News & Views Saturday, December 21, 2024

Happy Birthday to us! Stanton’s is celebrating 61 years of great service for musicians, directors, and educators. Watch our history!

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Welcome to the 35th annual JOY OF SINGING, a completely virtual, online, and FREE resource for music educators! From the comfort of your own home, and with the ability to watch, rewatch and choose the specific choral you want to peruse, please browse and sing along to our brand new collection of arrangements and originals for the 2021-2022 school year. With a singular aim on a full return to in-person instruction next school year, Hal Leonard has your back when it comes to providing you with the highest quality choral literature to enrich your students’ lives.

Premiering today 7/6 exclusively on YouTube, find the best new repertoire for High School Concert, Middle School Concert, High School Pop/Jazz/ Broadway, Middle School Pop/Jazz/Broadway, Upper Level Concert, and chorals from Shawnee Press.

Stanton’s Sheet Music and Hal Leonard are your partners in music education! For more information or to place an order, visit us online at stantons.com, email choral@stantons.com, or call 1.800.42.MUSIC.

As we all continue to navigate the current musical landscape, Stanton’s Sheet Music offers our next Virtual Sacred Choral Reading Session to assist you in your worship planning!

Featuring almost 40 new and classic titles for a variety of worship styles and liturgical occasions, join our Sacred Choral Music Specialist Jennifer Fry as she presents the best sacred publications for Spring & Easter 2021. Special care was taken in selecting these titles to be particularly appropriate and usable during the COVID-19 pandemic, with consideration for programming, rehearsing, and performing in worship safely.

Stanton’s Virtual Reading Sessions give you the opportunity to watch, rewatch, and choose the specific anthem you want to peruse from the comfort of your own home. Included is valuable commentary and information about each piece, full-length score videos, and live footage from our previous in-person sessions. Of course, we look forward to welcoming you back in-person in the future!

View the complete session below, and find all of our recommended titles for Spring and Easter 2021 on our website. Contact us for more information, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

Tired of your well-used sacred piano books? Need inspiration? Looking for new and fresh sacred piano folios to play at church or your home? This online event is for you!

In Stanton’s Sacred Piano VIRTUAL Reading Session, newly released intermediate/advanced piano solo books are presented by Stanton’s Sacred Piano Music Specialists Caryn Ginter and Judy Sinsel, as well as a special message from composer/arranger Mark Hayes. These collections include varied styles such as traditional, gospel, contemporary, and jazz, and are by some of your favorite arrangers, in addition to some new names as well! Each book features commentary from our experienced clinicians and full-length score videos for two titles from the collection, so you can really evaluate the arranging and usefulness for your own worship services.

Start exploring the virtual session below, and contact our Sheet Music Specialists for more recommendations!

“Ten years ago we created the Virtual Choir with a simple question: is it possible to make beautiful music together, no matter how far apart we are? After multiple virtual choir projects featuring over 20,000 singers from 124 different countries, the answer is a resounding yes.

We continue the journey with a new piece I’ve written especially for the Virtual Choir during these challenging times, Sing Gently. Come join us and let us once again make beautiful music together.” – Eric Whitacre

The Eric Whitacre Virtual Choir #6 had more than 17,000 singers. As a response to COVID-19 and the isolation and division the pandemic was creating, Eric wrote the words and music with the hope that “Sing Gently” might give some small measure of comfort for those who need it, and that it might suggest a way of living with one another that is compassionate, gentle, and kind.

NOW AVAILABLE! Stanton’s Super Session Virtual Reading Session
Stanton’s Super Session features the best new choral literature and resources for High School and Middle School choirs from Alfred Music, Shawnee Press, Choristers Guild, Heritage Music Press, BriLee Music, Carl Fischer, Walton Music, and more. Join Andy Beck and Greg Gilpin, along with Stanton’s School Choral Music Specialist Jen Sper and a number of guest composers and presenters to discover quality choral music for both in-person and remote teaching situations.

Stanton’s Sheet Music is pleased to present all of our choral reading sessions VIRTUALLY for 2020! From the comfort of your own home, and with the ability to watch, rewatch, and choose the specific choral or resource you want to peruse, we invite you to browse and sing along to our brand new collection for the 2020-2021 school year.

