1

I Love To Sing: Artistry in the Choral Warm-Up

Matthew Lee, Choral Director, Parsippany Hills High School

NJACDA Summer Conference, Princeton, NJ

July 23, 2014

How do we, as choral directors, encourage our students to sing with pedagogically sound technique yet also

with beauty and expressivity? What is the difference between a choir with artistry and one that is

without? This workshop will focus on creating artistry in the choir through a series of warm-up exercises

and strategies to keep the choir mentally and physically engaged in active music-making. The session will

feature topics such as how to design an efficient warm-up sequence, incorporating movement in the rehearsal,

and a collection of recommended warm-ups that are sure to challenge, motivate, and inspire your choirs.

I would like to acknowledge Jason Bishop, Bob Boyd, Linda Clark, Nick McBride, Tom Voorhis, and Diane

Wions for their guidance, contributions, and support. I am also indebted to the work of so many choral

conductors who have become before me for enhancing my own personal understanding of the human voice as

an instrument as well as the rehearsal process. A complete list of recommended reading materials and

additional resources can be found in the back of this packet.

The importance, objectives, and sequencing of the choral warm-up have often been a point of debate among

choral conductors. One might make the argument that the warm-up is in fact the most important part of the

rehearsal, and that without a comprehensive warm-up, even if it is brief, good singing is at best delayed, and

at worst impossible. For the purposes of this session, The Warm-Up will be considered to be an essential

procedure in the choral rehearsal which accomplishes two major tasks: 1) reinforcing good vocal technique

and 2) aurally preparing the singers for the repertoire that will be rehearsed. The warm-up should encourage

healthy singing habits while heightening singers musical perception so that they will be in the best vocal and

mental state to make music.

Without a proper warm-up, singers voices are not prepared for healthy singing and will ultimately

compensate through the use of misaligned bodies, closed-off resonances, forced exhalation, and other

symptoms that can lead to temporary or permanent vocal damage. In addition, a choir that has not had time to

prepare their instruments will sing with insufficient breath management which will then cause intonation

problems, leading to an off day for the rest of rehearsal. This too can be frustrating. By warming up the

choir sufficiently, and in a logical and pedagogically sequence, choir conductors can be sure to both

encourage healthy singing habits and prepare the choir to sing repertoire with relevant exercises.

In my personal experience, I have indeed found that a warmed-up choir sounds much better than a non-

warmed up choir. But we so often as rehearsal-practitioners proceed in such a way during the warm-up that

resembles a mix-bag of sorts; a collected and varied, perhaps virtuosic menagerie of exercises that have little

connection with each other or with the music being rehearsed in the rehearsal. If choral excellence is to the be

the goal of the choir director, then each component of the rehearsalincluding the warm-upshould work to

help the singers achieve artistry. The warm-up should be judiciously and carefully constructed in order to

achieve the best possible results in the time allocated to the warm-up.

Artistry, by its definition, is creative skill or ability to make art, usually at a high level. In the choir, artistry

means applying correct vocal technique to music-making. In order to demonstrate artistry, singers should

have a meaningful connection with the music being performed at a mental, emotional, physical, and, if

2

applicable, spiritual level. An artistic rendition of a choral piece is not only technically excellent, but also

engages the audience on a transcendent levelone that can perceive that each and every choir member is

immersed, connected, and involved in the music. True artistry requires acutely refined technical skill, but also

just as importantly calls for a psychokinetic focus from the performer. Artistry, if it is to be equated with

musicianship, is a skill that must be practiced just as any other skill in the choral discipline. There are a few

effective ways of achieving artistry, but ultimately it is grounded in well-informed vocal habits that

translate into skill.

While many choral authors insist on a long list of must-dos and optionals during the warm-up, a

recommended approach to teaching most of the necessary vocal and aural should feature six main components.

