It’s that time of the year! Here’s a look at 2019, by the numbers:
Hosted a free 5-day online workshop (Music Education Basics Workshop) for over 650 music educators (stay tuned for 2020 info - pre-register here!)
Launched three printable rhythm and tonal pattern card sets (Rhythm Pattern Card Set, Tonal & Rhythm Pattern Card Set: Older Elementary, Tonal & Rhythm Pattern Card Set: Younger Elementary)
Self-published two new handbell collections (Four Pieces for Lent and Four Pieces for Easter)
Self-published two instrumental pieces (Two Easter Hymn Settings for Brass Quintet and Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven for Violin and Cello)
Launched a new mini-course for church musicians: Music Education & Leadership Skills for the Youth Choir Director
Self-published three mini service music collections (Songs for the Sanctuary I, Songs for the Sanctuary II, Songs for the Sanctuary: Alleluias & Amens)
Was a guest on the new Choristers Guild podcast/YouTube show (watch here)
Wrote about 50 new posts, ranging from warm-up resources to rehearsal tips, planning tools, conferences, and vocal exploration ideas.
It’s always fun for me to look back on the year and see which blog posts were your favorites. Here’s a look at the top 10 posts from 2019 (in rank order):
Top 10 Posts of 2019
No. 1 - Go-To Warm-Up Resources for Busy Choir Directors
Warm-ups for choirs are like stretches for athletes: they help prepare the muscles and engage the mind for focused, active work.
But more than simply warming up the voice and preparing to sing, choral warm-ups are a practical way to prepare and introduce new musical skills and concepts before singing them in the context of a piece of music. This not only saves you time in rehearsal, but it also creates a more cohesive learning experience for your choir members.
The secret is thinking strategically about your warm-ups and being intentional about choosing exercises that are tailored to your group (and the skills you want to address) and the music you're working on.
Looking to up your warm-up game in the next few months? Here are a few curated resources I would recommend, organized by age group. Read more >>
No. 2 - Celebrate Valentine's Day with These Fun, Creative Music Games
I’m inclined to agree that Valentine’s Day is basically a Hallmark holiday, but at this point in the year, I’ll take pretty much any excuse to mix up my regular teaching routine and introduce something a little whimsical and fun (especially when gummy candy is involved!).
Whether you’re planning your children’s choir rehearsal, hosting a studio class (like me!), or looking for a few ways to reinvigorate your February music classes and private lessons, here are 11 Valentine’s Day-themed music games your students will love. Read more >>
No. 3 - 17 Cumulative Songs for Children’s Choir
From music class to road trips, playgrounds to choir rehearsal, cumulative songs are fun to sing, engaging for children of all ages, and an effective teaching tool. Use them as a change-of-pace in the middle of your rehearsal or to review and reinforce a particular musical concept you’re working on. To help with your planning, here's a list of cumulative songs with the musical concepts featured in each one. (This way, you can choose a cumulative song that works with other songs you’re teaching and reinforce those musical skills and concepts in your rehearsal.) Read more >>
No. 4 - 10 Icebreakers Your Adult Choir Will Love
Icebreakers are a great way to start your kick-off party or event. Whether you’re hosting a full-day retreat, a Saturday morning workshop, or extending your first midweek rehearsal (perhaps with dinner beforehand), this is an easy way to get to know each other better, promote teamwork, build camaraderie, and cultivate a fun, relaxed environment.
Plus, researchers indicate that adults learn better when they’re relaxed (source), so taking the time to do something simple like an icebreaker at the beginning of your time together will set your choir up for success in the rehearsal segment of your kick-off party.
Looking for a few new icebreakers to try with your choir? Here’s a go-to list. Read more >>
No. 5 - Summer Conferences for Church Musicians (2019 Edition)
For those of you who teach during the year, summer is the perfect time to learn and develop your own musicianship skills and catch up on some professional development.
Summer conferences are a great way to do this. They help you stay connected with others in the field; learn new things about playing, singing, directing, and teaching; find inspiration for creating meaningful and engaging worship services; and hear about all the latest music releases: choral, handbell, children's choir resources, curriculum, instrumental collections, etc.