Click here to view the complete 2020 Stanton’s Super Session reading session, including clinician and composer commentary, full-length score videos, resource demonstrations, and choreography features.

Just want to listen to the new titles? Visit Stanton’s Jukebox and click through the Super Session playlist!

Ready to order? Find all the Super Session titles on stantons.com.

Need more repertoire suggestions? Stanton’s experienced Sheet Music Specialists carefully select our Five Star Features every season – find all of our recommendations for Fall 2020 on our website.

No matter what form your classrooms or ensembles may take this year, remember that Stanton’s is your partner in music education when it comes to providing you with the highest quality choral literature to enrich your singers’ lives! For more information, contact us at choral@stantons.com or 1-800-426-8742.

NOW AVAILABLE! The Joy of Singing Virtual Reading Session
The 34th annual Joy of Singing is going online for Summer 2020! Join Stanton’s Sheet Music and Hal Leonard as we present curated videos of the newest Hal Leonard titles for High School and Middle School choirs, with repertoire and resource suggestions for Concert & Festival, Holiday, Pop & Jazz, and Stage & Screen. Clinicians and composers featured include Roger Emerson, Rollo Dilworth, Mac Huff, Mark Brymer, Emily Crocker, Cristi Cary Miller, Audrey Snyder, Jonathan Palant, Michael John Trotta, Philip Silvey, and many more.

Stanton’s Sheet Music is pleased to present all of our choral reading sessions VIRTUALLY for 2020! From the comfort of your own home, and with the ability to watch, rewatch, and choose the specific choral or resource you want to peruse, we invite you to browse and sing along to our brand new collection for the 2020-2021 school year.

Click here to view the complete 2020 Joy of Singing reading session, including clinician and composer commentary and full-length ScorePlay video.

Valuable breakout sessions are also available from clinicians including Roger Emerson, Emily Crocker, Rollo Dilworth, Sharon Burch, and John Mlynczak – sight-reading, the changing voice, ukulele, online learning technology and copyright, and more! Click here for a complete list of JOS breakout sessions.

Just want to listen to the new titles? Visit Stanton’s Jukebox and click through the Joy of Singing playlist!

Ready to order? Find all the Joy of Singing titles on stantons.com.

Need more repertoire suggestions? Stanton’s experienced Sheet Music Specialists carefully select our Five Star Features every season – find all of our recommendations for Fall 2020 on our website.

No matter what form your classrooms or ensembles may take this year, remember that Stanton’s is your partner in music education when it comes to providing you with the highest quality choral literature to enrich your singers’ lives! For more information, contact us at choral@stantons.com or 1-800-426-8742.

Stanton’s Sheet Music is pleased to present our VIRTUAL choral reading sessions for 2020! From the comfort of your own home, and with the ability to watch, rewatch, and choose the specific choral or resource you want to peruse, we invite you to browse and sing along to our brand new collection for the 2020-2021 school and church year. As these free online sessions become available throughout the summer, Stanton’s will be ready to help you and to fulfill your orders for both physical and digital copies.

The Joy of Singing
Available beginning July 5, 2020
The 34th annual Joy of Singing is going online for Summer 2020! Join Stanton’s Sheet Music and Hal Leonard as we present curated videos of the newest Hal Leonard titles for High School and Middle School choirs, with repertoire and resource suggestions for Concert & Festival, Holiday, Pop & Jazz, and Stage & Screen. Clinicians and composers featured include Roger Emerson, Rollo Dilworth, Mac Huff, Mark Brymer, Emily Crocker, Cristi Cary Miller, Audrey Snyder, Jonathan Palant, Michael John Trotta, Philip Silvey, and many more.

Stanton’s Super Session
Available August 2020
Stanton’s Super Session features the best new choral literature and resources for High School and Middle School choirs from Alfred Music, Shawnee Press, Choristers Guild, Heritage Music Press, BriLee Music, Carl Fischer, Walton Music, and more. Join Andy Beck and Greg Gilpin, along with Stanton’s School Choral Music Specialist Jen Sper and a number of guest composers and presenters to discover quality choral music for both in-person and remote teaching situations.

Sacred Choral Reading Session
Available August 2020
Featuring almost 40 new titles for a variety of worship styles and liturgical occasions, join Stanton’s Sacred Choral Music Specialist Jennifer Fry as she presents the best new sacred publications for Fall 2020.

