Evoking Sound set new standards for its vision of the choral conductor's role when it was published in 1998. Now significantly revised and expanded, James Jordan's groundbreaking book incorporates more than ten years of new conducting insights, pedagogy, and philosophy to create a resource that is not only informative but transformative. Unique to this edition is the inclusion of a revolutionary DVD with Dr. Jordan and Eugene Migliaro Corporon of the University of North Texas. For the first time, a conducting text contains visual examples of patterns that-with the help of state-of-the-art animation and multiple camera angles-guide you to a deeper understanding of how conducting gesture influences sound. You will come away from Evoking Sound with a renewed sense of the totality of the conducting experience and also an understanding of how to better evoke honest and meaningful sounds from your choir.

James Jordan, in his new book The Musician's Breath, examines why and how the breath is the 'delivery system' for human and musical ideas in performance. 'The breath,' Dr. Jordan writes, 'is the most magical and human thing we can engage as artists.' This companion DVD guides viewers through yoga practices that can provide access points to understanding breath, free points of tension, and 'holding' in the breathing process.

This companion DVD to Evoking Sound: The Choral Rehearsal is a personal master class on conducting and rehearsal technique with James Jordan. Using the Pennsbury High School Chamber Choir as a model, Dr. Jordan illustrates the major points found in The Choral Rehearsal text. The DVD cross-references The Choral Rehearsal (Volumes 1 and 2), so those who study this DVD can read further about the highlighted points demonstrated in the books. James Jordan is recognized and praised from many quarters in the musical world as one of the nation's preeminent conductors, writers, and innovators in choral music. Marilyn Shenenberger, collaborative accompanist and arranger, works with James Jordan at Westminster Choir College.

Dedicate to Wilhelm Ehmann, This book is the first effort to organize the teaching of Group Vocal Technique into a method for providing vocal instruction to 'amateur' choirs. This book has a two-fold purpose: (1) to provide documentation of 'Group Vocal Technique' and serve as the first source of such an approach to vocal education and (2) to provide the choral conductor with a practical resource of written materials that can be used with choirs. Frauke Hasseman is a Professor of Conducting at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. She is recognized as one of the world's experts in the field of Group Vocal Technique. James M. Jordan is Associate professor of Conducting at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. He is conductor of the Westminster Chapel Choir.

This instructional DVD contains four master teachers who conduct eight complete wam-ups with their ensembles. More than fifty exercises are presented on this 75-minute video, and they are usable for choral ensembles at any level.Exercises for teaching relaxation, posture, breathing, exhalation, inhalation, support, resonance, legato, staccato, martellato, range extension, register mising, leaps, recescendo/decrescendo, flexibility, vowel modification and intonation.

Evoking Sound takes a fresh look at the critical link in the choir: the conductor. And it starts from the very first breath. The importance of such a ground-zero approach is fundamental-before one can conduct, one must inspire those being conducted. Only then can the desired end result-a performance that lives up to its full potential-be achieved. Evoking Sound introduces the subtle but important premusical factors that determine a choir's performance. These include the conductor's stance, breathing, and movement. Written by a professor and conductor at Westminster Choir College, this book questions the basics at the most fundamental level, doing so in a way that will engage and inspire the conductor in you. You'll come away from Evoking Sound feeling a renewed sense of the totality of the conducting endeavor, as well as a grasp of how to better evoke sound from many, unique human instruments.

Taking James Jordan's choral conducting book Evoking Sound to the next level, this video is a self-tutorial that demonstrates and enhances the basic conducting principles discussed in the book. This insightful presentation includes an overview of fundamental Body Mapping based upon the Alexander Technique as applied to choral conducting, as well as tutorials on breathing and basic conducting patterns. Whether you're studying conducting for the first time or looking for a refresher course, this enlightening video provides invaluable insight into basic conducting technique.

Created by Dr. James Jordan and accompanist/composer Marilyn Shenenberger, the exercises in this book are part of an innovative new ensemble solfege method that helps choirs improve intonation through improving aural skills. Each exercise provides a rich harmonic syntax for singers to hear, while singing in different modes. The book contains intonations in all modes, singing difficult intervals within each mode, modal tuning exercises, and a modal choral example. These exercises may be integrated into the choral warm-up. Using this unique method of choral solfege, your choir's hearing ability will improve exponentially as will their intonation and reading abilities. These exercises are appropriate for all ages and for singers at all levels of development.

This video can be used in conjunction with the book demonstrating many of the concepts discussed in the book, and featuring the Westminster Choir College Chapel Choir.

