paul and his incredible work in the process!
For more information about Paul and his work, head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
I had the chance to hear several different choirs this past spring, and heard some wonderful performances. Along with my own choir performances, singing and directing, I collected several great ideas this spring for programming for your choirs. And in today's episode of the podcast, I'm sharing them with you! They are definitely pieces to keep on your "list of possibilities" for this fall and beyond.
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
When I talk with choir directors about planning and preparing for the new year, before we get into anything else, we start by talking about setting goals. In Part 1 of my "Back to School" Podcast Series, I talk about five reasons why you should be setting goals, as well as best practices that we should use when setting our own goals.
What are your goals for this year? Send me an email at: Matt@choirdirectorcorner.com and let me know, I'd love to hear what you are working on!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
One of the biggest challenges we have as choir directors is time management. We have so many duties, so many responsibilities, so many irons in the fire...it's a full-time job just keeping track of everything!
I recently came across the work of Rory Vaden, who became widely known a few years ago with a TED talk on how to "Multiply Our Time". While much of his work and research is in the world of business, many of his principles are applicable to our work as choir directors as well.
In Episode #71 of the podcast, which is Part 2 in the Back to School Series, I discuss five important aspects of time management that we need to evaluate, including the essential element that Vaden believes we need to "multiply" our time.
I hope you find this episode helpful in shifting how you are managing your time moving forward. And make sure you stay tuned for more Back to School episodes!
Need some help devising some better strategies to manage your time this year? Send me an email at: Matt@choirdirectorcorner.com and let me know how I can help!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
When I talk with other choir directors, one of the topics that always seems to come up is setting rehearsal expectations–choir directors want to know what expectations I have for my choirs, how I set rehearsal expectations, and what the logistics of my rehearsals look like. And our conversations often turn to issues with classroom management.
In my experience, there’s a direct correlation between what we expect/how we set rehearsal expectations and the classroom management in our choral classrooms. That makes how we set expectations incredibly important, especially at the beginning of the year. How we set and communicate expectations at the beginning of the year will affect how easy (or challenging) our classroom management is for the whole year. Do it right at the beginning, and you literally “set the tone” for the rest of the year!
In Episode #72 of the podcast, Part 3 in our “Back to School Series”, I share with you 8 Tips for Setting the Tone and Setting Clear Expectations in Your Choir Classroom. Follow these tips, and you will be setting up yourself (and your choir) for success–and, you will hopefully avoid any frustrating classroom management situations in the process!
Need some extra help getting ready for the school year? My "Back to School Survival Guide" will help you to make your plan, get organized, and hit the ground running! You can get your copy over at: choirdirectorcorner.com/shop
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
073. Back to School, Part 4: Tips for Productive Rehearsals
00:27:02
It’s so important to get the choir year started off with productive, effective rehearsals. There’s always a lot to do, and that’s especially true at the beginning of the year. It’s imperative that we take advantage of every single minute of rehearsal. Not only will that help us get everything done, but that also sets the expectation for the rest of the year that using our rehearsal time productively is crucial to our success!
In Episode #73 of the podcast, Part 4 in our “Back to School Series”, I share with you 14 tips for productive, effective rehearsals. These tips are geared towards that first week of rehearsals, but many of them will apply to all of your rehearsals moving forward. Follow these tips, and not only will you make the best use of your rehearsal time, you’ll be teaching your singers what it means to rehearse effectively. And that’s something that can benefit you all year long!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
In Episode 74 of the podcast, I’m very excited to share my conversation with composer Katerina Gimon. I found her music while doing a repertoire search a couple of years ago, and I just fell in love with her work. Her music is so interesting and so creative--she gives singers and conductors the opportunity to explore choral music in some very unique ways.
Whether or not you are already familiar with her work, I know you will really enjoy our conversation. You will learn more about Katerina, how her musical background has influenced her work as a composer and her unique composition process, and hear about some of the music that she has coming out in the near future. It was a super fun conversation, and I know you are going to love it!
For more information on Katerina and her music, head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
In Episode 75 of the podcast, I’m very excited to share my conversation with Dr. Emily Williams Burch! Emily is a fantastic music educator who has taken a unique path in carving out a career in choral music education. In our conversation she talks about her journey and all of her experiences that led her to where she is today. You’ll hear about her new book that she wrote with her colleague Alex Gartner called “The Business of Choir”, and how no matter what age of singer you work with, or what environment you teach in, it helps to have a business mindset.
Emily serves singers and music educators in a number of different ways, and I am super excited to share with you all of the amazing work that she is doing. And, she is super fun! We had a great time, and I know you’ll really enjoy this conversation as well!
For more information on Emily and her work, head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
When my kids were little, they used to talk about how "stations" was one of their favorite parts of the school day, because they got to do lots of different things! Which got me thinking--how could we use stations in a choir rehearsal?
In Episode 76 of the podcast, I discuss exactly that--situations when stations might be a useful rehearsal strategy, the types of activities you could include, and logistical things to consider. I hope that this episode inspires you to add the use of stations in your choir rehearsals to your rehearsal toolbox--it can be an incredibly effective strategy!
In addition to this episode, I also recorded a short video where I give you a tour of my stations setup and talk about the different activities I included. You can see that video over on my YouTube channel, which you can find here. Or, just search on YouTube for the "Choir Director Corner"!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
077. Five Reasons for Choir Directors to Add MuseScore to Their Workflow
00:20:27
Over the years, I've used a number of software programs for tasks involved with music composition. A while back a friend recommended MuseScore, and after trying it out, I've added it to the list of tools that I use on a regular basis. Recently I discovered a new function inside of MuseScore that to me was a game-changer, making MuseScore my "go-to" composition software moving forward. In Episode 77, I discuss 5 big reasons why choir directors should be using MuseScore in their workflow. It will save you time and open up new teaching opportunities in your choir classroom!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
078. Telling Stories Through Choral Music: Conversation with Tim Takach!
00:53:30
In Episode 78 of the podcast, I'm excited to share with you my conversation with composer Tim Takach! We cover a lot of ground in our conversation, talking about his time with the group Cantus, his growth and development as a composer, and his compositional process. Tim is a wonderful storyteller, which happens to be one of the main objectives of his music--to tell stories! We also discuss which of his compositions you should take a look at to learn more about him and his compositional style, as well as how he supports both composers and choir directors with his work with Graphite Publishing. I had a fantastic time talking with Tim, and I know you are going to enjoy our conversation as well!
For more information on Tim and his work, head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
079. How Sight Reading Can Solve (Almost) All of Your Choir Rehearsal Problems!
00:33:50
Ever wish you had a rubber stamp, so you didn't have to keep saying the same thing over and over again? I had that experience recently, as choir directors were detailing the different challenges they were dealing with in their rehearsals.
I found myself saying the same response to all of the different rehearsal challenges I was hearing, and it was "sight reading"! In Episode 79 of the podcast, I'm discussing nine different problems you could solve by utilizing sight reading in different ways in your choir rehearsals. And some of them might surprise you!
In this episode I also discuss a new sight reading resource that you can use to bring some "collaborative gamification" to your choir rehearsals, and make sight reading something that your singers will be excited about!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
Growing up, we always had the "ten-second rule"; if what we were eating fell on the floor, we had ten seconds to pick it up and eat it. Otherwise, it went to the trash! Chances are, you have a similar rule in your household, depending on the food, and the floor :)
We had the opportunity to Zoom with the composer of two of the pieces on our most recent concert, and he discussed a different type of ten-second rule. It was a great conversation, one that helped our ensemble have a more successful and engaging performance. And better yet, there are multiple ways you can make this "ten-second rule" work for you!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
Yes, my friends...Winter Is Coming! But it's not the Game of Thrones--it's the "Game of Tones"! ;)
In Episode 81 of the podcast, I'm talking with Zack Durlam, who serves as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Zack is a fantastic choir director (he was my cooperating teacher for student teaching back in the day), and also has a wonderful tenor voice. One of his passions is teaching healthy vocal technique in imaginative and creative ways, and he has done a number of collaborations with his collegiate voice faculty colleagues. When a voice teacher comes into your rehearsal and says, "I really like that--I'm going to use that in my studio", you know you're doing something right!
