Why Should Children Sing in Choral Groups?

January 16, 2018

Last month, a parent asked me why I am always trying to encourage my private students especially my younger students to join our different vocal group sessions and join their...


Last month, a parent asked me why I am always trying to encourage my private students especially my younger students to join our different vocal group sessions and join their school choirs. Isn’t their private lessons enough?

So first I thought I’d explain the difference

Private Lessons

Private lessons are all about focusing and zoning in on individual problem areas and developing a long term plan of what is neded for a musician’s development. It is about developing skills and also working through blocks and learning techniques on practicing, performing, and understanding the big picture.

So why are choral groups especially important for students?

1. If instrumental students can understand how pitch is related in their own voices and how it connects together with sound – ear development will be so much easier. Recently when I stepped away for a moment in a lesson, I heard my student start hum a Demi Lovato’s Sorry Not Sorry and very quickly figure out the melody on the piano. She took the one skill and was able to help her other skill on the piano. Since then due to her theory knowledge, she has been able to figure out not only the melody but also chords to fill out the melody creating an arraignment of the tune.

Image result for Listening Clip Art2. Understanding multiple voices. What do I mean by that? So in choral sessions, singers do not only sing line but rather sometimes up for 8 parts and also an instrumental backtrack (sometimes with multiple lines). The singers not only have to watch they are singing but also have to listen to the other parts happening. It helps them understand multiple parts happening at all the same – which will help them in their own solo music. I would also add it will make them smarter because they are aware of so many things all at the same time. Imagine the sooner a student develops those skills and what will do to help them with so many different things.  And remember if they learn this skill as a child, it will become 2nd nature and they will do it instincly and naturally.

3.Although in private lessons, there is a great focus on rhythm – how rhythm works isn’t always clear until group sessions are introduced. Suddenly the hear and feel rhythm in a different way — they aren’t the only one creating rhythm anymore.

3. Team work in a different way …. Sports are a great way to build collaboration skills in children but singing does this in a different way. A philosopher once told me, “Imagine if every single person in the world sang at the exact moment. What would happen? World Peace as singing creates emotions that no other can.” Imagine that for a moment and what it means for a child.

4. Understanding leadership … if choral members don’t follow their conductor then the choir is in trouble. This is such a wonderful way for students to learn how to follow instruction, a skill that sometimes weaker in a society that is all about me. Image result for clip art choral

5. A lot people are shy about singing and unsure of their vocal sound. In a choral setting, it isn’t about an individual sound but rather creating a unite sound. Shyness and ego has no place in that session and it is just about being true to the music. What a skill to give a child! So children can learn the join of singing. Image result for ego

Curious about different our different group sessions at Pardalis Studio …. send us an email at natalia@pardalisstudio.com

 

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