Best Choral Methods Podcasts (2025)

1
28} Words of Welkin 48:10

5d ago48:10

48:10

This is Sacred Nine Project: Words of Welkin, offered with no introduction. This was offered on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at Rayne Memorial Methodist Church. It is essential that you follow along in the program because you will not be able to understand all the words if you don’t. You will see that early hymnody was, well….troubling. You can find that p…

1
Ep. 119 - Mentoring the Next Generation of Choral Educators - Jennifer Sengin 48:36

5d ago48:36

48:36

“You never know what anybody's potential is. I think about that now as a teacher, that we are expecting 17-, 18-year-olds to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. It’s so early in your life to make those decisions, and so much can change during those really formative years. I want to help them to be the best version of themselves i…

1
Ep. 118 - Preserving the Art of Community Music Making - Michael Murphy 49:59

18d ago49:59

49:59

“Sometimes my students ask me if I worry about the future of choral music with advanced technology, AI, but I really am not concerned at all. The way that I see it, the act of making music with each other, the need to connect with each other – I don't see that going away anytime soon. To connect through honest, authentic communication that is not a…

1
Ep. 117 - Tips for Writing Accessible and Eloquent Choral Music - Dan Forrest 49:32

26d ago49:32

49:32

“I think the hardest thing in the world is to write easy music that still is eloquent. A piece relies on strength of idea and not strength of technique or difficulty. That underlying idea is so rich with potential and can be developed in so many beautiful ways within a 3-minute work or a 70-minute work. The pieces I'm the most proud of are the piec…

1
Ep. 116 - Modeling Vocal Versatility for Singers - Cindy Ellis 53:45

1M ago53:45

53:45

“I want students to function in a studio recording session and a live performance, which are very, very different worlds. I want them to be able to do not just jazz, not just classical, not just gospel, but everything so that they can be hired to sing backgrounds for Beyoncé one day and the next day be singing with Andrea Bocelli on tour. I try to …

1
27} I Shall Be Left 15:16

1M ago15:16

15:16

As a child I was traumatized by the Second Coming. At any given moment, Christ may pierce the skies. If so, you’d better be saved. But in my culture, you never really know if you’re saved; if you sin too much, you wonder if you were really saved to begin with. Now that I’ve evolved from that, I wonder if being left behind might be an opportunity to…

1
Ep. 115 - Mental Health Strategies for Choral Ensembles - Sarah Graham 46:06

1M ago46:06

46:06

“Students will often refer to voice lessons, to choir rehearsal, as therapy. I felt that there was something to that. I wanted to make the connection between individual therapy and voice lessons and group therapy and the choral rehearsal. What is it about the choral organism that becomes a space that can be therapeutic? I found a lot of commonaliti…

1
Ep. 114 - Creative Problem Solving in the Choral Rehearsal - Sharon Paul 47:50

2M ago47:50

47:50

“One of the things we know about the brain is that information that is acquired through problem solving is more likely to be retained. I might start rehearsal by saying 'take out the piece in D major,' 'let's start in the climactic moment of the Brahms,' 'take out the piece where fire is used as a metaphor for passion.' You start with a problem, so…

1
Ep. 113 - Advancing Composition with Improvisation and Mixed Media - Katerina Gimon 50:56

2M ago50:56

50:56

“You never know someone else’s story. You never know what the experience of a concert or hearing a piece is to somebody. You don’t know how that affects them. So much of my music and why I do what I do is to facilitate these moments of connection between choristers, to give autonomy to choristers to feel like co-composers of my music themselves eac…

1
26} Verses for Children: A Transgender Reflection 39:18

2M ago39:18

39:18

We talk to the originator of these songs, Journey Schaubhut, a trans man, who gives us insights in his “journey” in transitioning gender as well as voice part. We are so grateful for this! I had chosen him because the logo for the concert was a Colonial boy and I thought his participation was just right. To fill out the survey for our “Altar Call” …

1
Ep. 112 - Building Cultural Empathy Through International Travel - Emily Ellsworth 50:39

2M ago50:39

50:39

“People may live in a place that's very different from us, but they have the same hopes, dreams, fears, and struggles with everyday life that we all do at some level. All the parents want education for their kids. Everyone wants a home, wants good food to eat, loves a good laugh and a good joke, loves to play and be silly together. If you find that…

1
Ep. 111 - Saying "Yes" to New Opportunities - Jessica Koenig 44:27

3M ago44:27

44:27

“A big part of being a musician is believing in yourself and saying ‘yes’ to the little opportunities that come your way. Sometimes we can get down on ourselves. We think, ‘I'm not cut out for that.’ Believe in yourself and what you can do, no matter what the situation... Don't be afraid to say ‘yes,’ to try out for that show or audition for that e…

