Gareth Malone:
In this film we're going to talk about how you can lead, or even conduct, your singers.
Gareth Malone:
[SINGING]
Gareth Malone:
It's your job to guide and direct the children through the song.
Gareth Malone:
If you stand with good posture and sing confidently then they will do the same. So think very carefully about your own presentation.
Children:
[SINGING]
Gareth Malone:
Top tips, learn the song really well in advance. Try and pick a place in your voice that feels comfortable, not too high and not too low and practice the song in front of a mirror, or record it into a phone so that you can really get a sense of how it feels to perform it.
Gareth Malone:
So what I want us to do now is we're all gonna start singing at exactly the same time.
Gareth Malone:
Your gesture is the best way to get a group singing at the same time. All you need to do is breathe. That's enough to give the class a clue when to start.
Gareth Malone:
[SINGING] Here's a little song I wrote, you might wanna sing it note for note. Don't worry.
Gareth Malone:
Eye contact is vital in singing a song. Expression in the face, enthusiasm and a nice relaxed body, no tension, that's the way to get a good sound.
Gareth Malone:
[SINGING] Don't worry be happy now.
Gareth Malone:
Okay, okay I will. Let's do the do, two, three and鈥 [SINGING]
Gareth Malone:
Once your children know the song that's the time to have fun. You could sing it in different voices, in different musical styles, loudly, softly, quickly, slowly.
Gareth Malone:
When we sing we need to use our faces and our arms and our bodies and everything to, to get an emotion across to the audience. Now obviously in this song the emotion is鈥
Children:
Happy.
Gareth Malone:
Happiness, of course.
Gareth Malone:
And that will help reinforce the idea that singing is fun and it's something that can be emotional and engaging.
Gareth Malone:
Let's try and do the song in a different emotion. Has anyone got an idea for an emotion that we could do? Uh, Gina?
Gina:
Sad.
Gareth Malone:
We're gonna do it sad. Ready, really miserable. Ready, watch me, and鈥
Gareth Malone:
[SINGING] Here's a little song I wrote, you might wanna sing it for note for note don't worry. [CRIES] Be happy. Don't worry.
Gareth Malone:
Okay, let's have another emotion鈥
Gareth Malone:
Singing is a communicative, human interactive art form. It's all about the expression that you put in and the amount of soul and passion that you can put into that song. And that's what you're looking for from your students.
Gareth Malone:
Now, let's stand up and sing it in a happy voice and really put our all into singing it well, but with the correct emotion, which is happiness. Here we go, two, three and鈥
Children:
[SINGING] Here's a little song I wrote, you might wanna sing it note for note, don't worry. Be happy.
Gareth Malone:
You just can't stop dancing. It's a very good song isn't it? Well done. That's lovely. Great feeling there.
Gareth Malone:
In the next film I'll show you how to prepare your children for a musical performance.
Watch Gareth鈥檚 singing techniques and get tips on standing with good posture.
He demonstrates how to teach the elements of pupils using their voice and knowing the words, including how to use emotions while singing.
This clip is suitable for teaching music at EYFS and Key Stage 1 in England, Foundation in Wales, Early Years and Foundation KS1 in Northern Ireland and Early and First Level in Scotland.
More from Gareth Malone
Warm up
Use Gareth鈥檚 techniques to help your class warm up their vocal cords and ready for singing. See how his activities to help voice and pitch.
Teach a song
Get your children to discover rhythm and pulse and learning the words and the melody.
Preparing to perform
Try these tips about how to use the body while singing and get your children prepared to perform.
