Aural Skills for Choral Groups

Rationale 

Developing a choir’s aural skills not only improves technical performance elements such as blend, tuning and ensemble, but also enhances the musical pleasure individuals can gain from singing.

Summary Description 

Everyone knows that listening is vital to good choral singing, but we don’t often stop to consider what this involves or how to do it better. This workshop explores the different dimensions of aural awareness, and the ways they can improve both a choir’s technical standard and its imaginative grasp of the music. Opening our ears helps us open our minds and open our hearts.

Who is it suitable for? 

Choral ensembles of any size. The content will be customised to the particular needs of individual choirs.

Outcomes 

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

  • Have experienced the improvements to performance quality that can be produced by working on aural skills
  • Have a deeper intuitive understanding of the repertoire they are working on
  • Have the confidence to integrate workshop exercises into their regular rehearsals
Content 
  • Structured introduction of different kinds of listening, with practical exercises to explore each
  • Application of listening exercises to the choir’s own repertoire
  • Opportunities for reflection the experience as it develops
Follow-up 

Resource document that summarises the concepts introduced and activities undertaken during the workshop, and gives suggestions for further reading and practical resource suggestions.

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Aural skills for Choral Groups - print friendly.pdf29.77 KB