Speech choir

1. 12. The first plays put on by Greeks featuring choruses of speakers. Short
background: Speech choir or choral speaking has a hallowed and proud tradition.
2. 3. What is a Speech Choir? Today, speech choir is a popular teaching tool, as well as
a performing art in itself. Speech choir operates like a music choir minus the music.
Instead of singing, speech choirs perform spoken-word pieces. It is a powerful art that
is experiencing a revival.
3. 4. 2Types of Speech Choir A.Conventional Speech Choir - also called traditional.
Has no use of costumes, nor props, nor choreography the choir simply speaks or
reads a literary piece. B. Theatrical Speech Choir - also called dynamic. The reverse
of the conventional speech choir.
4. 5. Elements of a Speech Choir
5. 6. Elements of a Speech ChoiMembers A speech choir is typically the same size as a
singing choir having anywhere from 12-100 members or more. More schools and
competitions feature choirs of 25 to 40 members. The group is typically are divided
into groups based on the members natural voices or speaking voices.
6. 7. Elements of a Speech ChoiPieces Selections are typically poems or poetic
passage such as from Greek dramas or Shakespeare's plays. The conductor gives
some thought to the passage, breaking into parts. Facial expressions and intonation
are also carefully planned so all the members can practice in unison. Solo parts for
specific members can add dramatic effect.
7. 8. Elements of a Speech ChoiChoreography Choreography of movement is not
necessary component for speech choir. Many successful competition choirs recite
their pieces while standing in place with their hands at their sides, attention directed
solely at the conductor. Thus, movement is a part of the rich history of speech choir
and some conductors choose to choreograph elaborate movement to accompany
their pieces. In the Greek tradition, speech choirs marched from side to side in
alternating patterns called strophe and aristrophe. The sequence of steps and
movements in dance.
8. 9. Elements of a Speech ChoiCostuming As with any other performance art, thought
should be put into how the speech choir will dress. Costumes can be as simple as
matching outfits or robes, such as a vocal choir would wear, or elaborate theatrical
garb. Plain uniforms allow the audience to concentrate on facial expressions and
allow the choir to recite several very different pieces in one performance. *Themed
costume for a single piece can highlight its meaning or help to differentiate between
voice groups.
9. 10. Elements of a Speech ChoiVoice quality The ability to combine successfully the
light, medium, and dark voices in the choir. The ability to communicate, through voice,
reactions to thoughts or emotions.
10. 11. Elements of a Speech ChoiNumber of Voices The ability to add or subtract whole
sections, banks, smaller groups, or solo speakers to increase or diminish the power or
richness of the sound to better express the meaning.
11. 12. Elements of a Speech ChoiPitch - It refers to the variations of the voice on the
musical scale is generally referred to as infection. Children generally have little
problem with pitch because they use it naturally and freely.
12. 13. Elements of a Speech ChoiPower Ability to use volume, force or loudness as
emphasis in appropriate places to better express feeling and meaning. A power build
should be related to the elements of a sentence and growing emotion.
13. 14. Elements of a Speech ChoiTempo It refers to the rate of speed at which a reading
progresses. The ability to balance the rhythm of a piece and the tempo of
performance. Tempo should relate to the central beat of the poem. If it is too fast or
too slow.
14. 15. Elements of a Speech ChoiStaging The ability to successfully organized and
position the choir on stage or risers for performance effect. The ability to stage
entrances and exits which enhance the mood of the poem and performance. The
ability to stage entrances and exits which enhance the mood of the poem and
performance.
15. 16. THINGSTO REMEMBER IN DOING SPEECH CHOIR
16. 17. THINGSTO REMEMBER IN DOING SPEECH CHOIR TheText Connection to the
Group Articulation and Diction BREATHING
17. 18. Breathing Noting where it makes sense to take breath, so you don't interrupt the
word flow but have enough breath to make it through the line. Breathing in
performance links you with your whole group, calms your nerves, and gives your
performance life.
18. 19. Articulation and Diction Diction is a learned skill Articulate strongly in rehearsal
and in your everyday life. By practicing your articulation and diction, your words will
be clear and vibrant.
19. 20. Connection to the Group If anything unexpected happens, the group must
respond and correct together. Onstage, the choir is your family. Listen to those around
you. Connecting with them will eliminate any stage fright.
20. 21. TheText The text is your guide, its what the audience came to see and hear you
perform. "Let your audience see what you are saying." "Let your personal reaction to
the words sprinkle meaning on the performance."
21. 22. Thank you.
 Some tips to be considered in speech choir;