These six components include 1) Body 2) Breath 3) Resonance 4) Range 5) Musicianship and 6) Mind. These

warm-up components were adapted from Dr. Stephen Alltop, who was my beginning conducting professor in

college. By following this outline of a warm-up, you will find that many vocal issues are solved before they

arrive, and that the students will start showing signs of true musical growth when you start to reinforce

important vocal technique. It is important throughout the warm-up to be critically listening and assessing the

students, providing feedback and reminding them of their body alignment. Without constructive feedback or

instructions, each warm-up repetition will only be a repetition; there should be a purpose behind each exercise,

and each repetition, and that purpose should be communicated to the singers so they know how to improve.

More specific skills, such as diction or articulation can also be worked on during the warm-up, but these

should belong near the musicianship section of the warm-up for best results. Exercises that do focus on

specific skills or passages can also be strategically placed at the end of the warm-up in order to serve as a

segue between the warm-up and the rehearsing of the repertoire.

It is important to be consistent in ones execution of warm-ups by following the same sequence during each

and every warm-up session. This does not imply always using the same set of warm-ups, which can result in

students singing on autopilot and therefore mentally disengaging themselvesinstead, one should allow for

purposeful substitutions for each part of the warm-up. Two warm-up exercises that accomplish the same goal

might be used in alternation over the course of a week. What is perhaps even more important than following a

structured sequence for each warm-up is using the warm-up in order to teach passages found in the music

being studied. For instance, if the piece calls for the use of a triplet rhythm, having students switch between

duple and triple meters might enable them to be more successful. If a piece instead requires much attention to

crescendos and decrescendo, having students spin their fingers around each other while crescendoing on a

neutral syllable (such as noh) and then decrescendoing while maintaining the same energy might then

translate into the actual music, resulting in an engaged series of mesa di voce throughout the literature. It is

not uncommon for some choral directors to revisit a warm-up in the middle of rehearsing a piece; ultimately,

the goal of each warm-up exercise should be to enhance the learning and improve the execution of the vocal

literature that is to be studied.

The following is the typical routine that I follow when doing warm-ups with my choir.

3

OUTLINE OF A WARM-UP:

A) BODY singers need to have achieved proper alignment and flexibility to sing correctly. More often than

not, vocal problems develop from the sheer lack of understanding of the breathing process or correct

standing/sitting position.

1) STRETCH! Have students extend their arms above their heads and clasp their hands together in the

middle. Have them lean over towards the right, then towards the left (make sure to do this slowly to

avoid injury.) Have students roll their shoulders backwards, then forwards (forwards leaves them in a

slightly better position). Have students touch one ear to their shoulder, then switch. Instruct them to

"shake out" their limbs to release any tension they may have brought to choir.

2) ALIGNMENT: Have students plant their feet squarely on the ground. Have them deconstruct the

bad posture and tension that they brought to your choir room, and refocus their energy on correct

body alignment. (Avoid saying posture)

The use of a visual is recommended.

After students have deconstructed their posture, you can focus on

the six areas of alignment, starting from the lowest part:

(1)The base of the ankle,

(2) the knees,

(3) the pelvis,

(4) the lumbar vertebrae, (the

small of ones back) [not pictured]

(5) the shoulders,

(6) the base of the skull (AO joint)

(which is level with the bottom of each ear).

Only after students have been shown how to stand, and have

demonstrated correct alignment, should the warm-up proceed! One

analogy I use to emphasize the importance of alignment is by saying if someone were to play

saxophone, or clarinet with a bent neck, they would most likely be using too much energy to sound

normal or find it very hard to produce a good tone entirely.

Students should not be standing like soldiers; they should also not be slouching. One way to have

them think about standing with correct alignment is to "stand regally, like you are the queen or king

of England." Ideally, they will not experience any tenseness but instead have come to a place of

balance. It may be necessary, in the first few warm-up sessions with you, to model incorrect

alignment at each of the points of alignment, then ask students to come to the place "where they do

the least work." (Jordan). You should then consistently reinforce good alignment with verbal cues and

reminders.

Once students have been aligned, it is now time to activate their breathing.

4

B) BREATH breathing can seem like an elusive and abstract task for many young or inexperienced singers.

