Jean Ashworth-Bartle

Review: Life Line for Children's Choir Directors, by Jean Ashworth Bartle, is a must for people who work with children's voices. As the founder of the Toronto Children's Chorus and experienced educator, Bartle compiles her 20+ years of experience into this book. The beginning provides an overview of important details necessary for any choir, such as diction and musicianship. The remaining chapters are devoted to specific types of children's choirs in school and the community. Each chapter is thoroughly detailed from organization through performance and includes extensive repertoire lists. Bartle includes many useful references throughout the book. This revised and expanded version can help anyone who conducts a children's choir and should be read cover to cover.

Songlist: Before You Begin, Developing the Child's Voice, The Uncertain Singer, Diction, Musicianship, Conducting Children's Choirs, The School Primary Choir, The School Junior Choir, The Junior Church Choir, The Community, or Professional, Children's Choir

Review: Sound Advice is a valuable resource for college students, beginning teachers, and experienced conducters of children's choirs. It covers the vast array of skills needed by today's conductor and will benefit all choir directors who want their choirs to reach a higher level of artistry. This book will be useful on many levels: for the college student studying the child voice and elementary teaching methods; for the teacher beginning to direct choirs in schools, synagogues, churches and communities; for experienced children's choir directors who wish to know more about orchestral repertoire for treble voices, conducting an orchestra, and preparing a children's choir to sing a major work with a professional orchestra. The underlying educational philosophy is sound; the author sees development of musicianship through singing as the primary goal of a children's choir program. This philosophy differs dramatically from the traditional concept of the conductor as all-knowing and the singers as receptacles. An outstanding aspect of the book is how the author leads the reader to an understanding of how to teach musicianship. Developing literacy in the choral setting is a mysterious, amorphous process to many conductors, but the author clearly outlines this important process with practical suggestions, well-documented examples, and a clear reading style which will reach readers on many levels. The comprehensive repertoire, skill-building sheets, and programs for all types of children's choirs will provide teachers with immediate and highly valuable resources.

Songlist: The Formative Years, Training Eight to Fourteen Year Old Children to Sing, Checklist for Ideal Rehearsals and Preparation for Complete ArtisticPerformances, Developing Literacy, Discipline, The Importance of Organization, The Audition Process: Know Your Children, Your Parents, and Your Community, Things They Didn't Teach You In Music School, Conducting a Orchestra, Preparing the Children to Sing a Major Work with Orchestra, From The Children, Appendix One: Warm-up Vocal Exercises, Appendix Two: Audition Form, Appendix Three: Sample Programs from Toronto Children's Chorus, Appendix Four: Criteria for Choosing Repertoire Appropriate for Children, Appendix Five: Concepts to Be Learned by the End of Training Choir I, II andIII, Appendix Six: Sight-Singing Curriculum Outline for the Toronto Children's Chorus, Appendix Seven: Rounds All Children Should Know, Appendix Eight: Treble Choir Repertoire with Orchestral Accompaniment, Appendix Nine: Repertoire Recommended List, Appendix Ten: Toronto Children's Chorus Compact Discs, Appendix Eleven: The Seating Plan, Appendix Twelve: Examples of Four-Measure Sight-Reading Passages, Appendix Thirteen: Transposing and Non-transposing Instruments

Review: A Young Singer's Journey consists of six workbooks and accompanying online audio files, a booklet of sight-singing and warm-up exercises for each level. Flash card masters, designed to correlate with the material presented in each workbook, are also available. Contact the publisher regarding further aids to the curriculum. Children learn at different rates and each child will approach these books with a different skill set. A child who completes three pages per week could complete two books per year, or six books in three years. A younger child may work more slowly and an older child may be able to complete the books with little teacher-direction at a faster pace. The marking pages at the front of each book have columns for written comments and a sticker reward for each page. The column for ticker rewards is meant to be used only after a page is completed, including all corrections. The marking pages will reflect the child's progress and show at a glance the pages that need more work. Most pages include audio tasks that should be completed with the pages. The CD's reinforce and further teach the concepts on the page while training the child to hear and use the written material. At the end of each track a "secret word" is given. The child should write this word beside the audio track number to show that he or she has listened to it. Bullets highlight the written tasks on each page. Children are invited to check off the bullet for each task as it is completed. A certificate at the end of each book may be signed by the teacher and awarded when the child has completed the book. The warm-up exercises include syllable songs, jingles, and exercises using the finger staff and keyboard. Memorization and accuracy of these exercises could be tested during pre-rehearsal activities. Choristers should be encouraged to practice warm-ups; a box is provided beside each example to add a sticker reward for those who perform them well by memory.

Songlist: Let's Begin, Line And Spaces, Syllable Names On Steps, Hand Signs, Let's "Twinkle" Two Ways, The Treble Clef, A Scale On A Keyboard, Now We're Sight-Singing, You Get The Last Word, Horse Apples, Quarter Note And Rest, An Octave Is Eight Steps, The Longer And Longer Song, Two Stories, Eight Notes Flags On The Right, Middle C, Doh Moves, Doh, Me And Soh, The Famous Trio, Word Puzzles, Half Notes, Doh, Me, Soh In Three Keys

Review: Eileen Baldwin, Jean Ashworth Bartle and Linda Beaupre have been teaching musical literacy for many years, and all three have very successful children's choirs that continue to perform all over the world. Now they have joined together and written a new musical literacy curriculum that will teach children to master the basic components of musical literacy--theory, ear training and sight-singing. The series will consist of six workbooks, three which are currently available. Included in each workbook is an accompanying CD, a sight-singing booklet of warm-up exercises for each level, and a laminated keyboard. Flash cards designed to correlate with the material presented in each workbook will also be available. There will be a teacher's manual for each level that covers the two student books. This will truly be an invaluable teaching tool.

