One of the challenges that elementary choral directors often face is building in quality time for music literacy during rehearsals. Rehearsal time is limited and we often find ourselves focusing on the preparation and demands of upcoming performances and concerts. This workshop will guide participants through a sequential series of activities, warm-ups, techniques, visuals and strategies, all implementing various rhythm units of Conversational Solfege.

Attendees will also be guided through various games including, “Knowing When Not To Speak,” “Clap For Your Syllable,” “Jungle Messages,” “Read and Remember,” “Stop and Go,” and “Antiphonal Reading.” These carefully sequenced and fun games help to create a positive choral rehearsal climate that will enable students to joyfully assimilate the skills and content necessary to be rhythmically literate. This approach will foster musical independence, guarantee joyful music making, establish a successful musically literate elementary choir and will facilitate a confident environment for your students to learn and grow. Choral packets will be provided for workshop attendees.

Craig B. Knapp is a graduate of the Crane School of Music and has been teaching Classroom Music and Chorus, grades 3 through 5, in the Rocky Point School District since 1998. With his innovative and energetic approach to music education, Mr. Knapp directs the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York’s Children’s Treble Choirs. Craig is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hofstra University. He is also the director of the Early Childhood Community Music Program at Stony Brook University, where he instructs children in Pre-K through 3rdgrade. Craig is the co-author of the book, “First Steps in Music with Orff Schulwerk: Sing, Say, Dance, Play.”

Craig is a sought-after clinician and choral conductor and has guest conducted for the Connecticut Music Educators’ Association Elementary Honors Choir, KONY (Kodály Organization of New York) “Voices United” Festival, Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association Elementary ChorusFest and various All-County chorus groups throughout New York. Craig has presented elementary classroom music and choral workshops at various music education conferences, including national conferences for NAfME, ACDA, OAKE and FAME.

Craig is the Program Coordinator for the Orff-Schulwerk Summer Studies at Hofstra University and holds Lifetime Memberships in ACDA, FAME and OAKE.