I've seen Zack present his session called "Game of Tones" multiple times, and it is fantastic. In this episode he goes through many of the concepts related to vocal technique, and gives you tips and strategies that you can use in rehearsal that will help your singers develop healthy vocal technique, while at the same time help you to mold the sound of your ensemble. And he does it in a way that's easy to understand, and a whole lot of fun!
If you're looking for a way to teach the basics of vocal technique to your singers, while at the same time assess their vocal development and document their progress, then my Vocal Technique 101 Teaching Unit is just what you need!
This classroom resources consists of eight video lessons, in which I discuss some of the basic concepts of vocal technique. Each lesson includes a Google Form Quiz that will guide your singers through the lesson (and act as an easy assessment piece), as well as some additional ideas that you can use to assess the vocal development of your singers! Use the lessons in rehearsal, as homework for your singers, or as an easy lesson for a substitute teacher! Click HERE for more information!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
If you are looking for a fun activity to do with your choir, Kahoot is one of the best options out there! And in today's episode of the podcast, I am sharing with you ten of my top reasons why you should play Kahoot with your choir. And, I am also sharing with you the Kahoots I have already created, so that you don't have to start from scratch! Whether you are looking for a different way to do formative assessment, need a plan for a substitute teacher, or just want to change things up--this episode is for you!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
083. Creating Great Art at All Levels: Conversation with Ryan Main
00:46:26
Welcome to 2023! To get the new year started off, I'm sharing my conversation with composer and music educator Ryan Main. I talked with Ryan about how he became a composer, his compositional process, some of his recent compositions, his work with the Youth Chorus of Kansas City, and more! I had a great time talking with Ryan, and I know you are going to enjoy learning more about him and his work.
To learn more about Ryan and his music, head on over to ryanmain.com.
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
084. Tips for Making Music Literacy Stick With Your Singers!
00:35:05
I had a great conversation recently via Zoom with Matthew, who is a member of our Choir Director Corner Community Membership. He wanted to pick my brain about a couple things, and we discussed a variety of topics, including how to improve retention when it came to music literacy skills. Matthew was doing all of the things that a choir director should do, but for whatever reason, he was still having difficulty in getting music literacy skills to stick with his singers.
In thinking about my teaching over the years, there have been times where retention from one rehearsal to the next has certainly been an issue. But I've experienced that there are some particular tips and strategies that can help when it comes to making music literacy "stick", and in today's episode, I'm sharing them with you!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
I have been a fan of Pentatonix, and contemporary a cappella as a whole, for as long as I can remember. I was a huge fan of The Sing-Off, and little did I know that years later, I would have an opportunity to talk with one of the arrangers and vocal directors on that show, Rob Dietz!
In this episode of the podcast I'm sharing with you my conversation with Rob, where we talk about how to build a contemporary a cappella group from the ground up. We also discuss things like rehearsal strategies, how to find appropriate repertoire, vocal percussion, and so much more. If you've always wanted to add a contemporary a cappella group to your existing choral program, or you already have one but you want to grow it and make it better, then you are going to LOVE this episode!
To find out more about Rob and his work, head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
One of the activities I started with my singers several years ago was creating a Choir March Madness Bracket of choir performances. This activity gives my singers to listen to choral music from many different composers and musical styles, and also helps to build their "choral vocabulary"--they learn more about what high quality singing sounds like! They also get to practice analyzing and discussing choral performances, using vocabulary and language that we talk about in rehearsals.
You can get access to my whole Choir March Madness Listening Project over at:
OR......you could just join the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
087. Is Your Choir Program Due for a Spring Cleaning?
00:43:31
Every year when warmer weather starts to roll in, there's one thing you can always count on at our house--multiple days of Spring Cleaning! The dusting, the switching out all of the clothes in the closets, cleaning windows, getting out the patio furniture--you know what I'm talking about, right?
As I was switching out the clothes in my closet recently, I thought about what a "Spring Cleaning" for a choir program would look like. And no, I'm not talking about the piles of music that need to be filed (although, you should really do something about that) or the dustbunnies that have accumulated underneath your piano. I'm talking about taking a few moments to reflect on the year, and really giving some thought to what's working in your choir program, what needs to be tweaked, what you might want to add to your program, and what needs to be shipped out, like that old pile of clothes you're shipping off to the local thrift store.
In Episode 87 of the podcast, I'm sharing with you seven items on my Choir Program Spring Cleaning To-Do List. I hope that my list might get your juices flowing, and help you brainstorm how you might give your own choir program a thorough Spring Cleaning!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
088. Making a Recruiting Push for Your Choir Program!
00:19:54
While it's always a good time to recruit, the end of the year is the perfect time to recruit more singers to your program. Students are making plans for the following year and finalizing their schedules, so now is a great time to get potential singers to consider joining your program.
In this last month of school we are making a "recruiting push" for our program, and in Episode 88 of the podcast, I'm sharing with you three things that we are doing to bring more singers into our choir community. Not only will you get some recruiting ideas from this episode, but there's also resources available that will do all of the organizational work for you!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
089. Marketing Your Choir Program by Conquering Objections!
00:49:35
In order to market your choir program to prospective singers, you need to get the heart of what motivates singers to join your program, as well as the obstacles that prevent them from joining your program.
When you talk to prospective singers about why they haven't yet joined your program, you'll hear a lot of different reasons--we call these objections. Once you have a better understanding of what those objections might be, you can then go about addressing them, and helping prospective singers overcome them.
One great way that you can address some of the objections that prospective singers might have is by constructing an "Objection-Conquering Article"! You can then use this Objection-Conquering Article to market your program to prospective singers in lots of different ways. In this article you'll discuss all of the best aspects of your choir program, while at the same time addressing some of the challenges and obstacles that your prospective singers are facing. I'm sharing all of it in Episode 89 of the podcast--the process I went through to construct my article, a quick and simple article outline, some of the benefits and challenges that I discussed in my article, and more!
Want it all done for you? I'm sharing the template for my Objection-Conquering Article, as well as the template for my Choir Program Marketing Brochure, inside of the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
090. Key Elements to Setting Your Choirs Up for a Successful Year
00:30:05
I've had choir directors ask about a "Beginning of the Year To-Do List", but our jobs as directors can differ greatly, just because of the particular school district or organization we work for. However, I do believe there are some universal key elements that help us to give ourselves, and our singers, the best possible chance to be successful.
In today's episode of the podcast, I'm focusing on 11 key elements to consider at the start of your choir year. If you haven't incorporated any of these into your program, that's okay! There's never a bad time to start making these elements an important part of your program. By doing so, you will be setting your choir program up for a successful year!
Here are a couple of the resources that I mention in this episode:
OR.....you could just become a member of the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
091. Episode Replay--What to Do When Your Singers Won't Sing Out!
00:36:40
I've run into numerous choir directors, just in the past couple of weeks, all describing the same problem--singers that won't sing out! The directors have tried everything, and are at their wits end. What do you do???
