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A Report on Lifeline for Children’s Choir Directors Essay

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Mrs. Bartle employs a little bit of four of each of the methods shared in (the vocal pedagogy) class. She uses a lot of the Westminister method but borrows from the others. The others she borrows from are Christiansen, Fred Warning and Wilson/Klein. Much of what she writes, is from her own life’s career experiences as a choral director. The first subject she deals with is the director’s attitude. A director should have a positive attitude. (p. 3, Bartle)

In chapter two she discusses the development of a child’s voice in a mechanistic way. She wants the ’flutety’ sound of a child’s voice developed, between the ages 6-8. (ps. 7-9) This reminds me of the Westminister method. She tells how to help a child that has problems sing on …show more content…

Any conductor should study rubato, by listening to some great artists in the past of keyboard, solo voice and chorale conducting. (p. 29) She gives exercises on how to achieve good balance and blend in a choir. (p. 20) How to conduct children’s choirs is discussed in the following pages of this book. She describes each ’step’ and how to do them carefully: how to introduce music to the choir, what the choir director should read, how to study a score and practice conducting it, if a conductor should mouth or use a baton while conducting. To produce artistically played music, she believes that strict technique must be combined with musical ability. (ps. 31-3)

She tells how to recruit for a school primary choir, grades 1- 3. In September she has the 2nd and 3rd graders sing familiar songs alone or with a friend. She then hands out letters to all the third graders, and half of the second graders. First graders are not in the music classroom until after Christmas. She wants about 55 voices in this choir. She then sends a letter home to the parents containing information on the time and place for rehearsals and programs, requested information on the child, concerts, uniforms, and the rules. (p. 35) A seating plan and the way the chairs are set up are two of the physical factors that help make a good choir rehearsal. She advises to have a seating plan that organizes the children by height, voice and conduct; putting the ones that ’apt’ to misbehave with those that

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