The Chorister
Winter Issue 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. The Chorister: Cover Page 2. Raber: Those Who Wish to Sing... 3. Photo Flash! 4. Archuleta: Get on Your Mark! 7. Saylor: What Great Directors Do... 9. Photo Flash! 11. What’s in the Folder?
12. Whipple: We Need to Provide... 14. Culloton: Concord Canticles 17. Reminders 19. Voeller: Instilling a Love for Music 20. Conference Corner 21. Showcase Concert Choirs 22. Noble: Transforming Conducting
Those That Wish to Sing... Rebecca Raber, NDACDA President & Chorister Editor “Those that wish to sing always find a song.” As I finished the assigned reading for one of my classes this week, I discovered, hidden at the end of a chapter, a heart-warming story of the enduring and sustaining power of music. During World War II, on the Pacific Front, several non-combatants (missionaries and teachers) were imprisoned by the Japanese on the Island of Sumatra. Men were separated from the women and children and each were sent to prison camps, moving several times in the process. Disease and malnutrition were constant companions to the prisoners. Despite the turmoil and fear that must have been evident in such an uncertain and frightening situation, the captives used singing to soothe and sustain their spirits. Margaret Dryburgh (1890-1945) was a British missionary and musician who was held captive in one of the Sumatra prison camps. Her stalwart spirit and strong-willed character encouraged her fellow detainees. Almost from the beginning, she led informal singing gatherings and even wrote four-part a cappella arrangements for the women to sing. Norah Chambers, another trained musician within the camp, helped Dryburgh in writing arrangements and forming a choir. Even the Japanese guards were enchanted by the musicians and their music, allowing them to hold concerts and were often in attendance. Though they had no sheet music or instruments, their memories of music proved to be a lasting and precious gift to them.
In their first Christmas detained in the prison camp the captives bonded together by singing familiar Christmas carols. Dryburgh also arranged famous instrumental pieces such as “Largo” from Dvorak’s New World Symphony and “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach from memory for the women to sing in their “vocal orchestra.” Dryburgh also penned a short poem to be sung a cappella by the women , The Captive’s Hymn. It is a lovely and gentle prayer for peace, understanding and hope around the world. “Grant that nations under Thee O’er the world may brothers be, Cleansed by suffering, know rebirth, SeeThy kingdom come on earth.” For three years the chorus continued until finally, many members died due to disease or starvation. Sadly, Margaret Dryburgh also succumbed to the harsh conditions and did not survive to return to Britain after the war. However, the power and hopefulness of her story have endured to inspire so many others. The 1997 film Paradise Road tells the story of the womens’ survival of adversity through music, hope and pure creative spirit. The film stars Glenn Close, Francis McDormand, Julianna Margulies and Cate Blanchett. The story is based on the narrative of Betty Jeffrey (a camp survivor) as written in her book “White Coolies.” If you are drawn to this story and want to watch the film, it is available on both Netflix (DVD rental) and also Amazon Prime as well as perhaps your local video store. You can also find the music through Theodore Presser under “Song of Survival.” “Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song.” -- Plato
Photo Flash
St. Marys
NDSU Madrigal Singers
Bismarck High School
Get on Your Mark! Mary Pat Archuleta, West Representative Greetings! I hope this finds all of you sighing (just a little) now that Fall Concerts are over and we’re all well into our Holiday Concert Season. When school starts in late August we hum right along, excited by the newness and fun of a new year, but before long it seems like we’re running a “marathon” until nearly Thanksgiving to get fall music going, fundraisers started, meetings attended, continuous education classwork done, fees-fees-FEES collected, not to mention lessons with students, and the constant preparation for AUDITIONS! It’s also the allimportant time to really set the tone with your choirs and nurture a positive climate for good singing. This year, immediately after my fall concert, I had a student teacher begin her secondary student teaching requirement, so she had the opportunity to see how busy things can be in the fall and into Christmas. One of the many things I like to introduce to my students (and student teachers) is the HOW to MARK MUSIC. I begin our rehearsals with many of the same things as you all do: vocal warm ups, a backrub to work out knots in those shoulders and neck, and some visual reminders. One of the things I do is hold up MY Pencil, as we warm up to remind them I want ‘pencils out’ as we begin the rehearsal. I remember marking music in my high school rehearsals, but I REALLY remembered marking music in college— while working in the music department at NDSU, but also in our daily Concert Choir rehearsals. My mentor was the late Dr. Edwin Fissinger and it was his practice to use a bright RED colored pencil to mark his scores. I started his practice in my own work as a choral director and have broadened it to several different colored pencils. I also encourage my students to mark “in color” if they have a colored pencil with them during rehearsal. Usually this work begins in my office before I ever step to the podium, but I have that colored pencil out to show my kids that they are
going to make notes in their music. Why? To make them better musicians. I am a list maker and a visual learner. I find that when I make notes about the things I need to do during my day, I remember to do them and am a great deal more efficient. When I can visually SEE notes and comments, I remember and do them. If I don’t write some things down, even though my life is FULL of great technology, I sometimes forget. This really is the case with making mental notes on our page of music as well isn’t it? Whether I’m a singer in an ensemble, or the conductor of a piece of music—if I have reminders and mental notes about vowel shape, breath, crescendos, cut offs, etc. I am more apt to perform much better! It seems like a simple thing, but it really can be a big deal! Bringing bright color on my pages makes those markings stand out even more! So where to begin and what should we mark? First, I begin a new piece of music, I like to play through it, listening to parts, etc. and then begin with cut offs needed. What beat are we cutting off on? What consonant is necessary to cut the specified word? A “T”, “D”, or “ST” ending?” So, I slash through the exact beat with my red pencil, showing exactly which consonant I want to HEAR. And I circle the beat above the measure to remind myself of exactly which beat we’re cutting. I work through all parts in this way. Next, I draw arrows “to the Right” to remind singers to sing the whole note out to the end of the measure and not give up early. (Give that note “it’s full value”.) Second, I look through the piece again only addressing vowels. What sort of shape do I want? What lip formation is necessary to get a unified sound? I use IPA certainly, but after many years of teaching, I have also found that students like a “helper” word to remember the desired vowel sound sometimes. Or a picture?