This episode is a replay of Episode 62--I feel like I have a fresh perspective on the problem, and there are choir directors that continue to struggle in diagnosing the true root of the problem. In this episode I discuss the five potential causes of this issue, and I provide practical solutions to tackle each one. At the end of the original episode, I also jump back into the discussion with some new quick tips that you might try as a way to get started diagnosing the true cause and solving the issue for good. By the end of this episode, you'll have a whole toolbox of strategies to encourage your singers to unlock their true vocal potential!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
092. Dealing with Talkative Singers in Choir Rehearsal
00:42:09
One of the questions I most often get from choir directors is, "My singers are so chatty--how do I get them to stop talking?" Granted, I'm not someone that expects total silence in my rehearsal. But at the same time, in order for there to be as few distractions as possible, and have rehearsal be as productive as possible, it's a good idea to limit any unnecessary chatting by our singers.
So in Episode 92 of the podcast, I'm sharing 11 proven strategies that will not only reduce unnecessary chatting and distractions, but also instill a sense of personal responsibility in your singers. From setting clear expectations to the nitty-gritty of best practices, you'll learn how to turn those "Chatty Cathies" into focused and engaged choir members!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
As choir directors, we always have to be one step ahead. Which means that even though it's fall outside, it's time to start planning for those much-anticipated winter choral concerts! In Episode 93 of the podcast, I share with you five hand-picked winter themed choir pieces, all of which would be great additions to your winter concert. Get set to introduce new repertoire to your choir, irrespective of whether it's an upper elementary, middle school, high school or an adult community choir!
And if after listening you are still looking for more winter repertoire ideas, our recent Monthly Mission inside of the Choir Director Corner Community Membership was all about searching for Winter and Holiday repertoire! In this training I share over 60 winter and holiday-themed pieces of choral rep, organized by voicing and experience levels!
To become a member and get access to all of our Monthly Missions, as well as Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, head on over to:
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you!
02 Dec 2023
094. AI for Choir Directors?
00:19:23
There’s been a lot in the news about AI recently, and more specifically, with ChatGPT. I myself have used ChatGPT for a number of things, for a number of purposes–usually as an assistant to bounce ideas off of, and to brainstorm ideas when my brain is fried. It certainly can be helpful in saving me time. But there are still a lot of issues with it--the information often isn't accurate, you don't know where the information is coming from, and it doesn't always apply directly to everything we do as choir directors.
But I have good news! In Episode 94 of the podcast, I’m sharing with you an AI resource made SPECIFICALLY for choir directors, which solves all of the challenges with other typical AI tools! With this tool, you will save hours and hours of time searching; you will get detailed, in-depth answers to your questions, and you will know EXACTLY who/where the information is coming from. I'm super excited to share this resource with you, as I believe it will be a game-changer for choir directors, and it's only going to get better!
Looking for an online community of choir directors, just like you? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get instant access to the resource discussed in today's episode!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
095. Tips for Translating Your Score Study into Rehearsal Techniques
00:23:14
Diving into a choral score is a big process, but also one that is critical in bringing the music we have before us to life. Once we have tackled our score study, a new challenge emerges–how does the work we’ve done in preparing the score show up in our rehearsal process?
In Episode 95 of the podcast, I’m sharing with you some tips for how choir directors can connect the dots between the in-depth analysis of a choral score and the practical, and creative, aspects of rehearsal planning, ensuring every rehearsal is not only productive and purposeful, but also engaging!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
096. "My Choir is SO Unmotivated!" I Have Questions.
00:29:41
The social post said, in so many words--"My Choir is SO Unmotivated!" And this is obviously a widespread problem, because the responses were flying fast and furious, all from choir directors with the same problem! But most of the responses never dealt with the real question, which is WHY our singers are so unmotivated. Pinpointing the root cause is the first step to coming up with potential solutions to combat the issue.
This is an issue that I have dealt with myself as well, and in Episode 96 of the podcast, I'm sharing with you the questions that I ask to help myself analyze the situation, get to the root of the problem, and get my singers back to the attentive, engaged, motivated choir that they normally are! Plus, get an exclusive sneak peek at our Choir Director Corner Community Membership's upcoming video training that shares with you a multitude of options for responding to this issue!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
097. Lessons that Choir Directors Can Learn from Ted Lasso
00:26:48
After several days off due to snow and dangerous wind chills, I knew it was going to be a challenge to get my singers back into our routine. As they started coming into the room, I thought to myself:
"I'm going to have to go all Ted Lasso on these guys today!"
And it got me thinking--there are lots of lessons that we as choir directors can learn from Ted Lasso. In Episode 97 of the podcast, I discuss seven of the lessons that we can take from Ted to build community and move our choir programs forward!
Ted Lasso is just one of the "roles" that we can play when it comes to motivating our singers, as well as dealing with conflict resolution. In one of this month's video workshops, I discuss ten roles/strategies that you could use to turn around your unmotivated singers. Sound like something that would be helpful to you? Then join us in the Choir Director Corner Community Membership, over at:
and get access to online courses, our Monthly Missions video workshops, a library of PDF/Google Doc classroom resources, our NEW Choir Director Corner Searchie Hub, and more!
18 Mar 2024
098. Using Choir March Madness to Cover National Music Standards!
00:26:59
As choir directors, we often find our teaching centered in the "Performing" set of the National Music Standards--it can be difficult to find ways to incorporate the "Responding" and "Connecting" sections of the standards. In Episode 98 of the podcast, I share with you how I use my Choir March Madness Listening Project to cover some of these "harder to reach" standards--it's a project you can use in a variety of ways to get your singers analyzing and discussing choral music!
And even better news--if you want to do your own Choir March Madness Listening Project, the work is ALL DONE FOR YOU! You can get your own Project Bundle over at:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
099. Diving into Music Literacy with Your Choir: Sound Before Sight
00:39:21
The question came from one of the members of our CDC Community Membership: "How, or where, do I start in teaching music literacy to my choir, when almost all of my singers are beginners when it comes to sightreading?" Our elementary general music colleagues know--it's all about starting with "sound before sight"! We need to give our singers an aural vocabulary to work from before we give them tools and strategies to start tackling music notation.
In my teaching I've developed a 5-stage process to get my singers from sound to sight, and I'm sharing that process with you in Episode 99 of the podcast. For each of these stages, I'm also sharing you an example of a rehearsal activity or game that I use to help move my singers down the road to being musically independent! If you're looking for guidance on how to get started working on music literacy with your choirs, or you want to make the music literacy work with your choirs more efficient and productive, then this episode is for you!
If you want to dive deeper into topics just like this one, then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
100. Celebrating 100 Episodes: Ten Top Episodes of the Podcast
00:19:23
It seems like just yesterday, I uploaded the first episode of the Choir Director Corner Podcast, not knowing where the road might take me. And here we are, at 100 episodes!
In Episode 100, I'm going back into the podcast archives and sharing with you ten of top 10 episodes of the podcast. Not only are these some of the most downloaded episodes, but they are also episodes that cover topics that are often discussed inside of our CDC Community. If you are new to the podcast, these are great episodes to start with! And if you are a longtime listener, these are episodes that you may want to go back and have a second listen.
A big thank you to all of my loyal, longtime listeners--I couldn't have gotten this far without you! It is an honor to serve you, and I look forward to the next 100 episodes! :)
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
101. Five Reasons Why Your Choir Recruiting Isn't Working
00:20:27
Maybe you got your class registrations for next year and thought, "Maybe I should do some recruiting!" But all of your time and energy didn't produce the results you wanted, resulting only in stress and frustration.
In Episode 101 of the podcast, I'm sharing the audio from my recent video over on YouTube (Yes, I have a YouTube channel!) where I discuss five of the common reasons why your recruiting efforts aren't working as well as you'd like. At the end of the video, I also share a resource where I share five of my favorite recruiting strategies--cause they work, and because they are a lot of fun!
Need some specific choir recruiting strategies? I got you--head on over to:
A "teaser" for the brand new Choir Director Corner Podcast! We'll be bringing you tips, strategies, resources, interviews and more every week to help you tackle your biggest teaching challenges.
