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CHORTEACH

ARTICLE
A s k a C o n d u c t o r
Ask a Conductor

Question 3

What are some ice breakers/community-building activities

I can use for our first choir rehearsal of the season? My
choir is very new and unsure of the idea of choir warm-ups

and singing together with each other.

The “Ask a Conductor” section of ChorTeach was a want to do a good job but may not be confident about
reader-generated Q&A format where readers submit- singing. Their trepidation is compounded if they are in
ted questions related to teaching, conducting, rehears- a room with people they don’t know well. I want to take
ing with, or singing with K-12 students. Three to five some of the nervousness out of the room with activities
educators answered the question, with a new question that encourage us to move, sing, and learn each other’s
appearing in each issue. There are eight “Ask a Con- names in a fun, non-judgemental environment.
ductor” questions, available in the ChorTeach archives at When working with an elementary choir, one of
acda.org/chorteach. the first activities I use is “Lean Forward/Lean Back-
wards.” This activity has singing, movement, and lots
of smiles. I ask the students to mirror me as I demon-
Question: What are some ice breakers/commu- strate how to “lean” in the various directions. I make it
nity-building activities I can use for our first a point to demonstrate how to “lean,” as I do not want
choir rehearsal of the season? My choir is very any student to fall or to bump another student. After
new and unsure of the idea of choir warm-ups the students understand the directions, I sing the lyrics
and singing together with each other. and have the students move with me: “Lean forward,

lean backwards to the left, to the right; hands up, hands
down to the left to the right. Lean forward, lean back-
Maria A. Ellis wards to the left, to the right; hands up, hands down to
“Girl Conductor” the left to the right.” Once the students start moving, I
Director, invite them to sing with me. We sing the lyrics and move
The Sheldon’s City of Music All-Star Chorus while modulating the key and changing the tempo. The
info@girlconductor.com students have a wonderful time with this activity.
Another activity I use is “Tell Me Something Good!”
from the R&B hit composed by Stevie Wonder and per-
The first day of choir rehearsal with any choir, espe- formed by Rufus and Chaka Khan. I have the students
cially a new choir, is always so fun to me. The choir sing the melodic line, “Tell Me Something Good!”
members have a little nervousness about them. They (CLAP). I then point to the individual students and ask

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2025 Volume 66 Number 1 63