Choir Ninja, With Ryan Guth

It's that time again! Back-to-school, new church choir season, community choir getting back into it... Remember to B.R.E.A.T.H.E. Listen as Ryan gives a warm hug of encouragement and a few well-timed reminders to make sure you get started right and stay strong all year! Sponsored by Choirs Are Horrible - The card game for choir nerds

This is the final episode of the Choir Ninja Podcast. As always, the goal is to bring value to you choir directors, so Ryan gives you a chance to get to know the people behind the companies that have supported this show. Listen to their origin stories, their goals, and what motivates them to make the choral world better everyday. Ryan also has a special farewell for Choir Nation, and a reminder that there is enough pie for everyone.     [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Show Notes: Donald Beebe and Maryann Beebe, from Sheet Music Deals Donald started playing piano as a child, and loved the music store. PhD in Renaissance Studies from Yale Shifted to accounting Passion for early music combined with the desire to get music inexpensively led to the creation of Sheet Music Deals. Customer care and service is cornerstone of their business. Typical turnaround time is 2 weeks. They promote Arts Partner relationships, where they work with artists to promote each other’s work. Choir Nation, what are yo

Imposter syndrome is real, and it means that you are human and have achieved success. Be thankful that you have these feelings; they mean you are accomplishing something worthwhile. But that doesn’t make it easy to deal with. For this penultimate podcast episode, Ryan returns to one of the post prevalent issues plaguing directors. Name your imposter syndrome, call it out for what it is, and then keep on doing amazing things. [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Show Notes:   Feeling like an imposter?   Yes. Duh. Of course. Anyone who has achieved any modicum of success (unless they're up their own butt) deals with imposter syndrome.   What is it? It’s the fear that you'll be found out; the idea that you're actually a fraud and don't deserve what you've worked so hard to achieve. YOU worked hard and have realized some success. And because YOU'RE responsible for your own success, you feel like YOU put yourself there. Which you did. Which is why it's easier to tell yourself you're a fraud.   The re

We begin the Choir Ninja wrap up with a countdown of the stats, names, and episodes that define us. In this antepenultimate episode, Ryan and Stevie look back on the moments and interviews that have stayed with them. Did they mention your favorites? [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Show Notes: 2 Names Find Your Forte Choir Ninja 226 episodes featuring my musings, Stevie’s brilliant ideas, and interviews with the greatest minds in the choral world More than 186,000 unique listens 8.7 million minutes of audio consumed by Choir Nation 2736 members of a little Facebook group called Choir Nation The most super-concentrated positive, vulnerable, supportive, honest, humble choir group on Facebook. I’ve met HUNDREDS of really amazing nice choral directors (and a handful of truly horrible people) 3 happy sponsors Sheet Music Deals My Music Folders Sightreading Factory 1 Sponsor that helped me when I needed a boost KI Concerts Top 5 episodes by download numbers Your choir sucks because

At the end of this episode, Ryan Guth makes an important announcement about Choir Ninja. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your job, like you couldn’t make your reality match your vision, this episode is for you. Anna Dore talks about what she, as an elementary choir and band director, learned from the Choir Ninja podcast that helped her transform first her attitude and then her program. She has brought an inspiring creative approach to fully engaging her students with their music. Her students have responded, and their parents and Anna’s administration have noticed. [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Show Notes: Overcoming professional frustration Choir Ninja Podcast Grad School Program Changes to push my own creativity and vision: Grant for new risers--Flip Forms; allowed for more movement and dancing in my performances Themed concerts tied to character education (inspired by Stevie’s episode “Sell Out Your Concerts”. Cross-curricular collaboration: tie the theme into general education class work;

November 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, the end of World War I. It’s an unprecedented milestone of the modern era. Dr. Paul Aitken will observe that anniversary in concert with a performance of his moving and beloved setting of the poem “Flanders Fields,” on location at the Flanders Fields battlefield in Belgium. Dr. Aitken is encouraging choirs around the world to observe this milestone in their own ways, because making music together is sometimes the best possible response to war.   [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “Let’s do concerts of peace this 11/11, and show our true colors.” -Dr. Paul Aitken Show Notes: Choir directors like to help people. That can carry over into very different fields, but helping people is helping people. After getting rejected from doctoral programs at the University of Oklahoma (twice), Paul got permission to audit the program. During that time he set a poem called "In Flanders Fields," by WWI veteran, John McCrae to music.