If you're new to the world of the Choir Director Corner, this is a short episode where I share a little bit about myself and why I created the Choir Director Corner.
We've all felt overwhelmed and frustrated at some point in our career. My hope is that this podcast will support you and help you tackle the challenges that you face as a choir director. Thanks for coming on this journey with me, and for all you do!
You've heard of the flipped classroom model, but what about The Flipped Choir Rehearsal? In this episode, I discuss my idea of The Flipped Choir Rehearsal, and how we might use some "flipped" concepts to keep our singers singing utilizing different technology resources. There are also great ideas for singer assessment, which you can use whether you are teaching in-person or virtually.
For many choir directors, in-person singing has not been possible for quite a while, so we’ve had to shift to trying to rehearse online. And whether you use Zoom, Google Meet or some other software, the experience will be different. But, with creative and specific guidance for our singers, we can make singing online a productive and valuable experience for everyone involved. In this episode, I’m going to talk about how a Zoom rehearsal can work, and give you some best practices to use so that your rehearsals are time well spent.
To get your free copy of the Best Practices for Zoom Rehearsals PDF Graphic, just click on this link:
As choir directors, we often talk to our singers about having them practice at home. Singing is like any other learned skill--singers must really be committed to practicing consistently, and with purpose, in order to see improvement.
Well, due to the current pandemic, home might now be our singers’ BEST opportunity to sing! But how many of us growing up were comfortable practicing with our parents around? Singing at home can make many of our young singers self-conscious and uncomfortable.
But if we give our singers, and their parents, some guidelines about setting up a “safe space” for them to practice at home, our singers can use this time at home to truly grow and develop as musicians.
So, I created a set of "Guidelines for Singing at Home" to help singers feel more comfortable practicing at home, as well as to help their parents be positive and supportive, without making their young singers feel self-conscious. I put together a PDF graphic for “Guidelines for Singing at Home” that I have shared with my singers and their parents that you may also find useful.
To get your free copy of the Guidelines for Singing at Home PDF Graphic, just click on this link:
004. The Top Ten Tech Tools for Teaching Choir Virtually
00:18:21
For many choir directors, technology is a REALLY frustrating topic. We don’t have a lot of extra time to wade through instruction manuals and tutorials, and we get easily frustrated when we run into roadblocks. Not to mention money--who has the money to pay for all of this stuff?
Due to things out of our control, technology--what to use, and how to use it--has become a top priority in our world. With schools closing, choir directors have had to scramble to find ways to interact and engage with our students. Some things work pretty well, and other things….not so much. Some things might be in our budget, and other things….totally out of reach.
Well, in today’s episode, I’m going to discuss Ten Technology Tools that you can use right now, whether you are teaching virtually or in a hybrid model. One great thing about these tools is that you will still be able to utilize them once we “go back to normal”. Another great thing about them? They are all FREE! Now I’ve got your attention--there’s nothing teachers love more than FREE STUFF!
With school shifting to online, teachers had to go scrambling for technology solutions. One free solution that many teachers turned to was Flipgrid. Flipgrid is online software that allows teachers to post videos and other assignments, and then students can respond via video.
On the surface, Flipgrid might seem like something that would be better utilized in other subject areas. But once you dig into it, if we start to think outside the box a little bit, there are actually a lot of ways that we can adapt Flipgrid to what we do as choir directors. In this episode, I’m going to give you 10 ideas for assessments and/or projects that you can do with your singers using Flipgrid.
As an added bonus, I’ve created a free PDF Cheat Sheet that lists all of the ten ways, so that you don’t even have to take notes! Here's the link to get your copy:
006. My Setup For Teaching Choir Online AND In-Person
00:45:31
One of the questions I get the most in our current environment is this: "HOW are you teaching right now?" In this episode, I discuss WHAT content I am teaching, and HOW I am teaching--what rehearsals look like, as well as what technology I am using. All of this while teaching online and in-person students AT THE SAME TIME! Want to know all about how I'm doing it? This episode is for you!
Have more questions about how I'm teaching both online and in-person? Hit me up via email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com
In this episode, I mention three USB microphones that you might check out. Here are links to each:
007. Helping Young Male Singers Access Their Falsetto and Bridge the Vocal Gap
00:18:03
One of the most challenging tasks that a choir director can be faced with is trying to help young male singers through their voice change. It can be very frustrating, for both the teacher and the singer.
One of the things that often happens is that it becomes difficult for the singer to access the falsetto part of their range. Today’s episode of the podcast discusses a few strategies and exercises to assist your young singers, and also talks about the challenges of bridging the vocal gap and matching pitch through this difficult time.
If you’d like a resource that you can share with your young singers that goes through some exercises and strategies on how to navigate the transition in and out of falsetto, I have put together a “tutorial” video that does just that. Have a look at it, and feel free to share it with your students, and use it however it fits your needs!
Have more questions about helping young male singers through the voice change? Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com. I'll be happy to help!
008. Finding (and Remembering) Your "Why" as a Choir Director
00:29:55
A recent post on social media asked the following question: "What's your "why" for being a choir director?" Considering all of the challenges and obstacles that we are currently facing in our teaching, my guess is that there are a LOT of choir directors asking this same question!
In today's episode of the podcast, I discuss the three questions you should be asking yourself when considering your "why" as a choir director, as well as the importance of remembering our "why" in these challenging times. Remember to give yourself grace, do the best with the situation you are given, and keep fighting the good fight for your singers!
Have more questions about "finding your why", or about some of the challenges you are currently facing in your teaching? Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com. I'm happy to help!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
009. Five Rehearsal Strategies from Top Choir Directors
00:20:26
I am always looking for new tools for my "director toolbox". After attending a conference, I got the idea of asking some of the most well-respected directors in the choir world this question:
"What are one or two rehearsal concepts or techniques that you have found to be invaluable in your teaching?"
I received some AMAZING responses! And in today's episode, I am sharing with you 5 rehearsal tips and strategies from leaders in the choral music field. These are all tips that you can immediately incorporate into your teaching, and they will have an instant impact on your ensembles.
If you'd like to see all of the responses that I received, I created the "Master Teachers Rehearsal Techniques PDF" to share with other choir directors. Originally I separated the responses into two parts, but I have combined everything into one easy PDF, which includes the responses from directors as well as a short discussion about each rehearsal technique. You can get your FREE copy of the PDF here:
Looking for an activity that you can do with your choir virtually as well as in-person? Check out the solfege game, "The Choir Room is LAVA!" www.ChoirDirectorCorner.com/thechoirroomislava Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
010. Ten Reasons Why You Should Be Using BandLab With Your Choirs
00:22:24
One of my favorite tech tools that I am using with my choirs right now is the digital audio workstation BandLab for Education (edu.bandlab.com). And in today's episode, I am going to discuss the ten reasons why you should be using BandLab with your choirs, too!
If you want to dive deeper into BandLab for Education, I will be doing a live online training inside of our Choir Director Corner Community Membership. In that training, I will go through all of the nuts and bolts of BandLab--how to record tracks, edit audio, create assignments, the whole nine yards! If you’d like to find out more about the CDC Community Membership, you can go to:
011. The Six Things I am MOST Thankful for This Year
00:13:31
I know that 2020 has been a VERY challenging year, to say the least! Which makes it even more important for us to stay positive and take note of the good things in our lives. So, in this special Thanksgiving episode of the podcast, I am discussing the six things that I am most thankful for this year.
