April 29, 2010
Debunking the Myths of the Urban School District

by Josh Viles, Editor, UNISON, R&S Chair for Male Choirs

This past year, we had a wonderful student teacher working in our district.  She worked in the classrooms at Lindbergh High School and Nelsen Middle School. Though these are both stellar programs, the populations of the schools are a stark contrast to Lake Washington High School, where she graduated high school.

As she gets close to finishing her program and gears up to look for her first job, she is keenly aware of the situation our state finds itself in. She is aware that she will probably be subbing next year.  If she is lucky enough to find an open position, she also realizes it may be in a “hard to serve school.” This is something that she is excited about and that is not as daunting as it once may have seemed, thanks to her overwhelmingly positive experience in Renton.

The above scenario is likely true for a lot of young teachers entering our profession. Jobs are going to be hard to come by, and the only ones that are likely to be available are schools in more urban districts that have been labeled “hard to serve.”

I can’t tell you the number of times people have looked at me in horror when I tell them that my high school is located in the Renton School District. I have had many conversations with people who (though they should know better) easily talk down to more urban schools and wonder how anything positive could possibly go on in these settings. This is, of course, just not true. These schools are filled with kids who are as energized, excited and talented as anywhere else. They just need good and dedicated teachers to help them make it happen!  

I am writing this article with the hope of reaching young teachers and letting them know that these schools and districts are not the scary prospect that most make them out to be. I also hope that it will remind some of our veterans that quality choral music programs don’t look the same in every school. These diverse populations are teaming with talented kids who will work hard for you and are waiting for their talents to be realized!

To help illustrate my point, I did an interview with a colleague of mine, Lizabeth Diaz, who teaches at Renton High School. RHS serves 1,109 students from downtown Renton and into south Seattle and has a 54.6% free and reduced lunch rate. The demographic breakdown is as follows; African American – 35%, Asian – 32%, Hispanic – 15.6%, and White – 14%. These are just numbers, but they are numbers that can easily influence people’s opinions of schools, kids and communities.

The truth is, Renton High School is a great place to attend and Lizabeth Diaz has built a fine choir program there. Her program features three performing ensembles, one of which is audition only. The A Cappella Choir (Renton’s top ensemble) consists of 55 auditioned members that meet every day at zero hour to rehearse. At festivals, Lizabeth’s choirs perform challenging literature in artistic ways, they are also some of the most professional and respectful students I have ever witnessed in any setting. In short, this is not the kind of program one would expect to hear about just by glancing at the numbers above.

The interview below will highlight Lizabeth’s experience at Renton High School and tell how she built her current program. It will also give a few helpful tips and tricks for being successful with these types of populations. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please feel free to contact me, and I can put you in touch with Lizabeth.

Josh Viles inteviews Lizabeth Diaz

How long have you taught at Renton High School?  
This is my 15th year at RHS.

What was the program like when you started?  
Choir had been eliminated from the curriculum.  I had to re-start the program.

How is your program set up now – what choirs do you offer?  
We have three choirs:  Mixed Chorus (beginning non-select); Vocal Ensemble (intermediate non-select); and A Cappella (as select and advanced as possible).  I also offer two sections of Musical Techniques, which is a high school entry level music course.  I frequently recruit students from these classes.

What do you think is the key thing that helped you turn it around?  
I have a very strong relationship with the students at Renton High School.  We “get” each other.  I have also been well supported by my administrative team at the building level.  I must admit, that I am also very willful.  I desperately wanted to resuscitate the program and see it thrive.  I work very hard towards this end. 

How would you describe the RHS population?  
Diverse.  Transitory.  Challenging.  Creative.  Natural performers.  Right now, 1109 students attend RHS.  As of last year, 32.9% identify themselves as Asian/Pacific Islander, 35.8% as Black, 15.6% as Hispanic, 1.2% as Native American, 14.6% as White.  As of March 138 students are enrolled in our English as a Second Language Program.  62.85% receive free and reduced lunch.  We also experience a 48.4% Student Mobility Rate.  There are approximately 28 languages spoken at RHS.

What is the greatest challenge you face teaching at RHS?  
Time.  Because of scheduling issues, like single course offerings, my advanced choir meets during zero period.  This means that we start at 6:25 AM most days.  It also means that when the daily schedule changes zero periods tend to get cancelled.  Also, because of the need to improve test scores, many students must take additional math support and reading classes, and lose the opportunity to take electives like the entry level choir. 

What are your greatest joys teaching at RHS?  
The students of RHS are talented, expressive and highly energetic human beings who continually show me their appreciation.  We play a lot.  We laugh a lot.  We work really hard.  My life is much more meaningful and just plain full because of my relationships with them.  I love the diversity of Renton High School.  I love to see them bloom from freshmen into seniors.  I love collaborating with them.  I love the sound of their voices. 

