Running Successful Children's Choral Institute

Prof. Leon, Shiu-wai TONG (China, Hong Kong)

Introduction

• Built up 3 Choirs including • Hong Kong Children’s Choir• Guangzhou Children’s Palace Choir• Hong Kong Treble Choir

• HKCC for 17 Years – from 400 to 2800 Choristers

• Systemization for GZ Children’s Palace Choir

• Building up of Hong Kong Treble Choir

Aspects Running Institutes – Balancing Artistic aspects and Education

• Interest to Professionalism• ENJOY is the most important!• Develop into career or path to professionalism• Systematic Class System to fulfil different goals

Let’s take a look at our class system:

Aspects Running Institutes – Balancing Artistic aspects and Education

• Class System:

Ages Normal Classes (for interests)

Advanced Classes (for professionalism)

3 – 4 Nursery Class (1 Year, 3 stages)

4 – 5 Elementary Class (2 Years) Junior Performing Choir (Integrating singing, dancing, and acting)5 – 7 Junior Class (2 Years)

Junior Concert Choir(Singing)

7 - 16 Intermediate / Senior Class Senior Concert Choir

Aspects Running Institutes – From Class to Stage

• Performing on stage is crucial

• At least 2 concerts including the Annual Concert and a joint concert

• In-house mini concerts

• Christmas Caroling and other performing opportunities

Aspects Running Institutes – Local to International

• Create local, regional and international events• Eye-opening experiences

• Music Tours

• International Festivals

• Working with international experts

Aspects Running Institutes – Group to Individual

• Individual trainings

• Responsibility of Principal Conductor• Coaching every class at least twice a year• Coaching solo students as frequently as possible

• Good relationship with and understandings about own choir

Aspects Running Institutes – Children to Parents

• Teaching students as well as educating parents to appreciate• Mini Conert

• Parents can help and encourage children to improve

• Parents’ involvement effectively strengthen connections• Parents Choirs• Parents Volunteers• Family Music Tour

Administration – Board to Staff

• Frequent and Regular meetings

• Staff will be able to raise their difficulties• Board will be more informed to make decisions• Decisions will be more efficiently executed

Administration – Artistic Director to Teachers

• Appraisals and Teaching Evaluations

• Respect and Trust

• Regular meetings to discuss class, performance and curriculum

• Performance opportunities for young conductors

• Sharing success with the team

Administration – Communication with Parents

• Communication between Administration Staff and Parents

• Parents opinions are crucial• Build up trust between the institute and parents• Ultimately parents can share administration workloads• Our current President of Board is also the father of one of our

choristers!

Conclusion

• New Ideas• Cooperation with local university• Internship• Outreach Courses

• Promotion of Music Education• Music Education is Basic Rights!• Low tuition fee• Plans to work with different parties and foundations to help children

with financial difficulties

Q&A

The End

Thank You!