So what are you most thankful for this year? I would love to hear about it! Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com and let me know!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Looking for an activity that you can do with your choir virtually as well as in-person? Check out the solfege game, "The Choir Room is LAVA!" www.ChoirDirectorCorner.com/thechoirroomislava
012. Working with Middle School Voices--Interview with Maurice Burgess
01:19:09
One of the most challenging aspects of being a choir director is working with middle school voices. It's challenging for a variety of reasons: not only do you have such a wide variety of voices to work with, those voices are constantly changing. You then have to help all of your individual singers, and then try to bring them into one cohesive ensemble.
Because of all of the different challenges involved with working with middle school voices, I enlisted the help of a fantastic middle school director, Maurice Burgess. I first got to know Maurice online, and then more so after he became a member of the Choir Director Corner Community Membership. In our conversation we discuss a variety of topics, including how he places voices, how he utilizes the Cambiata concept in his teaching, how he helps singers through their voice change, how he selects repertoire, and more!
If you are someone that works with middle school voices, then this episode will bring you TONS of incredible strategies and tips! Definitely one you do not want to miss!
If you've got ideas for a topic or someone who I should interview for the podcast, I would love to hear about it! Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com and let me know!
If you are looking to dive deeper into resources designed to tackle all of the challenges of being a choir director, then you should check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership. The Membership includes online courses and trainings, a PDF Resource Library, and more! If you’d like to find out more about the CDC Community Membership, you can go to:
Looking for an activity that you can do with your choir virtually as well as in-person? Check out the solfege game, "The Choir Room is LAVA!" www.ChoirDirectorCorner.com/thechoirroomislava
Cambiata Institute: http://cambiatainstitute.com Cambiata Press: http://cambiatapress.com Texas UIL Performance List: https://www.uiltexas.org/pml Practical Vocal Acoustics: Amazon Link Finding Ophelia's Voice: Amazon Link Drakensburg Boys Choir (YouTube) Apple Music: search for TMEA, ACDA, etc.
10 Dec 2020
013. Five Books That Every Choir Director Should Read
00:14:45
I had a question recently about books that all choir directors should read, so, I put together a Recommended Reading List for choir directors. In today’s episode of the podcast, I narrow it down to five books that every choir director should read. And at the end of the episode, I will share with you where you can get a copy of the full recommended list, as well as where you can find each of the books on the list (you can also find the link below).
If you have been listening and enjoying the podcast, I’d love to hear from you as well! Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com, and let me know what in the podcast you’ve found helpful, as well as any ideas for topics or guests on the podcast. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe”, and if you’d be so kind, please leave the podcast a review. That will help us get the word out to more of our choir director colleagues.
For the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
014. Three Tech Tools That Choir Directors Can Use TODAY to Increase Student Engagement
00:19:29
I know, I know--you're probably DONE with technology right now! But I promise--the three (actually, four) tech tools that I discuss in today's episode are SUPER easy to use. One you can learn in 30 seconds! And they all have the potential to be game-changers in your choir classroom by increasing student engagement. Check them out, and see which ones will help you in your choir rehearsals!
Friends still asking you what you want for Christmas? Check out my Choir Director Recommended Reading List for choir directors which includes links to where you can find all of the different books on the list!
For the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
015. Get FREE Access to my Vocal Technique Unit Resources!
00:04:42
Do you struggle with teaching vocal technique to your singers? Or are you looking for resources that you can use while teaching choir virtually?
I’ve created a unit on vocal technique for my singers, which can be used for instruction during or outside of rehearsals. This unit on vocal technique will include video lessons, student reflections via Google Form as well as other assessments, culminating in a performance at the end of the trimester of a piece of solo literature. And, these resources can be used for in-person instruction, as well as virtual instruction.
Choir directors that sign up prior to January 4th can get FREE access to these resources! I am currently in the editing phase, but I will email those that sign up when the resources are ready to go. The only thing that I ask is that you give me feedback on these resources, so that I can continue to improve on them.
Hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy Holidays!
Looking for some new reading material for your holiday break? Check out my Choir Director Recommended Reading List for choir directors which includes links to where you can find all of the different books on the list!
For the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
016. Forget Resolutions--Creating Better Habits at Work and at Home
00:26:56
If you are listening to this, congrats--you made it to 2021! For many people, the start of the new year brings new year’s resolutions. But did you know that, depending on what study you reference, between 82 and 91 percent of new year’s resolutions are unsuccessful?
Well, James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, has 5 reasons why those resolutions don’t work, and tells us why we should focus not on resolutions, but on creating better, more positive habits to initiate change. I discuss all of it in today’s episode, as well as how his book has changed not only my work as a choir director, but my life at home as well.
If you'd like to check out "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, you can find a link on my Choir Director Recommended Reading List.
For the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
I’ve been noticing a LOT of people that have been REALLY down in the dumps lately. And the way that things have gone the past several months, you cannot blame anyone for being on the struggle bus right now.
But now that we are finally in 2021, it’s time to turn things around! I am convinced that we are going to make this an amazing year, and that we just need to get ourselves back on track. And to do that, we need to start with a more positive mindset--myself included! So in today’s episode, I share with you ten positivity tips that are going to get you on the path to a much more successful, productive, fulfilling, and happier 2021.
To find more information on Jon Gordon's "The Energy Bus", and the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
If you've listened to the podcast at all, you can probably tell--I'm an iOS guy. I've had an iPhone for several years, I love my MacBook Pro, and I am excitedly waiting for my new iPad Air to arrive. I really don't know what I would do without these tools at my disposal!
And along with that, there are a number of iOS apps on both my iPhone and iPad that I have found invaluable, both in my work as a choir director, as well as my day-to-day productivity. So in today's episode I list what I think are "must have" iOS apps for the choir director. I won't waste time with some of the obvious ones, like Google Apps, GarageBand or other Apple apps. You may recognize some of the other apps, but I think you will enjoy hearing about why/how I use these different apps. Hopefully you can find in this episode a few more tech tools for your toolbox!
Looking for some new reading material to further your skills as a choir director? Check out my Choir Director Recommended Reading List for Choir Directors, which includes links to where you can find all of the different books on the list!
For the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
019. Nine Resources That You May Not Have Heard Of to Find Great Choir Repertoire
00:18:22
I've been seeing all types of questions lately about finding choir repertoire; directors looking for specific pieces, or repertoire for specific ensembles, or just questions where to look for repertoire.
So in today’s episode, I’m discussing nine resources that you might not have heard of to find great choir repertoire. If you are looking for fresh, engaging repertoire that your singers and your audiences will enjoy, then this episode is for you.
Many of these sites are what I call “composer-friendly”; where they started as websites that were created to help composers get their music “out there”. These websites often offer example performance recordings and e-print options; depending on the website/composer/piece, you can even find some that offer a set fee for a license to print as many copies as you need. And with the increase in virtual choir projects, many of these sites have specific information in regards to licensing.
Happy repertoire hunting!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
020. The Simple System for Organizing Your Choral Library
00:19:05
So, what’s your choral library look like these days? Music all over the place? Stacks piled up, impossible to find anything? I get it, I’ve been there! But in today’s episode I describe my simple, easy system to organize your choral library once and for all! Whether you are redesigning your choral library or starting from scratch, this episode is for you.
Check out the link to the original post HERE for more details, as well as to get a copy of the Google Sheet that you can use to organize your choral library!
Got a question about organizing your choral library? Send me an email at Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com, I would love to help you out!
Looking for an activity that you can do with your choir virtually as well as in-person? Check out the solfege game, "The Choir Room is LAVA!" www.ChoirDirectorCorner.com/thechoirroomislava
Looking for some new reading material to further your skills as a choir director? Check out my Choir Director Recommended Reading List for Choir Directors, which includes links to where you can find all of the different books on the list!
For the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
021. Five of my Favorite Choir Warm-Ups for Teaching Vocal Technique
00:21:28
In my world, it’s absolutely essential that I teach vocal technique in rehearsal. Singers have so many demands on their time, it seems that I have fewer and fewer students each year who study voice privately. For most of my singers, I am the only voice teacher they will ever have.
