Choir Ninja, with Ryan Guth
Music TV
Formerly the Find Your Forte podcast - Step up to the podium with purpose and make the most of your public or private school's choral program with solutions you never saw coming! Join Choir Ninja, Ryan Guth as he brings you weekly interviews with veteran in-the-trenches choral directors on how to manage your choir, teach concepts like sight-singing and group vocal technique, market your program, and help inspire a love of choral music in your students each day.
Location:
NJ
Description:
Formerly the Find Your Forte podcast - Step up to the podium with purpose and make the most of your public or private school's choral program with solutions you never saw coming! Join Choir Ninja, Ryan Guth as he brings you weekly interviews with veteran in-the-trenches choral directors on how to manage your choir, teach concepts like sight-singing and group vocal technique, market your program, and help inspire a love of choral music in your students each day.
Twitter:
@RyanMGuth
Language:
English
Website:
http://www.ryanguth.com/
Email:
ryanmguth@gmail.com
Episodes
B.R.E.A.T.H.E, with Ryan Guth
9/17/2018
It's that time again! Back-to-school, new church choir season, community choir getting back into it... Remember to B.R.E.A.T.H.E. Listen as Ryan gives a warm hug of encouragement and a few well-timed reminders to make sure you get started right and stay strong all year!
Sponsored by Choirs Are Horrible - The card game for choir nerds
Duration:00:21:31
Coda, with Dr. Donald Beebe and Maryann Beebe, Jon & Robbin Rose, and Don Crafton, and Adam Rabung
4/20/2018
This is the final episode of the Choir Ninja Podcast. As always, the goal is to bring value to you choir directors, so Ryan gives you a chance to get to know the people behind the companies that have supported this show. Listen to their origin stories, their goals, and what motivates them to make the choral world better everyday. Ryan also has a special farewell for Choir Nation, and a reminder that there is enough pie for everyone.
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Show...
Duration:01:06:13
Motivation Monday: Feeling Like An Imposter?, with Ryan Guth
4/16/2018
Imposter syndrome is real, and it means that you are human and have achieved success. Be thankful that you have these feelings; they mean you are accomplishing something worthwhile. But that doesn’t make it easy to deal with. For this penultimate podcast episode, Ryan returns to one of the post prevalent issues plaguing directors. Name your imposter syndrome, call it out for what it is, and then keep on doing amazing things.
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Show...
Duration:00:26:22
Countdown, with Ryan Guth and Stevie Berryman
4/10/2018
We begin the Choir Ninja wrap up with a countdown of the stats, names, and episodes that define us. In this antepenultimate episode, Ryan and Stevie look back on the moments and interviews that have stayed with them. Did they mention your favorites?
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Show Notes: Serve with your whole being for a long and happy lifeThe importance of being present on the podiumThe Creative Roots Run DeepTurn your setbacks into successFind your entry pointThe 3 R’s...
Duration:01:25:49
Big Wins with Little Singers, with Anna Dore
4/4/2018
At the end of this episode, Ryan Guth makes an important announcement about Choir Ninja.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your job, like you couldn’t make your reality match your vision, this episode is for you. Anna Dore talks about what she, as an elementary choir and band director, learned from the Choir Ninja podcast that helped her transform first her attitude and then her program. She has brought an inspiring creative approach to fully engaging her students with their music. Her students...
Duration:00:35:47
From Failure to Flanders Fields, with Dr. Paul Aitken
3/30/2018
November 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, the end of World War I. It’s an unprecedented milestone of the modern era. Dr. Paul Aitken will observe that anniversary in concert with a performance of his moving and beloved setting of the poem “Flanders Fields,” on location at the Flanders Fields battlefield in Belgium. Dr. Aitken is encouraging choirs around the world to observe this milestone in their own ways, because making music together is sometimes the best possible...
Duration:00:38:42
It's Worth It: Directing in Rural Communities, with Dr. Marlen Dee Wilkins
3/28/2018
Life’s happy out in the sticks. It’s also hard, inconvenient, and sometimes lonely. But in this episode, Dr. Dee Wilkins talks to Ryan about why it’s worth it. There are real limitations in rural schools: numbers and funding will always be less than you want. But with creativity, heart, and an entrepreneurial mindset, you can still show you students a little bit of choral heaven. All twelve of them.
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Highlight to Tweet: “Imagine not having...
Duration:00:52:32
CN Rewind: You're better than you think you are, with Ryan Guth
3/14/2018
This episode first aired in July 2017:
Drawing on lessons learned while losing at pool, Ryan shares what it means to have an entrepreneurial mindset as a choir director. You will hear strategies about how to win at pool, how to lose at pool, and how to embarrassingly injure a friend during pool (with a step by step guide in the show notes). You will also hear why it is so important that we mindfully choose which kind of game we are going to play, which entrepreneurial super-skills you...
Duration:00:40:00
Imposter Syndrome? You’re Not Alone (or a narcissist), with Stevie Berryman
3/9/2018
Imposter Syndrome is a thief; it steals joy from success, and pride from achievement. Feeling like your accolades are undeserved is a common occurrence among artists. Even when you feel secure in your abilities, the fear of looking foolish can keep you from taking the risks that lead to amazing opportunities. Ryan and Stevie discuss how to beat Imposter Syndrome, and the rewards of taking risks.
