CUEnotes
Insights from renowned experts and clinicians focused on the needs of youth choir directors
Strong Leadership
Churches face crises. Communities of faith find ourselves at the crossroads of many issues over time, and occasionally a dilemma digs so deeply that a good outcome – either way we go – does not seem possible. It was in the midst of one of those corporate conundrums a...
In Student Choirs, Distance Can Be Used to Develop Choral Sound … Part 3
In Student Choirs, Distance Can Be Used to Develop Choral Sound Part 3 As we return to our choirs and some form of normality this fall, I urge all youth choir directors to consider remaining aware of distances between singers in rehearsals, performances, and...
Recent Developments in the Pandemic Signal Significant Restarts in Choral Singing: Here are some important considerations
As a nine-year-old, I found myself on the Texas Gulf Coast at dawn one morning on a long-anticipated fishing trip. It happened at the very end of the school year, and we were beyond excited to experience the freedom of summer and this fun getaway! As the sun arose...
In Student Choirs, Distance Can Be Used to Develop Choral Sound, Part 2
In Student Choirs, Distance Can Be Used to Develop Choral Sound (Photo) Part 2 During the pandemic, I have often wondered if we will ever return to packed out choir lofts again. That question does not make me sad, but it does make me curious. How long have we worked...
Recent pandemic developments signal significant restarts in choral singing. Here are some important considerations …
As a nine-year-old, I found myself on the Texas Gulf Coast at dawn one morning on a long-anticipated fishing trip. It happened at the very end of the school year, and we were beyond excited to experience the freedom of summer and this fun getaway! As the sun arose...
Strong leadership
The church was falling apart, the youth ministry and youth choir included. A young, bull-in-the-china-shop senior pastor had wreaked havoc upon the community of faith for more than three years, dividing and conquering at every possible turn.
Do you desire to impact teenagers’ lives for the better? Then get yourself plenty of help!
Whether working a youth choir ministry in a church, within a school system, or in the context of a larger community, we directors need to give thoughtful consideration to finding ourselves lots of help. Here is the six-month series of articles coming in 2018 and...
The Heartbeat of Youth Choir
This past July I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Baylor University's Alleluia Conference for church musicians AND speak on Youth Choir related topics. I was so excited and humbled to have this chance. There were so many wonderful people in attendance and at...
Choral Techniques – Energizing the Rehearsal
Friends, it is good to be back with you on our online community. My teaching schedule this semester has been unusually hectic, but it involved teaching one of my courses: “Choral Techniques.” This has been a really fun class to teach because it deals with the...
On the voice…pt. 1: Prepare the body/Posture
Introduction If a student or parent in your church asked you if you would give private voice lessons, how would you respond? Would you be enthusiastic, reserved, hesitant or even nervous at the thought? Your answer might be dictated according to availability...
Finding Purpose: Effective Left-Hand Conducting Gesture
SCRIPTURE: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.” --Ecclesiastes 9:10 (ESV) “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your...
Preaching FROM the choir: hallmarks of effective programming
If someone were to ask me what is the most important and difficult job of any choral director, I would say that it is a really difficult question; but after some thought I would probably say that it is the process of selecting literature for my choirs to sing. ...
Survey says…
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” –Proverbs 27:17 (ESV) INTRODUCTION: Rarely do we run with open arms towards an “end-of-the-year review” or “performance evaluation.” Our human nature is that we simply don’t like our flaws or failures to be exposed,...
Warm-ups
One of the most important but often overlooked aspects of the rehearsal is the vocal warm-up period. Much like physical training, warm-ups are crucial to establishing the overall tone of the rest of the rehearsal - no pun intended. While many directors fear that...
An email to a brilliant, talented, wonderful, musical church musician–who is failing my class.
It has been some time since I have posted. I’m going to take a brief departure from the series on adolescent development to address something that indirectly speaks to adolescent development and directly to our role in teaching, mentoring, and guiding adolescents in...
“Who Are You” – Understanding the Adolescent, pt. 3
Continuing our series on adolescent development, we move ahead to examine the social world of the adolescent, including the world of self, home, and community. Again, we will merely scratch the surface in this installment of “Who Are You? – Understanding the...
Who Are You? – Understanding the Adolescent, pt. 2
Continuing our series on adolescent development, we pause to look briefly at two specific aspects of adolescent development: physical and psychological development. We will merely scratch the surface in this 2nd installment of “Who Are You? – Understanding the...
Who Are You? – Understanding the Adolescent
Regardless of your tenure in the world of student choir, I think we would all agree that understanding the adolescent and the culture in which s/he lives can be quite a challenge—especially the 21st century American culture. Perhaps we would do well to take some time...