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So, for example, if our text says, “vado ben speso cangiando loco” I write it out phonetically above the syllables. “Vah-doh behn speh-soh cahn-geeahn-doh loh-coh”. Even after I explain the difference between a “hard G” and a “soft G” I can sometimes still have a student look at me crosseyed, so I write in my “helper” word above the word in question. So, for ‘gee’, I would write the helper word “Jesus” or “jeans” or something similar that will trigger their memory about what sound is needed. Be CREATIVE—find that fun word that will help them remember the word they struggle to remember or pronounce. I also find that kids still like to see a long or short sound above a vowel. This colorful marking kind of thing works for me but it may not work for everyone. I sure don’t profess to know it all, but this has been something to help me study my scores more
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effectively, and ultimately as I work through marking the piece we’re working on, we can better establish the “road map” of the piece. (Especially if it has multiple endings, or a Coda, etc.) Being that visual learner, I like reminders in my scores so that I’m certain I don’t let the students down as I cue and conduct. Using COLOR really pulls my eyes in and those reminders JUMP out at me. We are that safety net for our awesome singers and we need to really be on our toes to make sure they do their very best in their performances, whether in our ensembles or as soloists for auditions or contest opportunities! So here’s hoping you can grab a box of Colored Pencils and have some fun! The kids like it, I like it and it makes the work we do more rewarding!
What Great Directors Do Differently Brian Saylor, Show Choirs R & S In the interest of full disclosure, this article is patterned after a book by Todd Whitaker called What Great Teachers Do Differently (14 Things That Matter Most). I decided to use some of the themes and ideas from his book and look at some things that I have learned from the great choir directors I have sat under and had the pleasure to work and teach with. I firmly believe that self-improvement starts by studying others who have the qualities you desire. We all have had great directors, and maybe a few not-so-great directors. We learn from all of them. From some we learn things that we hope never to do, others we begin to pattern ourselves after. It’s About People Not Programing Great choral directors understand that students sing in a choir largely because of the emotional and community aspects of singing. The difficulty of the literature, the balance, the blend, and all of the other technical aspects of creating great music are secondary to the way a student feels when participating in the choir. Choir directors must realize that students long for a place of safety and acceptance. It is imperative that the student is at the center of each task of the choir. Simple things like a choir director taking the time to say something, or a simple action can be earth shattering for an individual. Often the choral director may not even remember the statement or action that was life changing. Choral directors may never know how many times, in the interest of doing their “job,� they impact a student in a way that will last for years. This is one of the amazing aspects of being a music educator. It is imperative to build a choral program around the needs and personalities of the student. The Power of High Expectations In a choral classroom the director has the ability to set the tone. The student will perform at the level in which they are expected to perform. Setting high expectations is a two-part process. First there must be a set standard of achievement for each and every student.
This standard must be lofty, while simultaneously being attainable. Great choral directors must also have high expectations for themselves as teachers. Having high expectations for students is a common theme in almost every setting. It is much more difficult to have high selfexpectations. Setting high standards for students is manifested in three primary areas; behavior, musical, and sensitivity. Setting a high standard for behavior is as simple as designing a room with specific expectations. The director has the power to design a place of safety and respect. The most difficult aspect of designing this environment is the daily consistency required to make the acceptable system of behavior the norm, rather than a set of rules which are rarely followed. Setting high a musical standard means adequately challenging students into aspects of music that push their own learning. If the standard of literature is too easy the student is able to accomplish the task without stretching themselves as a singer and musician. If the music is far too difficult, it will inhibit their ability to include the more rewarding aspects of making music that we often refer to as interpretation. Finding a balance between challenging the student while simultaneously allowing the natural reward of musical success is difficult, however when it is found it is extremely rewarding for both the student and the director. The third aspect of high expectations is musical sensitivity. This is the most rewarding aspect of a musical performance. If the director chooses literature that overextends the ability of the ensemble it can be devastating to the learning process. This leads to multiple intense rehearsals trying to learn notes, rhythms, and other technical aspects of the music. Great choral directors understand that students need to have adequate time to enjoy the sensitive aspects of creating music. Having time to interpret text, match text to musical motive, and think through dynamic elements that help to create an affective experience simultaneously for musician and audience. This is often the point where the music takes over and becomes an experience rather than just a performance.
