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Essentials in
Direct and Teach
Directors Roundtables bring high value at low cost
Learn about a "new" director education program that you can do in your area.
Updated: 7/10/2008 9:29:41 AM
DIRECTORS ROUNDTABLES—HIGH-VALUE, LOW-COST RESOURCE FOR DIRECTORS IN YOUR AREA!
Bill Colosimo, VP-Chorus Director Development, M-AD
billcatps@aol.com 571-213-7376
In early 2006, in conjunction with a scheduled visit to our District by then newly-appointed Director of Music and Education Rick Spencer, we created an ad hoc forum for “sharing” among directors, assistant directors and other chapter music leaders called the “Directors Roundtable.” The success of this inaugural 3-hour event, held on a Sunday afternoon in Long Island, with 12 attendees from all over one Division within our District, spawned an ongoing, continually-refined program which you may wish to consider for use in your area!
Billed as “a substantive dialogue directly addressing specific issues and challenges affecting YOUR chorus!,” and organized in simple conference room surroundings (or church/social hall, with tables and chairs formed in a “U”) with flipchart, laptop/projector (optional), table-top name cards, reference materials and refreshments, a Directors Roundtable is facilitated by a moderator and two additional panelists—ideally all experienced directors whose skill and leadership are known and respected in your area—who weigh in with their practical, proven responses to common “issues” facing all of us as musical leaders.
Since April of 2006, M-AD has held six additional Roundtables, with only modest expense to the District/area; two in conjunction with our annual District School (“Harmony College/Directors College-EAST”) and four others coinciding with planned Staff visits to various Divisions within our District. Over 80 participants have benefited from this program, many of whom have attended several Roundtables to learn more! Participants pay no fee, and leave with a wealth of collective experience to try to apply with their choruses.
The framework of the 2-to-3-hour Roundtable, which can be held in an evening or weekend afternoon, is simple:
* Every means of communication possible is used to invite participants (Newsletters, email, web site posting, etc.).
* At the outset, participants submit TWO “challenges” in writing at the outset of the Roundtable. (There are likely to be “duplicates,” of course.)
* The “challenges” are then read aloud, and FOUR specific, proven suggestions for addressing them (it’s important that no “theoretical” suggestions are allowed…if you have not tried it successfully yourself, it’s just “theory!”) are provided by the panelists and participants. Discussion on each “issue” is limited to a few minutes at the discretion of the moderator. Usually, as many as 15-20 “issues” can be addressed in one Roundtable, and all participants feel their issues have been covered!
* Notes on the solutions are maintained, and provided to all (including the panelist-provided responses to those issues time doesn’t allow to be addressed) in a document entitled “Guide to Success In Musical Direction, VOL. X,” distributed to all participants by email following the Roundtable.
* In addition, participants are provided with a continually-updated “reference text” which includes updated information on Director Certification, BHS resources for directors, educational opportunities, articles and a long-valued document (prepared by Charlie Metzger) designed as a “self-inventory” of directors’ skills. You can construct this “handout” yourself from a variety of resources available to you, or ask for guidance from other CDD-VP’s or myself. It is important, of course, that the information be correct and useful to your participants to be a valuable “take away” piece.
Typical “issues” covered to date include, but are hardly limited to, Music Selection, Preparation, Visual Presentation, "Qualification"/Performing Chorus issues, Integration of Craft/Theory, Riser Placement/Stacking (Sound Management), Motivation, Music Selection/Repertoire, M&P Team composition/dynamics, Director Responsibilities, Board/Director relationship, Available Society Resources, Music Learning processes/resources, Copyright & Clearance issues.
Responses from participants have been very encouraging, as musical leaders gain so much from sharing their concerns and desires to improve in their jobs in a comfortable, “safe” atmosphere among their peers. The residual benefit of more collegiality among our director “corps”—all interested in raising the level of satisfying musical experiences for our chorus members—is gratifying as well! We’re already preparing for another area (Division) Roundtable this October in the Virginia/DC area, in conjunction with our next scheduled Staff Music Specialist visit.
If you’d like to learn more about the Directors Roundtable model for your use, feel free to contact me by email (billcatps@aol.com) or phone (571-213-7376) anytime!
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