Choral conducting courses
Leading children’s choirs, singing with your class – Practical Workshops
With Esther Hargittai, MA (Choir Conducting and Music Education-Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, 1995)*
Practical workshops in leading group singing with children, with the aim of developing leading skills and ultimately improving performance. How to use your rehearsals and lessons for improving your group’s musical skills and teaching them musical reading and writing.
These courses will give you an opportunity to learn choir conducting step by step from the beginning with plenty of practice on live music, as well as an opportunity for improving your own skills in order to become a better choir conductor and music teacher. The courses are also designed to provide methodology and useful tips for children’s choirs.
An inspiring and stimulating experience that will give you new energies and a different view on choral conducting as well as on your music teaching!
Each workshop incorporates one of two core subjects, plus an additional area of interest.
Core subjects
1. The basics of choral conducting:
Learn basic conducting techniques, get your choir up and running, learn how to lead a rehearsal, learn how to teach songs and select repertoire.
2. Conducting techniques:
Develop your conducting techniques (time beating, giving cues, upbeats, songs with changing time signatures, the role of the left hand, stance), help your choir sing more expressively.
Additional areas of interest
1. Kodály in my class:
With a large group and once a week??? Yes, it is possible. Learn how to lead your lesson, improve your group’s musical hearing, memory and tuning, using games. Key stage 1, 22. Musical games for improving musical skills:
Use musical games for improving your group’s skills! Games for musical hearing, inner hearing, memory, tuning, writing and reading skills, singing in parts, and more…Key stage 1, 2
3. The beginning of musical writing and reading:
Don’t let your lessons pass without teaching musical writing and reading. Music is a language, therefore writing and reading is an indispensible part of teaching.
4. Musicianship
Develop your own musical skills, learn how to practice in order to become a better teacher, choir conductor and musician.
The Workshops
(all workshops are on Saturdays 10:00 – 16:00)
October 13, 2012 Choral Conducting Basics and Musicianship
November 10, 2012 Choral Conducting Basics and Musicianship (Musical Reading and Writing)
February 16, 2013 Choral Conducting Techniques and Musicianship (Ear Training)
April 27, 2013 Choral Conducting Basics and Classroom (Kodály in my class)
June 9, 2013 Choral Conducting Basics and Classroom (Musical Skills through Games)
One to one sessions
Please contact Esther for details.
Would you like to take part in one of the courses but you live far away?
There is a possibility to arrange workshops in other places, for details please contact Esther.
Venue: Esther’s house. 137 Tubbenden Lane, Orpington, BR6 9PS. Very easy and fast access from London, (Charring Cross, London Bridge, Waterloo and Victoria). In Orpington 10 minutes walk from the station.
Registration: estichoir@googlemail.com
Any questions? Email or call Esther on the numbers below.
Fees: £55 per workshop – including the registration fee and lunch.
All fees must be paid in full in advance, at least two weeks before the workshop.
Booking two or more workshops? Get 20% discount on the subsequent ones. Bring a friend and get 20% discount off your fee. (No double discounts).
Payment Method: 1. Bank Transfer to Esther Hargittai, Sort Code 20-14-33 A/c No: 60789550
2. Cheque made out to Esther Hargittai (must be cleared two weeks before workshop)
Certificate: At the end of every workshop a BKA Certificate will be provided.
Contact details for Esther Hargittai: estichoir@googlemail.com, Tel: 01689-8600142 or 07900-828497
* Esther Hargittai was born in Hungary and emigrated to Israel at the age of 16. She has been immersed in music since the tender age of six, going through primary and secondary schools specializing in music and in 1995 graduating in Choir Conducting and Music Education at the prestigious Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Since graduating she has taught music and conducted choirs through all age groups: children through to adults. Esther set up one of the best known and most successful children’s choirs in Israel, the Young Efroni Choir, which she managed and conducted from 1996 to 2005. The Young Efroni Choir had numerous performances in a variety of settings, from state ceremonies to children’s TV programmes and special concerts, as well as representing Israel abroad in the USA and a special concert tour for peace in France. Esther was also a major partner in conceiving and writing a Kodaly Method teaching manual for music teachers in Israel, which was published by the Jerusalem Music Centre. She is a professional staff member of the British Kodaly Academy (BKA), actively participating in their various musicianship courses teaching choir conducting and solfege, and is currently the BKA – Roehampton
"What is to be done to get the greatest possible mass of people into direct contact with really valuable music? How can this be achieved? Through choral singing". Zoltán Kodály