The process of inhaling and exhaling is made much more accessibly understood through kinesthetic activities

and visual representations (refer to the eight-hand visual found in Jordans Evoking Sound: Body Mapping

Principles and Basic Conducting Technique (GIA) demonstration). Here I will discuss some breathing

activities that I have compiled from various speakers, books, and rehearsals that I have personally witnessed

or experienced.

Simply explained, several processes occur

during breathing. This includes (1) the

filling of air and expansion of the lungs, (2)

the swinging out of the floating ribs of

our ribcage with help from the intercostal

muscles, (3) the lowering (contraction) of

the parachute-shaped diaphragm, and (4)

the lowering of the pelvic floor as well as

the expansion of the lower back, obliques,

and abdomen as the entrails of our lower

abdomen move outward.

Since breathing is an involuntary activity,

most singers have not had to think about

each of the processes mentioned above; but

should understand that their roleor responsibilityshould be to allow breathing to happen in an organic

and meant-for-singing fashion. It is crucial for students to understand each step of this process, and the

location of the organs and muscles involved in breathing, in order for them to take deep and diaphragmatic

breaths.

Some exercises for teaching correct breathing techniques include:

1. Instruct students to place their hand on their abdomen above their belly button. Ask them

to inhale, then exhale. Observe the number of shoulders that go up. Ask students to pant like a dog

with their hand on their abdomen. Have them pant like a small dog. Have them pant like a large dog.

(They will enjoy this exercise for the contrast in breathing paces of a small and big dog!) Make

students aware of the abdominal action. This activity can then be followed by vocal calisthenics

(which can be found in Rollo Dilworths Choir Builders: Fundamental Vocal Techniques for

Classroom and General Use: Hal Leonard.) You can also invent your own patterns by percussively

saying unvoiced (or voiced) consonants, such as Ch ch k t f and having students repeat the rhythmic

pattern, all while using short thrusts of support from their abdomen.

2. Raising their arms laterally above their head as they exhale silently; exhaling on ch while

slowly lowering their arms back to their side. This is to make students aware of the expanding

potential of their lungs, and how far out the rib cage swings.

3. Seated on a chair, placing ones forearms on ones knees. Instruct students to breathe

normally. Ask if they notice any movement in their body. Have them place their hands on their lower

back as they are bent over in the same position, and instruct them to inhale into their back. (it Is

important to emphasize that it is not anatomically correct to think about air going into their back

literally, but that the diaphragm contracting will result in the lower back muscles assisting in allowing

the entrails to not get squished but instead to push outwards.) Have students, once they are aware of

5

the expansion of their lower back, inhale through their mouth as if through a straw, then exhale

between their teeth on ch. (For more examples like this, refer to Kenneth Philips book Directing

the Choral Program: Oxford University Press)

4. Instruct students to place their hands in their armpits (on the same side as the hand.) Have

them take a deep breath and ask for feedback: what did they experience? Instruct students to attempt

to fill up their lungs with all of the air in the room and try to move their hands as far out as possible

while inhaling.

5. Instruct students to hold their hand at their belly button, parallel to the floor. Have students

take in a deep breath through the mouth like a straw while lowering their hand, like an elevator.

Exhale on ss while slowly raising the hand back to starting position. Have them repeat the same

exercise while breathing through their nose. Exhale again on ss. (you can also count as they exhale

and increase the number of beats that they exhale for to control their airflow).

6. Students will hold their hands in front of their abdomen as if they were holding something

the size of a beach ball by its sides. Have students inhale in short puffs, and exhale on percussive ch

sounds. Inhale four quick breaths as if sipping through a straw while expanding the beach ball, then

exhale four quick times on ch, each time pumping the beach ball so that it gets smaller. Then do

this 3 times in, 3 times out. Then 2 times in, 2 times out. Then 1 time in, 1 time out, and 1 time in, 1

time out once more. (Borrowed from Christine Basss Vocal Transformations DVD: Hal Leonard)

The large emphasis placed on kinesthetic and physical contact with each breathing exercise is largely

due to the fact that students will have a hard time understanding how to breath until they link it with a

physical sensation. This applies especially for younger or more inexperienced singers: they should be

able to feel the expansion of their ribs, the expansion of their abdomen and lower back while they

inhale. It is necessary to constantly remind students to not involve their shoulders in the breathing

process in order to avoid clavicular (high) breathing.