And for choir directors looking to save time, using warm-ups to teach vocal technique can pay off in spades: your singers get their voices ready for the rehearsal, and you now have concepts that you can relate back to when you are in the middle of rehearsal working on repertoire.
In today's episode, I share five of my favorite warm-ups for teaching vocal technique. If you like these and would like to more, I have a free video workshop: "My Ten Favorite Choir Warm-Ups for Teaching Vocal Technique!" You can get access to that workshop, as well as a PDF of the warm-ups included, HERE.
Looking for an activity that you can do with your choir virtually as well as in-person? Check out the solfege game, "The Choir Room is LAVA!" www.ChoirDirectorCorner.com/thechoirroomislava
Looking for some new reading material to further your skills as a choir director? Check out my Choir Director Recommended Reading List for Choir Directors, which includes links to where you can find all of the different books on the list!
For the full Choir Director Recommended Reading List, here's the link:
choirdirectorcorner.com/readinglist Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
022. Tips for Moving from Online Choir Back to In-Person Rehearsals
00:33:04
With Covid positivity rates going down and the vaccine being rolled out, many choir directors have been asking questions about going back to in-person rehearsals. So in this episode of the podcast, I am sharing my experience with moving back to in-person rehearsals, including the logistics involved, and some suggestions for your future music-making.
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-Ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy of the PDF here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
It’s one of the craziest times of year--that’s right, “March Madness”! But why should the sports world have all the fun? In today’s episode of the podcast, I will show you how to make a March Madness Choir bracket for your singers. AND, I will tell you how you can get a copy of the bracket that I created, that you can then take it and use with your own choirs.
March is great for this activity, but really, any time of the year works. If you are looking for an activity where your singers can learn about great choir performances, and hit multiple national standards in the process....it could be April Anarchy, May Mania, doesn't matter!
To get my Choir March Madness Listening Project bundle, head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
024. Conducting the Choir: Sometimes, Less is More
00:08:20
Have you ever thought while conducting your choir, "If I do more, my conducting will be more expressive and more effective"? That's often how we as conductors approach our conducting style when in front of our choirs. But an excellent session from the recent ACDA virtual conference shared a different perspective. On today's episode of the podcast, I discuss conducting the choir and how sometimes, less is more! I hope this episode gives you some things to think about, as well as that little nudge (if you need it!) to explore some new ideas with your conducting gesture.
I’d love to hear from you--what’s something in your conducting that you are working on? Are there ways that doing less has made your conducting more effective? Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com and let me know!
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
025. 12 Graduation Gift Ideas for Your Choir Seniors
00:29:13
Now that we've moved into April, the podcast is going to turn our focus to end-of-the-year topics. In today's episode, I share 12 gift ideas for those seniors in your choir that are graduating. The end of the year seems to fly by, so we need things that won't take a lot of time. And we aren't made of money, so we need ideas that are relatively inexpensive (or even better, free!). If this sounds like you, then today's episode is for you!
Got another idea for a gift for graduation choir members? I’d love to hear about it! Are there Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.com and let me know! I will share ideas I receive over in our private Facebook group, which you can find at: www.choirdirectorcornergroup.com
Episode Links:
For the full post on the GPS Coordinate Keychain, including the Etsy link where you can find them, click HERE.
Click HERE to find a personalized 20 oz. tumbler (hot and cold drinks).
Click HERE for an example of a "graduation gift box".
For all sorts of personalized "choir swag" options, check out Custom Ink and Vistaprint. You can also get your Canva designs printed at Vistaprint, as well as UPrinting.com.
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy of the PDF here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
026. Minimizing the DRAMA Surrounding Choir Auditions!
00:19:02
This time of year, one of the things that many choir directors are doing is holding auditions for their ensembles in the fall. And where there are auditions, there is usually DRAMA.
So on today's episode of the podcast, not only do I discuss six tips for reducing the drama surrounding choir auditions, but you can also get your own free copy of the "Auditions Guidance" document that I have used with my choir parents and singers, so you can take it and tailor it to your needs.
What’s something you’ve done in regards to your choir auditions that has really helped to reduce the drama surrounding the whole process? Send me an email at: Matt@ChoirDirectorCorner.comand let me know! I will be sure to add any responses to the Facebook group, which you can find at ChoirDirectorCornerGroup.com.
To get access to my Auditions Guidance document, as well as a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, Online Courses and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges, check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
027. Creating a Promotional Video to Recruit Singers to Your Choir Program
00:28:06
Continuing our series on end-of-the-year topics, this week I’m talking about recruiting. Recruiting choir members is always an important part of a choir director’s job, but after going through a pandemic, almost ALL of us are facing rebuilding our programs. If you haven’t done any recruiting this year, that’s okay--there are still some ways that you can reach those prospective singers before the end of the year.
One of the ways we can bring in new singers (or, get singers that left to return) is with a video promoting our choir program. Creating a video, and then sharing it in various ways using the internet and social media, is a great way to communicate to prospective students the many reasons why they should join our program. And in today’s episode of the podcast, I will share with you ideas on how to create your video, what to put in it, and then how to share it with those prospective singers.
Really want to dig in to recruiting for your choir program? Make sure you keep an eye out for some new resources that I will be announcing in the next couple weeks. They will be sure to get recruiting for your choir program ROLLING!
I will be talking about those new resources soon over in the Facebook group, which you can find at: ChoirDirectorCornerGroup.com Make sure you answer the 3 short entry questions, and you are in!
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
028. Give Your Choir Final AND Select Repertoire at the Same Time!
00:09:32
I’m continuing our series on end-of-the-year topics, and in this episode I’m talking about creating a final assessment for your choir.
In my previous position, ALL teachers at my school were required to come up with a written semester final. So I decided that if I was going to give a written final, I wanted to create something that was going to be an effective assessment of what students know and can do.
In the end, I came up with something that not only did that, but also gave me a head start on choosing repertoire for the next year! And in today’s episode of the podcast, I will share with you my process so that you can do the same thing.
Make sure you keep an eye out for a new resource that I will be announcing next Monday. No matter what area of your teaching you want to focus on, this will be a resource you do not want to miss!
I will be talking about it over in the Facebook group, which you can find at: ChoirDirectorCornerGroup.com Make sure you answer the 3 short entry questions, and you are in!
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
029. The Choir Director End of the Year To-Do List
00:19:44
In this episode the podcast, I’m finishing off our series on end-of-the-year topics, and sharing with you my "End of the Year To-Do List" for choir directors. I know the end of the year can get super busy, but if you can find some spare time to tackle these 10 things, it will give you a huge boost in not only finishing the year off strong, but also for when the new school year rolls around. And the best part is, I have a bunch of resources to help with the items on the to-do list!
All the links mentioned in this episode can be found at:
Make sure you keep an eye out for a new resource that I will be announcing next Monday. No matter what area of your teaching you want to focus on, this will be a resource you do not want to miss!
I will be talking about it over in the Facebook group, which you can find at: ChoirDirectorCornerGroup.com Make sure you answer the 3 short entry questions, and you are in!
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
A New Collaborative, Online Community for Choir Directors--Bonus Episode
00:07:24
I’ve been hinting on the past few episodes of the podcast about an announcement about a new resource for choir directors, and today's the day! In this bonus episode I share with you my vision for a new collaborative, online community for choir directors. A community where choir directors can dive deep and have meaningful conversations with like-minded choir directors, free from the distractions and noise of social media.
Whenever it gets to be concert season, I see a LOT of posts from directors talking about two things that can easily be thorns in our sides: 1) concert rubrics, and 2) make-up assignments.