To be able to present a good speech choir, keep in mind the following:

1. Teach the students pronunciation. Simply use a dictionary that has a

pronunciation guide to it. Refer to its pronunciation key which you can find
on its introductory pages to determine how a word is pronounced. If you are
still unsure of its pronounciation. Teach them stress and intonation. You
can refer to your English Expressways II book pages 64-65. Things such as
rising intonation and falling intonation are crucial in speech choir. Which
word to be stressed depends also on your intended meaning. Furthermore
you can listen to a lecture by Peter Roach on this topic:

2. A good number for speech choir is 40 members. But you can have 20-
25 participants if so desired.

3. The contest piece is often a poem.

4. Divide your participants into three voices: light, medium and dark.
Light voices are often chosen from the first year females. Medium are also
females with deep voices (preferably from the fourth year). Dark are of
course only males with very deep voices. There should also be a solo for
each voice: solo light, solo medium and solo dark.

5. Arrange the contest piece before giving it to your participants. This

means that you have already assigned parts for each voice, for the solo
and for the unison (meaning all three voices). Keep in mind though that
even if all three voices speak together but their voices should be clearly
distinct from each other. This is called blending.
6. Memorize the piece. If you are the conductor, the more you should
memorize it. Before giving the contest piece to your participants, see to it
that you have double-checked its pronunciation in the dictionary or the web.

7. Drill into your participants to feel the piece. Their facial expression
should reflect what they are speaking. Facial expressions cant be taught. It
should come from within. It should not look artificial but should come from
their hearts.

8. Deliver with the intent to be understood; hence, for conventional speech

choir, actions and props are unnecessary. Simply standing with hands on
their sides is enough. What counts are the voice and the facial expression.
Remember the audience should understand what you are talking about.

9. The conductor may stand at the back of the judges. He may conduct in
any manner he wants as long as he is able to guide his participants for an
effective speech choir presentation.

10. Speech choir participants should only look at the conductor the whole
time of their presentation. They should not fidget or make unnecessary
moves throughout their delivery. Nevertheless they should not be standing
tensed in front of the crowd but relaxed. Below is a picture of Consolacion
National High School Day Class participants. They were the champion in
the Northeast Area Level Speech Choir Competition this year. Look how
they stand:

What Are the Things to Be

Remembered in
Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
 Speech choir, or choral speaking, has a hallowed and
proud tradition. The first plays put on by the Greeks
featured choruses of speakers. Today, speech choir is a
popular teaching tool, as well as a performing art in itself.
Speech choir operates like a musical choir, minus the
music. Instead of singing, speech choirs perform spoken-
word pieces, like poems. Speech choir requires technical
skills that must be honed and remembered in both
rehearsal and performance.

Breathing
The most important part of any performing art, from
playing an instrument to acting in a play, is breath. While
we breath involuntarily all the time, many green
performers forget to breathe while on stage. Mark your
speech choir piece like a sheet of music, noting where it
makes sense to take a breath, so you don't interrupt the
word flow but have enough breath to make it through the
line (punctuation marks are a good start). Breathing in
performance links you with your whole group, calms your
nerves, and gives your performance life.

Articulation and Diction

The audience wants to hear what you have to say. If
you don't articulate, all they will hear is a bunch of mush.
By practicing your articulation and diction, your words will
be clear and vibrant. Say every sound of a word, paying
special attention to the beginning and ending letters.
Strive to make every word lucid and colorful. Diction is a
learned skill; articulate strongly in rehearsal and in your
 everyday life. People will notice how well you command
language.

Connection to the Group

A speech choir is a living organism made up on
individuals, never forget that. You aren't performing a
monologue, you are a part of a group performance.
Onstage, the choir is your family. The best speech choir
performances are presented by groups that are in sync
with each other. Listen to those around you. Connecting
with them will eliminate any stage fright. If anything
unexpected happens (someone forgets a line, a light falls
from the rafters), the group must respond and correct
together.

The Text
The text is your guide; it's what the audience came
to see and hear you perform. In rehearsal, commit your
lines to memory (even if you are provided with the piece
onstage). Performing the text requires you to know the
text inside and out. Once you know what you are saying,
add color and meaning to the words. Let the audience
"see" what you are saying. Let your personal reaction to
the words sprinkle meaning on the performance.