C) RESONANCE this is perhaps one of the most important steps in the warm-up. It is also most often the

procedure that many conductors place wrongly in the pedagogical sequence or skip altogether. The necessity

of building resonance after breathing and before further vocalization is because the students have been using

their speaking voices all day before entering the classroom! If students are to sing in the same primarily-

chest resonance during rehearsal, it will result in a raised larynx, harsh tone quality, and possible vocal fold

damage (Jordan). It is then essential for the singers to activate the head resonance that is necessary for healthy

choral singing.

The following are examples of activities that should be used at this point in the rehearsalafter the breathing

has been activated, it is now time to wake up the head resonance of the singers in order to achieve brilliant,

spacious, and mellifluous vocalization.

7. Instruct the singers to hum and chew in their chest resonance, sliding up and down in pitch. Then

instruct them to then hum and chew in their head resonance. When singers hum, make sure that their

jaw is relaxed, the tongue is on the floor of the mouth (touching the bottom front teeth) and that their

teeth are separated. One way for singers to assess themselves would be to place their fingers in front

of their ears to feel if the jaw hinge comes outward.

8. Use the vocal sigh to bring their head resonance down to their chest resonance. This step should not

and must not be omitted: if it is not executed correctly, then the rest of the rehearsal will suffer. The

6

sigh should be downward on the vowel oo or ee, be consistently high and forward, with a

dropped jaw, and a raised soft palette as well as incorporated with a physical gesture. For more details

on how to execute the sigh, and the pedagogical reasons for the sigh, James Jordans Evoking Sound:

The Choral Warm Up (GIA Publications) is recommended as a resource. A correct vocal sigh should

be light and airy in order to prepare the vocal mechanism to work at its best possible state, and with

adequate space for further development of resonance.

9. Use exercises such as the one below in order to further activate resonance. Begin in the middle of the

voice. Have students lift their arms as they descend as if lifting a luxurious comforter (Horstmann).

(side note: It is important to provide students with a aurally rich accompaniment in order to train their

ears to function in the tonality. [Jordan]) You can also change the consonant from mm to a closed

n and a back-of-the-throat ng as well. Always start in the middle of the range and slowly ascend,

but not past a D4/D5 for basses and altos or an E4/E5 for tenors and sopranos.

10. Bring head resonance down into the chest voice. Always use the vowels oo or ee. Descending 5-

4-3-2-1 pattern is best for this, although you can choose to add variation (for example, 5-3-4-2-3-1-2-

7-1. Descend each pattern by half steps.

11. Noo-ah, Noo-ah, Noo-ah (85, 83, 8123454321) This one was a warm-up exercise that I adopted

from my teacher in high school. The purpose of this one is to also bring the head voice resonance

down into the chest voice, and to connect the head voice with the chest voice. Repeat several times in

7

chromatically ascending keys, while using an up and over arching gesture. Particularly effective for

female singers due to the tessitura; you can also modify this exercise for male singers by starting a

sixth lower and also rising chromatically.

D) RANGE Range exercises should be buoyant, at a fast tempo, and executed in leaps or skips (especially

for ascending). Be sure to encourage your students to use adequate pharyngeal space the further you go up.

Physical gestures can also help the students to forget how high they are singing; they also make the warm-

up more fun for all parties involved. For upward extension, an open vowel (such as ah) is required. For

extension downward, students should instead use a closed and bright vowel, moving stepwise, and

maintaining a high and forward placement. Make sure also to not allow the students to crescendo throughout

descending exercises (Jordan). Here are a few that I have had success with in my own choral classroom.

12. Staccato broken triads also great for encouraging students to engage their abdomen (much like the

panting activity). Have students sing this exercise up to A-major or A-flat major, but not much higher at

this stage in the warm-up.

etc.