Excellence in Choral Literature
Available August 2020
Established in 1994, Stanton’s Excellence in Choral Literature session is designed to help you select concert and contest literature from some of choral music’s most distinguished composers. This session features the best new music for mixed, treble, and tenor/bass choirs at all levels of difficulty, as well as classic literature from the choral canon. Led by Jim Gallagher, Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University, the Excellence Clinic is a valuable Stanton’s tradition for school, college, and community choir directors.

For immediate access to all of our virtual reading sessions as soon as they are available, subscribe to our online newsletter! Sessions will also be available on our website and YouTube channel.

No matter what form your classrooms or worship services may take next year, Stanton’s is your partner in music education and music ministry when it comes to providing you with the highest quality choral literature to enrich your singers’ lives! For more information, contact us at choral@stantons.com or 1-800-426-8742.

If every post you’ve read recently has recommended that you create a virtual ensemble during this distance learning time but hasn’t told you how, then you may waist deep in a project bigger than you anticipated – or you may just have no idea what to expect!

It’s tempting to want to achieve something like Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir, but our students aren’t professional musicians and we aren’t professional video editors.

A virtual ensemble is a BIG technological undertaking, so here are some tips to get started!

Equipment:
For the Teacher
– Video editing software
– Recording device (phone, tablet, laptop, external microphone, etc)
For the Student
– Device to listen to provided track with headphones/earbuds
– Device to record their part
– Instrument and music stand (here are some creative ideas if students need to improvise a stand at home!)

Distributing Music:
– Send parts to your students digitally! No printing, no scanning. Watch this video about copyright laws for tips, and only send music that you have legally purchased to your students.
– See what’s available via Stanton’s Digital Delivery.
– Bill your digital order to your school account (and make sure you don’t lose your allotted school funding before the end of the year!). Contact the Stanton’s Sheet Music Specialists (Choral, Instrumental, and Keyboard/Pop/Guitar) and let them know your school name, purchase order information, and which titles you need to receive in your inbox.

Instruction List:
– You’ll have to tell your students how to get started. There are a lot of details to think about, especially if you plan on posting your performance somewhere for parents to watch later, like YouTube.
– Dress code – no commercial logos. School spirit wear or school colors are a great choice!
– Environment – a quiet area with a closed door; turn off fans, TVs, or other excess noise.
– Camera – phones usually have better mic and camera features than laptops. Film with the phone in portrait position to show less background and a full shot of the student. Take a picture at the camera angle first to make sure the student, instrument, and posture can be properly seen.
– Video Submission – here’s a list of online sharing tools from NAfME. Google Drive is easy to use; here are tips for how to share a folder and how to upload a folder.

Create a Conductor Video:
– Introduce the music and your lesson. Give educational reminders like tempos or rehearsal markings – anything you need to say to create a unified mood.
– When you’re ready to start conducting, instruct all of your students to clap or make another noticeable noise – this will help you to line up the videos in the editing stage.
– For the layout and construction for your video, first watch Eric Whitacre’s instructions he posted for his Virtual Choir for guidance. Split the screen of your video into two halves – on one side, you conduct to encourage musical expression and on the other you play the piano to give the students something to play along to. Insert a link from Stanton’s Jukebox and have them play along to a professional example recording.
– Video editing may be a whole new world for some teachers and others may have already done projects like this in the past. Don’t get frustrated! There are lots of tutorials available on YouTube for whatever skill level you are and whatever program you are using. You will learn so much more as you go along!

When your virtual ensemble is complete, please share it with Stanton’s by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram! We love being your partner in music education, and we’re proud to support you and your students.

View all of Stanton’s Five Star Features and favorites with our new online catalogs! Featuring our favorite new titles for school and sacred ensembles in fun, programmable categories, use our online catalogs to go straight to a title’s preview material. Visit our directory to find the catalog for your ensemble.

Want to know when we post a new catalog? Connect with us!
• Find Inspiration in Your Inbox: get an email of all our promotions, coupons, and announcements
• Follow us on Facebook: find funny music memes, special behind the scenes features, and event opportunities
• Program with the Pros!