What advice would you give teachers starting new jobs in an urban school?   Be open to new ways of doing things.  Reflect continuously on your beliefs and your teaching techniques.  Allow students to teach you.  Be patient and celebrate little victories.  Real growth does not happen quickly.  Work hard, but take time to laugh – laughter is key.  Be patient and kind, but strong  – relationship is key.  Show respect, even if you don’t feel terribly respected at first.  Show your students that you appreciate their music.  Choose culturally relevant music, but also make time to highlight music that your students are creating and/or listening to.  My students and I have grown immensely through the production of talent and multicultural shows.

Do you think there is unfair opinions of urban schools in Washington State? 
Yes.  Since our test scores aren’t always stellar, it is sometimes assumed that our students are not academically capable.  The truth is that we do serve students with learning issues.  There are many reasons for the gaps in their knowledge.  They have moved from school to school to school.  They don’t speak, read or write well in English.  They have issues at home.  However, we are becoming more and more successful in helping these students to succeed.  We believe in them.  Also, we DO have many average students who perform remarkably well - just like other schools do. 

Many people see our schools as dangerous places, full of thuggish gang affiliated students.  Dangerous situations can happen in any school.  RHS is a safe school.  We all look out for each other.  Our students can be loud (I actually revel is the shock value of our VOLUME), but our students are generally well-mannered and thoughtful.

What would you say to those people who carry these opinions? 
I would encourage them to rethink their assumptions.  Their opinions are based in fear and ignorance. 

What has been your favorite musical moment with your RHS choir(s)?  
Our performance of West Side Story.  Our performance of Rutter’s Magnificat on stage in Carnegie Hall, under the direction of John Rutter.  Touring in Europe.  All these classic musical moments have been possible with a choir from an urban school…  More true to who we are, a few years ago the A Cappella Choir performed A South African Trilogy at contest.  Performing world music is always a risk at contest.  Sometimes the judges get it.  Sometimes they don’t.  My choir performed the piece really well – everyone was in the zone.  After the performance, we worked with one of the three judges on stage.  We were blessed with a judge who had just returned from South Africa.  She loved what we were doing, and my choir was incredibly responsive to her.  Her final comment made us all very proud.  She said that as she listened to us, she closed her eyes, and felt like she was back in South Africa.  She really got it.

February 2, 2010

Deep Thoughts with Teenage Boys: What Does Choir Mean to Them?

by Josh Viles, Editor, UNISON and R&S Chair for Male Choirs

As we enter the second semester, the time comes to start thinking about recruiting for next year. I know it seems early, but in a lot of districts (mine included) students start signing up for next year’s classes as early as March.

We all face the same problem as we do this job. Even in the smallest of schools, it seems like there is an endless sea of girls enthusiastically vying for spots in our choirs. Boys however seem few and far between. Recruiting boys, for me anyway, has become an art form all its own. Many of us will say just about anything to convince a boy to join our class, and, consider it a great victory when we convince even one or two new ones to join the fold.

There has been a lot written about recruiting in various method books and all seem to have good ideas. With boys, a lot of the ideas seem to be focused on the extrinsic motivators like; key chains, shirts, missing class and the like.

As I was reading through these ideas, I couldn’t help but think that there was more to it than that. I wanted a new way to approach young men about choir that didn’t set me up to be some kind of used car salesman.

During our finals schedule last week, I decided to gather some information. I surveyed every boy in my program (65 in all) and asked them, among other things, what they valued about being in choir. The results were very surprising, and indeed gave me the inspiration I was looking for. Below are a few quotes from that survey.

I am not assuming that this will change your recruiting life or make boys flood to your program. I simply hope that you will read these thoughts and be reminded at how wonderful choral music is and how much our boys need it in their lives.

I hope it will give you a new, and, more thoughtful way to approach boys and talking with them about the benefits of being in choir.

Enjoy the quotes below and happy hunting!

“I’m in 9th grade, I don’t have an ounce of athletic ability, and I’m lucky if I can get a C in most of my classes. I love choir because it automatically gave me a place where I can be good at something.”

“I really enjoy the camaraderie of being in Concert Choir. The class is so huge, I get to meet all sorts of new people that I otherwise would never have associated with. It feels good to be working toward a common goal with nice people.”

“Choir gives me a break. I have it right after Chemistry and AP US History. I love coming to choir and getting to stand up and express myself without worrying about a test.”

“Music is like being in an exclusive club. I love having information that the general population does not have. When my friends are all talking about their latest Calculus assignment and I am totally lost, I start talking about French diction and what a dominant seventh chord is. That usually quiets everyone down.”

“I love the music we sing. I feel like I learn so much more about history and poetry through music than I do sitting in LA or History.”

“The rush of being on stage is unlike anything else. I can’t think of any other class where you get to be a featured performer in a concert hall. It’s also amazing when you get a good rating or win a contest. He feeling is unbeatable.”

“Chicks dig a baritone.”

“I like learning about vocal music that isn’t the pop drivel that we are exposed to on a daily basis. When I hear people talk about American Idol, I just roll my eyes.”