13. This exercise is great for keeping the students connected with their core. Each group of three after the

initial staccato note should be slurred, with an emphasis on the release each time. Suggested syllables for this

exercise include weh, zoh, and zah, but feel free to adapt this exercise with a different open syllable,

perhaps one that will be soon encountered in the repertoire you are about to rehearse.

8

14. For this exercise, it is useful for singers to throw an imaginary ball up and over during the zaw

arpeggio. This is to prevent the larynx from rising also while energizing the upward melodic line. Have

students also accent each z sound in order to maintain the connection with the support (perhaps pointing

at each zee would achieve in the focus here.)

15. Frisbee Toss / Basketball Shoot: For I love to sing, have students prepare for a shot during the word I.

As they sing love, they should energize the note by shooting a basketball. This helps students think of

each note up and over and also helps them reach the notetheir minds and bodies will be too distracted to

become tense! If you do happen to hear tenseness or hoarseness in the singing quality, be sure to correct it

right away.

For Vee Zee, singers should start with their right hand down near their left thigh, as if they were preparing

to throw a Frisbee downfield. On the syllable Zee, they will similarly release the Frisbee by flinging their

arm up and to the right. Encourage student to use their entire body. Beyond an E5 (or E4, for tenors/basses,)

you will want to switch the syllable to Va Za. I have found that students often sing as high as a high C or D

without even realizing it!

9

16. This one is a very high-energy warm-up that can get a class going on a slow day. Have students bring

their arms up to their side as if they were running. As they sing it, they should swing their arms back and forth

(on each quarter note) as if they were running it may get a little silly, but it is almost guaranteed to get

students out of their seats and engaged in rehearsal (use with discretion.) Do make sure that students are using

the same connection in the initial ya of each set; this can be accented by a stronger swing of the arms.

17. This next exercise can double as a range extension exercise as well as a tongue-twister exercise.

I like to use it to feature student names as part of a warm-upwhich often can focus students who are

otherwise unfocused. It can also help make students feel welcome and included. The alternatives are

to use nonsense syllables or segments of text from the repertoire that is being rehearsed later in the

rehears

al.

10

11

18. ni-ah can be used in order to open up the singers sound by having them think about lifting their soft

palette while singing up and over a note. Teach students both the wrong way (lifting ones chin,

which will raise the larynx, and using limited space) and the correct way of singing this exercise.

(spacious and resonant, without raising ones larynx). It is strongly recommended that this exercise is

accompanied by physical gesture to reinforce the dropping of the jaw and lifting of the soft palette!

19. This exercise is great for engaging students breath support, and is nice for upper range extension. Model

to students the correct way to sing Yo-ho-ho-ho- full of energy, and with a jovial belly shake. Use this

exercise to reinforce the idea of abdominal action. Make sure that students are singing the descending

arpeggio lightly and with a true staccato feeling. Be sure to not sing this exercise too slowly.

12

20. Zinga-Zinga-Zee Great for diction, major third intervals, and scalar runs. Be careful to not permit

students to accent the Zee too heavily; this one can be nicely paired with a physical motion, such as a circle

with the hands on each of the downbeats. Minga Mee and Finga Fee or Binga Bee are possible

variations on the syllables, to make it more interesting while they sing (you can yell out the new word each

time.)

13

E) MUSICIANSHIP: Musicianship exercises can have many goals; this section of the warm-up is the perfect

opportunity to work on listening skills, sight-reading skills, blending, vowels, diction, or other skills that are

necessary to be successful in rehearsing the repertoire.

While rehearsing the repertoire, there should be no skills that were not first taught or reinforced during

the warm-up. You wouldnt put a drivers education student behind the wheel without first teaching him the

function of each pedal, or the rules of the road! It is also essential to first teach or introduce a skill before

students encounter it in the repertoire.

