Interest Sessions
+ R&R

Recruitment and retention are essential to building strong, sustainable choral programs, yet many directors feel overwhelmed by the task. This session presents practical strategies to inspire, attract, and support singers, built around three pillars: Maximizing Advantages, Streamlining Administration, and Employing Creative Advertisement. 

Topics will include repertoire selection, performance opportunities, fostering collaborations, flexible administration, and social media outreach. This session emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships to create a “deeply rooted” community of singers. 

Attendees will leave with a toolkit of adaptable, proven methods to build community, foster artistic growth, and sustain membership in any choral setting. 

Full Effort is Full Victory: Reinforcing Effort in Choral Rehearsals, presented by Dr. Kody Wallace, Associate Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music Education at Wingate University in Wingate, NC 

Every day as we participate in various activities, we tell ourselves stories about how we have succeeded or failed – and, perhaps more importantly, why we succeeded or failed.  These attributions have a powerful role in how intrinsically motivated we are to engage in these activities in the future.  In this session, we will examine how to reinforce our singers’ effort in rehearsal as the primary driver of their success.  Other attributions, like innate talent or the difficulty of the music, are less powerful in motivating our singers to give their best self in rehearsals.  Our colleagues in the band and orchestral world tend to understand effort more completely due to the work required to learn scales, practice outside of class, and learn etudes – activities we rarely employ in the choral sphere.  Specifically, we will examine how our formative feedback, in-class activities, and outside of class activities can contribute to positive, healthy learning attributions.  Participants will leave this session with strategies they can employ that will shape singers’ attributions for choral success that most positively support a lifetime of singing. 

Harnessing the Power of Play in the Ensemble Setting, presented by Hanna Castellano, Choral Director at Ligon GT/AIG Basics Magnet Middle School 

“Harnessing the Power of Play in the Ensemble Setting” explores how incorporating play-based strategies can enhance musical growth, strengthen ensemble cohesion, and foster a student-centered rehearsal environment. Grounded in both educational theory and real-world classroom application, this session highlights how purposeful play can unlock creativity, build trust, and empower students to take ownership of their musical experience. Attendees will engage in hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations that illustrate how games, movement, collaborative challenges, and a little silliness can be seamlessly integrated into daily rehearsal routines to reinforce vocal technique, musical literacy, and ensemble skills. 

The session will also address how playful approaches support social-emotional learning, encourage risk-taking, and create an inclusive space where all voices are valued. Strategies will be adaptable for a range of ages and experience levels. Participants will leave with engaging ideas to reinvigorate their ensembles, deepen student connection, and cultivate a rehearsal culture where joy and artistry go hand in hand. Although geared toward K-8 and children’s choir conductors, the strategies in this session can be applied to any level.

Real Ensemble Culture Building (Ice Breakers Not Included), presented by Dr. Kari Adams, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro 

Icebreakers and team builders are great, but research indicates they have little impact on organizational culture. Without an intentional plan in place, the culture of an ensemble can take on a life of its own, leaving the conductor feeling helpless. Using knowledge from organizational psychology and practical experience, conductors can thoughtfully design a positive culture that will engage the next generation of choral musicians. In this interactive session, attendees will explore a simple, research-based and experience-tested process to identify concrete actions they can implement immediately to begin working toward a more positive ensemble culture.