In preparation for NCCO7 (which is THIS WEEK), I wanted to give a little teaser of what Dr. Galloway and I will be discussing.

Our topic specifically deals with the importance of integrating vocal training and technique building into the choral rehearsal. Why? Singers who learn proper vocal technique will be both better prepared to engage in healthy singing and better equipped to contribute to a choral ensemble, through knowledge of vocal blending and an enhanced ability to control their own sound production. Together, these factors make trained singers more likely to participate in lifelong singing.

Plentiful scholarship exists to document both the benefits of lifelong singing and methods for training a choral ensemble; hardly any exists that contextualizes training modalities within the compressed context of the average choral rehearsal. Faced with constrained rehearsal schedules, singers interested in socializing as much as singing, and the idea that vocal warm-ups are boring, many choral directors minimize the warm-up and training portion of rehearsal in favor of getting started on repertoire.

How can we overcome these obstacles and successfully incorporate a training methodology for healthy, life-long singing into choral rehearsals? Melodie and I have distilled ideas gathered through 10 years of research and practice into an adaptable methodology that can be tailored to any choir's needs, skill level, and ability. Using this methodology, through weekly practice and guidance, singers can build vocal technique and have a system for employing the ideas and exercises presented in rehearsal in their individual practice.

We are tremendously excited to share these ideas with everyone at NCCO7 this weekend!