Who is the Variable? According to research done by Robert Marzano and other educational experts, the number one factor in student achievement is the teacher. I would argue that the same is true in a choir room. The director is the variable. A great choir director will be able to inspire students to reach above and beyond their perceived potential. Often directors see abilities and talents in students that are not immediately seen by others. As the student begins the process of selfdiscovery it is the job of the choral director to encourage them to reach their full potential. This begins the process of a great singer which enhances the choir. Great choral directors understand the power of capacity building in students. They must evaluate the current status of the performance ensemble not monthly or weekly, but rather minute by minute in each rehearsal. This evaluation must be fluid and quick, and is essential in the development of the performance groups. Once a specific need is detected the director begins the process of developing the skills necessary to overcome the need. This is successfully accomplished in various ways. The method of intervention is not nearly as important as the ability of the director to correctly build the skill in the singers and groups they direct.
Cool to Care In a perfect world each individual community member would be care about every other member of the group. In reality this is difficult. It is the job of a great choir director to instill a sense of care in the ensemble. They must care for each other, and also for the ensemble as a community. Once they consistently see the director showing how much they care then they will begin the process of caring for each other. This is an exciting process to watch in the ensemble. The most effective groups at caring will begin to function like a family. They celebrate, rejoice, laugh, cry, and grieve together. This is a powerful aspect of building a sense of deep community and care for each other. In this season of hectic and busy schedules, let us all remember why we became choral directors. Help us to influence the students daily to be better than they think they can be. Help us to teach them how to care for each other, as much as they care about making good music. And most importantly, let us teach them how to express the feelings, thoughts, and emotions that they never thought possible through the wonderful gift of music.
Educating the next generation of outstanding musicians. Tour Performance Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Saints Anne & Joachim Church Fargo, ND Check us out on Youtube “Prairie Storm” by Dr. Tom Porter University of Mary Concert Choir
Dr. Tom Porter Director of Choral Activities Katherine Henjum Associate Professor of Music, Voice Contact the U-Mary Music Department to learn more: music@umary.edu www.umary.edu/music 800-288-6279, ext. 8301
The University of Mary Music Department is defined by a commitment to excellence. Vocal music students have the opportunity to study Concert Choir, Vocal Jazz, Vocal Arts Ensemble, Chamber Choir, Musical Theater, and Private and Class Voice Lessons. Scholarships are available for music majors as well as students majoring in other areas who participate in music ensembles. Audition dates for 2012–2013 are December 1, January 26, and February 18. Students may contact the music department to arrange a campus visit and scholarship audition on a different date. Students living more than 250 miles from campus may send a recorded audition.
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Institute dates: June 17-28, 2013 For registration information: Dr. Kathy Rolsten, 218.477.4091 kathy.rolsten@mnstate.edu
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What’s in the Folder ?
Fall, 2012
Mary Pat Archuleta
Brad Sherwood
Bismarck Century
Grand Forks Red River
Maggie, milly and molly and may - Joan Szymko O Vos Omnes - Tomas Luis de Victoria Sing Unto God - GF Handel Set Me as a Seal - Edwin Fissinger Fyer, Fyer, My Heart - Thomas Morley Barter - Rene Clausen Will There Really Be a Morning - Craig Hella Johnson Moonglow - Darmon Meader The Nearness of You - Shaw
Sicut Cervus - Palestrina Anoj Pusej Dunojelio - Vaclovas Agustinas Jauchzet dem Herrn - Heinrich Schutz Idumea - Richard Bjella Mojuba - Brian Tate Contre Qui, Rose - Morten Lauridsen Laudibus in Sanctis - William Byrd
Sarah Hanson Michael Weber
Ben Franklin
North Dakota State University
Jabula Jesu - 8th grade choir Winter Songs - 7th grade choir When You Believe - Show Choir
Madrigal Singers Thoughts on Nature - Edwin Fissinger Feller From Fortune - arr. Harry Somers Un Canadien Errant - arr. Donald Kendrick Duerme Negrito - Emilio Sole
Michael Stevenson Dickinson High School Hark, All ye lovely Saint - Weelkes Black is the Color - Churchill The Little White Hen - Scandello In You I Found - Farnell Americana - Zaninelli
Tom Young Red River High School The Roadside Fire - Michael Larkin Locus Iste - Bruckner My Song Goes On - Earlene Rentz Gentle Annie - Robert Lau Early One Morning - Mary DeMaris The Word was God - Rosephanye Powell Come to Me O My Love - Allan Petker I Will Arise - arr. Shaw/Parker Come AGain Sweet Love - John Dowland Over the Sea to Skye - Cristi Cary Miller
Bruce Southard Dickinson State University Panda Chant II - Meredith Monk In te Domine speravi - Dietrich Buxtehude Two Cummings Choruses - Vincent Persichetti Sing Joyfully - William Byrd Salve crux pretiosa - Claudio Monteverdi The Garden of Love - Rodney Money Magany - Gyorgy Ligeti Ket kanon - Gyorgy Ligeti
Tom Porter
Phillip Voeller
Shelley Zietz
University of Mary
Beulah High School
Fargo North HS
Alleluia - Randall Thompson Rotala - Juris Karlsons Mouth Music - Keane/Faulkner Ceann Dubh Dilish - Michael McGlynn Danny Boy - arr. Joseph Flummerfelt Nunc Dimittis - Palestrina Song of Cherubim - Krzysztof Penderecki Lux Aeterna - Tom Porter
Farvel - Daniel Pederson I Want to be Ready - Moses Hogan Jenga Imani Yako - Israel Kagaruki How Like a Winter - Ruth Morris Gray Je Le Vous Dirai! - arr. Sherri Porterfiled Swingin’ with the Saints - arr. Mark Hayes Elijah Rock - Moses Hogan
Zigeunerleben - Schumann The Blue Bird - Stanford Linden Lea - Ralph Vaughan Williams I Hear a Voice a Prayin’ - Greg Gilpin My God is So High - Moses Hogan Tshotsholoza - Jeffrey Ames I Will Arise - Shaw/Parker O My Luv’s Like a Red, Red Rose - Rene Clausen
