Aligning Voices - Choral Method

This book of versatile, pedagogically based choral warm-ups helps conductors take full advantage of this important time in every rehearsal, providing tools for assessment, musicianship, and ensemble unity at the same time singers are warming up their voices.

The exercises in Aligning Voices are organized into nine chapters, each focusing on a different area of choral technique:

1. Rhythm

2. Brilliance

3. Intonation

4. Balance

5. Dynamics

6. Consonants

7. Beginning Consonants

8. Diphthongs and Ending Consonants

9. Vowels

Each warm-up contains two or more parts, allowing the director to work toward improving choral sound in a texture similar to that of the repertoire. Moreover, author Dean Luethi provides every warm-up in three voicings—SATB, SSAA, and TTBB—and sequentially organizes them by difficulty level.

In addition, each section begins by defining the objective for each exercise and offering practical solutions for many of the common challenges choirs face in each area.

A companion student edition that contains only the music notation for each warm-up exercise is also available (G-9692S).

These exercises go well beyond simply warming up the voice. This resource is a must-have for all choral directors looking to make the most of their warm-up time.

Dean Luethi is Associate Professor and Director of the School of Music at Washington State University. In addition to his work at the university, he is a frequently sought after conductor, adjudicator, and clinician, and he has been published in the Choral Journal and Music Educators Journal.