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Repertoire & Resources - Four-Year University Choirs

to project healthily without sticking out of the choir, hearsal to the practice room.
and the students with lighter voices will be able to hear Another way to assist students who are taking voice
themselves. Of course, there may be a student or two lessons is to speak the language of the voice teacher in
who projects beyond the dynamics in the score, and an choir. When rehearsing pieces in other languages, pro-
individual recommendation for that student to back vide International Phonetic Alphabet guides. This will
off a bit can be helpful. Often, using a mathematical help them to build their diction skills and can save a lot
percentage (“10% less sound on this note”) can guide of time that would otherwise be spent speaking every
them to match the desired dynamic better than simply syllable repeatedly. Be aware of the transition spots in
saying “softer” (which could result in them singing at students’ vocal ranges and be prepared to offer vowel
half voice). modification options so that they can sing healthily and
Students who are in voice lessons and choir may without strain in those challenging spots. Stay current
have more music to memorize in a semester than they on vocal pedagogy by attending voice-based sessions at
ever imagined might be on their plates. Singers love your next ACDA conference or attend a NATS con-
to get involved in many aspects of music making, and ference to deepen your knowledge. Reminding singers
some will find themselves in multiple choirs, an opera that their voice is one instrument used in both choir
or musical theatre production, an a cappella group, and voice lessons—not two distinct voices—will help
and a paid church position. They may have forty or to mitigate the cognitive dissonance they undergo as
more pieces to memorize within a semester. If they ha- college voice students.
ven’t yet developed solid practice habits, this can feel It is a unique pleasure to be able to work with a stu-
extremely overwhelming. Luckily, we as choral direc- dent from the time they enter your school until their
tors can help them build the skills to manage all the graduation. From a student’s first college choir audi-
music on their plates without burning out—or losing tion to their final voice recital, their voice will grow
their voices. immensely in size and flexibility. Being part of that
First, prioritizing music literacy in choir is vital to vocal growth is an honor that should not be taken for
students’ ability to learn their music efficiently. While granted. Helping students to maximize their individu-
some choral students will likely be concurrently enrolled al development within the group setting of choir is a
in music theory and ear training, many are not, so even challenge, but in time, it will improve the sound of your
two minutes of sight singing in a choral rehearsal could choir, assist in positive relationship building between
prove helpful in building and maintaining the literacy choral and vocal areas, and provide a more structured
skills they need to learn their music. Second, we can growth experience for the singer.
teach the music in a streamlined manner that promotes
retention and mitigates the need for copious additional Matthew Myers is associate director of choral activ-
memorization practice. By teaching the music in small ities and assistant professor of choral music education
enough “chunks” and regularly rehearsing the transi- at Washington State University
tions from one section to the next, we make the memo- matthew.myers1@wsu.edu
rization process easier. In-class memory checks midway
through the rehearsal process can also help more than
simply expecting students to have everything memo-
rized by concert week. Giving them different memori-
zation dates for each piece can lower the pressure and
help focus their practice as well. These memorization
techniques can work just as well for the students as they
learn the music for their other performance opportuni-
ties; sometimes it can be helpful to give them a quick
reminder to transfer this knowledge from the choral re-

32 CHORAL JOURNAL May 2026 Volume 66 Number 8