The Festival of Harmony is a valuable resource. It is a way to involve and interest students in a broader variety of music as well as develop and showcase students' talent. The Festival of Harmony offers a unique opportunity to you and your students to engage in a full day of barbershop craft.

Your students are encouraged to use the skills you have been teaching and talking to them about:

• good vocal skills
• ensemble singing techniques
• blending and listening
• performance skills
• how movement/choreography enhances the vocal product

When your students come to the festival with the notes and words under their belts, our festival clinicians get to work with them on making the music go far beyond the notes on the page. We all know that the most compelling thing about music is our human ability to bring it to life and share it with others. This is a full day festival celebrating just that.

What Music Educators are saying...

How the Festival benefits their music programs :

• Its great for us because this is not something we offer in our traditional programs.
• Any event that encourages singing has a positive effect on my program.
• It is another chance to hone good singing skills and it builds enthusiasm.
• Any chance for students to work with experienced masters is good for them.
• I think any positive musical experience benefits the school program. My goal will be to get more students to come each year.

The effect of barbershop on their choral music programs :

• The exposure and first-hand experience is generally something we do not cover in our program due to schedule/budget limitations.
• It encourages vocal freedom and part independence because those are necessary for a cappella music.
• Posture, vocal technique, breathing, vowel matching, intonation.
• Proper intonation and breath support is stressed.
• It is another way to enjoy choral singing.

Their students response to the Festival :

• Our students enjoyed the social aspect of meeting students from other schools and the level of performance they are able to achieve in such a limited amount of time.
• The girls loved being able to sing with a larger group and had fun being immersed in the style all day.
• My girls were very excited by the whole day. The music and the teaching quartet were chosen very well.
• They enjoyed the exposure to Barbershop.

What they will take from the Festival to use in their programs:

• As a band person mostly, I found the rehearsal and warm-up techniques to be applicable to our program.
• Tools for increasing energy and physical movement in rehearsal.
• I will make more of an effort to start a quartet program.
• Matching vowel sounds (which I do, but am always happy for reinforcement).
• Camaraderie.
• Good posture -- vowels -- energy and smile in singing.
• Many of the ideas presented are ones I use regularly. It is good to have them re-enforced by an outside source.

Students and educators will receive a mid morning snack, and a buffet dinner. Registration is only $10 per student.

Give your students a day of harmony they won't forget and earn professional development hours for yourself.

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