Too hot to work in the yard? Too rainy to go to the pool? Spend some time this summer INSIDE with one of these valuable DVDs for some easy professional development – and no sunburn!

Achieving Choral Blend Through Standing Position by Weston Noble
For the first time, Weston Noble’s lecture and demonstration on matching voices for a seamless choral sound is available. By using the principles presented, not only will the sound of the choirs improve, but conductors will realize an immediate enhancement in intonation and rhythmic clarity in their ensembles. Weston Noble discusses the beginning of his experimentation with standing arrangements, Robert Shaw’s use of this system, minimizing vibrato, improving singers’ listening skills, the use of the altos-in-front choral arrangement, and the use of the “flip-flop” to achieve different choral textures.

Creating Artistry Through Movement by Henry Leck & Randy Stenson
Here is an amazing choral resource that demonstrates how movement while singing helps to harness the natural kinesthetic learning processes in males. Featuring the acclaimed St. Mary’s International School Varsity Ensemble, conducted by Randy Stenson, the DVD includes warm-ups and exercises to improve tone, intonation, phrasing, articulation, special vocal effects, head voice and vocal agility. Through these exercises, the singer develops his own individualized shaping gesture, which leads to improved musicality during rehearsal, versatility and expressiveness. The companion book includes the notated exercises, additional instructional material, suggested seating charts, learning strategies and much more.

Working with Male Voices by Jerry Blackstone
Topics covered include:
– Music-based choral tone: repertoire and the musical challenges inherent therein determine the vocal procedures needed to communicate the composer’s intent.
– Tone and the singing male: beautiful/appropriate choral tone; warm-ups; rehearsals of works which utilize different timbres and which present particular challenges for the singing male, such as tessitura, register changes, and vowel color.
– Voice classification: what does one look for and hear when deciding in which sections singers should be placed.
– Tonal consistency throughout the range-a particular problem in men’s voices: warm-ups with the group which deal with the problem; demonstration using pieces in which consistency is problematic, particularly as it affects intonation.
– Intonation issues (probably the biggest issue for untrained singers): discussion followed by a demonstration of warmups and rehearsal techniques which help.
– Rehearsal procedures: using head voice, or falsetto, is highly effective in dealing with intonation issues and in introducing foreign languages.
– Communicative choral singing: what makes a particular performance “moving” or “exciting”?
– Live performances: starting with warmups, then progressing through an initial rehearsal, a rehearsal later in the process, and then a live performance to demonstrate what has been discussed; examples for playback in classroom situations.

The Boy’s Changing Voice by Henry Leck
Join Henry Leck and a choir made up of young male singers from the Indianapolis Children’s Choir and the Indianapolis Youth Chorale. They explore the historical, physical, emotional, and individual musical perspective of the boy’s changing voice as well as how the process affects the choral ensemble as a whole. This video offers choir directors, studio voice teachers and young singers the opportunity to examine the process of vocal maturation and how that process might be approached within the choral ensemble. Includes warmups and vocal exercises, ranges and guidelines for vocal classification, technical data, interviews with several young singers, and several excerpts of solo and choral repertoire in performance.

The Anatomy of Conducting by James Jordan & Eugene Migliano Corporon
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. Topics covered on this DVD include:
– Basic conducting patterns in legato and marcato for all basic meters
– Conducting with and without a baton – Extensive demonstration of preparatory gestures
– Explanation of the architecture of conducting
– Body Mapping principles applied to conducting
– Discussions on Sound Shaping and Sound Morphology
– Unique interactive menu allows conductors to study conducting patterns from several angles
This DVD is a complete tutorial for basic conducting technique as taught and demonstrated by two of America’s master teachers and conductors.

Find more DVDs to expand your knowledge and improve your teaching on our website, or contact us for more information. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

Wearing ear plugs is something few performing musicians do. We worry about communication and our effectiveness in playing, so we tend to forgo the plugs – but AFTER experiencing hearing loss is not the time to start worrying about protection. Here are some educational resources to help you protect one of your most valuable musical assets – your hearing!

