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NCYC Prep Chorus (2nd - 4th Grade)

Middle School Ensemble
Program Curriculum and Goals
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VISION

The Newport County Youth Chorus aims to:

-Engage and inspire young people through a premier choral music education program led by exceptional musicians and educators.

-Deepen and develop young people’s lifelong love and appreciation of music, as well as enhance skills that they can use in other musical endeavors throughout their lives.

-Provide an opportunity for students to learn a variety of music that incorporates different languages and styles, which exposes them to cultures, places, and musicians they might not otherwise encounter.

-Provide performance opportunities to singers so they can share and demonstrate what they have learned and work toward a collective goal.

-Give all interested students regardless of socio-economic status, race, religion or gender an opportunity to participate.

-Create an environment of learning that is safe, nurturing, and collaborative. 

-Motivate and inspire young people to develop skills that benefit them in their studies beyond music. (Research shows a direct correlation between music study and increased scores in math and literacy.)

-Provide paid leadership opportunities to emerging leaders from local high schools and universities who serve as chorus managers to help develop future leaders and educators.

Anchor 1

NCYC Prep Chorus

Vocal Technique Goals

  1. Singers will practice proper singing posture and breathing techniques and be able to identify how these are achieved.

  2. Singers will identify and practice unified vowel shape (mouth shape, space inside mouth) to achieve a unified ensemble sound. 

  3. Singers will be able to identify the difference between “singing sound” (head register) and “speaking sound” (chest register). 

  4. Singers will practice singing the correct pitches and listening for a unified ensemble sound. 

 

Musicianship Goals

  1. Solfege (do, re, mi, etc) is introduced through “sound words” and hand signs.

  2. Singers will echo a sound word pattern accurately by him/herself. 

  3. Singers will echo rhythmic patterns using voice and claps.

  4. Singers will learn to navigate sheet music (musical notation, musical terms). 

  5. Singers will practice and demonstrate musical terms using their voice. 

  6. Singers will sing two independent parts at the same time (vocal independence).

 

Experience Goals

  1. Singers will have fun!

  2. Singers will sing in at least one foreign language.

  3. Singers will do their best at all times in order to support the group’s success. 

  4. Singers will prepare for the performance experience: maintaining good posture, singing repertoire accurately and musically, remaining focused.

  5. Singers will experience the joy of making music together and the importance of his/her unique contribution to the ensemble’s success. 

Anchor 2

NCYC Middle School Ensemble 

Vocal Technique Goals

  1. Singers will consistently implement proper posture and breathing techniques into their singing practice.  

  2. Singers will identify, practice and consistently implement unified vowel shape (mouth shape, space inside mouth) to achieve a unified ensemble sound. 

  3. Singers will access and develop head register and identify the difference between head register and chest register. 

  4. Singers will sing the correct pitches and listen for a unified ensemble sound. 

 

Musicianship Goals

  1. Solfege (do, re, mi, etc) is introduced through “sound words” and hand signs. 

  2. Singers will develop skills in order to sing sound word patterns independently without prompt.

  3. Singers can create and perform rhythmic patterns using voice and claps.

  4. Singers will use sheet music to reiterate skills and music learned in rehearsal (reading, musical notation, musical terms). 

  5. Singers will sing at least two independent parts at the same time.

 

Experience Goals

  1. Singers will have fun! 

  2. Singers will sing in at least one foreign language per semester.

  3. Singers will have the opportunity to sing alone (solo) and lead the group in rehearsal activities, increasing confidence. 

  4. Singers will do their best at all times in order to support the group’s success. 

  5. Singers will prepare for the performance experience: maintaining good posture, singing repertoire accurately and musically, remaining focused.

  6. Singers will experience the joy of making music together and the importance of his/her unique contribution to the ensemble’s success. 

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