Inside the Elementary School Chorus: Instructional Techniques for the Non-Select Children's Chorus
As a composer, conductor, educator, editor, and someone who has had many other musical jobs (as all musicians have), I am so inspired and encouraged by the wisdom and practicality shared in this wonderful book by Patricia Bourne. From the preface to the final summary, the text reflects Patty and her teaching experience as well as her personal character-enlightening, funny, informative, casual, friendly. It's like talking with your best friend about ideas, stories, problems, and solutions in the comfort of a big easy chair!Patty gives the reader goals, expectations, teaching techniques, and so many "ah-ha!" moments in every chapter. I love and admire her "it's not what will we teach, but what will they learn" approach and student-first commitment. I applaud her belief that everyone should enjoy music and that we are to create an atmosphere of learning if we are going to be successful. She informs the reader using her experiences and breaks it all down so that a wealth of information is easy to understand and incorporate. It is truly motivating for me to read. I think I've highlighted most of the book for my own purposes!I realize this book is designed to help the general music teacher enter the world of choral teaching and performance, however this passionate and compassionate text is perfect for the graduating music educator, the teacher changing jobs or level of teaching, and the well-experienced educator who needs a refresher course that includes a B-12 shot of creativity, as well as the person who just needs to focus on some simple goals for a program that might have a bit of chaos within it. I think we've all been there! What a treasure this book is, and a valuable resource to reach for again and again. --Greg Gilpin, composer and teacherIf as a beginning teacher I had read this book, it surely would have compelled me to start a choir! Dr. Bourne has provided an inspiring model for the elementary school chorus. Indeed her book delivers practical ideas and procedures for developing a choral program that will be very useful for experienced as well as novice teachers. The book gives insights into Dr. Bourne's practice that make transparent the underlying tenets of her approach—tenets that transcend her musical goals. Certainly, her desire that her students (and those of the reader) have a rich and meaningful musical experience springs off each page, but of equal importance is that each singer's role in the choir translates into responsible community membership and respectful citizenship. Because Dr. Bourne's choral model offers more than excellent performance, it is also a recipe for gaining the support of parents, faculty and administrators. This book is more than a manual on the school choir—it is a beautiful self-portrait of a master teacher.My congratulations to you! --Mary Goetze, Professor Emeritus, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana UniversityPatricia Bourne has made an outstanding contribution to the music education profession by writingInside the Elementary School Chorus: Instructional Techniques for the Non-Select Children Chorus.In the past, elementary music teachers conducting (teaching!) the elementary chorus have had to rely on choral texts that are written for middle school, high school, college or professional, or select treble choruses. Now there is a text that deals with the real world that elementary teachers find themselves in every day.As with other music education texts and instructional books, many people can write these books, but the best books come from authors with practical, hands-on experience. Patty is the epitome of that author so provides pragmatic and tested strategies for every facet of making non-select elementary choruses look, act, and sound great. From recruiting (reaching out, not just having the students come to you) to fun ways to get kids excited to identifying personalities and developmental tendencies to warm-ups to dealing with parents to programming to budget...it is in this book!In addition, the reference section is a definitive list of additional resources for those readers wanting more.This book is the book for elementary teachers working with choirs within their school. As important as general music is in K–12 education, we all know that there is no greater feeling (for students, teachers, and parents) than singing quality literature at the highest level of choral musicianship. This can happen at the elementary level and within the school setting, and Patty Bourne's book is a pedagogical guide to getting you there. Thank you Patty and Heritage Music Press for this outstanding resource! --Russell L. Robinson, Ph.D., Professor of Music, University of Florida