The Art of Choral Conducting

This is a video that I stumbled upon online, which features several different points of view (from conductors) about The Art of Choral Conducting

I will let the video speak for itself.

http://www.s12.si/kultura-umetnost/izven-okvirja/707-the-art-of-choral-conducting

Choral Music Poll

I have created a poll based on the percentage of choral music that high school choir directors program for their choirs.

Choral Music Percentage Poll

If you have taught or currently teach high school choirs please go to the above link and fill out the form.

I am using this data to write a paper.


Thank You. Also after I collect a significant amount of data I will share it with all of you.

Choral Conducting Graduate Programs.

ON August 22,2009 I compiled this updated list of most of the Doctoral Choral Conducting Graduate Programs in the United States. They all have links to their university pages. I will be coming up with a list of schools that ONLY grant Masters Degrees in Choral Conducting soon.

Hope this list is Helpful.

DMA Choral Conducting Programs

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor:
Professors:
Dr. Jerry Blackstone – Director of Choral Activities; BM Wheaton College, MM Indiana U, DMA Univ of Southern California
Dr. Paul Rardin – Associate Professor of Choral Conducting; BM Williams College, MM & DMA Univ of Michigan
http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/conducting/index.htm

University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign
Professors:
Dr. Fred Stoltzfus – Chair/Professor of Choral Music; BA Goshen College, DMA Univ of Iowa
Dr. Charles Awles – Associate Professor of Choral Music; BA Hanover College, MSM Union Theology Seminary, DMA Univ of Illinois
http://www.music.uiuc.edu/academicsConducting.php

University of North Texas:
Professors:
Dr. Jerry McCoy – Director of Choral Activities; BME Univ of Texas Arlington, MM & DMA Univ of Texas Austin
Dr. Alan McClung – Associate Professor of Choral Music; BME West Virginia Univ, MM Univ of Illinois, PHD in Choral Music Florida State Univ
Henry Gibson – Associate Professor of Choral Music -He received his early training at Stanford and Harvard Universities, and holds the artist diploma from the Musikhochschule in Frankfurt, Germany
http://www.music.unt.edu/choral/


Arizona State University:
Professors:
Dr. David Schildkret – Professor of Choral Music; BA Rutgers, MM & DMA Indian Univ
Dr. Gregory Gentry – Assistant Professor of Choral Music; BME Univ of Denver, MM & DMA Univ of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music
http://music.asu.edu/choirs/

University of Arizona:
Professors:
Dr. Bruce Chamberlain – Director of Choral Activities; BME, MM & DMA Indiana Univ
Dr. Elizabeth Schauer – Associate Director of Choral Activities; BME Univ of Michigan, MM Westminster Choir College, DMA Univ of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music
http://web.cfa.arizona.edu/sites/choral/

University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music:
Professors:
Dr. Charles Robinson – Professor of Choral Music/Education; BME Florida State Univ, MM CSU Long Beach, PHD in Choral Music Education Florida State Univ
http://conservatory.umkc.edu/the_conservatory/conducting.aspx

Indiana University Jacob School of Music:
Professors:
Dr. Jan Harrington – Professor Emeritus of Choral Music; BM Southern Methodist Univ, MM & DMA Indian Univ
Dr. William Jon Gary – Director of Choral Studies: BME new England Conservatory, DMA Indiana Univ
http://www.music.indiana.edu/som/choral/index.shtml

Michigan State University:
Professors:
Dr. David Rayl – Director of Choral Activities; BM Illinois Wesleyan Univ, MM Univ of Oklahoma, DMA Univ of Iowa
Dr. Jonathan Reed – Associate Director of Choral Activities;
Dr. Sandra Snow – Professor of Music Education/Choral Conducting;
http://dev.music.msu.edu/study/conducting.php?study_conducting

University of Oklahoma:
Professors:
Dr. Richard Zeilinski – Director of Choral Activities;
http://music.ou.edu/choirs/OU_CHOIRS/Home.html

University of North Carolina – Greensboro:
Professors:
Dr. Welborn Young – Director of Choral Activities; BME & MA Middle Tennessee State Univ, DMA Univ of Illinois
Dr. Carole Ott – Associate Professor of Choral Music/Education; BME Univ of Cincinnati, MM & DMA Univ of Michigan
http://www.uncg.edu/mus/vocal.html

Eastman School of Music:
Professors:
Dr. William Weinert – Director of Choral Activities; BME Oberlin Conservatory of Music, MM Univ of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, DMA Univ of Wisconsin Madison
http://www.esm.rochester.edu/ensembles/