By teaching the skills necessary to sing the repertoire (i.e. major triads, scalar patterns, minor mode, difficult

intervallic jumps) during the warm-up, many stumbling blocks or speed bumps can be avoided during the

main part of the rehearsal. This includes diction which should be taught and reinforced in the warm-up

(which can then nicely segue into the rehearsing of the music.) It will prove beneficial to analyze the piece of

music thoroughly before each rehearsal in order to focus on the skills or techniques necessary for students to

be successful. The following exercises will include a few that are removed from repertoire (i.e. good for

practicing concepts such as blend, dynamics, or intonation;) other exercises in this section will focus on skills

that can be taught through the warm-up, depending on the repertoire. One must be imaginative in designing

the warm-up so that the skills required by the piece can be practiced first during the warm-up.

21. Ascending and descending scale with suspension: To be sung on oo or ah or oh strive for a pure

vowel and controlled dynamic; request that students think higher on each note as they descend or as they

sustain the long notes on the way down. Physical gesture of spinning fingers is one suggested physical gesture

that can help keep this exercise in tune.

14

22. La-Beh-Dah-Meh-Ni-Po-Tu a four-part exercise that I borrowed from my high school chorus teacher.

Vowels should be tall; the IPA for this exercise would be [la b da m ni p tu] (be sure that the [a] is a

brighter [a] like in pasta, unlike the [] found in father). Once students have learned the exercise, it can

become a great activity in dynamics, tempo, and articulation, as well as watching the conductors gestures.

You can even have students try conducting this one as in introduction to conducting!

Fermatas on each tu is optional; you can also use this exercise to have students practice watching you for

cues for when not to breathe.

23. This exercise is useful for building singers ears for intervallic relationship and intonation. It should be

sung a cappella. Tenors will have to listen for the fifth, and altos for the octave; sopranos will have to tune

their third higher in order to come in together with the rest of the choir. For variation, I would suggest

switching student voice parts (i.e. sopranos sing the bass line an octave higher, basses sing the tenor line, altos

sing the soprano line, and tenors sing the soprano line.) This exercise should be sung slowly, at about = 60

(slight pause between each one)

24. For dynamic control, assign a note of a chord (or have all singers sing the same note in unison) on a

neutral syllable such as oo or ah. Establish that 1 is extremely soft and that 10 is extremely loud. Singers

15

spin their index fingers around each other slowly at first (at volume level 1) and increase the speed of the

spinning until the dynamic level is 10. As students decrescendo, have them maintain the same intensity and

energy of the spinning fingers in order to produce a beautiful and vibrant decrescendo, resulting in an

energetic pianissimo.

A note on crescendo: Make sure that students are not pushing more forward on the crescendo; they should not

be imagining a pushing of more air, but instead imagine that the space inside their pharynx (or mouth, for

plainspeak) is increasing with the increase of dynamic. This exercise can also be done in unison or on

different vowels. You may choose to also change the vowel with the dynamic level so that 1-3 is oo, 4-6 is

oh and 7-10 are ah.

25. You can experiment with various chords for this exercise. Some suggestions are a major triad, a seventh

chord, a whole tone cluster, or a dissonant (perhaps Wagnerian) chord. This one is great for listening,

matching of vowel color, and close harmony, as well as practicing mesa di voce. It will be particularly useful

if you are performing any music that features sixths, ninths, or seconds regularly. Change the chord cluster to

fit the demands of the repertoire. (It should be done slowly, with enough time to focus the hum and aurally

soak up the sonority!)

Be sure to reinforce north-south alignment of each vowel during the exercise; instruct students to push their

lips outward and wrap their lips around the vowel (Jordan). This will allow for more warmth and better

blend.

Variation 1: Triad + 9th

16

Variation 2: Half Diminished Chord

Variation 3: Whole Tone Cluster

26. Canon Scale plus ninth: Great for beginning choirs once they have learned their solfege syllables. Instant

gratification that will come as a result of the harmonies that develop. Try it first in two parts before attempting

to sing in three or four parts. Can be repeated on a neutral syllable, such as oo or oh or ah.

17

27. Whole Tone Scale; Round Before attempting the whole-tone scale in a round, introduce it first to your

students in unison. Make sure that they are singing each step high enough on the way up and preventing it

from going flat on the way down. It may be useful to make sure that they can do it confidently before moving

onto the round.