The book is a comprehensive guide to teaching vocal technique through designing an efficient choral warm-up that gives the choir 'tools' to sing and hear better. Among the topics presented are alignment (using Alexander Body Mapping principles), inhalation, exhalation, support, resonance, vowel colors, leaps, range extension, crescendo/decrescendo, martellato, staccato, teaching procedures for diction (plus general diction guidelines), teaching and reinforcing rhythm and consistent tempo, and strategies for teaching intonation. This is a comprehensive guide for choral directors that: - helps conductors plan and implement efficient choral warm-ups, builds healthy voices within the choral rehearsal, provides vocalises that have accompaniments complete with modulations upward and downward and categorizes vocalises according to specific vocal objectives.

Forced to find a way to correct persistent intonation problems in his own choir, author James Jordan with the help of Matthew Mehaffey embarked on the development of a new method of choral ensemble solfege. Choral Ensemble Intonation: Method, Procedures, and Exercises presents this innovative new method, along with procedures and exercises, sure to improve the aural skills of any choir. Not just a temporary fix, this method encourages the building of intonation skills within the confines of the choral ensemble rehearsal. The method includes overall steps for reading a new work and teaches how solfege syllables can promote good intonation through good diction. In addition, the authors provide techniques for maintaining a consistent tempo, running a choral warm-up, and utilizing the accompanist to achieve better intonation. Jordan and Mehaffey also share listening techniques for the choir and discuss how the use of physical movement can assist intonation and good vocal production. Plus, conductors are given tools for modal analysis that will greatly improve the teaching and learning process.

In The Choral Conductor's Aural Tutor, James Jordan leads directors on a quest for aural mastery of vocal technique 'error' detection through a program of guided listening using recorded examples from both a high school and a college choir. The included pretests and posttests encourage forward progress by testing the conductor's ability to hear and label problems, including too little head tone, off-the-breath singing, jowly placement, sluggish vowel movement, and more. The Core Vocal Exercises on the two CDs demonstrate good ensemble sound by showing both correct and incorrect examples-we learn what a desirable sound is by hearing what it is not. This book and two-CD resource, rooted in the principles of The Choral Warm-Up, is an essential resource for conductors of all experience levels, regardless of what age group they teach.

Gain improved listening skills, ease in improvisation, and increased facility with notation with this foundational aural training method designed for individual and ensemble use. Repetition of these exercises lays the groundwork for the use of solfege in the choral ensemble rehearsal. Take the next step-sharpen your aural skills with Listen!

In This ambitious yet practical text, the author and a team of expert contributors give preactical insights drawn from many decades of experience int he rehearsal room. Just a few of the topics covered in this volume include: approaches to teaching rhythm, using recording tehnology as part of the rehearsal process, introducing your choir to IPA, incorporating Dalcroze and Laban into the rehearsal, and the count singing system of Robert Shaw. This book is destined to become a trusted companion to anyone seeking to make the most of the choral rehearsal.

In response to the success of The Choral Warm-Up: Core Vocal Exercises, teachers and conductors have been requesting more exercises to expand the modal breadth of the series. Choir directors will find these exercises to be a key component in their quest to improve the musicianship and vocalism of their singers.

Traditional conducting methods rely on how conductors look-not how they feel. James Jordan's groundbreaking 'Learn Conducting Technique with the Swiss Exercise Ball' takes the study of conducting beyond the mechanics to a higher plane. With the aid of a Swiss Exercise Ball and the Body Mapping tecniques described in this book, conductors can reach a new level of artistic expression and mastery.

For the first time two of America's most respected conductors-instrumental and choral-enter into a collaboration, using cutting-edge technology to illustrate their teaching principles for learning the basics of conducting technique. Through insightful masterclass dialogue, unique multi-angle video demonstrations, and state-of-the-art motion capture animation, conductors will be able to study the gesture of both renowned conductors. Revolutionary graphics show the skeletal movement of each conductor in real-time to give conductors an in-depth and accurate picture of body mechanics and architecture. This DVD is a complete tutorial for basic conducting technique as taught and demonstrated by two of America's master teachers and conductors.

To build a successful high school music program is to empower student leaders. But what does it really mean to be a student leader? How can they make a difference? In this brilliant DVD, master clinician Tim Lautzenheiser speaks to the students of the Central Bucks West High School choir and band about how to bring leadership thinking into their everyday lives and music making. He offers a clear perspective of what is possible when young leaders choose excellence as the foundation of their leadership mission. James Jordan encourages these same students to keep focus on why they connect through music, and on the rewards that come from those connections. And together, James and Tim discuss the risk-taking that is needed by both conductor and ensemble when true music happens. This DVD is a companion to the definitive choral methods text The School Choral Program, which breaks new ground in choral music education and provides choral directors with the tools they need to be successful in the classroom and at the podium. 

