National A Cappella Convention 2017

An interactive workshop on critical listening, music history, and the tools with which students can transform the world through song!

Can pop a cappella performance skills be made accessible to 9, 10 and 11 year olds in a credible and vocally safe way? The answer is "yes," if you understand a few things about how younger students learn and how their voices "work". Veteran elementary music teacher Lisa Marien will share how she used her experience with young singers, her learning from the a cappella community and the support of her school administration to create a 17 member contemporary a cappella group as a course offering in her elementary school's music curriculum.

This interactive workshop will focus on individual solo skills and how to best “share your voice” with an audience during a performance. During the class, we will discuss the ins and outs of soloing within an a cappella group, how to best prepare for and approach singing your solo on your own, and provide ideas for how to involve your fellow group members in the process. You’ll also get the chance to demonstrate your solo skills and be given live feedback during the class!