I'm a New Choir Director.. any advice

[Ms. Blue]

Hey All!!

I'm still getting use to posting on here but you all have been so helpful to me, so THANK YOU!! I have been soloist for the past 21 years. I've been singing in the choir for the past 23 years. A choir president for 10 years and now our choir director had to leave because she became the first lady at another church.  I was appointed the choir director by my pastor and have very minimal experience on how to do this. The most challenging part is not having a musician and although the Lord blessed me with a voice, he skipped me when he gave out gifts on instruments  . Do you all have any advice for me.  I appreciate your help. I'm not completely lost just need suggestions.  THANKS!!!

[JoanHall]

Hi!  Welcome to choir directing!

Here are two articles you can look at:

• A Guide to Directing a Gospel Choir
• 3 Ways a Church Choir Can Minister When They Don't Have a Musician

God Bless!

[betnich]

Good advice, Joan...

I visited a church last Sunday - had instruments, but no musicians.
The choir did all their songs acapella; hand claps and tambourine helped.
Then a soloist came up and sang to tracks...

[Ms. Blue]

Good advice, Joan...

I visited a church last Sunday - had instruments, but no musicians.
The choir did all their songs acapella; hand claps and tambourine helped.
Then a soloist came up and sang to tracks...

That sounds like my church.. we use performance tracks for the choir and when I sing solo's. My concern is more so to help with warm ups and things of that nature. We have been without a musician for a while so i'm used to that part.

[betnich]

A slow worship song (like ALLELUIA or one of Israel Houghton's) is a good unison warm-up for choir. If you can encourage them to do parts after the first verse, even better...then if they are up to it, try a more traditional exercise, like scales or "Mee, May, Mah, Mo, Mu"

[Ms. Blue]

A slow worship song (like ALLELUIA or one of Israel Houghton's) is a good unison warm-up for choir. If you can encourage them to do parts after the first verse, even better...then if they are up to it, try a more traditional exercise, like scales or "Mee, May, Mah, Mo, Mu"

Thanks very much

[sjonathan02]

That sounds like my church.. we use performance tracks for the choir and when I sing solo's. My concern is more so to help with warm ups and things of that nature. We have been without a musician for a while so i'm used to that part.

You can use ANYTHING to warm up a choir.  I mean,  you can take a song that you sang last Sunday,  and use it as a warm up song next rehearsal; especially if there's something you thought could go better than it did on Sunday.

[Ms. Blue]

thanks sjonathan02