1
Ep. 110 - Flourishing and Growing Amidst Life's Surprises - Julie Yu 48:51

3M ago48:51

48:51

“In science, they're not tied to an outcome. They're open to the possibilities of what is going to result from an experiment. How freeing is that – not to be tied to a specific outcome. I've really tried to adopt that in my own personal life, the idea of just growing, learning, and being open. So many things are out of my control, so I might as wel…

1
25} A McKinley Moment 10:06

3M ago10:06

10:06

Sorry but this is kind of a downer. It’s about the state of our country. But the music I provide is sensational, thanks to the Sacred Nine Singers! Also, you will hear in the episode about how I want you to share your “alter call phrases with me.” If you want to do that, visit here.By Leonard Raybon

1
Ep. 109 - Growing and Thriving in the First Years of Teaching - Ross Cawthon 44:12

3M ago44:12

44:12

“Your first year is not going to be perfect. You're not going to feel like you're having a lot of success a lot of the time because you're figuring out how to work within a school system, how to work with other teachers, with parents, with students that may not be too much younger than you if you start teaching high school. So you do your best, and…

1
Ep. 108 - Adapting the Voice for Solo and Ensemble Singing - Alisa Toy 47:16

4M ago47:16

47:16

“Going back for a master’s was exhilarating. So many of the things that I had been doing in my studio were corroborated with education. On the flip side, I had a lot of moments where I thought, “I've been doing that wrong. I should change that.” Having had years doing a lot of my own education—I attended conferences and did everything I could to so…

1
Ep. 107 - Strengthening Pedagogy Through Choral Literature Study - Chester Alwes 58:00

4M ago58:00

58:00

"I think in many ways the pattern is the least important part of conducting. It’s much more about showing what the music should be doing, not beating four. If it were just a matter of keeping time, we could use a flashing red light. That's not what your job is. Your job is to encourage and show the music physically. I believe very strongly that the…

1
24} Writing a (good) hymn? 12:05

4M ago12:05

12:05

Here you will learn the different things I consider and the several things that challenge me when I am writing texts!By Leonard Raybon

1
Ep. 106 - Building Bridges Between Singers and the Music - Luke McEndarfer 45:51

5M ago45:51

45:51

“You have to create the bridge between the instructor and the student. Talk about your passion about the music, why you're performing it, why the piece is so special, and mix some humor in there. Once that engagement happens, everything you teach is automatically transferred because all the performers want that excellence for themselves, which is d…

1
Ep. 105 - Advocating for the Study of Music Written by Women - Alan Davis 52:18

5M ago52:18

52:18

“I said, ‘I really wish a book existed with more women composers in it’... This book is so important in 2024 with equality and inclusivity being at the forefront of our profession. I think that this is timely, and I think it's a great representation of where we're going in our profession right now especially given the fact that I see a lot more pro…

1
23} TT&AL (READ EPISODE NOTE BEFORE LISTENING!) 15:58

5M ago15:58

15:58

IMPORTANT: At the point in the episode where I start asking the audience to vote for the “fake song,” pause the episode, visit https://sacrednine.com/demon and tell us which one YOU think is the fake! Our wonderful performers are: Meredith Hotard, Soprano Ashley Lemmler, Alto Yours Truly, Tenor Joseph Mace, Bass…

1
Ep. 104 - Musical Experiences to Feed the Spirit - Pearl Shangkuan 52:18

5M ago52:18

52:18

"I have always been very intentional about my programming. My students sit in front of me, they're 18 to 22 years old, but I would have programmed for their 35-, 40-year-old self, for when the hard times come. What are we singing? What is this choir mama feeding them that eventually, when the hard times come, bubbles up in their spirit to help them…

1
Ep. 103 - Developing Choral Tone Through Community Building - Joel Tranquilla 54:45

6M ago54:45

54:45

“I don't have a sound that I'm trying to make the choir fit into. I'm trying to understand and uncover the palette of sounds that are in front of me and then expand our sense of what we can sound like. This happens through the community building process, because the more we honor each individual and allow them to bring themselves into that rehearsa…

1
Ep. 102 - Breaking Barriers for Women-Identifying Conductors - Coreen Duffy 42:45

6M ago42:45

42:45

“Historically, in higher education and in music in general, it was a male-dominated podium expectation. When we step on the podium as women-identifying conductors, we're breaking that image. There's a long way to go, and WiCHEd is working on bringing a supportive community together, helping the next generation figure out how to navigate this compli…

1
22} Thankful for Isaac Watts 11:27

6M ago11:27

11:27

I will share with you several artifacts associated with Watts, including three girls samplers, on which Watts' texts are embroidered. I also share with you my first published piece, sung by the Sacred Nine Singers! To view pics of the artifacts, visit https://sacrednine.com/podguestnewsBy Leonard Raybon

