Choosing Music that Inspires Growth
Caleb Zustiak – Be Our Guest – Missouri Choosing Music that Inspires Growth The administrator continues writing in her notebook as the choir performs one of its upcoming festival songs. The students are engaged in the music; they have obviously worked hard to learn to sing together and in parts, and the class has met […]
Building Bridges Through Song: Expanding Community Through Collaboration
Nathan Wubbena – Children & Community Youth R&R Chair Building Bridges Through Song: Expanding Community Through Collaboration Being a music educator can often feel isolating. While we’re surrounded by fellow educators daily, our role differs significantly from that of a typical classroom teacher. We may have colleagues in other musical disciplines—band, orchestra, and beyond—who understand the […]
How to Start an A Cappella Group
Leia Browning – Contemporary A Cappella R&R Chair How to Start an A Cappella Group Contemporary A Cappella has changed my program for the better in so many ways. Each year, student interest and retention grows, literacy gets better, and students are proud to show what they’ve accomplished in live shows, music videos, and professionally […]
Choosing Literature for Treble Ensembles
Tanner Oglesby – SSAA R&R Chair Choosing Literature for Treble Ensembles January has always been a complicated month for me. As an individual, I find January to be an exciting time, imagining new goals, starting fresh, and cleaning the slate. As a choral director, I find January to be the “lull” in the middle. Still […]
Fostering Choral Excellence and Community Impact at Two-Year Colleges
Tatiana Taylor – 2-Year College R&R Chair Fostering Choral Excellence and Community Impact at Two-Year Colleges Two-year colleges are unique and face their own set of challenges. Our students are with us for a short amount of time and creating a dynamic choral culture can be challenging. I currently serve as the Director of Choirs […]
Membership Needs to Have Its Privileges
By Andy Waggoner, Community Choirs R&R Chair Membership Needs to Have Its Privileges By Andy Waggoner, Community Choirs R&R Chair Hello SWACDA Friends. I’m happy to share my first article for the Connection with you! I’m honored to serve as Artistic Director of the St. Louis County Community Chorus in Missouri. With an active membership […]
Building a Choral Community
Tanner Oglesby SSAA Choirs R&R Chair Building a Choral Community When I first started teaching, I encountered some of the common issues we all face: lack of administrative support, classroom management challenges, student ownership and buy-in, poor funding, etc. At first, I took it personally. How could these students, parents, and administrators not understand the […]
The Challenge of Selecting Global Choral Music
Eduardo Garcia-Novelli World Music & Cultures R&R Chair THE CHALLENGE OF SELECTING GLOBAL CHORAL MUSIC I love attending music conventions/conferences for a variety of reasons, and one of those is the chance to learn new and exciting choral repertoire. In my book, the convention was a success if I can check mark a box because […]
It Pays to Connect
SWACDA Jr. High/Middle School R&R Chair Cristi Miller It Pays to Connect In a choir classroom, the music goes beyond notes on a page. It interweaves individuals together, creating a community bound by a shared desire for expression. While the development of musical skill is a central focus, equally important is the sense of connection […]
Discover the power of student engagement in music education – Jen Sengin
Meet Dr. Jennifer Sengin: Your New SWACDA Youth and Student Activities R&R Chair Introduction Dr. Jennifer Sengin, Visiting Assistant Professor of Choral Studies at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, is excited to serve as the Youth and Student Activities Repertoire and Resource Chair. Contact: [email protected] Making the Most of Your College/University Experiences: In School and […]