Sound Advice: Becoming A Better Children's Choir Conductor - Softcover

While Sound Advice clearly states that its intended audience is those who work with treble voice choirs, the ideas in this excellent book would be a valuable resource...for those working with community, high school and university choirs as well. ... Sound Advice is a well-written, organized resource. ... This book should be recommended reading for any musician who has the responsibility and privilege of working with children's choirs. (The Recorder, the Journal for the Ontario Music Educators Association)

Bartle uses her words to elevate the teaching of choral music to an art; this facilitates her invitation for readers to manipulate the book's more practical information to fit the parameters of their own teaching situations. Some of the book's strengths are clarity of purpose, a lack of visual clutter, and a positive energy that gives readers confidence without telling them exactly what to do. . . . Jean Ashworth Bartle has produced a text that is filled with advice both accessible and applicable for children's choir directors everywhere. Directors in public schools will find as much helpful content as directors of community choruses. . . . This text should be recommended reading for all choral directors and music teachers, regardless of the types of ensembles they conduct. Sound Advice provides a rare opportunity to see how this master teacher's philosophy is reflected in her pedagogy. (Choral Journal)

Sound Advice: Becoming a Better Children's Choir Conductor is an indispensable resource for the beginning children's choir conductor as well as the seasoned professional. Children's choruses, their artistic and management staffs, and all who care about children who sing in choruses, will value the comprehensive and thoughtful information shared in Jean Ashworth Bartle's newest book. (Judith Willoughby, Artistic Director of the Youth Choral Program of the Canterbury Choral Society)

Jean Ashworth Bartle is one of the world's leading experts on children's choirs. Her dedication to artistic excellence and teaching has enriched the choral profession. This book is a 'must read.' (Dr. Barbara Tagg, Founder and former Artistic Director, Syracuse Children's Chorus, Syracuse University)

Jean Ashworth Bartle continues to set the standard of excellence for children's choirs and conductors. Her comprehensive knowledge of the choral art for children and her deep sense of beauty, are an inspiration. She is a master. (Anne Tomlinson, Artistic Director, Los Angeles Children's Chorus)

Sound Advice is a valuable resource for college students, beginning teachers, and experienced conductors of children's choirs. It covers the vast array of skills needed by today's conductor and will benefit all choir directors who want their choirs to reach a higher level of artistry.

This book will be useful on many levels: for the college student studying the child voice and elementary teaching methods; for the teacher beginning to direct choirs in schools, synagogues, churches and communities; for experienced children's choir directors who wish to know more about orchestral repertoire for treble voices, conducting an orchestra, and preparing a children's choir to sing a major work with a professional orchestra. The underlying educational philosophy is sound; the author sees development of musicianship through singing as the primary goal of a children's choir program. This philosophy differs dramatically from the traditional concept of the conductor as all-knowing and the singers as receptacles. An outstanding aspect of the book is how the author leads the reader to an understanding of how to teach musicianship. Developing literacy in the choral setting is a mysterious, amorphous process to many conductors, but the author clearly outlines this important process with practical suggestions, well-documented examples, and a clear reading style which will reach readers on many levels. The comprehensive repertoire, skill-building sheets, and programs for all types of children's choirs will provide teachers with immediate and highly valuable resources.