Let’s Sing!

In each of the chorus classes of the last 2 weeks, we have been working on some basics of vocal performance: listening, watching and, of course, singing!

In lesson 1, students learned about good singing posture, breathing techniques, and some vocal warm-ups to make sure that our bodies and voices are ready to sing beautifully. We also introduced the concepts of pitch matching (singing the right notes) and dynamics (getting louder and quieter) as these two skills are essential to singing in a group.

The call-and-response rhyme “Bazooka Bubblegum” quickly became legendary around the school and showed many shy students that singing can be fun!

A favorite activity was the Rain Song, in which students used their bodies to produce different sounds, creating the effect of a passing storm. The goal of this activity was to show that a chorus works as a team, even if everyone has a different role to play.

In lesson 2, we discussed different musical instruments and organized them into families (brass, woodwinds, percussion, strings). We did a spotlight on the guitar, an instrument that commonly accompanies singing, and learned a new song called Down by the Bay. This song was well-received for its humorous rhyming verses and catchy melody. The big goal is to arrange the song for multiple voice parts, depending on the level of the students. It’s ambitious but the students are very motivated to push their singing talents to the limits. I am very much looking forward to seeing what they are able to do next!