Great voice teachers have the ability to diagnose vocal problems by developing listening skills that allow them to focus upon vocal technique problems in their singers. These skills are invaluable to studio teachers. Shouldn’t the same skills be important to choral conductors?

In The Choral Conductor’s Aural Tutor, James Jordan leads directors on a quest for aural mastery of vocal technique error detection through a program of guided listening using examples from both a high school and a college choir. The included pretests and posttests encourage forward progress by assessing the conductor’s ability to hear and label problems, including too little head tone, off-the-breath singing, jowly placement, sluggish vowel movement, and more. The Core Vocal Exercises on the two CDs demonstrate good ensemble sound by showing both correct and incor- rect examples—we learn what a desirable sound is by hearing what it is not.

This book and 2-CD resource, rooted in the principles of The Choral Warm-Up, is invaluable for conductors of all experience levels, regardless of the age group they teach.

The two Aural Study CDs have been recorded by The Williamson Voices of Westminster Choir College and The Pennsbury High School Chamber Choir. Marilyn Shenenberger, Accompanist. James Jordan, Conductor.