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Highlight to Tweet: “The truth takes time.”...
Duration:00:51:04
Life Changing Concerts, with Dr. Abby Musgrove
3/6/2018
Yes, your concerts should meet educational standards. Yes, they should also meet your own goals for helping your singers become better musicians. But how about planning concerts so powerful that they change people's’ lives? What if your concerts actually strengthened bonds in your community? Dr. Abby Musgrove from Illinois College talks with Ryan about ways to create concerts that are meaningful to your audience, and how to make sure that audience is comprised of more than just the parents...
Duration:00:54:47
Booster Benefits, with Lara Wolford
3/2/2018
No matter where you direct, there never seems to be enough time or enough money. But there is a ready made support system of people already invested in the success of your program that may help you reclaim more of each. Lara Wolford discusses ways to use parent boosters to help with everything from fundraising to running sound at you concerts. It can be a beautifully symbiotic system that benefits the parents as much as the director!
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Duration:00:24:33
Big Dreams, Strong Vision; with Sam Brukhman
2/28/2018
Just ask. Ask people to come to your concert. Ask people to donate. Ask people to be changed by your music. Sam Brukhman gives the origin story of Verdigris, a new professional choir in the Dallas area. Verdigris is dedicated to the idea of exploring new space in choral music, with the goal of creating unique performances that challenge the audience to experience the familiar in a new way, much the same way patina changes old copper. But behind the artistry there is hard work, sacrifice, and...
Duration:00:49:50
There’s a Part Just For You, with Dr. Michael John Trotta
2/23/2018
Music selection is perhaps the most critical decision you make as a choir director. And making that decision can be completely overwhelming when you are looking for something you can successfully sing with 12 sopranos, 4 altos, and 2 basses. But music selection gives you the opportunity to create what Dr. Michael John Trotta calls a “culture of belonging,” where every voice has an important part. And there are resources out there who can help you find the perfect pieces to create that...
Duration:00:49:55
The Community College Mission, with Dr. Lisa Morales
2/20/2018
Not every musician follows the same path. A two-year community college may not be the first thing you think of when you consider pursuing a music studies, but Dr. Lisa Morales explains why it might be the best option for you or your students. Learn just how much can be accomplished in four semesters, and what it means to meet the needs of students, wherever they are. Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “At community college, you are there to meet the needs...
Duration:00:31:43
Of Boundaries and Balance, with Lesli Olson
2/13/2018
It’s your life; you really can set the goalposts wherever you want them. For those of you who want the top choir in the city, state, division, or country, Choir Ninja is here each week with podcasts to help you reach that goal. And for those of you who want a great choir, a weekly date night with your spouse, and the ability to attend all of your kids’ weekend activities, today Ryan chats with Lesli Olson who shares her method for maintaining a satisfying work/life balance. Listen [Subscribe...
Duration:00:28:10
Ryan Knows Nothing About Parenthood, with Chris and Sarah Jarvis
2/9/2018
Since beginning this podcast, Ryan has talked to composers, directors, singers, tour managers, authors, and teachers from around the country and the world. But one significant part of our audience has remained a mystery to him until now: parents. Today Ryan talks with Chris and Sarah Jarvis, who both teach at the same high school, and who are the parents of 3 year old Liam. They acknowledge the extra challenges that teaching parents face. The struggle is real, especially when your toddler...
Duration:00:34:09
End Your Year with a Blast: The Choir Banquet Bible, with Ruben James Alcala
2/6/2018
You’ve worked hard in choir all year; now it’s time to play hard. Katy, TX Choir director Ruben Alcala shares a comprehensive guide to planning an end of year banquet that sends your students off in style. You can recognize achievements, celebrate student-selected awards, and acknowledge your seniors in a heartfelt and memorable way. Check out the show notes for a detailed guide to planning your banquet, including a complete timeline and suggested award categories. Listen [Subscribe on...
Duration:00:23:53
Step Out of Your Silo, with Justin Caithaml
2/2/2018
There is good work being done in music graduate school research projects. There is good work being done within our public school choir classes. But there is sadly little contact between these two realms. It’s time to step out of our silos and meet our students and audiences where they are. Ryan and Justin discuss Justin’s new book, Letters from the Front Porch: A Simple, Brief, Common Sense Advocacy Approach for Music Education. Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight...
Duration:00:45:39
Note Bashing and Other English Imports, with Victoria Hopkins
1/30/2018
So they pronounce their “t’s,” but not their “r’s.” What other differences are there between American choirs and our English friends? Victoria Hopkins, one of the creators and hosts of the Total Choir Resources Podcast chats with Ryan about the point of rehearsals, “note bashing,” workplace choirs, and first aid kits. It truly is inspiring to hear about the the growth of community choirs in the UK. Plus, Victoria has a special gift just for Choir Ninja listeners, so make sure you check out...
Duration:00:42:57
Teaching with the End in Mind, with Denise Eaton
1/26/2018
Pearls of wisdom just drop out of Denise Eaton’s mouth with every sentence she speaks. In this episode, Denise and Ryan expand on some of the topics covered in her recent blog post (link in the notes below). There is practical advice here for every director, from first year to veteran. This episode WILL change how you direct or teach your choir! Listen [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Highlight to Tweet: “We determine the weather in rehearsal.” - Denise Eaton “You’re either...
Duration:00:52:46