Life’s happy out in the sticks. It’s also hard, inconvenient, and sometimes lonely. But in this episode, Dr. Dee Wilkins talks to Ryan about why it’s worth it. There are real limitations in rural schools: numbers and funding will always be less than you want. But with creativity, heart, and an entrepreneurial mindset, you can still show you students a little bit of choral heaven. All twelve of them. [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “Imagine not having anyone within 45 minutes of your school who can play piano.” - Dr. Dee “Life’s happy out in the sticks.” Dr. Dee Wilkins Show Notes: There are real limitations in rural schools: numbers and funding will always be less than you want. You just make it work. There are also positives to working in rural schools: the interpersonal relationships with students are unmatched, you form close relationships with colleagues and administrators, and there is little to no red tape. Teaching music in a rural town can be a lonely world. Parti

This episode first aired in July 2017: Drawing on lessons learned while losing at pool, Ryan shares what it means to have an entrepreneurial mindset as a  choir director. You will hear strategies about how to win at pool, how to lose at pool, and how to embarrassingly injure a friend during pool (with a step by step guide in the show notes). You will also hear why it is so important that we mindfully choose which kind of game we are going to play, which entrepreneurial super-skills you already posses, and how to avoid the traps that prevent you from being the real thing.   Highlight to Tweet: “If your win is a standing ovation, you need a bigger win” - Ryan Guth   Show Notes: You are already functioning as an entrepreneur in 2 WAYS: Through Task: Recruitment = Sales Market concerts Concert Programs = Graphic Design Press releases = PR Concerts = Event planning Working one-on-one with a student who’s more invested than the others = Coaching Talking to parents = Counseling/Negotiation Sending detailed emails

Imposter Syndrome is a thief; it steals joy from success, and pride from achievement. Feeling like your accolades are undeserved is a common occurrence among artists. Even when you feel secure in your abilities, the fear of looking foolish can keep you from taking the risks that lead to amazing opportunities. Ryan and Stevie discuss how to beat Imposter Syndrome, and the rewards of taking risks. [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “The truth takes time.” -Stevie Berryman Show Notes: Imposter Syndrome - a phrase coined in the 1980’s to describe the nagging fear that you are not as smart or experienced or talented or deserving as people think. You do not deserve, nor have you earned, your success, and soon people will discover you are a fraud. Imposter Syndrome is the realm of the high achievers. So if you have ever experienced it, you are neither a narcissist nor a slacker. How to beat it: Identify what you are worried about. Talk about it with a mentor Focus on the value yo

 Yes, your concerts should meet educational standards. Yes, they should also meet your own goals for helping your singers become better musicians. But how about planning concerts so powerful that they change people's’ lives? What if your concerts actually strengthened bonds in your community? Dr. Abby Musgrove from Illinois College talks with Ryan about ways to create concerts that are meaningful to your audience, and how to make sure that audience is comprised of more than just the parents of your singers. Music should be a gift, not an obligation. Here’s how you make that happen. [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “It’s important that whatever you are doing, you are doing at a quality level.” Abby Musgrove “People came trusting me that I was going to create something that would change their life.” Show Notes: Choir directors are entrepreneurs, and that isn’t a dirty word. People should come to choir concerts because it’s a great product that adds value to their lives, not

No matter where you direct, there never seems to be enough time or enough money. But there is a ready made support system of people already invested in the success of your program that may help you reclaim more of each. Lara Wolford discusses ways to use parent boosters to help with everything from fundraising to running sound at you concerts. It can be a beautifully symbiotic system that benefits the parents as much as the director! [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “It gives more enjoyment to know that you contributed to the end process.” -Lara Wolford Show Notes: Choirs need a successful Music Boosters program! It’s a symbiotic relationship - they need us as much as we need them. A functioning and active Boosters program provides an amazing support system for both students and directors. Boosters give parents an opportunity to get involved and support the program in the best way possible. As a director, it’s important to have a presence in the Music Boosters by keeping t

Just ask. Ask people to come to your concert. Ask people to donate. Ask people to be changed by your music. Sam Brukhman gives the origin story of Verdigris, a new professional choir in the Dallas area. Verdigris is dedicated to the idea of exploring new space in choral music, with the goal of creating unique performances that challenge the audience to experience the familiar in a new way, much the same way patina changes old copper. But behind the artistry there is hard work, sacrifice, and the willingness to take a risk. [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]   Highlight to Tweet: “You don’t have to be a master to do what you do, as long as you’re willing to learn” -Sam Brukhman Show Notes: Sam is the founding director of Verdigris Ensemble. They began with a house concert to launch the group. There invitation list was created from personal connections, and cold calling the Dallas Symphony donor list. There was one response from that list. The concert didn’t raise musch, but it was enough to get st

Music selection is perhaps the most critical decision you make as a choir director. And making that decision can be completely overwhelming when you are looking for something you can successfully sing with 12 sopranos, 4 altos, and 2 basses. But music selection gives you the opportunity to create what Dr. Michael John Trotta calls a “culture of belonging,” where every voice has an important part. And there are resources out there who can help you find the perfect pieces to create that culture in your own choir. [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “Students know when you are trying to sell them crap.” -Michael John Trotta Show Notes: Creating a culture of belonging         Every voice is unique and important. Avoid assigning “hand me downs,” so that every member feel like they are contributing something significant. Composition as a response to the choir.         Often commissions are in response to a specific choir’s particular needs. Figure out what your needs are, and what y