University of Southern California:
Professors:
Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe – Director of Choral Activities; BM & MM CSU Long Beach, DMA Univ of Southern California
Dr. Magen Solomon – Assistant Professor of Choral Music; BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music, MM & DMA University of Wisconsin Madison
Dr. Nick Strimple – Associate Professor of Choral Music; BM Baylor Univ, MM & DMA Univ of Southern California
http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/choral/

Boston University:
Professors:
Dr. Ann Howard Jones – Director of Choral Activities; BM, MM, DMA Univ of Iowa
http://www.bu.edu/cfa/music/prospective/departments/choral/

University of Miami:
Professors:
Dr. Joshua Habermann – Professor of Choral Music; BME Georgetown Univ, MM & DMA Univ of Texas Austin
http://www.music.miami.edu/index.html

Florida State University:
Professors:
Dr. Andre Thomas – Director of Choral Activities; BA Friends Univ, MM Northwestern, DMA Univ of Illinois
Dr. Kevin Fenton – Professor of Choral Music; BME Friends Univ, MM Univ of Missouri-Kansas city Conservatory of Music, PHD Choral Music Florida State Univ
Dr. Judy Bowers – Professor of Choral Music Education; BME Texas Tech, MME & PHD Louisiana State University
http://www.music.fsu.edu/Areas-of-Study/Conducting

University of Northern Colorado:
Professors:
Dr. Galen Darrough – Director of Choral Activities; BME CSU Fullerton, MM Bingham Young Univ, DMA Arizona State Univ
http://www.arts.unco.edu/music/choirs/default.html

University of Colorado Boulder:
Professors:
Dr. Lawrence Kaptein – Director of Choral Activities; DMA Univ of Southern California
Dr. Jeffrey Gemmell – Associate Professor of Choral Music; BME Towson Unvi, MME Northwestern, DMA Univ of Colorado Boulder
http://www.colorado.edu/music/departments/voice.html

University of Washington:
Professors:
Dr. Geoffrey Boers – Director of Choral Activities; BA Pacific Lutheran Univ, MAT Portland State Univ, DMA Univ of Arizona
Dr. Steven Demorest – Professor of Choral Music Education; BA Luther College, MM Westminster Choir College, PHD Univ of Wisconsin Madison
Dr. Giselle Wyers – Assistant Professor of Choral Music; BA UC Santa Cruz, MM Westminster Choir College, DMA Univ of Arizona
http://www.music.washington.edu/choirs/faculty.html


University of Wisconsin Madison:
Professors:
Beverly Taylor – Director of Choral Activities; BA Univ of Delaware, Graduate degrees from Boston Univ
Dr. Bruce Gladstone – Associate Director of Choral Activities; DMA Univ of Illinois
http://www.music.wisc.edu/conducting

University of Iowa:
Professors:
Dr. Timothy Stalter – Director of Choral Activities; BM Goshen Univ, MM Univ of Illinois, DMA Univ of Wisconsin Madison
Dr. David Puderbaugh – Associate Director of Choral Activities; BME Drake Univ, MM Univ of Missouri-Columbia, DMA Univ of Iowa
http://www.music.wisc.edu/conducting

University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music:
Professors:
Dr. Earl Rivers – Director of Choral Activities; BME, MM Indiana U, DMA Univ of Cincinnati
Dr. Brett Scott – Associate Director of Choral Activities; BM Canadian Bible College, MM Univ of Regina, DMA Univ of Cincinnati
http://www.ccm.uc.edu/choral/

University of Minnesota:
Professors:
Dr. Kathy Romey – Director of Choral Activities; graduated with a B.A. in flute performance from the University of Oregon in 1979. She continued her studies in Frankfurt, Germany, under acclaimed conductor Helmuth Rilling, receiving an artistic degree in choral conducting from the Frankfurt Musikhochschule in 1984.
Dr. Matthew Maheffey – Associate Director of Choral Activities; BM Bucknell Univ, MM Westminster Choir College, DMA Univ of Arizona.
http://www.music.umn.edu/graduate/index.php

Yale University:
Professors:
Marguerite Brooks – Director of Choral Music; MM in Choral Music
Dr. Jeffrey Douma – Associate Professor of Choral Music; BM Concordia Univ, MM & DMA Univ of Michigan
Simon Carrington – Professor of Choral Music; MA in Choral Music
http://music.yale.edu/academics/conducting.html
http://www.yale.edu/ism/academics/choral.html

University of South Carolina:
Professors:
Dr. Lynn Wyatt – Director of Choral Activities; degrees from Murray State University, The University of North Texas, and Florida State University.
Joseph Modica – Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education; BM Chapman, MM CSU Long Beach, DMA (Finishing) Univ of South Carolina
http://www.music.sc.edu/ea/choral/index.html

Americas Choral Journey Video #3

This video is almost twice as long as the other two, but it covers 3 legends; Charles Hirt (USC), Warner Imig (UCB) and Robert Fountain (UW-Madison).

