Directing the Oxford Children’s Chorus: Observations and Advice for Directing an Extracurricular Children’s Choir

Shuford, Kathryn E. (2014) Directing the Oxford Children’s Chorus: Observations and Advice for Directing an Extracurricular Children’s Choir. Undergraduate thesis, under the direction of Andrew Paney from Music, The University of Mississippi.

Preview

Text FINAL PRINT.pdf Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

This thesis examines the observations and experiences of a first year choir director in an extracurricular choral program. Observations were taken from the weekly rehearsals of the Oxford Children’s Chorus, a community children’s chorus for 4-6th grade students in Oxford, Mississippi, during the fall 2013 semester. The thesis is divided into four chapters. The first chapter provides background information about the Oxford Children’s Chorus and the subsequent chapters each deal with a different aspect of directing a community choral ensemble: planning for a rehearsal, running a rehearsal, and growing the organization. Topics discussed include: choosing repertoire, rehearsal pacing, rehearsal order, rote teaching, rehearsal environment and discipline, modifying plans, the audition process and recruiting for the program. In addition to observations taken during rehearsals, several secondary texts were consulted to gain the insight of experienced directors and music teachers.

Actions (login required)

View Item