We Need to Provide Opportunities Ryan Whipple, Ethnic/Multicultural R & S Giving our students the opportunity to observe quality live performances is one of the most important responsibilities a music teacher has. These types of performances do not come often for many schools in rural North Dakota. Sometimes we need to seek out performers who are willing to help educate our students through concerts and master classes. However, after travel, lodging, food and the artist’s fee are calculated, bringing professional performers might seem like an impossible task. In North Dakota there is a wonderful tool to help alleviate the costs of such events. The North Dakota Council on the Arts has several grants that are available for various levels of residencies. For the past two years, Hettinger Public School has applied for, and been awarded, the Artist in Residence Grant, which provides funding for half of the cost up to $5,000. The residency must be a minimum of three days and the artist has to be approved by the North Dakota Council on the Arts. The process for becoming an approved artist is not difficult but is something that the artist needs to be willing to do. For our latest residency we brought in The Coats, an a cappella quartet from Seattle, Washington. The Coats have performed all over the world for the past twenty years. In 1994 the group was the Grand National Champion of the National Harmony Sweepstakes. They have performed the “National Anthem” countless times for Mariners and
Seahawks games, been featured on the NBC TV show “Fraiser” and have even performed for the President of the United States. Initially my students did not seem overly excited at the thought of three days of intense rehearsals, which would eventually end with a capstone performance featuring our choirs with The Coats. However, from the first moment The Coats began to sing for the high school choir, I was pleasantly surprised to hear many of my students whisper “Wow!”, or “Holy Cow!” For me as the educator, the most rewarding outcome of the residency was watching my students blossom as musicians. It was astounding to witness the students in the children’s choir, junior high and high school choirs become so inspired. When we bring professional ensembles to our school, our community also is provided with an opportunity to witness the outcomes of the artists working with our students. Additionally, if the artist is willing to do a separate community performance, members of the community also get a chance to see high quality performances by highly qualified musicians. These opportunities will help to develop support for our music programs as well as provide cultural growth. I encourage everyone to make an effort to write one of these grants. The process is lengthy, but the rewards highly outweigh the time it takes! Information on the grants can be found at www.nd.gov/arts.
Concord Canticles Rene Clausen’s Anniversary Gift to ACDA of MN Michael Culloton, Guest Column In November, the Minnesota choral community will witness and participate in the premiere of René Clausen’s new work, Concord Canticles, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of ACDA of MN. In August, as the new academic year was dawning on the campus of Concordia College, Michael Culloton sat down with Dr. Clausen to discuss this new piece. MC – Good morning, René. I’ve enjoyed this sneak peek at your new piece a great deal! What was the impetus for the writing of it? RC – Actually, I volunteered to write the piece for this specific event. This really is a gift to ACDA for the 50th anniversary. The whole idea was to give back to ACDA, especially our state organization. MC – The score is in four movements with fairly different texts. How did you select them and how do they fit together under the title of Concord Canticles? RC – If you look up the word ‘concord’, it means unity, together, words like that that are synonyms for togetherness. Part of the battle is to – well, it’s a big battle… there were a lot of things to figure out about this piece that were similar to when I wrote the 9/11 piece, Memorial, because the question is what do you write about? The prescription for me was that they wanted to include a children’s choir, a high school honor choir, an adult choir, and a college choir, so there were all these various levels. How do you write one piece that focuses, or at least gives some clear distinctive use of each of those choirs, and yet have it all fit together as one piece? So the first goal is to understand that I wasn’t writing for one level of choir, but really for the gamut all in the same piece. And then it’s not like writing a mass setting or a Requiem or even an anthem that has this specific text, but it’s about creating a series of texts that celebrates ACDA in Minnesota, so that was some of the most difficult work… going through a lot of texts and ideas. While spending some time online and researching texts I actually found a Minnesota gentleman who had put together a rather comprehensive collection of Minnesota
folk songs that went clear back to the 18th century, and that’s where I thought of the idea of making this piece a journey. MC – This journey begins in a place far from home. Talk about the use of a Swedish text and tune for the basis of the first movement. RC - I ran into this folk song, ‘Hälsa Dem Därhemma,’ and decided to use it as the basis for the first movement, which we do in Swedish. This tune is about leaving home. The translation of the title is ‘Greet the folks at home.’ This song was translated into virtually every Scandinavian text and is about people leaving home and going to the new country. As I was piecing this together I thought it would make sense to start there. This is about the roots of who these people are, and this tune and idea works well with the children’s voices. MC – How did you settle on the orchestration for the piece? RC - Originally this was going to be for brass choir, but I spoke to Bruce Becker and said that children’s choir and brass choir don’t always work so well together, so I asked for a woodwind quintet in addition to the brass. There is also an organ used in several spots throughout the work. There are also going to be narrations throughout the piece and Bruce (Becker) volunteered to do it, which will be very fun. They won’t be long, but they will provide connective tissue between the sections. Bruce will be the perfect narrator as our leader within the state. MC – How does the second movement advance the journey that you are going for with these texts? RC - The adults start the second movement and the young voices echo back and forth. The text is lines from Wendell Berry’s Within the Circle of our Years, and it connects to the previous text by bringing us all together – the intersecting circle of our years together.