18

28. Parallel Scales: This is a great way to reinforce the independence of the ear as well as the major/minor

seconds in the scale. When introducing this exercise, group the sopranos and tenors on one side of the room

with the basses and altos on the other side. Start unison, then proceed to different intervals; both parts will

sing a major scale while starting on different keys. This can be used to warm-up the ear when performing

works with dissonant intervals or bitonality. You can choose any syllable; some might find it easy to have all

students sing Do Re Mi so that they can hear their own scale. You can then progress to oo or ah or

aw depending on the color that you would like to hear from your choir.

Scale in Thirds:

Scale in Fourths:

Scale in Fifths:

19

Scale in Seconds:

Scale in three parts (major triad)

20

29. Triad Chromatic Shift exercise: Have your students sing a C major triad in three parts. (Basses, C; Altos,

E; Sopranos, G can work even better for SSA or TTB groups) You can choose to group the tenors with the

basses on the low C, or have them double the sopranos on the G. Instruct each voice part to move up or down

chromatically depending on your instructions, forming different chords throughout. If you have trouble

keeping track of where each voice part is moving and what the resulting sonority will be, you can first write it

down on paper. I have seen this done two ways the first, with verbal instructions (Sopranos down, Altos up,

etc.); the other with physical gestures. The latter may be easier for clarity reasons strategic seating may be

necessary. This exercise will train their minds and their ears and require them to think about the chords they

are forming as a result of gradual chromatic changes.

Here is an example of what might be heard during this exercise:

21

22

F) MIND This part can come at the end or at the beginning of rehearsal. Mind warm-ups can be an effective

tool in focusing the choir and preparing them to be productive during rehearsal. Exercises for the mind can

range from tongue twisters to kinetic vocal exercises, or exercises that teach or reinforce music theory

concepts. You may elect to do a brief sight-reading exercise during this part of your warm-up as part of your

daily routine.

30. Scale by thirds, in a round, with hand motions. If singing on Solfege, use Kodaly-Curwen hand signals. If

singing on numbers, hold up the number of fingers that correspond to the number (challenging).

23

31. Do, Do Re Do (or 1, 121) a well known scalar exercise that has potential to be a game, with

progressively harder challenges.

Variations:

1. Sing normally

2. Sing in a two-part round

3. Sing in a three-part round

4. Clap on Do (1 or 8)

5. Clap on Do AND snap on So

6. Clap on Do AND snap on So AND Pat on Mi (you can add your own variations and movements for each

number.)

7. Sing normally, but skip a number (students will have a rest instead of the note). While first beginning this

challenge, they can also snap instead of singing the note.

24

32. ABCs: I like using this activity to get students excited about singing; it sometimes can become so quick

that the students will be stumbling over their consonants. For this reason, be mindful about letting the activity

become out of hand. (Chromatically ascend and slightly accel can also be turned into an elimination type

game.)

For more warm-up ideas, consult the list of resources found on the next page. Those marked with an asterisk

are recommended as a springboard for your own creativity find what works for you and adapt it for your

own classroom and situation. (Most of the warm-ups cited in this presentation are for High School or Junior

High. For teaching artistry in Childrens Choirs, I would recommend Henry Lecks publications and DVDs.)

The Warm-up, when used efficiently, can be a time of true musical growth and mental preparation. Since

most singers in the average school choir do not have vocal training outside of the choir, the warm-up is your

chance as a conductor to work towards long-term goals of vocalizing in a way that is healthy, vibrant, and

beautiful. By teaching, re-teaching, and reinforcing these vocal concepts on a consistent basis, you will be

able to develop a choir that has a strong ear and that uses a mindful approach to vocalization. The goal here is

to change your singers into musicians!

Remember to establish a good routine with variability: work on the same skills, but change up the exercises

based on what you want to accomplish as a choral conductor. There are exercises that are permissible in using

on a consistent basis, since there is comfort in structure, but be wary not to allow the warm-up to become

auto-pilot and mindless.

Lastly, it is important to remember that singing should bring joy to the classroomto your students, and to

the community. You are the forerunner of music in your community, and it is up to YOU, as the teacher, to

embody the spirit and energy that music-making requires!