• Read this article to learn more about the workings of the inner ear, how to recognize hearing loss symptoms, and how to prevent more damage: The Musician’s Guide to Hearing Protection – from a Doctor!
• Read this article to learn about the different types of ear plugs and the components that make them: Musicians’ Hearing Protection: A Review
• Use this resource to find the right ear plug for you: Which Musicians Earplug is Right for You?
• Did you know, sound at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss? What is ALARA? Read about the increase in citizens with hearing loss and learn about steps to effective noise control in our community: What Is a Safe Noise Level for the Public?
• Recently, a viola player in the UK won a compensation case for hearing damage from the horn section of a performance. The volume reached at least 137 decibels. Read the article here.
• Hearing loss can end your career and change how you live your life. Music educators are no exception. Check out some more resources to have on your phone to regulate your classroom rehearsals:
  The Best Phone Apps to Measure Noise Levels
  3 Free Classroom Noise Level Monitors

Do you need help creating exciting choreography for your choir? If so, you’ll want to join the thousands of choral directors across the country that have discovered Alfred Publishing’s popular movement DVDs! Featuring the creative talents of Sally K. Albrecht, Andy Beck and Anna Wentlent, these DVDs are a quick and easy way to add simple yet effective choreography to your concerts. Perfect for elementary, middle school or high school choirs, each DVD features movement suggestions for about 12 Alfred choral titles.

The newest DVD in the series is Lights!, which features such choral arrangements as “Aya Ngena,” “Jolly Old Saint Nick,” “Rockin’ Robin” and “When I Get My Name in Lights.”

Previously released DVDs from Alfred include: Reaching for the Stars!, Lift Me Up!, Showbiz!, Danza!, Follow Me to the Top!, Hooray for Hollywood! and more. Check out them all for great choreography ideas, or contact Stanton’s Sheet Music for more information.

Ready to program your upcoming holiday concert? Stanton’s suggests that you try one of these outstanding choices with your choir:

Carol of the Bells arr. Jay Rouse
A fabulous new find for the holidays! This favorite and familiar tune is crafted as a jazzy a cappella work that is creative and musically rich with diverse vocals, legato at times and crisp and bell-like at others. And let’s not forget the optional high soprano descant! Simply an outstanding arrangement for your singers.

In Dulci Jubilo arr. Audrey Snyder
Here is the joyous carol with Latin and English texts in a flexible and accessible setting that will create many performance options. The piano accompaniment is optional and the vocal parts are varied and colorful making this ideal for Christmas concerts and services.

The Little Drummer Boy arr. Philip Kern
No Christmas season would be complete without hearing this well-loved song. Kern’s fresh a cappella approach, featuring a world-rhythm drum part, really makes the classic shine. “Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum!”

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow arr. Robert L. Jefferson
Robert Jefferson shares his wonderfully rich arrangement of one of the most beautiful African-American Christmas spirituals. The lush harmonic texture announcing “good tidings of great joy” along with Jefferson’s benevolent choral summons to “follow” is sure to add depth to any holiday concert or festival performance.

Wolfgang’s Christmas Canon arr. Tom Fettke
This fabulous masterwork showstopper brings Mozart and the “Deck the Hall” lyrics together in a bright and accessible setting. This delightful novelty selection would make a terrific opener, closer, or encore!

Bethlehem Lullaby arr. Greg Gilpin
The haunting melody of the “Coventry Carol” is paired with original music set to the words of the traditional spiritual “What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby.” This artful and picturesque partner-style song setting, so special and unique with an elegant and supportive piano accompaniment, will be an unforgettable Christmas selection for your concerts.

Je Ne Fus Jamais Si Aise (Sound of Flute and Drum) arr. Jerry Estes
Pierre Certon’s dancing and lighthearted work is made more accessible for younger voices with this fine arrangement. The harmonic and textural elements remain true to the original, preserving the frivolity of the piece. You may choose to sing only the French and end at the optional fine, or extend the length and continue singing using an English text. Add the flute and percussion parts to create the perfect performance.

A Star Shines Bright by Mary Donnelly & George L.O. Strid
Angels sing “Gloria in excelsis” and a star shines over the stable in Bethlehem – the Nativity is celebrated in this lovely original work especially good for beginning SSA choirs. Well-crafted vocal writing with optional flute.

Little Saint Nick arr. Christopher Peterson
You will have fun, fun, fun with this 1963 holiday classic by the Beach Boys! A great concert showcase for men’s choirs and close harmony groups!

For more suggestions, check out our video below, click here to view our complete School Choral promotion for Holiday 2014, or contact us!