MC – There’s a special moment in the second movement that will be very special.
without being too specific, is to say that we are a wide family; we come from many influences.
RC – Yes, I hope so. When we look at ACDA of MN and this occasion, we need to celebrate the major, dominant influence in Minnesota that was F. Melius Christiansen. I simply couldn’t ignore the figure of F. Melius Christiansen. Well how do you do that? I think one of his most well-known arrangements is ‘O Day Full Of Grace,’ so I put the famous v o c a l introduction as he arranged it in the brass during a transition over which will be a brief narration about his impact on choral music in our state, and then the audience will join along with the singing of the hymn. I think it will be a nice moment. It begins in unison and then goes into parts so all can sing in harmony with a trumpet descant and the wonderful organ at St. Andrew’s. This will be a moment to honor the tradition.
MC – At a glance this movement also appears as though it could have been done a cappella, but you use a solo oboe to accompany the choir.
MC – The third movement, ‘Let Us Be United,’ feels like the calm before the storm that is the sweeping fourth movement. RC –Two things: this is a dense, textural moment about the beauty of the choral sound. Musically I wanted to have this anthem-type moment. The second thing is that this text from the Rig Veda allows us to speak about the variety of influences and traditions in our choral world, as well as the greater humanity that is obviously being addressed. Think about all the influences including Sateren, Fleming, Argento, the Christiansens. And Philip Brunelle and Dale Warland – those are huge influences! The reason for this text,
RC – The oboe is a color. The chorus part has a fair amount of stasis; it’s about hovering. The cadence points are long with color chords, and a soaring oboe over it lends a forward motion and provides more melodic sense. I just heard oboe with this. I thought it was important and significant to have an F. Melius moment, but also important to have a non-F. Melius moment too, and the narration that leads into this will address those other influences. MC – And just as the audience is reveling in the serenity of this movement you bring the momentum back and the fourth movement ushers in a whole new energy and musical sweep. Talk about this final movement. RC – It’s about seven minutes – it’s a relatively long anthem-type movement. The text is a Jewish Prayer – ‘A Divine Voice Sings Throughout Creation’ and I use a portion of the text as a recurring refrain throughout: “How wonderful, Creator God, the arch of the skies displays your handiwork.” It’s a fun text to set because of all the imagery, and I especially love the last bit of text: “In your goodness you have made us able to hear the music of the world.” It just seemed so appropriate and right to use this text for the finale of this piece. Near the end there is a section on the word ‘alleluia.’ The alleluia theme cascades between the soprano and the tenor – I put it at close imitation. I like the idea of the cascading alleluia that is followed by the straightforward ending. I keep returning to the refrain of “A divine voice sings throughout all creations.” I think the piece will work for this occasion and I hope that it fulfills people’s expectations of the piece.
CONFERENCE NEED A MENTOR?
Are you a new teacher, or someone that would like a few fresh ideas to work into your classroom? Contact the NDACDA president to be connected with a veteran teacher to mentor you!
RECRUIT & INVITE
Don’t forget to recruit new members to our organization! We want to make our organization a vital and living resource to all of our state’s teachers.! If you know someone who should be a NDACDA member, please refer them to the President or Membership Chair.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to all the folks who work together to make NDACDA a supportive and vibrant organization for its members. We appreciate your hard work and dedication!
Reminders
NDACDA
THANK YOU to all the folks that have been working to plan and facilitate our upcoming 2013 Conference in Grand Forks. Your help and cooperation are very much appreciated. Congratulations to all of the Conference honor choirs!
HE T R FO R E T L IS REG ATIONA E! N ENC R E C CO N
TELL YOUR STUDENTS!!! NDACDA water bottles on sale at 2013 Conference
Instilling a Love for Music Phillip Voeller, Senior High School Choirs R & S The life of a choral director can be pure chaos at times. With the hustle and bustle of honor choir auditions, concerts, practice CD’s, choosing quality literature, fundraisers, and meeting after meeting it can be easy to lose sight of exactly what our number one priority is in this profession. What exactly is the objective for your students? You may be pondering items such as learning rudimental skills, theory, counting, breath support, or phrasing. Will your students retain your objective? Will your objective carry any life lessons? How will you reach this objective? We can stand in front of a choir and preach concepts all day and every day, but if they don’t have the ambition to learn, they won’t. I grew up around horses and I firmly believe in the saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.” To ensure that learning is taking place within your classroom, you need to instill a passion for music within every student. Once their love for music has been unlocked, the possibilities for learning are endless.
Our main objective as music educators should be for every student to love music. What successful music program have you seen where the students don’t LOVE music? Anything beyond instilling a love for music is secondary and will fall into place. If the kids leave
the room singing and humming, it was a successful day and learning took place. How do we instill a love for music? It’s really easier than you think and it starts with who you see in the mirror. Are you
approaching rehearsal with a positive attitude? Do you love the music your choir is singing? Your students will reflect your approach and attitude toward rehearsal. It is imperative to maintain positivity even on the darkest of days. Never forget to enjoy your students. They work very hard for you and you can never show enough appreciation towards them. If your students know they are appreciated they will work that much harder for you. When the going gets tough never nag and never point fingers. Never endanger losing any positive emotion. This will ensure a safe atmosphere and sense of belonging within the ensemble. It is never acceptable to sacrifice a positive emotion to push any agenda. Successful programs feed on a diet of pure positive emotion, even when the going is tough. As spring semester approaches, I wish you all the best with your ensembles. I look forward to seeing you at our state conference along with hundreds of students
Conf er ence Corner. . .