There are two songs featured on this video; April is in my mistress' face, and O Magnum Mysterium both performed by the Cambridge Singers.

PROGRAM

I have not been able to post for awhile, since I am preparing for my finals. However, I have been working on learning how to program music, mainly through my own self-education of reading books and blogs (example; richard sparks) on the topic of choral music programming.



I have decided to share my first program I have ever written (but will not perform), it is only for learning how to program the music. I have score studied these pieces and based theme all on the theme of "Centuries of Sacred Choral Music". I hope to receive your thoughts and opinions about my program. I will use them as a learning.

Centuries of Sacred Choral Music

Adoramus Te - Palestrina, Ed. Leavitt - (16th century)

Hear my prayer, O Lord - Henry Purcell -(16th century)

Cantate Domino - Claudio Monteverdi - (17th century)

Ich bin eine rufende Stimme - Heinrich Schutz (17th century)

O Jesu Christ, Mein Lebens Licht - J.S. Bach - (18th century)

Locus Iste - Anton Bruckner - (19th century)

Ochte Nash - Antony Arensky - (19th century)

Notre Pere - Maurice Durufle - (20th century)

Alleluia - Terry Schlenker - (20th century)

Overall the program would run about an hour. Features German, latin, French, English, and Old Slavic languages. Some pieces are acapella and two are accompanied by the organ. The biggest piece would be the one by Bach, and the shortest piece would Notre Pere by Durufle. Hope to hear your comments. I also hope I can perform this program sometime in the next year or so, because I really like these pieces, especially since I have studied them.

NW ACDA Convention (Vancouver) 2008

This past week I spent Thursday at the NW ACDA Convention in Vancouver BC, which is a beautiful city. For being an ACDA student member it was my first time going to a divisional convention, and it was amazing. Before this convention I had only been to the 2007 Summer Institute in Tacoma WA which was held at the University of Puget Sound. Going to the convention in Vancouver was beneficial not only myself, but my friends and fellow students that attended the convention learned alot.

As the WWU-ACDA student chapter president, I was excitedly-happy for all the students that got to attend the Convention, since some of them couldn't afford it without the club. Through the club I applied and obtained a grant through the Associated Students of Western for $1500 to pay for all of the hotel costs to all 10 WWU-ACDA members and 2 alumni that wanted to attend the convention. I had told them all year that this convention was something that they could not miss, for they would learn alot about the choral education/performance field, and they did. All of the WWU-ACDA members that went had a great time, attended workshops, received music packets, and some even performed at the convention.

One of my friends that attended was Matt Bell, who is a music major at WWU with me, but doesn't quit know yet what he wants to do, whether it is composition, vocal performance or music education. I think he has a great talent in leading a group, especially his accapella group that sings mainly barbershop music. I took Matt to a conducting workshop with Dr. Hilary Aplestadt from Ohio State University, and Matt really liked what he learned while there. We also attended a concert session that featured a middle school choir called "Mad Jazz" (no they didn't sing jazz, its just a name), and after their amazing performance, they got a standing ovation for over 5 minutes. All the choirs that followed did not get such an enthusiastic applause. After seeing Matt this week, he is now thinking about being a music education major (choral of course), so he could teach middle school students.

I on the other hand only got to be at the convention for Thursday only, but it went from Thursday Feb 21 thru Saturday Feb 23. I had to leave to go back to Seattle for some Family stuff. But, I would have to say the whole highlight of my convention experience was being within 5 feet of a conducting LEGEND, Rodney Eichenberger.(http://www.rodneyeichenberger.com/) He has taught doctoral students at the University of Washington, University of Southern California, and Florida State University. His past students include great conductors like; Dale Warland, Dr. Richard Sparks, Dr. Gregory Vancil, Dr. Lawrence Kaptein, Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, Dr. Jerry Blackstone, Dr. David Dickau, and many more. Knowing who Eichenberger was, I wanted to introduce myself, but he was surrounded by dozens of people, and by the time the crowd left he was leaving with his colleagues. So I never got to meet Eichenberger and tell him about all the stories or choral lessons I had learned from his former student Dr. Greg Vancil. I do hope I get the chance to meet him again at another convention.
Another experience I had during the convention was when Matt and I were in the Conducting Workshop with Dr. Aplestadt. The piece we worked on during the workshop was If Ye Love Me by Thomas Tallis. Now other than Matt and myself, there were 25 other college students (all undergrads) and about 5 teachers (these ones were sitting in to sing). Much to my surprise when Dr. Aplestadt asked "how many of you have sung this piece or know this piece?", I was the only person in the room to raise my hand (other than the teachers), not one of the other undergrads had sung it, and some did not know anything about this choral standard. At that point I was thinking, why aren't these students learning about the standards of choral literature, from Renaissance to 20th century. I mean I know that I study choral literature in my spare time (which makes me a choral geek), but these students were 1-2 years ahead of me in school and finished with music history, but some didn't know that Thomas Tallis was a Renaissance composer. So I thought to myself, why don't public colleges sing more sacred pieces. A great example of a few schools that sing more sacred pieces would be; University of Washington and Pacific Lutheran University. At WWU I believe the program focuses more on 20th century and 21st century choral music, since you will hear classical and baroque pieces only in 1 quarter per year. But, then again not all choral students grew up singing in church choirs like I did. I just wish that more choral students are exposed to the standards of choral music like I have, because they are great pieces and they are the backbone of Choral Literature.

