From the Ground Up
Keith Hancock
Drawn from my experience in starting a high school choir program from scratch and building it into a thriving program, this master class will be a fast-paced survey of most of the important considerations when creating choir culture.Ā
Participants will learn about structuring their program with the right ensembles, concerts, and repertoire to meet their goals.Ā We will discuss some great curriculum options when it comes to teaching music theory, sight-singing, and music history, as well as the technology that can help teachers do what they do best.Ā We will also discuss the most important aspects of building the culture of your program, including connecting kids socially, leadership, and touring/retreats.Ā
In today's choral landscape, strategies for recruiting and retention are increasingly important, and we will discuss the things that have worked with my students.Ā Though it isn't the most fun part of our job, strategies in dealing with money, budgets, booster clubs, and fundraising will be discussed.Ā Lastly, creating skilled vocal ensembles demands the ability to have solid rehearsal technique and the ability to build voices, and I will share tips to improve both.
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Covered during the class:
- Program structure (choirs, concerts, repertoire, staffing)
- Curriculum (theory, sight-singing, music history, technology)
- Culture (festivals, tours, retreats, leadership, social events, banquet)
- Program buildingĀ (recruiting, retention)
- Money stuff (budgets, fundraising, boosters)
- Rehearsal technique
Meet Your Professor
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Mr. Hancock is in his 22nd year teaching this year, all at Tesoro High School. Mr. Hancock was recently named the Grammy Music Educator Award winner, chosen out of over 3,500 nominees.Ā He was also named a top 50 finalist for the Global Teacher Prize, considered the Nobel Prize of teaching, out of 30,000 nominees.Ā He was chosen as one of the 10 CMA National Music Teachers of Excellence and one of the 100 Most Influential People of Orange County by the Orange County Register.Ā Mr. Hancock was awarded the Secondary Vocal Music Teacher of the Year by the Orange County Department of Education. Ā In addition, the Tesoro HS music program was named a Grammy Signature School of Excellence, one of five in the country.
Mr. Hancock is a frequent collaborator with Grammy-award-winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, arranging, conducting and recording for his album, Know, and performing with him at the Hollywood Bowl and the FivePoint Amphitheatre.Ā Ensembles from Tesoro have also performed, recorded with and/or opened for a growing list of A-list performers including Jason Mraz, Sara Bareilles, Colbie Caillat, Johnny Mathis, Five for Fighting, Take 6, Quentin Tarantino, Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere and the Raiders), Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, Gordon Goodwin, Ruben Studdard, Natalie Weiss and Raining Jane.Ā The THS Madrigals under Mr. Hancockās direction have accepted invitations to perform at three ACDA Western Division Conferences.
In addition to his work at Tesoro, Mr. Hancock has served on the Conservatory of Music faculty at Chapman University, and he also teaches music technology at Tesoro and has previously taught private piano, voice, conducting, and guitar. Performing has always been a part of Mr. Hancockās life, and he has sung several times as a soloist with the Cypress Pops Orchestra, and onstage at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and the Orange County Performing Arts Center. He has performed alongside opera stars Placido Domingo and Deborah Voigt and Broadway stars Matthew Morrison, Susan Egan, Natalie Weiss, and Ivan Rutherford.
Mr. Hancock holds a M.A. in Education and a B.M. in Music Education and Choral Conducting (Summa cum Laude) from Chapman University, where he was a Presidential Scholar and was awarded the Choral Conducting and the Music Education Awards. In addition, he has music, computers, and career/technical education teaching credentials, and is certified in the Kodaly methodology. He also received extensive musical theatre training while attending the Orange County High School of the Arts.