Not every musician follows the same path. A two-year community college may not be the first thing you think of when you consider pursuing a music studies, but Dr. Lisa Morales explains why it might be the best option for you or your students. Learn just how much can be accomplished in four semesters, and what it means to meet the needs of students, wherever they are. Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “At community college, you are there to meet the needs of students...wherever they are” -Lisa Morales Show Notes: The Community College Mission Meet the needs of students, wherever they are. No experience beyond singing in the shower High school choir training Years of vocal coaching Prepare the students for a favorable transfer situation, by partnering with 4 year colleges Can study music theory, ear training, sight-singing, applied lessons, performance ensembles Earn a 2 year Associates Arts Degree in Music field of study Fine Arts at the Community College – challeng

It’s your life; you really can set the goalposts wherever you want them. For those of you who want the top choir in the city, state, division, or country, Choir Ninja is here each week with podcasts to help you reach that goal. And for those of you who want a great choir, a weekly date night with your spouse, and the ability to attend all of your kids’ weekend activities, today Ryan chats with Lesli Olson who shares her method for maintaining a satisfying work/life balance. Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “‘We will be better today than we were yesterday” - Lesli Olson Show Notes: Mom Game vs. Teacher Game: when one is One is on point, the other is probably struggling. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t be perfect in both worlds simultaneously. Understand and label your priorities. For Lesli, her husband comes first, then her children, and then her students. Prioritize spouse: keep a weekly date night, and seek out a group of people who are in similar life circumstance

Since beginning this podcast, Ryan has talked to composers, directors, singers, tour managers, authors, and teachers from around the country and the world. But one significant part of our audience has remained a mystery to him until now: parents. Today Ryan talks with Chris and Sarah Jarvis, who both teach at the same high school, and who are the parents of 3 year old Liam. They acknowledge the extra challenges that teaching parents face. The struggle is real, especially when your toddler wants to play with the iPad you are currently directing from. Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “‘Can I play with your iPad? No, son, I’m directing from it.’” - Chris Jarvis Show Notes: Making it work, when both parents are working in the arts, takes some extra planning and effort. Family comes first. There are lots of school obligations: concerts, competitions, grades, shows, but you can’t let that overrun your parenting obligations. Block off time just for family, and protect it. Tag

You’ve worked hard in choir all year; now it’s time to play hard. Katy, TX Choir director Ruben Alcala shares a comprehensive guide to planning an end of year banquet that sends your students off in style. You can recognize achievements, celebrate student-selected awards, and acknowledge your seniors in a heartfelt and memorable way. Check out the show notes for a detailed guide to planning your banquet, including a complete timeline and suggested award categories. Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “Banquets are celebrations of our students and the hard work they have done.” - Ruben Alcala Show Notes: Establish a Budget Formal vs. Casual Rental Cost Food and Beverage Minimum Buffet vs. Plated dinner service Menu Audio and Visual Needs (some venues only cover certain aspects, charge for the rest) Time Frame of Event (some venues charge more depending on time) Fundraising Senior Gifts Programs vs No Programs Key People to recognize and invite Principal Choir Vice Princip

There is good work being done in music graduate school research projects. There is good work being done within our public school choir classes. But there is sadly little contact between these two realms. It’s time to step out of our silos and meet our students and audiences where they are. Ryan and Justin discuss Justin’s new book, Letters from the Front Porch: A Simple, Brief, Common Sense Advocacy Approach for Music Education. Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “Why should I have to explain why music is important?” -Justin Caithaml Show Notes: Justin has written a book called “Letters from the Front Porch: A Simple, Brief, Common Sense Advocacy Approach for Music Education.” Those who research music education and those who practice music education are frequently self-sequestered into their own silos. There is not enough meaningful sharing between the two groups.  Elitism in the choral world continues to inhibit its evolution, as directors remain willfully stuck in learn

So they pronounce their “t’s,” but not their “r’s.” What other differences are there between American choirs and our English friends? Victoria Hopkins, one of the creators and hosts of the Total Choir Resources Podcast chats with Ryan about the point of rehearsals, “note bashing,” workplace choirs, and first aid kits. It truly is inspiring to hear about the the growth of community choirs in the UK. Plus, Victoria has a special gift just for Choir Ninja listeners, so make sure you check out this week’s show notes! Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “Rehearsal is for the leader to get the choir from point A to point B in a way that’s engaging and improves the performance of the music.” - Victoria Hopkins Show Notes: Total Choir Resources has been around for 6 years. It was created out of frustration for lack of resources for the day to day managing of their choirs by Victoria and her friend Christine Mulgrew. It started as a blog, then developed a podcast about 5 years ago.

Pearls of wisdom just drop out of Denise Eaton’s mouth with every sentence she speaks. In this episode, Denise and Ryan expand on some of the topics covered in her recent blog post (link in the notes below). There is practical advice here for every director, from first year to veteran. This episode WILL change how you direct or teach your choir! Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “We determine the weather in rehearsal.” - Denise Eaton “You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse. Nothing stays the same.” -Denise Eaton Show Notes: Self-reflection and self-evaluation is essential to growth. Identify ineffective habits. Your choir should know the purpose and goals behind your methods. Know YOUR choir: the one that is really in front of you, not your choir from last year, and not the one you wish you had. This must inform your repertoire selection. Write a real lesson plan, that reflects your score study. Think through how you are going to teach each section, each pa