For the first time in a single volume, this book provides choral directors with a comprehensive guide to score analysis techniques used by the world's leading choral conductors and innovators. Together with the companion Volume I: The Choral Rehearsal-Techniques and Procedures (and DVD), this series is an essential guide to productive and musical choral rehearsals written by a leading voice in choral pedagogy. This volume deals with the preparation of both the psychological and spiritual aspects of the choral rehearsal. Designed for use by all conductors, this text is a valuable and groundbreaking resource for choral conductors at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

This new, definitive choral methods text is perfect for future practitioners and an invaluable reference for any choral conductor. The School Choral Program includes the combined experience and expertise of recognized leaders in music education and of choral teachers who work in today's classroom. With practical insights and perspectives, 18 authors - all leading choral directors, administrators, practicing teachers in the schools, or clinicians bring their unique voices to a wide range of topics. Also included with the book is a CD containing recordings of exemplary high school choral performance models. This book breaks new ground in choral music education, providing choral directors with the tools necessary to be successful in the classroom and at the podium. Michele Holt is past president of the American Choral Directors Association and Director of Choral Activities at Providence College. James Jordan is Associate Professor of Conducting and Senior Conductor at the Westminster Choir College of Rider University.

This method encourages the building of intonation skills within the confines of the choral ensemble rehearsal. Choral Ensemble Intonation includes overall steps for reading a new work and teaches how solfege syllables can promote good intonation through proper diction. In addition, the authors provide techniques for maintaining a consistent tempo, running a choral warm-up, and using the accompanist to achieve better intonation.

This DVD is designed to provide a comprehensive and practical approach for providing vocal technique training to the amateur choir. It provides a valuable resource for both amateur and professional conductors and choral technique classes. The DVD contains group vocal exercises performed by various choirs. Frauke Hasseman is a Professor of Conducting at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. She is recognized as one of the world's experts in the field of Group Vocal Technique. James M. Jordan is Associate professor of Conducting at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. He is conductor of the Westminster Chapel Choir.

The Choral Warm-Up contains teaching techniques and methodologies developed by James Jordan from over 25 years of experience conducting choirs at all levels. This convenient supplement (with CD), a collaborative effort, includes Marilyn Shenenberger's masterfully written accompaniments and modulations for the 25 vocalises. This book is designed to help conductors plan and implement efficient choral warm-upsbuild healthy voices within the choral rehearsal, provide vocalises that have accompaniments completed with modulations upward and downward and categorize vocalises according to specific vocal objectives.

This unique self-study guide distills the essentials of good choral vocal technique into eleven concise, accessible lessons. Prepared by acclaimed teacher James Jordan, Professor and Senior Conductor at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Choral Singing Step by Step is a perfect guide for amateur and novice choir members who wish to improve their own singing technique and understand the singing process. With this handbook, Jordan covers the same techniques he has used to help thousands of singers through his conducting workshops and clinics around the world. Topics include: Strategies for good intonation and tuning, breathing, inhalation and exhalation, support, resonance, vowel colors, leaps, range extension, diction, and alignment (using Alexander Technique and Body Mapping principles): Use of the sigh for diagnosing vocal problems: Maintaining rhythm and consistent tempo

In this provocative book, James Jordan examines why and how the breath is the 'delivery system' for human and musical ideas in performance. 'The breath,' Dr. Jordan writes, 'is the most magical and human thing we can engage as artists.' This book makes a compelling case for the power of the breath and the power of submitting oneself to its miracles. The Musician's Breath is divided into two sections: The first discusses the 'why' of breathing, while the second provides the 'how' with practical applications for singers, instrumentalists, and conductors. Co-authors and Westminster Choir College colleagues, voice teachers Mark Moliterno and Nova Thomas, add their unique perspectives through chapters on yoga and other paradigms that reveal the power of the breath. A companion DVD (available separately) guides viewers through yoga practices that can provide access points to understanding breath, free points of tension, and 'holding' in the breathing process. With The Musician's Breath, all musicians-from choral directors to solo instrumentalists-will deepen their understanding of the miracle of human expression through breath. This pioneering book is also a passionate and compelling call for the use of the breath as a pedagogical tool for performers of all ages and levels.

The culmination of almost thirty years of research, writing, and teaching, this important book by James Jordan presents a vision of conducting gesture and technique as a movement language. In this comprehensive resource, Jordan applies the theories of movement education icon Rudolf Laban, as inspired by the pedagogical insights of Jordan's mentor and teacher Gail B. Poch. Each section is detailed through research, extensive discussion, and suggestions for study. Dr. Jordan's pioneering research and writing on this subject will make this seminal volume an indispensible resource for the development of conducting technique and the foundation of many approaches to conducting pedagogy. Also in this volume are contributions by Giselle Wyers and Meade Andrews. Dr. Wyers explores in depth the application of States and Drives, and makes direct applications to specific works in the choral literature. Dr. Andrews details a sequential curriculum for the practice and development of expressive conducting technique, all demonstrated on the DVD included with this book.