Varsity Choir at George Fox Choir Symposium

The Delphian School Varsity Choir participated in the George Fox University Fall Choir Symposium last Saturday.  Four choirs participated in the morning session and four in the afternoon.  Delphian was in the morning session and did a warm up together with all the other groups. Then the students went into a sight reading session with Steve Peter, a highly regarded Portland High School choir director.  Mr. Peter went over the choir's knowledge of certain concepts, and then had them do some drilling with a focus on getting better at conceptualizing the music in their heads before they read it.  

 Then back to the auditorium where the students worked personally with GFU director, Loren Wenz. He worked with the choir on team building in their sections.  Each section then worked out goals for themselves and for the choir.  This was followed by a fun game where the choir arranged themselves by birthday order—without being able to talk.

 The highlight of the day was Delphian’s performance followed by a clinic by Dr. Rodney Eichenberger.  Dr. Eichenberger, who resides in Florida but has ties to the Northwest, is an international figure in choral music.  Often considered a "choir guru," he spent over 50 years researching and demonstrating the relationship of the conductor's gesture to choral sound, and he worked with Delphian Choir Director Craig Bader and the choir in better understanding that relationship.  Craig and the students had a great time working with him.  The choir also had the benefit of another classroom lesson where the choir was coached on vocal technique by a member of the George Fox faculty.  The students asked questions and then practiced the ideas presented as answers to those questions.  The session closed with a very nice concert by the George Fox Concert Choir. 

 

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