Songlist: Welcome!, How Far?, Rhythmically Speaking, Major Scales - All the Same Pattern!, Barlines are Your Job, Touch the Dots, Singing Half Steps in Tune!, Leger Lines, Under the Covers or On Top?, Singing Seconds and Thirds, Counting Intervals, Tied Notes and Dotted Notes, The Fourths Song, Intervals in the Major Scale, The Pick - Up Song, Beware B - C and E - F!, Major and Perfect Intervals in G+, Counting a Dotted Quarter, Dotted Quarters in Three Keys, Major and Perfect Intervals in F+, Counting a Pick - Up, Building D Major Scale, The D Major Song, The Bottom of the Time Signature, Sharps in Order, The Last Sharp is Te!, Major and Perfect Intervals in D+, Getting Smart with Key Signatures!, Hand Sign Push - Ups!, Mixed Keys and Intervals, Building B(flat) Major Scale, Flats in Order, The Last Flat is Fah!, Major and Perfect Intervals in B(flat)+, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Lullaby (Wiegenlied), Lullaby (Wiegenlied), CONTINUED, Tallis in Two New Keys, Book Three Criss Cross, Ninety - Three Tasks - They're Easy!

Review: Eileen Baldwin, Jean Ashworth Bartle and Linda Beaupre have been teaching musical literacy for many years, and all three have very successful children's choirs that continue to perform all over the world. Now they have joined together and written a new musical literacy curriculum that will teach children to master the basic components of musical literacy--theory, ear training and sight-singing. The series will consist of six workbooks, three which are currently available. Included in each workbook is an accompanying CD, a sight-singing booklet of warm-up exercises for each level, and a laminated keyboard. Flash cards designed to correlate with the material presented in each workbook will also be available. There will be a teacher's manual for each level that covers the two student books. This will truly be an invaluable teaching tool.

Songlist: The Last Sharp and the Last Flat, Rhythmic Challenge, Intervals Within a Melody, Go Down for Minor Keys, Chromatic Syllables, Chromatics in Several Keys, Singing Chromatic Intervals, Syncopate!, The Harmonic Cha-Cha, The Lower Note is Always Doh!, Rapping With Sixteenths, The Melodic Minor Tango, Stacking Up Thirds, Triads in Different Keys, Descending Seconds and Thirds, Changing Meter

Review: Eileen Baldwin, Jean Ashworth Bartle and Linda Beaupre have been teaching musical literacy for many years, and all three have very successful children's choirs that continue to perform all over the world. Now they have joined together and written a new musical literacy curriculum that will teach children to master the basic components of musical literacy--theory, ear training and sight-singing. The series will consist of six workbooks, three which are currently available. Included in each workbook is an accompanying CD, a sight-singing booklet of warm-up exercises for each level, and a laminated keyboard. Flash cards designed to correlate with the material presented in each workbook will also be available. There will be a teacher's manual for each level that covers the two student books. This will truly be an invaluable teaching tool.

Songlist: Off We Go, Closest Neighbors On The Keyboard, The Tonic Triad, Review Of Counting, The Chromatic Scale, Sight-Singing With The Tonic Triad, Songs Of Value 1, Songs Of Value 2, Up With Sharps Down With Flats, Pick The Tune, Remember Tents And Goalposts, Beethoven, Jean's Cool Raps, The Major Scale Pattern Song, The Sixteenth Note, G Major Scale, Tie, Slur And Phrase, The Note Tower, Key Signatures, The Strong Beat Is Number One, The Bottom Of The Time Signature, Building F Major Scale, Circle The Sixteenth Botes, It Isn't Always 4 On The Bottom, Getting Familar With G Major, Sight-singing A Famous Canon, We've Got Style, Tallis In Three Keys, Countinf Sixteenths, Eleanor Daley, And Irish Blessing 1, An Irish Blessing 2, A Mixed Bag, Book Two Criss-cross Review, Eighty-two Tasks

Review: Eileen Baldwin, Jean Ashworth Bartle and Linda Beaupre have been teaching musical literacy for many years, and all three have very successful children's choirs that continue to perform all over the world. Now they have joined together and written a new musical literacy curriculum that will teach children to master the basic components of musical literacy--theory, ear training and sight-singing. The series will consist of six workbooks, three which are currently available. Included in each workbook is an accompanying CD, a sight-singing booklet of warm-up exercises for each level, and a laminated keyboard. Flash cards designed to correlate with the material presented in each workbook will also be available. There will be a teacher's manual for each level that covers the two student books. This will truly be an invaluable teaching tool.

Songlist: Welcome!, Mystery Scales, Back in the Swing with Rhythm, Sight-Singing Tools, Father Charles Goes, Battle Ends, Intervals, intervals, intervals, Beam Them Up!, Find the Intervals, Sharp and Flat Sheets, Two Ways to Find Doh, Dotted Eighths!, Building A Major Scale, Looking for Clues, Major and Perfect Intervals in A+, Counting a Dotted 8th and a 16th, The Barline Cancellation Rule, Major and Minor 2nds and 3rds, Introducing 6/8 Time, Four Small Intervals, Building E Flat Major Scale, The Six-Eight Song, Major and Perfect Intervals in Eb+, The Triad Sequential, Nursery Rhymes in 6/8 Time, The Grand Staff, W.A. Mozart, Earth Rejoices, Earth Rejoices cont., 6/8 Time With Sixteenths, The Fifths Song, The Natural Minor Scale, Da Capo al Fine, Let's Hear It For 4/4 and 6/8, Tallis in a New Meter, Here's To Song, Here's To Song, cont., Seventy Five Tasks, Sixty Seven Tasks, Book Four Criss Cross