1
Ep. 101 - Developing Listening Skills and Fostering Empathy Through Singing - Ethan Sperry 48:07

6M ago48:07

48:07

“When people talk about what skills kids are lacking in America these days, two of the skills that come up a lot are the ability to listen to each other and have some empathy for each other. Some people would say it’s not just kids that are lacking those skills; it might be what is really missing from our society. I think choir is the best subject …

1
Season 4 Wrap-Up 19:26

6M ago19:26

19:26

Thank you for listening to our show this season!! Here are the favorite choral pieces from our guests in the fourth season: St. John Passion, Johann Sebastian Bach St. Matthew Passion, Johann Sebastian Bach Ave Maria, Franz Biebl Requiem, Johannes Brahms “Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen” from Requiem, Johannes Brahms No Time, Susan Brumfield I Si…

1
Ep. 100 - Strengthening the Bond Between Composers and Choristers - Sarah Quartel 45:49

7M ago45:49

45:49

“For me, choral music is all about the people. I write for the choristers. I've gone through that phase in my life where I've written only for myself, where I had a lot of things I needed to express and every note that went on a page was for me. Now I'm in a phase where I want to adore every note that's on the page. I want every note that's on the …

1
Ep. 99 - Exploring Passion and Expression Through Gospel Music - Trey McLaughlin 49:03

7M ago49:03

49:03

“No one cared about my accolades coming in as a freshman. It’s not enough just to be good, because everyone is good. It forced me not to ride on my natural ability and to buckle down to figure out things like theory, music history, and performance practice. It made me realize that being an individual is paramount, and you have to prove why you are …

1
Ep. 98 - Growing the Choral Community Through International Collaboration - Ken Steven 46:48

7M ago46:48

46:48

“In Indonesia, choral singing has just been really popular recently, maybe around ten years. It has become a lifestyle. Everyone wants to be part of a choir because choir is very interesting - you can go on tour, you can do concerts... What drives the choir most is joining a competition: they will have a goal they want to achieve, an opportunity to…

1
21} Sarah Maria Cornell and Methodism: a talk with Ellen Blue 48:49

7M ago48:49

48:49

Sacred Nine will be traveling to Swarthmore college on Good Friday, 2026 to "beatify" the brutally murdered Sarah Maria Cornell. Inspiration came from Murder in a Mill Town by Bruce Dorsey, Professor of History at Swarthmore. Ellen Blue helps us understand the kind of religious atmosphere Cornell would have experienced. https://sacrednine.com/givin…

1
Ep. 97 - Growing Cross-Cultural Appreciation Through Choral Music - Michael Barrett 44:34

8M ago44:34

44:34

“As choral conductors, we're first and foremost educators, and we have to realize that we have to come with compassion in everything that we do when we listen to choirs. All too often we sit there thinking, ‘the intonation wasn't so great, or maybe their phrase endings could be better,’ but we don't understand what people are working with. No two c…

1
Ep. 96 - Building the Culture of Choral Music in Your Community - David Fryling 51:02

8M ago51:02

51:02

Dr. David Fryling is director of choral activities at Hofstra University, where he conducts both the select Hofstra Chorale and Hofstra Chamber Choir and teaches beginning and advanced studies in choral conducting, as well as graduate-level studies in choral conducting and choral literature. In addition, he is an adjunct professor for the Hofstra S…

1
20} Project 2025 34:24

8M ago34:24

34:24

our guest's website: www://karriegaspard.com https://sacrednine.com Sacred Nine's satire of Christian NationalismBy Leonard Raybon

1
Ep. 95 - Improvisation and Community from the Folk-Acoustic Tradition - Lissa Schneckenburger 53:49

8M ago53:49

53:49

“A lot of what I end up teaching with regards to all of music, but certainly improvisation, has to do with becoming comfortable. You can do all kinds of different technical exercises, improvisation exercises, conceptual brain project exercises, all of which serve to help the musician become comfortable and fluid with their musical expression so tha…

1
Ep. 94 - Encouraging Musical Ownership for Middle School Singers - Karla McClain 46:38

9M ago46:38

46:38

“That's my job: to take the foundation of what they have – love of singing and basic vocal technique – and then just refine it, to challenge them to start being more musical artists themselves. I personally do a lot of giving the kids choices: ‘If it's not in the music, how do we want to sing this? What are your thoughts?’ We listen, we reflect. I …

1
Ep. 93 - Cultivating Confidence for Elementary Singers - Bethany Main 44:16

9M ago44:16

44:16

“My goal is that no child will leave my classroom thinking they can't sing. If I have a coworker say, ‘I can't sing,’ I'm like, ‘no, no. First, give me 15 minutes and a piano and I will show you that you can. Second, you can't say that because if you say that, then the kids think it's okay to say that.’ I'm really fighting all day to prove to them …

