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Kelsey DiGregorio
Harrell
English 4 Honors
November 19, 2014

My Experience in the Choir Room

I didnt know what I wanted to do until the middle of my sixth grade year. I was sitting in
the chorus room in the chair closest to the piano, facing the semi-circle of musicians. My teacher
called the members of my class to attention, and I saw thirty faces look up and turn towards the
piano. She raised her right hand, played a chord with her left, and signaled for the class to begin
warm-ups. From my position in the room, I could hear a sound impossible to experience from
within the choir. Singing in the choir, I could hear thirty voices the ones on either side of me,
in front of me, and behind me. Sitting beside my teacher, I heard one voice. It was the sweetest,
purist voice I had ever heard one made up of what sounded like angels. I realized I could listen
to a sound like that forever. I rose from the chair and took my place with my fellow choir
members, already excited for my future as a chorus teacher.
I shadowed three choral directors for my senior digital exploration. First, I shadowed a
high school teacher, because high school is the level I want to teach. I felt like I would be able to
learn the most from her, since she is my current and most influential teacher. I watched as she led
her class through ninety minutes of vocal exercises, technique, and theory lessons. The second
teacher I shadowed is a middle school teacher. I picked him because he has an outstanding

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reputation for being an impressive teacher, and I was surprised to find that although he teaches a
different age group, he has the same work ethic and expectations of his choir. The third teacher I
shadowed is an elementary school chorus teacher. I was able to see the early learning techniques
and lessons the children were learning their first introduction to music. All three school settings
have been amazing learning experiences.
Shadowing Mrs. Paschal, I learned how she would begin and end each rehearsal. First,
she would start by listing upcoming events, work them through warm-ups, and begin breathing
exercises. I learned which ways of breathing help to produce which kinds of sounds. She would
play the piano with one hand while conducting with her other, stopping every few measures to
clean up or help to perfect the diction, phrasing, or musicality. This is different from what Mr.
Cannone did with his choir. He plays a track every day with the same vocal warm ups, and then
conducts them through their songs, calling out advice and cues when they reached certain points
in their song. He had a difficult time keeping the class focused, because they were spread out
throughout the auditorium and werent close enough to lock in with their fellow choir members. I
learned that the environment of the class affects students learning just as much as the curriculum
theyre being taught. I also shadowed Mrs. Brunk, who had music symbols, terms, and pictures
all over her classroom. She had duct tape on the floor, drawing out a staff and a clef. She used it
to teach what each line and space of the staff are called, and students would jump from one line
or space to the other. She also had boomwackers, pitched instruments that when wacked on
the ground would produce a specific pitch, training the students ears to the note and making it
more possible for them to remember the starting pitch of each song theyre singing. It was
fascinating! I learned that there are many ways to influence a students learning for the better,

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and a quiet classroom with a sheet of black and white paper and no physical activities might not
be the most beneficial to the average student.
When I become a teacher, Ill be able to give my students the best learning experience
possible. I will be able to start each lesson off with a routine warm-up, which, in time, will
expand their range and help to better their performance diction and musicality-wise. I will be
able to express to my students the importance of each song, and I will know that reminding them
every few measures what to expect in the music and what changes they will have to make will
prepare them for future classes or performances that they will take part in, because they will
know what to look for and will know how to treat each technique. I will also be able to provide
visual and physical lessons, not only for a more beneficial experience, but for the enjoyment of
the class they can express themselves in.
My experience has been eye-opening. Each teaching technique I have seen has proved
their devotion to their job as a teacher and a mentor. I know I still have much to learn, but to
have come this far and to feel this enlightened is exhilarating. My exploration has been one of
the most memorable experiences of my senior year. It has only made me more excited to make
this my profession, and I will forever value my time spent in the choir room.