The Choir Director Corner Podcast

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/recruitingstrategiesNeed help to make your end-of-the-year recruiting push?   Check out my online workshop:choirdirectorcorner.com/boostyourchoirnumbersNeed more recruiting strategies and resources?  You can find more inside of the Choir Director Corner Community Membership:choirdirectorcorner.com/membership

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membership

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!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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membership

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/choirmarchmadnessprojectLooking 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 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

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand 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!

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!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 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

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!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 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

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!For a video tutorial, head on over to: choirdirectorcorner.com/hubtutorialLooking 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membership

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipAnd 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!

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!Resources discussed in this episode:Blog Post: How to Run a Silent Rehearsal with Your ChoirBlog Post: 12 Strategies for Using Audiation with Your ChoirFREE Training: 10 Rehearsal Strategies to Engage and Empower Your SingersLooking 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 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

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!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 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

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:Choir Stations PDF Handouts: choirdirectorcorner.com/stationsChoir Director Bootcamp--Laying the Foundation: choirdirectorcorner.com/bootcampLooking 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 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

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 Group Zoom Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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!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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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!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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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.Last year I shared my Choir March Madness Bracket, and this year, I'm doing it again!  If you're already on my mailing list, you should have gotten copies of my 2023 SATB March Madness Bracket, as well as the Google Slides presentation of all of the choir videos.  If you're not already on my mailing list, take a listen to this episode to find out where you can get your free copies.  CDC Community Membership members also get copies of my TTBB and SSAA brackets, my Google Doc Bracket Instructions template, AND a copy of the Google Form that I use as a student assessment!  If you want copies of everything, you can find out more about becoming a member right here:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipHope you and your singers have fun navigating the Madness! :)

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/robdietzLooking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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!Would Group and 1-to-1 Zoom Coaching Calls help you grow as a choir director?  Then you should become a member of the Choir Director Corner Community Membership, just like Matthew did!  You can sign up over at:choirdirectorcorner.com/membership

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.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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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!For the full story, head on over to:  choirdirectorcorner.com/kahootLooking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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!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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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! 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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!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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/episode78Looking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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!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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.When you sign up for the annual option, not only will you get two months free (12 months access for the price of 10!), you'll also get access to my soon-to-be-released sight reading curriculum, including sight reading examples and classroom activities!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

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"!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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.When you sign up for the annual option, not only will you get two months free (12 months access for the price of 10!), you'll also get access to my soon-to-be-released sight reading curriculum, including sight reading examples and classroom activities!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

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/episode75Looking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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: choirdirectorcorner.com/episode74Looking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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

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! 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/shopLooking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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 together!  Come join an awesome online community of choir directors just like you over at:choirdirectorcorner.com/membership

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/shopLooking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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! 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges. 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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!  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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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.For more information on these pieces, head on over to choirdirectorcorner.com/blog.Along with choir repertoire, another topic that it seems like choir directors are always thinking about is how to recruit more singers and grow your choir program.  I will be teaching a live, online workshop next week (June 28-30) on this very topic: "Creating a Plan to Grow Your Choir Program!"  In this workshop I will be sharing the process and strategies I used to grow my choir program by almost 40% in just three years! For more information and to register, head on over to: choirdirectorcorner.com/growyourprogramLooking 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/episode68for more details!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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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! ;)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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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!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!  Inside the Membership you'll also find Online Courses and Monthly Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

I saw a post on social media recently that prompted this question: "Should You Limit How Many Singers Are In Your Choir? In today's episode 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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/shopAnd until May 15th, you can get a FREE copy of this resource when you join the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!  Not only will you get the Survival Pack, but inside the membership there are Online Courses, a Resource Library with over 50 PDF's and Google Docs, and Monthly Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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 today's episode 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 Collaboration Calls where you can ask questions and get feedback on how to tackle your biggest teaching challenges.  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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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!More information on the conference, including to register, head on over to: choirdirectorcorner.com/bbnb   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 the choral 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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: choirdirectorcorner.com/kinnisonIf 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 the choral 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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:choirdirectorcorner.com/favoritetechniquewarmupsTo 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/shopIf 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 the choral 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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 this podcast episode 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 the choral 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipSee you in the Community!

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:choirdirectorcorner.comLooking 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!

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:choirdirectorcorner.comLooking 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!

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 choirdirectorcorner.com/bracket to get an NCAA-style bracket full of choral performances.  Links included!Looking for more rehearsal strategies? 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!

I have talked with many choir directors who really struggle with teaching their singers vocal technique, for a wide variety of reasons.  I am lucky that I originally started out in vocal performance, including earning a Master's degree in vocal performance.  This allowed me the opportunity to study voice on a deeper level, and it also gave me the opportunity to teach private voice at the collegiate level and have my own private voice studio.In today's episode of the podcast, I discuss a resource that will help you as a choir director to confidently bring vocal technique concepts to your singers and build healthy vocal technique in your ensembles moving forward: the Choir Director Corner Vocal Technique Teaching Unit!  You can get your copy at:choirdirectorcorner.com/shopLooking for more rehearsal strategies? 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!

"The Power is in the Debrief".  My friend, who works in the business world, said this to me recently.  As we talked, what he really was talking about was the importance of reflection and self-assessment.  In this episode of the podcast, I discuss the different ways reflection can benefit student learning, and also discuss a perfect opportunity for reflection that you should be using--and that some choir directors are missing out on!You can find the Edutopia.org article that I reference here.Want to get your FREE copy of my Choir Concert Reflection PDF?  Head on over to:choirdirectorcorner.com/concertreflection Looking for more choir repertoire ideas?  Check out my Recommended Repertoire Lists, which are organized by ensemble and difficulty level, and are designed to save you hours of time and frustration!  You can find them over at:choirdirectorcorner.com/shopLooking for more rehearsal strategies? 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!

The search for choir repertoire can be time-consuming, and often frustrating.  You may be in that place where you are asking yourself, "What in the world am I going to program for my next concert?"  Or maybe you are just looking for some fresh repertoire ideas.  If so, today's episode is for you!  I'm sharing five new choral pieces that you should consider programming in 2022.  There's a little something for everyone in this episode, including music for a variety of ensembles and experience levels.Looking for more choir repertoire ideas?  Check out my Recommended Repertoire Lists, which are organized by ensemble and difficulty level, and are designed to save you hours of time and frustration!  You can find them over at:choirdirectorcorner.com/shopLooking for more rehearsal strategies? 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!

I read an interesting article recently on "The Science of Learning", which asked some psychology teachers about their best teaching strategies.  I thought it was a fantastic article, so in this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing with you 5 of the strategies from the article that you can quickly incorporate into your teaching.  Looking for more rehearsal strategies? 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:choirdirectorcorner.com/membershipand sign up for the Choir Director Corner Community Membership!