Course in Choir Training, September 2005

A five-module course in choir training and conducting during September and October. 

 
Led by -

John Dexter, Music Director of Goethe Institut Choir
Mark Duley, Chorus Director of the RTE Philharmonic Choir
Nigel McClintock, Director of Music, St Peter's Cathedral, Belfast

Course content: The musician's job in today's church; choir administration and housekeeping; conducting and how to encourage small groups and assemblies to sing; choir training.

The course catered primarily for those already studying for the Archbishop of Dublin's Certificate in Church Music.  There was a small number places available for observers.

Dates and times:

Sunday 21 September:  5 - 7 pm
Saturday 27 September 10 - 12 noon
Sunday 5 October: 5 - 7 pm
Saturday 11 October: 10 - 1 pm
Sunday 19 October: 5 - 7 pm

Venue:

Parish Centre, St Andrew's Church of Ireland, Main Street, Lucan, Dublin 20

Session 1    Sunday 21 Sep 5-7pm   Nigel McClintock

Introduction to the job of a church musician in today's church. - (it's not just your 3 favourite hymns!)  brief intro to the liturgiical church year.  Encouragement of others, being positive and enthusiastic and communications.   Choral Administration/Housekeeping/Basics. For example, gathering a choir, selecting/choosing appropriate music, preparing for a rehearsal, running a rehearsal, organising a rehearsal ,space/venue etc, making the best of a poor venue for what you want to achieve, management and practical matters , music/photocopies/folders, orders of service

Session 2   Saturday 27 Sep   10 - 12.00pm    John Dexter

Elementary conducting, for choirs, congregations etc, basic patterns/ beginnings endings/ dynamics etc, looking at how this relates to Sunday morning services. Conveying confidence and encouragement in what we do to encourage others to particpate.

Session 3    Sunday 5 Oct 5-7pm           Nigel Mc Clintock

Basic Choir training -   selection of appropriate music for the given situation of people/ venue/ liturgical time of year. music score preparation and  everything else that should be done before you start your first rehearsal-. the rehearsal itself - and how to run a rehearsal with a choir and how to do congregational rehearsals. For example, warm-ups, vocal considerations, tuning/blend etc, hymns, psalms (sung to anglican chant, plainchant, responsorial, simple responsive type as per Alison Cadden's forthcoming publication etc), communion, simple anthems/motets  ( – including some choral direction, different rehearsal techniques for choir/congregation/junior choir

Session 4  Saturday 11 Oct  10 - 12noon     Mark Duley

More advanced conducting and choirtraining, building on  sessions 2, & 3  allowing more individual attention, work and follow up.

Session 5   Sunday  19 Oct   5 - 7pm    Nigel McClintock & John Dexter 

Plenary session and assessment for students -
Final windup of course and future training possibilities.