Product Description

An outstanding reference volume! Described as "an unusual experience of communication between a composer and a singer," the choral experience is thoroughly explored in this detailed and readable text. Designed specifically for the practicing choral conductor and the student training for a career in choral music, fundamentals of the choral experience such as vocal production, choral diction, and basic musician-ship are included to help the singer extend his or her musical experience beyond the immediate rehearsals and performances of the choral ensemble to other realms of music. Special features include: provides numerous illustrations, tables, and examples intended to enrich the learning experience; includes end-of-chapter summaries; examines important components such as the vocal mechanism, posture, diction, and breathing and breath control; offers recommended reading lists for further in-depth study.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #770780 in Books
• Published on: 1992-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 510 pages

From the Publisher
Titles of related interest from Waveland Press: Decker-Kirk, Choral Conducting: Focus on Communication (ISBN 9780881338768); Roe, Choral Music Education, Second Edition (ISBN 9780881338072); and Stanton, Steps to Singing for Voice Classes, Third Edition (ISBN 9781577661351).

Customer Reviews

STILL the text of choice.
I teach Choral Music at a University, so every time the class comes back around that is to cover Conducting Technique as well as Choral Literature and Performance Style, I re-evaluate the available texts in case something better has come along. In several decades nothing has. In my mind it's still the one text that covers in a very basic way all the essential aspects of conducting choral music. It includes rehearsal techniques, gives voice instruction guidelines, and focuses on performance practice for each major style period in the western tradition. It even has diction charts for all the major choral languages. There are other excellent texts (which I also use in other courses) that cover a few areas of choral music-making in greater detail, but if you need one text to introduce students to the main topics in clear and authoritative language, this is still the one.

All you can (and should) learn from reading a book
It won't make you a good choral conductor or teacher just by reading books. However, a solid groundwork is essential. This one book provides all the necessities, such as history, role & responsibility, practice technique, basic musicianship and style guide for different repertoires.

The authors treat the subjects in a no-nonsense way. For example, they didn't give you a long list of events on choral history, rather they blended them into the influencial parties and thus provide you insights on how the history evolved.

So if you'd read only one book in choral literature, this is the one!

Great Service!
Great service! The book arrived in the condition that was given in the description.