Other than that, I loved the convention and all the choirs that performed were great! I cannot wait for next years 2009 Oklahoma City ACDA National Convention.

Expressive Choral Singing

In Choral Rehearsals I have seen multiple Choral Conductors use words to get their choirs to show emotions for a phrase or a word in a piece of choral music. An example would be when a conductor tells his/her choir to feel “longing” for a phrase or “loss” for this phrase. Then there is times when conductors use scenes to get emotive singing from their choirs, for instance; when a conductor says “to end this phrase make it as if it were a sunset with the sun slowly fading, then its gone”. This can work well for some choirs, but my main thought is that not every has seen the same sunset(s), not everyone feel longing or loss in the same ways.

Since thnking about all this I have come up with some variations on what conductors can do in a rehearsal to help get emotive singing from their choir(s). For a sunset “ending of a phrse”, literally blow up a COLOR picture of a sunset or use a video (with no sound) to show to your choir, and as they see this, read them a poem and use it as an example of how to give a “sunset ending”. Another one of my ideas would be for emotion would be; play a movie without sound ( a love scene or death scene, etc) and have the choir sing their (love emotions or loss emotions) while watching the scene (as if the choir was the soundtrack).

These can be useful to help gain expressive/artistic/emotive singing from a HS/MS/College and possibly a professional/community choir. It wouldnt hurt to try something new. I have seen it work well at the college level. I also have more example that can be used in a choral rehearsal. I just feel that saying (sing this phrase with the color red or brown or purple, etc) can only go so far. Unison Expression in a Choir is what a group is about.

Choral Intonation (Listen Closely....)

I listen to an astonishing amount of choral music. This music involves tons of different ensembles, conductors, and types of music. In all of this listening/learning I tend to listen for specific things, but more often I listen for CHORAL INTONATION.
I believe that as a conductor this is what we all try to master. Depending on your group and the style of music, your intonation will change to fit the style. Well in my search to find the best sounding choirs I can listen to, I have come to realize that the best sounding choirs have 1 element that helps make the ensemble intonation sound amazing, and most people probably overlook this when listening to choral groups. For Example; Dale Warland Singers are known througout the United States as “An Amazing Choir” especially their sound. University of Miami Frost Chorale directed by Dr. Jo-michael Scheibe i believe is one of the best choral groups at the collegiate level. Other choirs would be Ars Nova Singers (Thomas Morgan), The Esoterics (Dr. Eric Banks), Choir of the West (Dr. Richard Sparks), Seattle Pro Musica (Karen P. Thompson), University of Michigan Choirs (Jerry Blackstone), BYU Singers (Dr. Ronald Staheli) etc.
What I have determined by all this is that all the best sounding choirs have conductors who are composers or arrangers/editors. I believe that with those skills comes the ability of giving finer detail to Choral Intonation then conductors with conducting degrees. Now, dont get me wrong there are amazing choral conductors who are not prolific composers/arrangers in the United States that I have heard and greatly admire; Dr. Richard Sparks (Choral Arts NW, Pro Coro Canada), Dr. Joe Miller (Westminster Choir College), Peter Phillips (Tallis Scholars), Dr. Greg Vancil (Seattle Bach Choir), and there are a few more.
So just a thought that if you listen closely to a choir conducted someone who works as a composer/arranger, and then listen to the same song conducted by a different choir with a conductor who does not compose or arrange music you will notice the difference in Choral Intonation (with some exception to the great Choral Conductors listed above (sparks, Vancil, Phillips, etc).
But all of those conductors that I have listed are what I define as the best choral directors.