17 (Last Minute) Things to Avoid – to Ensure a Smooth Concert!
17 (Last Minute) Things to Avoid - to Ensure a Smooth Concert! We've just spent many months learning notes and
The 11 Winter Concert Songs I Repeat Every Year
We have 11 traditional songs that we repeat year after year. Two songs have been traditions of the choir dating
7 LAST MINUTE Holiday Repertoire Ideas that WILL work – even Remotely!
Sometimes we need a last minute holiday piece to fill out or balance our program. We may have chosen a
5 Do’s (and Don’ts) for Requiring Students to Sing Solo
When I took over the entire high school choral program more than two decades ago, the previous choir director had
Should Choir Members Be Forced To Sing Solo?
Should choir members be forced to sing solo? The simple answer is: no student should ever be forced to
How to Self-Assess their Way toward Rehearsal Success
The two main components of any successful rehearsal are the planning/execution of the director and the planning/execution of the students.
How to Get Students to Accurately Self-Assess
Giving self-assessment assignments, for many choral directors, seems like a ridiculous waste of time. Usually, these directors shun the idea
Assigning and Grading Sight-Singing Homework – Made Simple!
Sight-singing is a core element in my choral program. The development of sight-singing comes after several other individual skills have
The 5 “ROUNDS” I Use in my Choral Program Every Year – and WHY!
Rounds are an excellent learning tool and performance vehicle for choirs of all levels. Even refined high school choirs can
10 Choral Teaching Tips for Navigating Another Unpredictable School Year
We had one year end abruptly followed by another year of complete turmoil. What will this school year bring us?
9 Ways to FIND Choral Repertoire for High School
Between the brick and mortar publishing companies, the online publishing companies, and the online self-publishers, there is more music to
8 Ideas to “Fill up” the Last Rehearsals of the Year
If your concert season is over and you still have weeks of rehearsals left, you have a great opportunity; there's
3 Things to Avoid when Closing Out the School Year
Closing out the school year is always tough, especially this year. What do we do after our concert season is
Self-Selected Choir vs Non-Auditioned Choir: 12 BIG DIFFERENCES!
What is a Self-Selected Choir? A self-selected choir is any choir where students of all ability levels can participate. A
Head to Head Audio: Choral Tracks vs Kinnision Choral Co.
Head to Head: Choral Tracks vs Kinnision Choral Co. If your choir is interested in finding a permanent solution to
How Our Partnership with Kinnison Choral Co. Can Benefit You!
Why is Choral Clarity choosing to partner with Kinnison Choral Co. and how can you benefit? Over the past
Why Choral Rehearsal Track Usage Should Spread AFTER Covid
Choral rehearsal tracks, for many of us, have been indispensable throughout the pandemic, but I believe they will play an
Is Using Choral Rehearsal Tracks Cheating?
Is using choral rehearsal tracks cheating? The better question may be: Are you cheating your singers by giving
Get Anyone to Match Pitch: 5 Minutes & 5 Easy Steps
Anybody can be taught to match pitch, almost instantly, in 5 simple steps. This entire process takes a maximum of
The Future of Black History Month in my Choir
(photo credit to my esteemed choral colleague, Maria A. Ellis, who designed and sells this shirt on her website)
6 Realizations from this White Director about Inherent Racism within my Choir
In more than two decades of teaching at the same high school, I've had less than a dozen African American
Two-Minute Remote (or in-person) Rapid Fire Sight-Singing Drill
Do you have 2 minutes a day to devote to sight-singing? If so this approach could work well for you,
New Year, New Approach – TAKE A CHORAL BREAK!
For more than a decade, my rehearsal approach for the month of January can be described as a choral break!
No winter concert? Now what do you do instead?
It is super disappointing when our concert season is cancelled. Each scenario across the country may be different, but
How to Effectively Engage Your Remote Learners
It can be quite difficult to engage our remote learners, especially since most of us have less than six months
7 Simple Choir Hacks for Google Classroom
If you have students who are hybrid or remote, it is likely that Google Classroom has become your new classroom.
3 Reasons I’ve Ditched SmartMusic for Sight Reading Factory
Dear Smartmusic, After 10 years, you have worn me out and I'm leaving you. Sincerely, Former Smartmusic Advocate & Cheerleader
VIRTUAL CHOIRS: The Two Reasons many of us HATE them!
Most of us had absolutely no opinion on "the value of VIRTUAL CHOIRS" until two weeks ago; since then, we
Choosing the RIGHT Distance Learning Option!
This is a time like no other. Most of our schools are closed indefinitely as we are grieving the loss
School Closed? FREE Sight Reading Factory! DISTANCE LEARNING IDEAS!
Sight Reading Factory is a fantastic resource to use at home, especially during a potential period of online learning. My
What is the deal with your Ridiculous Choir Rules?
I came across a post in a very prominent choral director's Facebook group that asks: “What are your simple, short
Choir Ice-Breakers: Why So Many Fail……..
