Rewind 6 years. I’m in my very first choir: a children’s chorale. After the first rehearsal, I was hooked.

Flash forward. It’s now, I’m in school for music education. I’m directing a choir. Who’da thunk?

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In all honesty, I couldn’t be more excited. My instructor let me into his sophomore-level class (Intro to Music Education it’s called), and I’m learning things in the morning, and applying them in my classroom the very same day.

While my teacher was out of town on an adjudication job, he let his wife teach class. This very same spouse is the one who directed my first experience in choir and really ignited my love for music. I talk to her for 3 minutes and I suddenly feel like I know nothing about music anymore. This woman!

We went through some very detailed activities and lesson plans, and I suddenly feel like I can really teach where I’m at. Instead of being just a performance-based ensemble, we’re learning music theory (I taught rhythmic dictation today!), how to harmonize, as well as learning music for a performance. We’re having so much fun, too! 

I’ve had to stop myself from making lesson plans through the rest of the year. I’m ready to see what other progress these kids can make.

I know I’ve been slacking on the home front. Making a post for this blog is sometimes difficult because there aren’t always huge milestones to report back on. 

However…

Tomorrow (as promised) I’m starting to teach the choralography for some of our older songs. I only have two of four songs’ movements mapped out (sign language being the actions for one of the songs!), so I’ve got to get working on the last two.

Here’s a video of the kind of “choralography” I’ll be doing with the BGVoices: 

Cheers to getting something good!

buzzzzzzzzzzzzing

emkap:

I just want you all to see the massive to-do list that I conquered earlier this week. It feels like a new haircut. So many fewer things I have to worry about for the children’s choir.

yay!

In my first week, I’ve sort of figured out who my audience is and how to approach them. I’m used to being the cool adult at the club that kindergarteners color pictures for and always want 1-on-1 board game time with. I guess it won’t always be like that anymore.

It is common knowledge that a ‘director’ stands in front of his musicians to guide them throughout a score of music. How am I supposed to do that when we’ve always been side by side?

I guess it’s a confidence thing. Gotta work on that.