Table of Contents

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1. Introduction

2. Purpose of the Text

3. A Brief Survey of the Growth of Pop, Jazz, and Show Choirs

4. The Well-balanced Choral Program

5. Show Choir vs. Jazz Choir Literature

6. Conceptualization and Hierarchy of Learning
• Conceptualization
• Visualization
• Actualization
• Quantification

7. The Vocal Ensemble
• Developing the Appropriate Choral Tone
• Overtones and Harmonics
• Vocal Weight and Blend Within the Ensemble
• Tonal Window
• Diction
- Words ending in t
- Vowel formation and placement
- Consonant placement
• Diphthongs
• Vibrato Compatibility and Control
- Speed
- Pitch distance
- Depth
• Singing With Commitment Rather Than Volume
• Posture
• Movement

8. Intonation and Tuning
• Listening in Tune
• Singing in Tune
- Atmospheric
- Acoustic
- Emotional
- Physical
- Technical
- Rehearsal

9. Rehearsal Techniques
• Attitude
• Technique
• Environment
• Peak Experience
• Levels of Success
• Closure
• Mental Alertness and Attention Span
• Introducing a New Piece of Music
• Goals
• Feedback
• Directions
• Correcting Mistakes and Problems
• Power and Leadership
- Punitive power
- Compensatory power
- Conditioned power
- Traditional leadership
- Functional leadership
- Personal leadership
- Formal power system
- Informal power system
- Fear
- Respect
- Positive peer pressure
- Positive reinforcement
• Seating Arrangement
- Sectional seating
- Small groups
- Scrambled seating
- Circular seating
• Warm-ups
• Pace
• Vocal Instruction Throughout the Rehearsal
• Sight-reading
• Use of Sectionals
- Individual voice part
- Small groups
- Use of the rhythm section

10. Conducting the Ensemble
• Use of Traditional and New Terminology
• Use of Descriptive Imagery
• Physical Conducting Technique
- Posture
- Internal beat
- Precision
- Initial attack
- Beat patterns
- Ambidexterity
- Conducting planes
- Intensity plane
- Visualization through body language
- Visualization through facial expression
- Physical imagery
- Memory layers
• Score Study
- Prior study
- Form
- Melodic considerations
- Harmonic considerations
- Rhythmic considerations
- Texture
- Textual considerations
- Individual voice part considerations
- Tone quality considerations
- Dynamic considerations

11. Stylistic Considerations Affecting Interpretation
• Pop Style
• Swing Style
• Latin Style
• Rock Style
• Broadway Show Style
• Country Style
• Ballad Style

12. Rhythmic Intensity
• Rhythmic Consistency and Placement
- Inattention on the part of the director
- Inexperienced rhythm section players
- Inexperienced accompanist
- Overly experienced accompanist
- Beat consistency
- Subdivision of the beat
- Rushing
- Dragging
- On the beat
- Ahead of the beat
- Behind the beat
• Teaching Rhythm First
• Interpretation of Traditional Rhythms
• Tempo in Relation to Style and Musicality
• Rhythmic Phrasing
• Accents
- Written accents
- Breath accent
- H accent
- Heimlich accent
- D or L accent
- Tenuto with space accent
- Rushing
- Note separation
• Attacks
- Tempo
- Style
- Consonants
- Vowels
- Lyrics
- Precision
• Releases
• Syncopation
• Miscellaneous Rhythmic Considerations

13. Linear Intensity Through Melodic Interpretation
• Intensity Changes Within the Melodic Line
- Tone color contrast within the melodic line
- Intensity changes on longer-duration notes
- Intensity changes on repeated notes
- Counter-melodies
• Inner-moving Notes
- Accent
- Dynamics
- Tone color change
• Polyphony vs. Homophony
• Lyrics
- Key words
- Connector words
- Filler words
• Phrasing
• Jazz Nuances, Inflections, and Ornaments
- Fall-off
- Ascending smear
- Ascending glissando
- Plop
- Doit
- Ghost note
- Shake
- Flip

14. Chordal Intensity Through Harmonic Considerations
• Vertical Chord Structure vs. Horizontal Line
• Levels of Dissonance vs. Consonance
• Chord Tuning
- Energy level
- Tempo
- Texture
- Chord span and texture
- Style
- Volume
- Pitch placement and tendency
- Tone color
- Rhythmic placement
• Blend and Balance Through Vocal Color
- Individual voice-part dynamics
- Pronunciation and vowel placement
- Rhythmic accuracy
- Tone color
- Levels of dissonance vs. consonance
- Changing blend
- Use of vibrato
- Approaching dissonant chords
- Quartal chords
- Clusters and closed-voiced chords
- Textual considerations

15. Overall Intensity Through Contrast
• Building Contrast Through Dynamics
- Span
- Range
- Flow
- Group size and experience
- Style
- Tempo
- Lyrical content
- Melodic content
- Dissonance vs. consonance
- Experiment with dynamics
• Building Contrast Through Tone Color
- Span
- Range
- Flow
• Building Contrast Within Repetition
- Dynamic change between phrases
- Intensity change within phrases
• Building Contrast Within Structure
- Overall structure

16. Repertoire Selection
• The Art of Repertoire Selection
• Number of Voice Parts, Range and Tessitura
• Degree of Difficulty
• Quality and Musical Taste

17. Programming Decisions
• Types of Organization
- Chronological
- Thematic
• Pacing
• Building to a Climax
• Opener, Closer, Peak, and Filler Tunes
- Select the closer tune first
- Select the opening tune second
- Select the peak (climax) tune
- Choose works to bracket the intermission
- Fill in the gaps with filler tunes, solos, and small group numbers
• Variety
• Tonal Centers and Key Areas
• Solos and Small Groups
• Transitions Between Tunes
- To continue direction and momentum from tune to tune
- To facilitate a change of mood or style
- To allow time for costume or scenery changes
- To introduce the next act
• Timing and Sustaining Momentum
• Psychology of Performance

18. Altering a Published Piece of Music
• Legal Issues
• Changing Keys
• Arranging Sections
• Altering Vocal Parts
- Melody
- Harmony
- Rhythm
- Additional notes

19. Use of Recorded Tracks

20. Use of Outside Help
• Nationally-known clinicians
• Regionally-known clinicians
• Local professional talent

21. Bibliography
• Periodicals
• Books
• Videos

22. Index

23. Scott Music Publications

24. Biography