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Translating Emotion to Expression: Five Strategies to Try

musical development are in both phrases to connect the NOTES
two. This rule is one of the more challenging, high-level
skills listed, but it can easily provide the most impact. 1 John Stoker, Overcoming Fake Talk: How to Hold Real Conversations that
Create Respect, Build Relationships, and get Results (McGraw Hill
Education, 2013).
Conclusion 2 Christopher Loftin, Visual and Vocal Expression in Traditional Choirs:
These five rules serve my ensembles well, both in the An Explanatory-Sequential, Mixed Methods Design (Dissertation,
choral and barbershop realm. I consistently evolve the ter- Auburn University, 2023). Proquest.
minology of the rules to better convey my messages. Sing- 3 James Jordan, The Choral Warm-up: Methods, Procedures, Planning,
ers thrive on structure and clear director communication. and Core Vocal Exercises (Chicago: Gia Publications, Inc., 2005).
They need to know exactly what we want them to do. By 4 Don Campbell and Kirk Young, “HU Online: Directors…
teaching simple, overarching principles, singers have fewer STOP TALKING with Don Campbell and Kirk Young,”
things to remember, and these tasks become habitual quick- Barbershop Harmony Society, streamed live on April 10,
er. The goal is for singers to sing more and for directors to 2023, YouTube video, 1:23:24, https://www.youtube.com/
talk less. Having consistent expectations and terminologies watch?v=sQMp2jK99NY.
helps achieve this goal.
Emotion is internal, but expression is external. Often-
2
times when we engage in conversation, there are misun-
derstandings or miscommunications. This translates to our
communication as singers. Students and directors spent
many months locked up at home and rehearsing via Zoom
and are looking for ways to express themselves. Audiences
come to concerts for entertainment. By creating systems
where students feel like they have the opportunity and per-
mission to have fun while singing and express that fun, it
creates a system where everyone wins. Ultimately, singing
is fun. If we, as choir directors, can harness what our stu-
dents already do so well and increase the joy and expres-
sion factor, students get to express themselves in healthy
ways, technical issues may improve, and audiences get the
gift of a passionate ensemble.
For future reference, there are two sources that provide
constant inspiration as I strive for more impactful, musical-
ly driven performances: James Jordan’s book, The Choral
3
4
Warm-up, and a Youtube video by the Barbershop Har-
mony Society, “HU Online: Directors…STOP TALKING
with Don Campbell and Kirk Young.” Both resources focus
on technique through artistry and musicianship in an ap-
proach that is predominantly singers singing, not directors
talking.

ChorTeach Volume 15 • Issue 4 14 Summer 2023