These Kids Can Sing! Elevating Elementary Choir

If you dream of having your own elementary honor choir that sings more than simple melodies, this workshop is for you! Take your elementary choir to the next level and get them singing in 2- or 3-parts with beautiful, tall vowels and crisp consonants. This workshop will show you how to adapt higher level choral practices to be developmentally appropriate for young singers.
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In this session, educators will learn:
  • Vocal anatomy of young singers
  • Building a strong foundation
  • Beyond the Basics: Diction, sight reading, sheet music, repertoire
  • What they need from you

The School Choir Starter Kit

If you've never started a choir before, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. In this workshop, we break down the 10 essentials that every music educator needs in order to not only start an ensemble but build a thriving choral program at their school that is fun and stress-free.

​In this session, educators will learn:
  • Which ages and grades to have in your choir
  • Auditioning singers
  • What kind of music to perform
  • Scheduling rehearsals
  • Seating your choir
  • Where to hold rehearsals
  • Playing the piano
  • Rote vs. Reading

Navigating the Changing Male Voice

If working with middle school male voices fills you with anxiety, you are not alone! The good news is it's really not that daunting and can even be a lot of fun if you have the right information. In this workshop, we'll demystify the male changing voice with easy-to-understand language to ease that anxiety and allow you to focus on making music!

​In this session, educators will learn:
  • What is happening?
  • What exactly is voice “cracking” or “breaking?”
  • Assessing vocal ranges and stages
  • Assigning parts and seating
  • Working with the changing voice
  • Social aspects of the changing voice

Disclaimer: This information is based on the vocal anatomy of singers born male; thus, this information would also be relevant to nonbinary and transgender female singers. This workshop may not be relevant to transgender male singers on testosterone HRT.

Folk Songs of 19th and Early 20th Century Oregon

I began researching folk songs of the Pacific Northwest during my final Kodály levels and realized there were very few collections of folk songs from Oregon that cross-referenced variants and many claimed to be folk songs from Oregon but were only songs from other regions that made their way unchanged along the Oregon Trail. I sought to find authentic folk songs that either originated in Oregon or were adapted from other songs to specifically reference the culture and history of Oregon settlements. The result of this research was a collection of 11 Anglo folk songs and rhymes.

In this session, educators will learn:
  • Historical & cultural influences
  • Genres including outlaw songs, miner songs, logger songs, cowboy songs, songs about Oregon, farming songs, counting out rhymes
  • Regional and popular variants
  • Mastercopies available for all songs.