SIGHT READING SESSION
MSU Choral Colloquium
Regina Weeks, presenter
Goal: To prepare students to be independent, confident readers of music that
extends beyond the classroom. (not just contest prep)
Community, college, personal studio, personal enjoyment…
Basic Rules and Suggestions for Success!
Sight read – EVERY DAY!! It needs to be part of “who they are” as a choral
music student. Pick up a book, or handout as they come in. Bell Ringer on
the board. (I give mine Fridays off from sight reading.)
(The greatest compliment to your good teaching is when you are not there –
they can teach themselves!)
Video your students often – from the beginning of the school year, to their
last performance. They love to see how far they’ve come!
Assume they know NOTHING!! (They’re going to act like they don’t know
anything anyway – so oblige them!!) There is nothing wrong with reviewing
the basics – the value is greatly underestimated! Odds are that you have a
mixture of new and old students.
Prepare a sequence in which you will introduce things. I begin with rhythm
first and use rhythm syllables and then slowly incorporate melody.
Choose a system of teaching melody and stick to it!!
Judges agree – solfege – is the most successful method of sight reading!
Insist on good tone production, diction, and support!
APPLICATION – this is my “buzz” word! Always find time to make
application to choral literature. Sit back and watch the lightbulbs go off!
Use multiple ways on multiple levels. Games, rounds, music math, rhythmic
and melodic dictation…Make it as easy as you want, or as difficult!
(Sample: handouts)
Teach rhythmic and melodic dictation. Allow students to compose rhythmic
and melodic exercises and have them teach them to the class.
What Does the Rehearsal Look Like?
With enough forethought – plan your warm up to go hand in hand with
your sight reading exercise for that day.
Structure your rehearsal with the expectation/goal in mind. (Often we sight
read our score – rhythmically and melodically.)
Samples:
-Thank You Soldiers, by Michael and Angela Souders -- Alfred – cd trax and dvd trax.
-Everywhere Christmas Tonight, by Brooks, Williams and Martin – Shawnee Press – cd trax
-Solfege Santa, by Cristi Miller – Hal Leonard – cd trax
Divide into SATB, SAB, SSA or TTBB sections – or whatever the design of
your class.
For the melodic component: Section leaders lead in chanting the solfege in
rhythm. (My students get in large circles with stronger readers
interspersed.)
Maximize time – 100% on task – utilizing 100% of the given time! Time
them and video them. Let them see what works and what doesn’t within
their circle. It also allows them to see who is hanging on their skirt tails!
ISOLATE difficult measures and intervals. Section leaders lead students in
identifying potential trouble spots – odd intervals, tricky rhythms, tricky
solfege, looking ahead to what comes next! (Sample: Interval Hints)
Bring it back! Once students have rehearsed in their circle – have them
come back to large group.
Assessment: I am a HUGE proponent of accountability!
Often time consuming, but vital!
Small group – ½ page rubric – quick and easy! (sample)
Larger written theory tests:
-key sigs, scales – Major/minor
-intervals
-primary triads
-solfege in any key
-counting rhythms – varying meters – rhythm syllables and counting
numerically.
-tempos and articulation
Sight reading Materials:
-Experiencing Choral Music Sight-Singing (proficient and advanced) – Hal Leonard
-Essential Musicianship Books 1,2 & 3 – Crocker and Leavitt
-Interactive Now Levels 1-9 by Debbie Anderson and Phyllis Thomas (For Smart
Boards and Promethean Boards)
-Sing at First Sight Level 1 & 2– Alfred Publishing
-Berklee Music Theory Books 1& 2 – Hal Leonard
-Thirty Days To … music theory, intervals, rhythm, melody (each a different book)
Hal Leonard
-Successful Sight Singing by Nancy Telfer
-The Sight Singer by Audrey Snyder – Belwin, Inc.
-The Jenson Sight Singing Course – Jenson publications
-31 Bach Chorales for Sight Singing – Hal Leonard