Other than the fact the January is a cold month, it’s a nice relaxing time of year. We survived the holiday season; we had time away from school to rejuvenate; and the school year is half over. Time does fly! Now we are gearing up for our state conference which will be held February 1 & 2, 2013 at Grand Forks Central High School. Here are a few highlights of the conference that will ensure that we and our students can enjoy the celebration of great choral music and musicians. HONOR CHOIRS Treble Honor Choir - Conducted by Deb Wald from Davies High School in Fargo Mixed Honor Choir - Conducted by David Brunner from the University of Central Florida Mr. Brunner was commissioned to write a piece for the conference and it will be premiered at the concert
Men’s Honor Choir - Conducted by Matthew Mehaffey from the University of Minnesota SHOWCASE CONCERT (Friday night) Bismarck High School New Generation Jazz Singers - Conducted by Mike Seil Red River High School - Conducted by Brad Sherwood Grand Forks Master Chorale - Conducted by Joshua Bronfman INTEREST SESSIONS Charlette Moe from NDSU will present a session on “Promoting Purposeful Productivity in Rehearsal” Christopher Redfearn from Valley City State University will present a session on choral orchestral works Andrew Miller from Bismarck State College will present a session Joshua Bronfman from the University of North Dakota will present a session Mike Seil from Bismarck High School will present a session on vocal jazz Reading session led by our state R & S chairs. Registration for the conference will begin at 11:30 a.m., Friday, Feb.1 at Grand Forks Red River High School. The fee for members will be $35. The registration fee for 1st year teachers will be waived. Members of NDACDA Student Chapters will be admitted for free. Students who are not members of ACDA are invited to attend. They will have to purchase a reading packet for $10. Honor Choir rehearsals will begin at 12:30 p.m. A complete schedule will be posted on the website in January. We hope to see all of you at our conference - it will be a great and rewarding experience for us all!
Featured Choirs
Brad Sherwood is a third generation choral educator in Grand Forks, North Dakota and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and a Master of Music in Music Education from the University of North Dakota. Brad is the Coordinator of Music in the Grand Forks Public Schools, which has received the designation as one of the “Top 100” Schools in the nation for music education excellence. In 2000 the Red River High School Music Department was named a “Grammy Signature School”.
Brad is a founding member of the Summer Performing Arts Company and received, on Brad Sher wood behalf of that program, the Governor’s Award for the Arts in 1999. As a published composer/writer, Brad is a member of ASCAP, ACDA, AMC, NAMM and MENC. In 1998 he received an ASCAP Special Music Award for his work in elementary music theatre composition.
RED RIVER CONCERT CHOIR
Michael Seil has been the director of choral music at Bismarck High School since 2003. At BHS, Mr. Seil directs the Concert Choir and the award winning New Generation Jazz Choir and co-directs the Prep Choir and the Women’s Choir while also teaching Music Theory and Composition. The BHS Concert Choir served as the 2007 Governor’s Choir, performing at the State of the State Address. On recent tours, the BHS Touring Choir performed at several venues in Boston, MA, New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA, including the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner at Fenway Park, Citi Field and Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. This past October, Mr. Seil was the vocal director for the Bismarck Public School’s production of the musical “42nd Street.” Mr. Seil is also the director of the Kantorei and Cantus Choirs of the Central Dakota Children’s Choir. These choirs consist of select students in grades 7-9 and grades 10-12 from Burleigh, Morton and McLean Counties. Since its inception in 2001, the Kantorei Choir has been selected to sing for the 2002 Bismarck Public School’s All City Choral Festival, the 2002 NDMEA State Conference Showcase Concert, the 2003 NDACDA State Conference and the 2004 & 2008 NCACDA Regional Conference. Cantus was selected as one of four invited choirs for the 2009 Concordia College Choral Festival. In September of 2007, Cantus performed Schubert’s Mass in G Major with the Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra and performed at the March 2008 NDMEA Conference in Bismarck. Prior to teaching at BHS, Mr. Seil was the choral director at Simle Middle School in Bismarck from 1996-2004. As a member of ACDA, Mr. Seil serves as North Dakota’s Repertoire and Standards Chair for Vocal Jazz. Mr. Seil also serves as the NDMEA All-State Vocal Jazz Honor Choir chairperson. This past February, Mr. Seil was selected as the NDACDA “Choral Director of the Year.” In May of 2011, Mr. Seil was selected as the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce “Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year.” In 2007, Mr. Seil was selected as the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club “Teacher of the Year.” Mr. Seil was also awarded the 2002 KXMB Golden Apple Award. Away from school, he is an active clinician, soloist, composer, pianist and arranger. Mr. Seil is a 1995 graduate of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, studying under Dr. James Rodde. He is married to Sheri (Schwindt) Seil, a DDS administrator for North Dakota. They have a son (Harrison) and a daughter (Addison).