“There is something nice about having choir as a constant in my life. Each year my classes change, but I know that I will always be able to go to choir and have an instant group of friends, a nice teacher (sometimes) and a subject that I like.”

“I like choir because it is a different set of expectations. It’s nice to have a teacher and a classroom full of people that depend on you in a way to help get the work done. It’s like a living breathing project that you are a part of.”

The Nice List
(Men’s Choral Music for your Holiday Concert)

By Josh Viles
WA ACDA Repertoire and Standards Chair – Male Choirs

Greetings from the Renton Highlands! It was wonderful to talk with so many of you this past July at our Summer Institute. It is always so nice to meet new friends and re-connect with those that we haven’t seen in awhile. It is also wonderful to talk with people who understand both the joys and frustrations of our profession.

As I think back on the many men’s choir talks I had with people, I realized that many of us have a difficult time when it comes to selecting literature for holiday concerts. Indeed, it seems that our society has gotten so politically correct that one could probably think of a dozen different names for this concert (winter, lessons and carols, solstice….dare I say Christmas) to name but a few. I have always found that finding good quality men’s choir repertoire a touch more challenging than other voicings. Add to that the challenges of programming in December and you have got yourself a real problem.

Public school teachers seem to have the roughest go of this, often times programming between a school district that has stringent guidelines and communities that want to hear “the hits”.

Fear not, I have compiled a list of 20 go to pieces that are not only high quality and in a variety of voicings, but that will fit in a variety of situations; whether it be a church or community group that embraces the idea of a holiday concert and religious texts, or a finicky public school setting that only wants “winter music”.

My hope is that everyone will find something useable hear and that you will all e-mail me with your own ideas that have worked for you, that way we can gel them into a mega-list that we can use as a yearly resource.

I also hope as we approach the holiday season that we don’t let school district fear get in the way of our job, which is teaching quality music and texts to our singers. I don’t mean to say this in too cavalier a tone. I simply mean that you should do the music you feel is right for your groups and not be afraid to mention Christmas (or any other sacred topic for that matter.) After all, the sacred tradition is where it all began for choral music and some of the finest music and words ever written are available at this time of year. Just remember that it may take some justifying to parents or administrators, but it is worth sticking to your guns if it means performing Es ist ein ros entsprungen instead of Cold and Fugue Season! If you feel you need some strategies or other help with this type of thing, please feel free to contact me and I will do everything I can to assist you!

The list below is alphabetical by title and includes the composer, publisher and voicing. Some contain very religious texts while others are non-typical ways to add interest or levity if you have to steer clear of a holiday theme. I have either performed these with my own groups, or watched them performed by a trusted colleague. Let me know what worked and please send more ideas. Happy Holidays……..

Editor's note: For more information on ACDA policy regarding use of sacred music see this site:

http://acda.org/about_us/policies

Josh Viles - slviles@comcast.net

Choral music for men’s voices; more than just shanties and taverns!

by Josh Viles, Editor, UNISON
September, 2008

We all know that selecting appropriate and challenging repertoire is one of the most important jobs we have as choral directors at any level. In Washington, we are lucky to have a strong ACDA chapter that is committed to helping us find the best and most accessible music for our choirs.  However, outside the ACDA circle the quest for high quality choral music is often a frustrating and lonely one!  Finding high quality men’s choir music is, in my opinion, the hardest thing to ferret out of the banal catalogs we are sent.  We are faced with music that is either deplorable and belongs in a land fill, or music that is passable but doesn’t really inspire kids (or teachers for that matter.)

 How many have been excited when they pull the latest publishing company’s catalog out of their box that boasts of “superb male chorus literature for the discriminating music educator?”  I fall for it every time.  The excitement quickly wears off when I realize that by superb, they mean arrangements of the latest High School Musical installment or some kind of 50’s and 60’s nostalgia package complete with a “show-trax” accompaniment tape.  It’s hard enough to get young men to sing choral music, we certainly don’t need any help from canned music or geeky dance moves!

The other main problem with readily available men’s choir music is the narrow textual focus.  In an attempt to appeal to young men, there seems to be a plethora of pieces in the sea shanty or drinking song vein.  These are fine and many are very good arrangements, but it leaves a glaring hole in our curriculum if we allow all of the emoting to be done by our girls.  Choral music offers a wonderful chance to help our young men tap into a more sensitive side of their psyche that society does not necessarily reinforce all the time.

As the current Repertoire and Standards chair for men’s choirs and as a teacher that has had success with high school men, I feel like I can help with this frustrating problem.  I asked my men’s choir to go through our library with me and we picked out our 20 favorite pieces, seen below.  I believe all of this music not only to be of high quality, but also offers texts that allow men to think, feel, reflect and express.  The music is in multiple voicings and represents many styles and languages.  I hope you find this list useful and I am looking forward to working with you all as we further the cause of superb male choirs in Washington State!