In today’s episode of the podcast, I discuss what these things look like for me in a typical year, and where you can get copies of the rubrics that I use so that your concerts are assessing the right learning objectives.
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
Whether you just finished holding auditions for your choir, or you’ve got them coming up in the near future, it’s ALWAYS a good time to review your audition process. What do your choir auditions really tell you? How could you make them more effective, as well as more efficient?
Well, in today’s episode of the podcast, I discuss the ten essential elements to holding choir auditions. These are the ten things your choir auditions must do and/or must tell you in order to make your audition process efficient AND effective.
Don’t feel like you have to re-invent the wheel; if you’d like to save yourself a bunch of time and get a copy of my Choir Audition Form, as well as my Auditions Guidance Document for singers and parents, I make both of those available in the Resource Library of our Choir Director Corner Community Membership. Inside the membership there are Online Courses, "Monthly Missions" Trainings and you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at: choirdirectorcorner.com/membership and check it out!
10 Jun 2021
032. Turn Your Singers into Movie Directors with a Movie Project!
00:11:54
One of the ways that you can inject energy and excitement into your rehearsal process is through the use of special projects. A number of years back at my previous school, the school had provided every student with an iPad. With this new technology at our fingertips, I wanted to come up with some way that my singers could utilize their iPads to engage with our music in a different way. That’s when I got the idea for a movie project.
I divided my singers into small groups and had them each create a short movie, telling the story of one of the pieces of music we were working on. At the beginning, they thought I was off my rocker. But by the end of the project, they were loving it!
In today’s episode of the podcast, I will discuss how we did the project, and tell you how you can get your own copy of the handouts and rubrics I used for the project!
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
Yes, we are thankfully in full-on summer vacation mode! But, that doesn't mean we can't start thinking about next fall and the new ideas/strategies/techniques that you want to incorporate into your teaching next year.
Unfortunately, there are lots of things that can get in the way of our plans to bring a better experience to our singers. Sometimes those things are related to our subject matter; but other times, we fail to implement new teaching strategies due to a lack of focus and commitment, self-doubt, or the dreaded “shiny object” syndrome.
In today’s episode of the podcast, I discuss my perspective on this, and the mantra that I use to cut through the noise and the self-doubt to get things done: Commit, Aim, Fire!
Looking for some new warm-ups for your choir? Then you should check out my "50 Awesome Warm-ups for Your Choir EBOOK"! You can get your copy of the PDF here:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
One of the biggest challenges for choir directors is warm-ups. Finding warm-ups, what warm-ups to use, selecting warm-ups, and then how to actually do warm-ups in rehearsal.
I’ve also heard from some choir directors that they wish that choir warm-ups were just “done for them”. For some people, it’s that they aren’t confident singers and they aren’t comfortable serving as a vocal model or teaching concepts of vocal technique. For others it’s about planning out and selecting the warm-ups. Maybe you’ve got so many things to do in rehearsal, and you just wish that warm-ups were done for you. Or, maybe you need a quality resource that subs can use in class when you are gone.
That is why I have created a new resource that I’m super excited about, which is the Choir Director Corner Choir Warm-ups Video Pack!
You can find out more, and view examples of the warm-ups videos over at:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
035. Seven Reasons the CDC Choir Repertoire Lists Can Help You Program Your Next Choir Concert!
00:10:16
One of the biggest challenges that choir directors face is finding and selecting repertoire for their choirs. Finding and selecting repertoire can be soooooo frustrating, and so incredibly time-consuming. Which is why I created a resource to help you do just that--the CDC Choir Repertoire Lists. And in today’s episode of the podcast, I will discuss seven reasons the CDC Choir Repertoire Lists can help you program your next concert, while saving you time and making it an (almost) painless process!
Want to get your hands on your copy of the CDC Choir Repertoire Lists, you can head over HERE.
OR....
You can join the Choir Director Corner Community Membership, and get access to ALL of the resources!Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
036. Seven Reasons to Ditch Your Choir Concert Theme
00:21:38
As we get closer to the start of the school year, I see more and more questions from choir directors about finding repertoire to fit a specific theme. They're frustrated, stressed out and at their wit's end, trying to find something that fits their concert theme. Here's the answer (possible unpopular opinion):
You don’t need a concert theme!
In today’s episode of the podcast, I discuss seven reasons why you should ditch your concert theme this fall, save yourself some time and frustration, and focus on what really matters when selecting repertoire for your concert.
If you’d like to learn more about my process for selecting choir repertoire, I teach a course inside of our Choir Director Corner Community Membership called “Finding and Selecting Repertoire for the Busy Choir Director”. There are tons of repertoire ideas and PDF’s to help you, including Recommended Repertoire Lists. The course is just one of dozens of resources in the membership. You can find out more information on the membership over at:
Frustrated trying to plan all of your choir rehearsals? Get your FREE copy of my PDF Rehearsal Planner, and get yourself organized and on the road to productive, engaging rehearsals! Get your copy of the Rehearsal Planner here:
037. Nine Things Your Choir Warm-ups Should Do Every Rehearsal
00:21:30
I had a question recently from one of our CDC Community Membership members about my philosophy on warm-ups--my approach to warm-ups, and what I wanted my warm-ups to accomplish for each rehearsal.
Through our discussion, we came up with a list, and I’m sharing that list with you today--Nine Things Your Choir Warm-ups Should Do Each and Every Rehearsal. I hope this list can be valuable to you as you start to reflect on your own warm-ups process, and strive to make it an even more productive part of your choir rehearsals!
If you’d like to learn more about my warm-ups process: how I organize them and how I select them for rehearsals, as well as learn a bunch of the warm-ups that I use, check out my “50 Awesome Choir Warm-ups EBOOK”! You can get your copy over at:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
038. Five Things Choir Directors Should ALWAYS Do When Selecting Repertoire
00:09:59
Out of all the topics that I get questions on from our CDC Community Membership members, the topic that gets discussed the most is how to find and select repertoire. When I look back at my most successful concerts, and I compare how I have selected repertoire from concert to concert, there are some common themes that appear.
In Episode 38 of the podcast, I break those common themes down into 5 concepts that I have found absolutely essential in choosing repertoire for my choirs. Follow these concepts, and you will put your choirs in position to have a positive rehearsal experience and a successful performance.
Want to learn more about my process for selecting choir repertoire? I am teaching a workshop inside of our Choir Director Corner Community Membership called “Finding and Selecting Repertoire for the Busy Choir Director”. In the workshop I will discuss how to find repertoire, how to select repertoire that’s at the appropriate difficulty level, and the criteria I use when selecting repertoire. There are tons of repertoire ideas and PDF’s to help you, including recommended repertoire lists. The workshop is just one of dozens of resources in the membership, which you can find over at:
039. Busting 10 Myths About Recruiting Singers to Your Choir Program
00:39:21
In Episode 39 of the podcast, I’m discussing a topic that I’ve seen a lot of questions on lately, and that’s recruiting. COVID really did a number on the arts, and a lot of choir directors are dealing with record-low numbers of singers in their programs. In order to help you be as successful as possible in your recruiting efforts, I am busting the 10 myths about recruiting singers to your choir program. These are pieces of advice that I have seen given to other choir directors, that I believe are not the most productive ways of building your choir program.
If you are looking for strategies to recruit more singers to your program this year, I am teaching a workshop next week inside of our Choir Director Corner Community Membership called “Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Singers For Your Choirs”. In the workshop I will share 25 of my favorite strategies for recruiting singers, and even include PDF’s and templates that will help you create your own resources for pulling singers in and building your choir program! To get access to the workshop, head on over to:
040. What to Do in Your First Choir Rehearsal of the Year!
00:26:37
The beginning of the school year is fast approaching (for some it’s already started!) and there are SO many things to do. There are rooms to arrange, documents to prepare, music to organize, and before you know it, the first day of rehearsal arrives. I know the members of our Choir Director Corner Community Membership were in planning mode, because I had multiple members ask me this past week, “What do you do the first day of rehearsal?”