NEW GENERATIONS JAZZ CHOIR
Dr. Joshua Bronfman is Director of Choral Activities at the University of North Dakota where he directs the UND Concert Choir and Varsity Bards. He also teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting, choral literature and choral methods. In 2005 Joshua was selected as a Conducting Fellow for the Eric Ericson Masterclass in the Netherlands, where he directed the Netherlands Chamber Choir and Netherlands Radio Choir. He is an active clinician in the region, directing honor choir festivals at the middle, high Joshua Bronfman school and collegiate levels. His published articles and presentations on choral music and choral music education have reached state, regional, and national audiences. Joshua completed his Ph.D. in Choral Music Education and Choral Conducting at Florida State University. He received his Master's degree from Oregon State University, and his Bachelor's degree from Florida State University. Prior to pursuing his graduate degrees, Joshua was a music specialist in Oregon where he taught at the elementary and middle levels. He currently lives in Grand Forks with his wife Niki, and children Lucia, Leah and Desmond. GRAND FORKS MASTER CHORALE
Transforming Conducting Weston Noble, Conductor Emeritus, Luther College 2011 ACDA National Conference Chicago, Illinois Reprint used by permission of GIA Publications, Inc. There came a moment in the middle of the song when he suddenly felt every heartbeat in the room and after that he never forgot he was part of something much bigger. (Storybook People) This is a remarkable definition of TRANSFORMATION. In that one moment a life can be changed—a power so great that one never forgets one is part of something much bigger. In that one moment, the power of TRANSFORMATION is so great that two isolated cells join together in the brain, a forever pattern of life taking place. Unforgettable memories with such power, we are transported into a world without words (i.e., the spirit world). Not...notes become our words! Robert Shaw once said: “Music is the voice of the Spirit.” I like to add: Music is the home of the Spirit. When our Spirit (spirit) is nourished, shades of emotions never felt before come forth. Who we are deepens. This palate of enrichment enlarges life; we are forever richer. As Dr. Boers has brought forth, our mirror neurons are activated, allowing the individual to experience the feelings and emotions of the presenter, here the teacher, the conductor. The opportunity, the power, the responsibility of the conductor is enormous. Never before have I sensed who I am with such profundity. I am like a mirror to them. What am I reflecting? Is it positive or negative? Am I turning off mirror neurons of the singers or enhancing them? We teachers are a vital ingredient of changing lives. We can never be too good. After 64 years of teaching, I am still on this journey of being a positive vessel for the power of music, wanting so badly to never be a negative reflection. I must remember every student in the choir has a different story to tell, to express through music both their beauty and their pain. Their pain can now be confronted in an entirely different way, through their Spirits, not just through their negative emotions and burdened minds. We can usher them to a place
where there are no words to express their feelings, rather notes enshrouded in beauty. A seed is planted—the harvest is yet to come. To enhance this, the conductor must be constantly forgiving, constantly demanding, constantly humble, and constantly generous—a moment when a choir member feels the conductor is my biggest fan! We can affirm their pain in the presence of beauty. We can take them on journeys of wonderment, tears, goose bumps, joy rushes, placing their pain in a totally new environment. Somehow we affirm their stories! In summation... “Let us make music with a deep and possessive understanding of the moment, the music, and the text. Let us dig deeper; after all, choral singing has the power to make things happen inside the one who hears it and sings it. Such is the power of words set to music.” —Jerry McCoy --- ACDA Journal (November 2010) “...and after that he never forgot he was part of something much bigger.” The life of a junior high student desperately wants to belong, to be accepted. This continues into high school as well, for some well into the rest of life. TO BELONG! How uniquely wonderful if this deep desire comes into fruition through a TRANSFORMATION experience! This aloneness is filled no matter how briefly. But the wonderment continues, for it does not end there. A seed is planted, brain cells are joined. The journey of life continues as he/she searches again and again for that “special moment.” The thirst is never ending, becoming sweeter with each encounter. We directors can be the vehicle for this transformation because of our own transformation. As we were introduced into the world of the Spirit by reaching out to something greater when words failed, so we can have a burning desire to share this jewel of life with our students. We want to turn on their mirror neurons!
Transforming Conducting Weston Noble, Conductor Emeritus, Luther College I have listed fourteen aids to assist in this venture. They are all true and valid. But the bottom line undergirding everything is a beautifully simple word LOVE!—where a student feels he/she is the director’s biggest fan. How I needed this in high school. I was 12 years old as a first-year student, compounded by the disgrace of being the highest soprano in school! I knew I was far from being my director’s biggest fan. How I wanted to be affirmed, to be accepted, to be a part of something bigger than myself. I believe small shades of this exist even today! I was asked in an interview: What is the greatest attribute of an outstanding choral director? I poked here, I poked there. My wonderful interviewer intervened and said: “Are you trying to say vulnerability?” The word VULNERABILITY rang through my entire body. I knew it was right even though I did not know why. OPENNESS to feel and release my emotions, to admit to mistakes. This became my lifelong journey. I strive to epitomize the leader of the WHOLE PERSON (body, mind, spirit, and voice, as the esteemed Helen Kemp stated it). I want to take my singers to a level of emotional and spiritual vulnerability they simply could not achieve on their own. The music is the vehicle through which I want to show singers more about
themselves and how they can know the power of the Spirit world. I want to do this while pushing for the musical detail and integrity demanded by excellence, representing the score in ways that truly honors the composer and his/her intent. I want to be a servantleader as conductor for my choral students...demonstrating with humility the awe with which we are to approach the marvelous Creator who gave us the gift of music in the first place. I want to be unifying and catalytic, drawing a desire from each singer to be more than they ever could be as individuals, willing to embrace the community of the choral ensemble. I want to become more of who we already are but often hide to others. I want to express the freedom that comes in authentic expression of the body, soul, and spirit—and that freedom found in the choral community experience is a treasure beyond compare. And where is the source of such LOVE? Our Spirit nature, our desire to reach above and beyond ourselves to something greater!