Ice-breakers are a great means to help a choir to bond; many can be fun, productive, and have positive results
9 Last Minute Valentine’s Day Rehearsal Ideas
Nobody should feel alone on Valentine's Day, especially during our Valentine's Day rehearsal. We can spread love throughout our room and
3 Non-Choral Activities my Choir does in February
February is a very busy month for my high school choral program and yet we have no choral concerts scheduled
Your 10 Question Choir Midterm Exam
As we reach the middle of our academic year, students are likely taking exams to evaluate their progress, while teachers
6 Creative & Engaging Rehearsal Sight-Singing Ideas – no prep required!
Let's face it, sight-singing can get boring and/or stale in choir rehearsals. The more we do it, the more they
This is NOT A “BEST OF 2019” Choral Clarity Blog!
The end of the year is the time where virtually every online publisher and podcaster releases a "Best of 2019"
15 Tips for Caroling with Seasonal Spirit & Maximum Impact
Caroling Day is my choir's favorite day of the year. We carol every year, the day before the Winter Break.
11 Reasons Why Your Choir Should Go School Caroling This Year!
The most fun day of the entire year for my high school choir is Caroling Day. On this special day, we
What NOT to do IN CLASS the day AFTER the concert….
When it comes to rehearsals immediately following a concert, there are two things that irritate me beyond belief: When teachers
11 Annual Alumni Choir Songs OTHER than “Hallelujah”
I hope you are reading this blog after my previous BLOG about why we must retire the Hallelujah Chorus. Prefacing
10 SIMPLE Things That Will Make Your Concert More Successful!
Believe it or not, most of what our audience members see and hear have nothing to do with how well
How to “Fill” Those Last Few Rehearsals Before Break
The vacation is so clearly here and everyone has one foot out the door. We may have just held our
11 Tips To Eliminating Rude Audience Behavior!
I recently read a blog post entitled, "Calling All Adults: Grow UP." It was an interesting read about the disintegration
8 Reasons I Repeat the Same Holiday Concert Music Every Year
There's plenty of great choral music available for the holiday season. Large works such as Pinkham's "Christmas Cantata" or Britten's
Don’t Get Rid of the Previous Director’s Alumni Piece!
Don't get rid of the previous director's alumni piece, even if you hate it. Even if it's a disaster. At
Sight Reading Factory vs Smart Music? I NEED BOTH!
I've seen many Facebook posts asking the question of whether Sight Reading Factory or Smart Music is preferred for sight-singing.
7 Reasons ALL Choirs Should Sing Rounds!
Rounds are an excellent learning tool and performance vehicle for choirs of all levels. Even refined high school choirs can
Ditch Choir Auditions: Everyone can sing!
When did our culture stop singing, and what are we, the choir directors, doing to bring singing back into our
4 Definitive Steps to Assess & Develop EVERY Singer’s Ear!
There are 4 tangible steps that can be taken to develop EVERY singer's ear, and in turn, develop their singing
How to Write An Effective Choir Handbook – Everything you need to know!
Why should we take the time to write a choir handbook? A handbook may seem like a tedious booklet
Is Modern “A-Cappella” Healthy or Harmful to Building a HS Choral Program?
Creating a contemporary A-Cappella group can be the best thing that has ever happened to your traditional high school choral
10 Tips for Gaining Rehearsal Time
Our rehearsal time is finite, so finding ways to maximize rehearsal time can be extremely important. Many of us have
“Tone-Deaf” is an Excuse….not a Diagnosis
"Tone-Deaf" is an Excuse....not a Diagnosis.....and I blame the person who makes the diagnosis. Anyone can learn to sing. If
11 Choir Halloween Tricks (and Treats)
As we search for ways to unify our ensemble as well as opportunities to change-up the monotony of the daily rehearsal, alas,
The “Secret” Your Weakest Sight-Singers May Be Hiding
A wise man once told me to never believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. Your
8 Keys to Turn Sight-Singing Fear into Fun!
Turning Fear into Fun My 3-year-old daughter, Lyla, and I have the same natural disposition when it comes to starting
What To Do When They Break The Rules….
Our Choir culture stems from both how we prepare AND how we instill the fabric of our desired ideals. When we prepare our Guidelines
Before Testing Their Sight-Singing, Assess This….
Before Testing Their Sight-Singing, Assess This.... Sight-singing is not an all or nothing skill, but when it comes to assessing
The 7 Keys to Having Awesome Sight-Singers Throughout Your Choir
If you've always wanted to have a choir filled with singers who can sight-sing, this blog post is for you!
The Best Ear-Training Exercise You Will Ever Use
Kodaly & Me I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm not a Curwen hand signal user; I know it is
6 Reasons Why Your Singers Can’t Sight-Sing
6 Reasons Why Your Singers Can't Sight-Sing All students, regardless of talent or prior experience, can learn how to sight-sing.
11 Things to Avoid Doing at the First Rehearsal
Prior to my first day of teaching high school, I was given advice from the person who had just hired
The Erosion of the Choral Middle-Class
My previous post describes the traditional Choral Caste System which consists of “The Best” vs. “The Rest”. For those of
A Pre-Thanksgiving Choral Lesson Everyone can be Grateful for!
This blog post is here to provide you with an adaptable lesson plan that uses the Thanksgiving/Fall Gratitude Round as
The Special Pre-Thanksgiving Rehearsal: Our BIG WIN!
The day before Thanksgiving is one of the major pivots in our year. This is the day that marks the
Choir Halloween – 9 Very Last Minute Rehearsal Ideas!
Halloween is here.........surprise! Do you want to make your Halloween rehearsal special? If so, it's not too late! While this