The Elementary School Choir Conductor

Abstract

T ~HE elementary school choir affords the teacherconductor the experience and the opportunity of developing the classroom singing lesson to its highest ideal. The conductor of the choir may be a good teacher of class singing. He may have the right kind of enthusiasm, may be able to prepare the choir well in teaching the music from notation, may be able to get beautiful tone, may even have a high degree of musicianship, and still the work of the choir may lack the something that gives that soul satisfaction to the group and conductor which comes from good choral singing. When a conductor gets to this state he usually appeals to his supervisor and it is the duty of the supervisor to be able, after taking the choir for a short time, to give briefly enough advice of a practical kind which the conductor can use immediately and so begin to feel the something previously lacking. A supervisor cannot give the right kind of advice unless he has had this experience himself. My purpose in this article is to try to give from my own experience as a teacher-conductor, and later a supervisor, tips which will lead to better _ choral results.