As you prepare for your first concert of the school year, Stanton’s Sheet Music suggests that you consider one of these outstanding selections for your high school choir:

Aiken Drum arr. Philip Lawson
Like most popular Scottish folksongs, this one is rooted in history, but now has been transformed into a nonsense song. “Aiken Drum,” with his clothes made of tasty food, is creatively portrayed here in this clever edition with Scottish drone sounds, the melody passing from part to part, and underlying snare drum. A cheerful encore or folk selection!

Come Back to the Sea by David Waggoner
The emotive text of this contemporary choral compares the ebb and flow of ocean waves to our dreams and calls us to the sea. Musicality and metaphors abound. The inspirational message and memorable hook will bring out the best in your singers.

Du, Du Liegst Mir im Herzen arr. Keith Christopher
A lilting love song with great educational merit. Sing entirely in English or take time to teach the German text (both are included in the publication, along with an IPA pronunciation guide). An international delight.

Four Choral Critters by Christine Donkin
The poetry of Ogden Nash is witty and wonderful. Canadian composer Christine Donkin has selected four of the best: “The Duck,” “The Panther,” “The Guppy” and “The Llama.” The music brings even more fun to the lyrics. Excellent for high school, college and community choirs, these works are sold in 2 sets: THE FIRST TWO and THE OTHER TWO.

I’m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing arr. K. Lee Scott
K. Lee Scott is a superior arranger – he knows how to get the most out of the voice and gratify an audience. This is such a well-known spiritual and Lee piques our interest with tight, solid, harmonies that thicken and rise as the verses unfold, all the way to the vigorous finale. Great for church or school.

L’ultimo di di maggio arr. Robert Sieving
Robert Sieving combines an anonymous sixteenth-century poem with music from Respighi’s brilliant “Ancient Aires and Dances for Lute, Suite 1: Balletto” to create a light-hearted, dance-like representation of a charming lute piece.

Shenandoah arr. Andrea Ramsey
Weaving choral textures and warm harmonies evoke the gentle undulation of the river in this sensitive a cappella setting. Accessible for developing choirs, this work will provide wonderful opportunities for developing important choral skills.

Steal Away arr. Russell Robinson
A fine interpretation of this expressive arrangement will be a source of considerable pride for conductors and singers alike. Dr. Robinson treats the moving spiritual with great reverence and employs classic hallmarks of the choral tradition. Take liberties with the marked rubato for a meaningful performance.

Sweet Betsy from Pike arr. Greg Gilpin
Full of diverse rhythms, meters, harmonies, text-painting, and lots of humor, the journey of Sweet Betsy and Long Ike from Pike County to California has never sounded so fun! This delightful new take on the popular American folk song from the Gold Rush era will become a favorite for you and your singers and will certainly entertain your audiences.

We Sing by Brian Tate
This creative song affirms each person’s dreams and persona. Beginning quietly with assurance, solo voices bring us the first theme and soon the choir joins in. Then the choir introduces a new theme with a joyful Latin text accompanied by indigenous drums. Moments later the two themes are brought together. The unique combination of sounds, texts and message make this an excellent piece for high school and college choirs.

Who Paints the Night? by Mark Patterson
Inspired by Van Gogh’s painting Starry Night, this is a lovely reflection on the meaning of art and music. A wonderful work full of beautiful imagery!

For more suggestions, check out our video below, click here to view our complete High School Choral promotion for Fall 2014, or contact us!

Summer is here (finally!)… You’ve wrapped up your end-of-the-year concerts and lessons and you’re enjoying some well-earned time off. Here at Stanton’s Sheet Music, we’re gearing up for our summer workshop series! Yes, it can be hard to think about starting up a new school year, and we hear lots of excuses…ahem, I mean reasons…as to why people want to skip out on attending a summer workshop this year:

“It’s summertime! I don’t want to think about work.”
We hear ya. Summer sunshine…sandy beaches…grilling out on the patio…spending time with family and friends… These are all worthwhile summertime pursuits. But think about it – spending just one day at a Stanton’s workshop this summer can give you repertoire and teaching ideas for your entire school year! By devoting a few hours to work with us in the summer, you could free up evenings and weekends during the year so that you can: A) spend more time with your family and friends, B) work on that novel or symphony you’ve been meaning to write, or C) regain your sanity from spending all day with those rowdy kids!

