Description

by Duane S. Crowther

To save teacher preparation and instruction time, the four Choral Concepts Student Learning Guides have been reprinted in four Teacher’s Editions, with all the answers written in. These Teacher’s Editions are produced with a more durable cover than the student editions so they will hold up well when used repeatedly over the years. The page numbers are identical to the student edition, but inserted in the front are two pages listing (1) the Posters and Teachers’ Laminated Teaching Guides available for each lesson in the unit, and (2) the titles of the lessons in the other three units.

These Teacher’s Editions of the Student Learning Guides are excellent “mini-courses” in the essential principles of choral singing, in and of themselves. We are observing that many directors of small community and church choirs, and college students interested in choral music, are expressing interest in them for their personal use, even when not utilizing the overall Teaching Choral Concepts curriculum. They are an excellent addition to a personal professional library—compact but loaded with information.

Teachers’ Edition Student Learning Guide Unit 1 covers the following lessons: (1) Introduction to the Course; (2) Correct Sitting Posture; (3) Correct Standing Posture; (4) The Breathing Mechanism; (5) Controlled Breathing; (6) Voice-Part Classifications; (7) Vocal Ranges; (8) The Reed-Flute Tone Continuum; (9) Change-of-Color Points, and (10) Audition Preparation.

Teachers’ Edition Student Learning Guide Unit 2 covers the following lessons: (11) Objectives of Vocal Training; (12) The Singing Mechanism; (13) Open Throat; (14) Personal Warmup; (15) Care of the Voice; (16) Vocal Resonance; (17) Good Singing Tone; (18) Tone Color; (19) Attacks and Releases; and (20) Effective Practice.

Teachers’ Edition Student Learning Guide Unit 3 covers the following lessons: (21) Dynamic Levels; (22) Extending Vocal Ranges; (23) Head Resonance and Head Tone; (24) Humming; (25) Basic Musical Styles; (26) Correct Phrasing; (27) Vocal Flexibility; (28) Intonation; and (29) Introduction to the Phonetic Alphabet.

Teachers’ Edition Student Learning Guide Unit 4 covers the following lessons: (30) Balance and Blend; (31) Singing the Vowels; (32) Diphthongs; (33) Articulation; (34) Enunciation; and (35) Pronunciation. It also contains four Unit Reviews, with three multiple-choice or true/false questions covering each of the lessons in the four Units. These questions provide excellent year-end reviews of the entire Teaching Choral Concepts curriculum.  {tcc 04}