AC Academy

This week I led the warm up through the use of rounds, first a clapping exercise then a song. The clapping exercise involved splitting the choir into four and asking them to clap different rhythms. Whilst it would be expected that by the end of the exercise the students would have sped up, they kept a good tempo and, as always, approached the task with enthusiasm.

In the choir rehearsal today Gaynor let me lead the warm up before the session. First I decided to loosen the students up by a fun exercise called Up, Down, Stop, GO! which got them moving around the class. I followed this by some comical yet effective vocal exercises the students approached with full confidence and enthusiasm, although being amused by them.

I am currently studying music performance at Coventry University and feel extremely passionate about music education and the importance of music practice in schools, particularly for young children. As part of a module in my current study I was offered the opportunity to work with one of AC Academy after school choirs which, after a little research, seemed the perfect chance for me to gain experience with children that have shown interest in music.

With a fuzzy head, we began the year by bringing all of our professional AC Academy choir leaders together from across the UK for a training day. We were very grateful to the staff and pupils of Thomas Jolyffe School in Stratford-upon-Avon who not only donated rooms and refreshments, but also their choir and a couple of teachers who selflessly became ‘guinea pigs’ for the day!