“I can find everything I need to know on the internet/in a catalog.”
The internet is a wonderful tool in finding new music for your ensembles and classrooms – it helped you find this blog, right? Stanton’s Listening Library contains thousands of recordings to help you find the perfect piece of repertoire, many items on our user-friendly main website have sample pages you can view, and our Digital Delivery website allows you to find and print music immediately. But…none of those benefits outweighs the value of holding a new piece of music in your hands and experiencing it for the first time as your students do. At Stanton’s summer clinics and reading sessions, you can identify music your students will love to sing and find resources and repertoire to teach important musical concepts. NOTHING compares to looking at the entire piece and singing it with a group – THAT’S how you know if it will work for you! No 30-second sample recording or three-sentence catalog write-up can do that.

“I have such a small budget. Why learn about new music that I can’t afford?”
You’re not alone. Music budgets are shrinking across the country, and our clinicians know that you need to make every penny count. We’ve got ideas for affordable costuming and set design for your elementary musicals. We’ve got budget-stretching, reproducible choral collections with lots of repertoire options. And best of all, we’ve got many other teachers at our clinics so you can meet and share ideas that really, truly work in the classroom with each other! You could meet someone with great ideas for nurturing a successful booster group, or someone with tips for garnering community support and sponsorship, or someone with suggestions for marketing your program to your school board. Colleagues and peers in the education field are one of your greatest resources – join us and take advantage of that!

We also know that many schools won’t reimburse teachers for your registration fees, and it’s always painful to shell out your hard-earned money. To help with this issue, Stanton’s is offering a $25 gift certificate to new attendees who qualify; contact us for more details. And talk to your tax guy – workshop fees for teacher enrichment and continuing education may be tax deductible.

“I live in Pennsylvania/Kentucky/Illinois/Anytown, U.S.A. It’s too far for me to drive to Columbus.”
We often have a pair of wonderful music teachers from CANADA who come to our clinics here in Ohio! Make it really worth your while by attending multiple workshops during “School Choral Week 2014.” Bring the family! Workshops each day are completed by 4 p.m., so you have the evening to explore all that Central Ohio has to offer. The Stanton’s staff can recommend our favorite local restaurants, movie theaters, and cultural hot-spots for you to visit – the cooler summer evenings are perfect for a trip to the Ohio State Fair (open July 23-August 3 2014); maybe your spouse can take the kids to COSI or the Columbus Zoo while you’re enjoying your workshop during the day; the Columbus Metroparks are great for hiking or sunset picnics; or check out the CAPA Summer Movie Series at the historic Ohio Theatre.

I’ve been teaching for 10/20/30 years. I know what I’m doing and I don’t need help.”
It’s true – experience can breed wisdom. But we find that the wisest teachers know that in order to keep students engaged they need to refresh, renew and revamp their teaching every single year! Keep your teaching style fresh and innovative by getting new ideas from our nationally-known, experienced, expert clinicians. Yes, there are probably great resources already in your library that work as well today as they did 30 years ago – but we’d venture a guess that there are just as many things that now seem dated and over-used. Mixing in new titles with the old standards keeps your lessons and concerts interesting for your students and – just as importantly – for YOU!

“I’m a first-year teacher. I have no idea WHAT I need yet!”
Stanton’s workshops are perfect for you! The first thing a beginning teacher needs is a strong support system around them – start building that support system by joining the dedicated community of teachers who know the benefits of attending our workshops. You may not have heard your choirs or met your classes yet, but by arming yourself with information and repertoire ideas you’re ready to face whatever challenges await you. PLANNING is your best defense against the dreaded feeling of being overwhelmed by all the “newness” of starting your teaching career. Also, by developing a relationship with Stanton’s, you’ll have US on your side! We’re staffed with veteran teachers and college-trained musicians, so we’ve got your back!

So stop making excuses! Check out our previous posts on Stanton’s Elementary General Music Clinic, the Joy of Singing, the John Jacobson Workshop, and Stanton’s Super Session, and register today for Stanton’s summer workshops! We also have sessions available for instrumental teachers, church musicians, pianists and college and community choir directors; contact us for more info.