Aids in Enhancement of Mirror Neurons 1. Importance of the bottom line—RHYTHM *Length of initial note often too long... inhibits flow of kinetic energy *If an upbeat, watch over accentuation 2. What is the emotion unique to this particular selection? 3. Does your gesture and breath reflect these vs. just a beat pattern? 4. Do your eyes, facial expression, and body language also reflect this? 5. Share your entire demeanor—your inner capacity to feel and reflect this emotion. 6. VULNERABILITY—the bottom line of an outstanding choir director! 7. Addressing a “problem” student with “help me to understand” negativism closes mirror neurons 8. One’s own inner freedom—shadow recognition—lifelong everyday goal 9. Importance of affective teaching in igniting mirror neurons 10. Indepth text study—opportunity for student assistance. 11. Importance of conducting by memory—power of eye contact never is inhibited 12. What emotion do you feel as a singer? What do you want to impart to the audience? 13. Importance of the touch of the pianist, even giving just pitches. 14. Function of rests, dots, ties, and syncopation—SPRINGBOARDS
Transforming Conducting Weston Noble, Conductor Emeritus, Luther College
Creating the Special World A Collection of Lectures Weston H. Noble
Creating the Special World is a collection of lectures that epitomize the teachings of Weston Noble, one of the most influential leaders in choral music of the past 55 years. His enthusiasm for his life’s work emanates from the pages, providing insight into his artistry. A palpable energy positively leaps from each page. The ten insightful lectures are divided into four main sections: “The Special World of Choral Music,” “Choral Pedagogy,” “Stylistic Awareness,” and “Choral Music: A Retrospective.” Noble discusses the first time he realized the power of music, the effect it has had on his students, and how it has inspired him and others to reach for further levels of mastery. Noble also covers the technical aspects of diction, rhythm, and historical stylistic practices. These lectures present what could be confusing material in a clear and concise fashion. Choral conductors at all levels, those with a great love of music, and anyone who has experienced Weston Noble’s brilliance and humanity, will benefit from this book, written by a legendary musical force. A must read! G-6529
Hardcover, 104 pages ......................................................................... $21.00
Achieving Choral Blend through Standing Position—DVD Weston H. Noble with an Introduction by James Jordan
For the first time, Weston Noble’s lecture and demonstration on matching voices for a seamless choral sound is available. By using the principles presented, not only will the sound of the choirs improve, but conductors will realize an immediate enhancement in intonation and rhythmic clarity in their ensembles. Weston Noble discusses the beginning of his experimentation with standing arrangements, Robert Shaw’s use of this system, minimizing vibrato, improving singers’ listening skills, the use of the altos-in-front choral arrangement, and the use of the “flip-flop” to achieve different choral textures. An ideal companion to Creating the Special World! DVD-628
DVD, 2 hours ........................................................................................ $34.95
Weston Noble Weston Noble is a highly accomplished and honored American music educator and conductor. Now the Johnson Professor Emeritus of Music, Mr. Noble had a 57-year tenure as a conductor and teacher at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He has received acclaim from across the country and the world as the conductor of the Luther College Nordic Choir from l948 to 2005 the Luther College Concert Band from l948 to l973, and as guest director for over 900 all-state bands, orchestras, choirs, and festivals across four continents. Mr. Noble is a charter member of the American Choral Directors Association and an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association. In l994 the North Central Division of the American Choral Directors Association established the Weston H. Noble Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Choral Art. Mr. Noble was the first to be honored by this award. Because of his outstanding contributions to choral music, Mr. Noble is the recipient of the Robert Lawson Shaw Award given by the American Choral Directors Association. Due to his outstanding contributions to instrumental music, he was awarded the 2008 Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor, given by the International Convention of Band and Orchestra Directors. In the field of music education the National Federation of State High School Associations recognized him as the Outstanding Music Educator of the United States. He is also listed in the World Biographical Hall of Fame and Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World 2009. Mr. Noble holds five honorary doctorate degrees: Augustana College (South Dakota), St. Olaf College, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Carthage College and Wartburg College. He was awarded the St. Olav’s Medal from King Herald V of Norway for his contributions to Norwegian-American relations. In 2009 he conducted the International Schools Festival in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, with participants from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Indonesia. He is the resident conductor of the Pacific Summer Music Festival of Guam. In December 2010, he conducted Handel’s Messiah in Soul, Korea. Following his guest year residencies at Carthage College (Kenosha, Wisconsin) and Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa), Mr. Noble is working in the Development Office at Luther College. GIA Publications, Inc. 7404 S. Mason Avenue • Chicago, IL 60638 Phone 800-442-1358 or 708-496-3800 • Fax 708-496-3828 Office hours from 8:30am – 5:00pm (CST) • Monday – Friday e-mail: custserv@giamusic.com • Web site: www.giamusic.com