Introduction to Choral 10, 20, 30

This document was written to support teachers in planning and teaching Choral 10, 20 and 30 courses. All teachers of Secondary Level choral classes are required to plan courses that will facilitate student achievement of the foundational objectives detailled in this document. In so doing, all Secondary Level choral courses offered across the province will share important commonalities. This will ensure recognition of the credits gained by completion of the courses and will provide consistency for students who must transfer from one school to another.
Credit is granted on the basis of 100 hours of instruction per course. One credit is granted for each of Choral 10, 20, and 30. Students may earn credits in choral to fulfil requirements in Arts Education or in elective areas of study.

Choral Aim and Goals

The specific aim of the choral program is to enable students to experience the joy of singing and to understand and value a variety of musical expressions throughout life.
The following are the specific goals of Choral 10, 20, 30. By participating in the choral program, students will:

acquire the skills, abilities, understandings and attitudes necessary to express themselves vocally as individual singers and as members of a choral ensemble (creative/productive)
judge music from both producer and consumer perspectives (critical/responsive)
value and appreciate music from a variety of cultural and historical contexts. (cultural/historical).

Philosophy
The concert choir remains a viable medium of artistic expression and a highly effective educational vehicle for developing musical abilities, understanding and appreciation. As music is a performing art, choral classes allow students to experience the art of music directly.

The Role of Performance

Performances should be a natural outgrowth of rehearsal and classroom activities. As such, performances should provide an immediate focus and application for class activities and an opportunity to communicate acquired learnings to parents, administrators and the public. The performance is an integral part of the education process rather than the ultimate product. Discretion must be used in order to ensure that the musical education of the students is not jeopardized as a result of an undue emphasis on performance commitments. Noted music educator and philosopher Bennett Reimer (1989) states that the central value of performance programs is "the opportunity to exercise musical creativity -- rather than its peripheral values." He goes on to say:
The creativity involved in performing is a special kind that is not available in any other musical activities. Its uniqueness stems from the relationship between musician and the music he or she performs. (p. 27)
The peripheral values referred to above have traditionally included such non-musical goals as development of discipline, self-esteem and responsibility. In addition, choir has been seen as a vehicle for entertainment and public relations. While effective choral programs indirectly achieve the goals listed above and more, these must remain secondary rather than primary goals of the choral program.

Saskatchewan and Canadian Content

Much of the instructional material and repertoire currently studied by choral students in Canadian schools is written and published in the United States. While educational quality and artistic merit must remain the prime considerations in selecting instructional materials and repertoire, students must have an opportunity to study music by Canadian and, where possible, by Saskatchewan composers. A significant body of choral repertoire by Canadian composers has been developed and continues to grow. The following steps may be taken to expose students to Canadian choral repertoire:

borrow Canadian compositions from the library of the Canadian Music Centre
purchase materials by Canadian composers published in Canada
enter and support "Canadian Music" classes in festivals
commission a Saskatchewan or Canadian composer to write an original work for your students
contact Saskatchewan and Canadian professional organizations such as the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association, Saskatchewan Choral Federation, Canadian Music Educators Association, and the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors as sources of information regarding Canadian music resources
contact the music departments of the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan to discover if they have resources by local composers that may not be available in commercial form.