Here are a few summer conferences and events specifically geared toward church musicians, directors, accompanists, choir members, students, worship leaders, pastors, liturgists, and everyone in between. Read more >>
No. 6 - The Back-To-Choir Guide for Church Musicians
As a teacher, I love the fresh-start feeling that comes with a new academic year (including new school supplies!). And the same is true in church settings when choir and ensembles start back up.
But getting back into that weekly rehearsal routine after a long summer hiatus can be challenging, and making sure you’re prepared and ready for that first week back can be a daunting task, particularly if you procrastinated on some of those things on your summer to-do list: Clean out choir folders and boxes, sort and file music, call piano tuner, reorganize file cabinets, order music for the fall.
That’s why I’m sharing something special I’ve been working on to help you get ready for the new choir year and put your best foot forward.
I compiled some of my best articles and resources into a Back-to-Choir Guide to help you get organized, plan ahead, and teach with intention. Whether this is your first or fiftieth year as a church music director, I hope this guide helps you feel confident, prepared, and excited for the year ahead! Read more >>
No. 7 - How to Use Vocal Exploration in Your Rehearsals: 19 Practical Ideas
Vocal exploration or time spent exploring what the voice can do is a vital part of early childhood and elementary music-making. Invite your singers to experience what their voice can do and experiment with different types of sounds.
As you plan your choir rehearsals, look for new and creative ways for children to explore what their voices can do. Here are some helpful resources and practical teaching strategies for incorporating vocal exploration into your rehearsals. Read more >>
No. 8 - Planning the Choir Year: 4 Creative Theme Ideas for Your Children’s Choir
How do you plan your choir year?
Maybe you spend some time over the summer mapping out what dates your choir will sing, what hymns you’d like to teach them, listening to new releases from the publishers to get ideas for anthems, and searching Pinterest for games and other creative ideas.
Maybe you plan the first few weeks of rehearsals and then get burnt out and start winging it.
Maybe you’re somewhere in between.
As Winston Churchill once said, “Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.” We need to plan ahead in order to teach effectively. We need to think about the musical growth and learning we’d like to see and make a plan for how to get there.
One helpful way to do this kind of long-range planning is to choose a theme for the year. Here are four creative theme ideas for your children’s choir year, including music and resource suggestions, sequencing ideas, hymns, and more. Read more >>
No. 9 - Making the Most of Your Weekly Choir Rehearsal
Time. It’s one of the biggest challenges we face as church musicians and music educators.
For many of you, rehearsal time is a prized commodity, as you likely see your group only once a week (not counting Sundays) for anywhere from 30-90 minutes (depending on the age of your singers 😉). Time is a constant struggle and there never seems to be enough of it to do everything we’d like to accomplish.
You’ve got to make the most of the time you’re given. You’ve got to make every minute of rehearsal count.
Looking for ideas and a few helpful strategies? Here are a few things you can do to make the most of the time you have in your weekly choir rehearsals. Read more >>
No. 10 - Classic Anthems Every Church Choir Should Sing
Some anthems are just classics.
They’re timeless — not bound by a particular era, not tied to a particular movement or trend in choral literature or church history, not limited to a particular style or context. Some anthems are able to transcend those things and fit equally well in a worship service today as they did 30 years ago.
So, I started taking notes.
The anthems on this list are drawn from my own choir experiences in Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches. These are titles that have shown up in multiple church music libraries through the years — the ones that bring you back to all the times and places you’ve sung them before.
You probably won’t find much that’s new or unfamiliar to you on this list; in fact, you probably know several of these titles already. But perhaps you’ll be reminded of one or two new things you can bring back to your choir this year.
How many of these are in your church music library? Read more >>
What was your favorite post from this year?
In case you’re curious, here are the Top 10 posts from the last few years:
2018 Top Ten
2017 Top Ten
2016 Top Ten
2015 Top Ten
2014 Top Ten
