Free volunteer training
  • If you have volunteers making up 50% or more of your choir, this is for you.

    I am seeking 5 directors/choirs to beta test Choir Snacks (you and your choir get 100% free access for a year, to do the testing): https://www.choirsnacks.com

    The only requirement is to provide feedback.

    If you'd like to test drive, please just drop a note in this form: https://www.choirsnacks.com/contact.

    Beta testers do need to be outside the Archdioceses of Indianapolis, Portland, Washington, D.C., Covington, and Cincinnati. (These Archdioceses are already well represented in the user base. We're looking for feedback from groups in other areas of the country.)

    Feedback requirement is pretty simple:
    - assess the level of impact on your choir's skills after one month of using Choir Snacks
    - share critical/constructive thoughts as they pop up

    If this looks cool to you but you don't want to do testing, you always can drop your email here on "This Is Not A Newsletter" to get free access in the future: https://www.choirsnacks.com/join/thisisnotanewsletter

    Next time we do beta testing for the upcoming release (likely 2025), I'll ping the "This Is Not A Newsletter" list for another group of 5-10 testers (it will again be100% off for that round of testing...probably our last at that point).

    Here's the short story behind Choir Snacks: in the last ten years of directing, I developed a method of teaching my volunteer singers in bite-sized, daily 5-minute video lessons. My initial motivation was to eliminate repetitive instruction at rehearsals and see if I could help my volunteers grow without needing to do endless 1:1 lessons. Also to see if I could break the cycle of "volunteer grows skills!" but then backslides and it never seems to stick long term. The method was surprisingly successful, grew legs, several fellow directors heard about it, and requested access. I've received tremendously positive feedback with the choirs using it now, which is super, super encouraging! Also while it's being piloted across a number of parishes now, there are still some kinks to work out before I believe it's ready for broader usage. That's what this testing is all about.

    (Also I checked with @chonak before posting, because I don't want this to be self-promotional.)

    This forum genuinely changed my life as a director. I was able to do some of the most impactful work of my life, because of the people I've met here and the skills I've learned through CMAA. So I just also want to say thanks.
  • This looks like a wonderful idea! Thank you!
  • TCJ
    Posts: 986
    Considering most of my choir live on their phones, it seems like this would work out perfectly for them.
    Thanked by 1sergeantedward
  • This is some great teaching!
    Thanked by 1sergeantedward
  • 2 signed up yesterday. I've got room for 3 more choirs!
  • TCJ
    Posts: 986
    Are you looking for a bigger sample size as in larger choirs? I have two small choirs (5 people each).
  • @TCJ: size isn't really a consideration right now. I'm looking more for geographical distribution. You'd be more than welcome to try it for both your choirs!
  • Excited to start! It looks as good as advertised at first glance.
  • Are you at liberty to share who is using this in Covington?
  • @Mattspmusic0320 I would need of course to check with folks ahead of time, and get their permission, before sharing that.
  • Thank you to everyone who wrote in!!! All the slots are now filled.

    If you want to get a chance to do the next round of beta testing (2025), you can drop your email in here: https://www.choirsnacks.com/join/thisisnotanewsletter
  • One of the choirs who signed up had to back out due to a scheduling conflict. So there's one more spot open for October!

    If you'd like to test drive Choir Snacks, just drop me a note here: https://www.choirsnacks.com/contact.
  • TCJ
    Posts: 986
    We're a bit delayed due to a lot of choir members missing and vacation time for me. I'm trying to get started when everyone is available, but that's proving to be difficult. Do you have a timeline for when we are supposed to be done with the four weeks?
  • @TCJ ideally by end of November. But honestly December wouldn't be the end of the world either!
  • emac3183
    Posts: 51
    Just finishing up this beta testing. Highly recommend, especially for volunteer choirs with lesser experience/musical training.
    Thanked by 1sergeantedward