Matthew Lee is the choral director at Parsippany Hills High School in Morris Plains, NJ, where he directs two

curricular and three extra-curricular vocal ensembles. He is also the conductor of the Chinese American Music

Ensemble Children's Choir in Scotch Plains, NJ. Lee received his B.M. from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL

where he was the music director of a student-run a cappella group for three years. Past teaching experiences include an

interim position (full year) as the 7th through 9th grade vocal music teacher at the Slocum Skewes School and Ridgefield

Memorial High School in Ridgefield, NJ and Summer Music Teacher at The Lakeview School in Edison, NJ.

Matthew Lee

Parsippany Hills High School

20 Rita Drive.

Morris Plains, NJ 07834

mlee@pthsd.net or matthewclee2012@gmail.com

25

LIST OF RECOMMENDED WARM-UP MATERIALS/ARTISTRY MATERIALS / BIBLIOGRAPHY

*Albrecht, Sally (compiled, and edited by.) The Choral Warm-Up Collection. Alfred 21676 - (A GREAT compendium

of more than 100 warm-ups from 51 directors. Great place to start.)

Bartle, Jean Ashworth. Sound Advice. Oxford University Press (J.A.B. was the conductor of the Toronto Cildrens Choir

and gives ideas of how to promote excellence in adolescent singing.)

*Bass, Christine. Vocal Transformation [DVD with booklet]. Hal Leonard 08749640 (Shows the progress of freshmen

who later on become her top ensemble; a progressive approach with warm-up exercises and explanation of how to

reinforce vocal concepts.)

Conable, Barbara. The Structures and Movement of Breathing: A Primer for Choirs and Choruses. GIA Publishing

G5265

Crocker, Emily. Warm-Ups and Workouts for the Developing Choir (Vol 1). Hal Leonard 47123012

*Crocker, Emily, and Dilworth, Rollo. Choir Builders For Growing Voices: 18 Vocal Exercuses for Warm-Up &

Workout.

Dilworth, Rollo. Choir Builders 2 for Growing Voices: 24 MORE Vocal Exercises for Warm-Up & Workout. Hal

Leonard

Dilworth, Rollo. Choir Builders: Fundamental Vocal Techniques for Classroom and General Use. Hal Leonard

*Horstmann, Sabine. Choral Vocal Technique. Evoking Sound: The Choral Warm-up. GIA Publishing: G7424

Jordan, James, and Mehaffey, Matthew. Choral Ensemble Intonation: Method, Procedures, and Exercises. GIA

Publishing, G-5527T.

Jordan, James, and Shenenberger, Marilyn. Ear Training Immersion Exercises for Choirs. GIA Publishing G-6429A

*Jordan, James. Evoking Sound: The Choral Warm-up: Method, Procedures, Planning, and Core Vocal Exercises. GIA

Publishing: G6397 (A very comprehensive look at Group Vocal Technique, plus the Core Vocal Exercises focus on very

specific skills. Great resource and text.)

*Klemp, Michael. The Choral Challenge: Practical Paths to Solving Problems. GIA Publications, Inc. G6776 (similar to

the James Jordan book, but focuses more on vocal technique in general; also includes a trouble-shooting section that

refers the reader to various technical underlying problems that you should address when hearing something amiss with

your choir.)

Leck, Henry, and Jordan, Flossie. Creating Artistry Through Choral Excellence. Hal Leonard 08748555

Leck, Henry. Creating Artistry Through Movement. Hal Leonard 08744511

McKinney, James C. The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults: A Manual for Teachers of Singers and for Choir

Directors. Waveland Press

Phillips, Kenneth H. Directing the Choral Music Program. Oxford University Press

Robinson, Russell. Warm-Ups by the Dozen: SATB. Alfred SVM01025

* Robinson, Russell., and Althouse, Jay. The Complete Choral Warm-up Book. Alfred 11653

Stenson, Randy, and Leck, Henry. Creating Artistry Through Movement and the Maturing Male Voice. Book & DVD.,

Hal Leonard 08753287 * Recommended