So, on Episode 40 of the podcast, I have put together a list of “do’s” (and one “don’t”) for your first choir rehearsal of the year. Keep in mind, you will want to tailor your plan for that first rehearsal, giving consideration to your familiarity with the singers and their experience level. Regardless of your experience level, I hope this episode gives you some ideas on how to make your first rehearsal as successful as it can be!
Need help getting started with the start of the year? Check out the Choir Director Bootcamp: Laying the Foundation! This 5-day series will give you everything you need to make sure that the beginning of your year hits all the right notes! Get access over at:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
041. Work Your Plan--the Choir Director Corner Rehearsal Planner!
00:14:26
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Plan Your Work, and Work Your Plan”. That quote applies to a lot of things, and it definitely applies to the life of a choir director! There is so much planning related to our jobs, none more important than planning rehearsals.
I searched for years for a resource that would efficiently and productively help me plan and organize my rehearsals. I finally got tired of searching, and just created my own! On today’s episode of the podcast, I will introduce you to the Choir Director Corner PDF Rehearsal Planner, and how it will help you create more efficient, productive, and engaging rehearsals.
Want to get your FREE copy of the Rehearsal Planner? Head on over to:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
042. What is Your Biggest Teaching Challenge as a Choir Director?
00:10:07
I recently asked choir directors a question online. I expected a few answers, but instead, social media BLEW UP! In today’s episode of the podcast, I will share with you the question I asked, some of the responses, and an opportunity for you to get your questions answered, tools and resources to help you thrive in your life as a choir director.
Got a challenge currently in your teaching? I'd love to help! Send me an email at:
Matt@choirdirectorcorner.com
Looking for support, encouragement, and resources to help you solve your biggest teaching challenges? Want to get access to dozens of rubrics, templates, repertoire lists, handouts and project ideas, as well as online workshops and an awesome online collaborative community of choir directors? Then head on over to:
and sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!
10 Sep 2021
043. Using MusicTheory.net for Assessment in Your Choirs
00:17:54
One of our objectives as choir directors is to teach our singers the basics of music theory, because that will help them to be more independent musicians. Another objective is to find ways of doing individual assessment in our choirs, without spending all of our waking hours grading assignments!
Well, in today’s episode of the podcast, I share with you the resource that I use to accomplish ALL of those objectives at the same time!
Have a question on how to utilize MusicTheory.net in your teaching? I'd love to help! Send me an email at:
Matt@choirdirectorcorner.com
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
044. How to Quickly and Easily Do Voice Placements With Your Choir
00:15:30
One question I often get is how to vocally place singers into their sections. If you’ve worked with the singers previously, you’ve got a pretty good idea of what part they should be singing. But what if the singers are brand new to you? Or their voice has changed since the last time you heard them? And how do you do it so it doesn’t take forever, and it also doesn’t waste valuable rehearsal time?
In Episode of 44 of the podcast, I share with you my process for quickly and easily doing voice placements with my choirs. It will save you time and frustration, and your singers will be surprised at just how low-stress the process can be!
Have a question on the vocal placement process? I'd love to help! Send me an email at:
Matt@choirdirectorcorner.com
If you’d like to dig deeper into this process, and learn about how I place singers in their seating arrangement, my course “Arranging the Choir Based on Vocal Blend” will help you do just that! The course is available inside the Choir Director Corner Community Membership, which you can find over at:
choirdirectorcorner.com/membership And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together!
24 Sep 2021
045. Twelve Strategies to Get Your Choir to Stop Dragging the Tempo!
00:21:59
You've heard of the phrase, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink". But when you can't get your choir to stop dragging, it feels like you are pulling the horse by the tail, fighting tooth and nail to get your singers to keep up!
I feel your pain, my friends! So, in today's episode of the podcast, I share twelve strategies that I have used successfully to give my choirs the little "boost" that they need and cure their dragging problem. :)
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
046. The Think System--Twelve Strategies for Using Audiation with Your Choir
00:26:25
Think back to your college days--remember Edwin Gordon? The guy that came up with Music Learning Theory? Well, in case you missed it (or blocked it out), his work has formed much of the processes and strategies that we use to help our singers learn music. And much of his work focused on the concept of audiation.
In Episode 46 of the podcast, I share with you twelve strategies that I have used to incorporate audiation into my choir rehearsals. These strategies have not only improved focus and intonation in my ensembles, they are also a lot of fun!
Have questions about how to use audiation in your rehearsals? I'd love to help! Send me an email at:
Matt@choirdirectorcorner.com
If you are looking for fresh rehearsal techniques (like the ones I talk about in this episode), and you'd like to get access to dozens of rubrics, templates, repertoire lists, handouts and project ideas, as well as online workshops and an awesome online collaborative community of choir directors, then you need to check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! You can find it over at:
We were fortunate to recently have our Fall Choir Concert--our first "normal" choir concert, in many, many months! In today's episode of the podcast, I'm sharing with you some of my observations from our concert, as well as some things that my singers shared following the concert. Whether you aren't quite back to having concerts yet, or you've got your first concert coming up, you will find some helpful hints and reminders in this episode. Here's hoping that your next concert is a rousing success!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
048. How I Combined Music and My Choir's Love of Halloween
00:17:24
Do your singers like Halloween? My singers don't just LOVE Halloween, they are CRAZY about it! So this year, I wanted to come up with an activity that combined music along with their love of Halloween. In this episode, I will discuss the activity--Halloween Music Jeopardy--the steps I took in putting everything together, and how it went with my choirs (hint--I'll DEFINITELY be doing it again!)
This will be an episode to listen to, get some ideas brewing, and then stash it away in the back of your brain for when Halloween rolls along!
Looking for some more fun rehearsal ideas? Want to get access to dozens of rubrics, templates, repertoire lists, handouts and project ideas, as well as online workshops and an awesome online collaborative community of choir directors? Then head on over to:
and sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!
06 Nov 2021
049. How Choir Directors Can Learn From Colin Powell's 13 Rules of Leadership
00:31:03
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has been recognized by many for his tremendous leadership skills. After his recent passing, there were a number of stories detailing his service and leadership, with one of those stories listing his 13 rules of leadership.
In Episode 49 of the podcast, I share with you his 13 rules of leadership, and discuss how his rules might apply to us as choir directors--as well as to our singers!
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
There's been a LOT of things going on lately, and one of the things we've been involved in recently was the Iowa All-State Chorus. This year, it was Dr. Edith Copley leading the choir, and she was AMAZING! Throughout the weekend, she shared a number of rehearsal concepts with the singers that are pretty much universal, no matter what it is that you are singing. These nuggets of rehearsal wisdom were just too valuable not to share, so in today's episode I'm doing just that--sharing with you five rehearsal concepts from the great Dr. Copley that you can take and immediately incorporate them into your choir rehearsals.
If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Copley's rehearsal concepts, I've posted a list from Dr. Copley that she shared at the ICDA Summer Symposium a number of years ago. It's chock full of fantastic rehearsal ideas! You can find that list at:
Ready to dive into more topics related to your work as a choir director? Then you should really check out the Choir Director Corner Community Membership! Inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and "Monthly Missions" Trainings where we focus on a specific topic, and you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. And, as a member, you'll get access to our brand new CDC Searchie Hub, the AI tool created specifically for choir directors!
And now, when you sign up for the annual option, you'll get two months free: 12 months access for the price of 10!
Leading a choir doesn't have to be a DIY endeavor--it's better when it's done together! Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:
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