1
19} Sing Me, Sing Me Not (part 2) 25:37

9M ago25:37

25:37

In 2021, after having virtually eliminated the singing of Spirituals from my career, I decided to take a deep dive, asking African American scholars and performers their thoughts on whites singing Spirituals. Original presentation videoBy Leonard Raybon

1
Ep. 92 - Developing Independent Musicianship in Choral and Instrumental Ensembles - Will Gunn 49:59

9M ago49:59

49:59

“I wanted to get kids to work more collaboratively. We say we’re a collaborative group, but the conductor is behind the piano teaching the choir parts rather than saying, ‘here's the part I want you to learn. Go learn it. Here are the expectations and come back and self-assess yourself.’ So, I designed performance tasks. I'll work on it as a group …

1
Ep. 91 - Building Artistic Versatility Through Contemporary A Cappella - J.D. Frizzell 46:32

10M ago46:32

46:32

“At the end of that first year, I did a pops concert. I developed the formula that I use now, which is to make it sound a lot like the actual songs. You give a lot of soloists opportunities to sing solos, especially in the verses which are harder because of the syncopation. We had a band that we hired: some horns, a rhythm section. The kids loved i…

1
18} Sing Me, Sing Me Not (part 1) 20:26

10M ago20:26

20:26

In 2021, after having virtually eliminated the singing of Spirituals from my career, I decided to take a deep dive, asking African American scholars and performers their thoughts on whites singing Spirituals. Original presentation videoBy Leonard Raybon

1
Ep. 90 - Reinvigorating Historic Music with Modern Creativity - Robert Hollingworth 51:56

10M ago51:56

51:56

“Uniformity is a two-edged sword, isn't it? Within a choir you need uniformity or you're not going to get a good blend, but within that uniformity, I want as much individuality as possible. I do a lot of 16th-Century music, early 17th-Century music, which has very, very high, passionate stakes. The individual has to come through. That's what makes …

1
Ep. 89 - Creating Choral Camaraderie on a Global Level - T. J. Harper 49:41

11M ago49:41

49:41

“The folks who I think are really doing incredible work around the world, not just for one festival or for one tour, but for decades, are the folks who are trying to literally make the world a better place through choral music. How many opportunities can we provide for them so they can feel like they're part of that bigger family to help legitimize…

1
Ep. 88 - Prioritizing Representation in Choral Music - Matthew Chi Lee 44:50

11M ago44:50

44:50

“I haven’t moved exclusively to doing multicultural music in our classroom, but I have done a lot of music that has a positive message that they can relate to. If this song has nothing to do with them, no matter how much I love it, no matter how epic or famous this is, the students will have a hard time connecting to it. I’m not saying that everyth…

1
Ep. 87 - Sharing Stories to Stir the Soul - Tim Seelig 57:27

11M ago57:27

57:27

“From my first ACDA in 1991 to ACDA now: complete reversal. People are not afraid to perform something that moves the soul, and in 1991 nobody did it. Now people are digging in and not being afraid. I applaud all of my fellow choral conductors for being fearless and not being afraid to tell the stories that mean something.” Tim Seelig is a conducto…

1
17} Introducing Hannah Hadassah Hickok

11M ago

—

Get to know Hannah Hadassah Hickok Smith with me. A fascinating woman and worthy of song! I will develop a Sacred Nine Project about her "if I live," as she would say! Check out Sacred Nine Project: The Mending Sampler, which is referenced in this episode. Check out the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History & the Historical Society of Glastonbu…

1
Ep. 86 - Honoring Diversity Through Historical Research - Elizabeth Schauer 47:36

12M ago47:36

47:36

“I have fallen deeply in love with looking at a piece, seeing what it is, and realizing that there are no real absolutes in music. There are no rules. You have to look at each piece of music for what it is and consider it in its historical and cultural context and then find out enough about the composer. It feels like a journey, a rabbit hole that …

1
Ep. 85 - Choral Music and Personal Growth - Jonathan Talberg 58:13

12M ago58:13

58:13

“I grew up thinking that we should sound like the music we're singing. There was never one right way for me. There are those great choral traditions where they sing everything a certain way. I never wanted to be that way. We can do seven different pieces in seven entirely different styles. You would think, 'is that the same choir?' That's something…

1
Ep. 84 - Building Choral Skills from the Adjudication Table - Brett Epperson 45:12

12M ago45:12

45:12

“I’ve really enjoyed getting into classrooms to affirm my colleagues. I seek whenever I do a visit to say something that is both positive and true. I could just be positive, but if it’s not truthful, students can sense that. I’ve really enjoyed getting to bop in, see great teaching in action, and affirm my colleagues in front of their students.” Dr…