Sisters’ Voices ensembles offer a meaningful and connective singing experience. A full-year commitment is requested of all singers because ensembles grow together. Over the years, singers progress through our sight-singing curriculum, using John Feierabend’s Conversational Solfege as groundwork, and experience ensemble work that is fun and engaging while preparing girls for excellent singing individually and as an ensemble.
SV-One is for kindergarteners and first graders.
SV-Two is for second and third graders.
SV-Three is for fourth and fifth graders.
SV-Four is for sixth through eighth graders.
SV-Five will be for ninth through twelfth graders.
Sisters’ Voices leadership is working to promote an open, inclusive, and accessible program. To this end, we welcome any singer who wishes to join us (we do not hold auditions for the purposes of admission), we offer tuition aid to anyone who needs it, and we actively seek to expand our circle of singers and leadership to include voices we have not yet heard.
While we offer excellent musical teaching and experience for individuals, we also seek to develop a strong community and to support individuals in many ways. Our program deliberately builds relationships among the singers, promotes healthy attitudes, encourages cooperation, asks the best work of each singer, fosters support singer-to-singer, and allows many opportunities for self-expression and growth. Singers who have been involved for years tell us that Sisters’ Voices was an important part of their development of a strong sense of self and confidence in many areas of their lives.
We hope you will join the Sisters’ Voices family! Please reach out to our director, Leandra, with any questions. leandra@sistersvoices.org
Sisters’ Voices – One
Kindergarten and First Graders
As we transition out of covid times, we will come back together for singing and games. SV-One will hold rehearsals on Thursday afternoons from 4:15 until 5:15 from September through May. Rehearsals will take place at Leandra’s house (near Ephesus School) where she can control cleanliness, ventilation, and people coming and going.
While no experience or audition is required, here are skills and qualities of some Sisters’ Voices – One singers. Singers who don’t yet have these skills will learn them. This ensemble will practice the first steps of music reading, learn many songs and games, and participate in at least three performances through the year (as covid clears).
- love of singing
- desire to sing with a group
- willingness to take direction
- ability, perhaps inconsistently, to match pitch, echoing another person
- ability, perhaps inconsistently, to sing along accurately with another person singing a known melody
- ability, perhaps inconsistently, to sing a song recognizably without accompaniment
- ability to distinguish between high and low pitches, and between loud and soft/quiet
(Some SV-One singers are also able to sing their own part in a round with another singer.)
Sisters’ Voices – Two
Second and Third Graders
As we transition out of covid times, we will come back together for singing and games. SV-Two will hold rehearsals on Tuesday afternoons from 4:15 until 5:15 from September through May. Rehearsals will take place at Leandra’s house (near Ephesus School) where she can control cleanliness, ventilation, and people coming and going.
While no experience or audition is required, here are skills and qualities of some Sisters’ Voices – Two singers. Singers who don’t yet have these skills will learn them. This ensemble will practice the first steps of music reading, learn many songs and games, and participate in at least three performances through the year (as covid clears).
- love of singing
- desire to sing with a group
- willingness to take direction
- ability to match pitch
- ability to sing along accurately with another person singing a known melody
- ability to consistently sing a melody recognizably without accompaniment, though pitch and intonation may be inconsistent
- ability to use head voice
- openness to new kinds of music, new forms of expression, and new experiences
Sisters’ Voices – Three
Fourth and Fifth Graders
As we transition out of covid times, we will come back together for singing. This year, it is the expectation for all SV-Three singers is to participate in two rehearsals a week from September through May, one of which is Saturday. However, if she does miss a rehearsal, she could simply come another day that week or the following week in order to make it up. At no additional cost, all singers are invited to participate all three days a week, whether they have missed a rehearsal or not.
All SV-Three singers will attend rehearsals on Saturday afternoons from 2:00 until 3:30. Singers will then have the option to attend rehearsals on Wednesdays from 4:15 – 5:15 and/or Thursdays from 5:30 – 6:30. Rehearsals will take place at Leandra’s house (near Ephesus School) where she can control cleanliness, ventilation, and people coming and going.
While no experience or audition is required, below are skills and qualities of many Sisters’ Voices – Three singers. Singers who don’t yet have these skills will learn them. This ensemble will practice reading music, learn many pieces of music in both English and other languages, and participate in at least three performances through the year (as covid clears). A full-year commitment is expected. Please contact the director, Leandra Strope, if you are wondering whether SV-Three is a good fit for you. leandra@sistersvoices.org
- demonstrated consistent rehearsal presence and participation
- openness to new kinds of music, new forms of expression, and new experiences
- ability to consistently sing a simple melody with accurate intonation and strength/sturdiness (not necessarily loudness)
- ability to hold one’s own part in a canon: e.g. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”; “We Merry Minstrels”; “Rise Up O Flame”, etc.
- demonstrated independence around rehearsal behaviors, including sitting/standing with proper physical alignment, and mental and physical focus, when rehearsing
- consistent use of healthy and flexible vocal production throughout the singer’s range
- demonstrated earnestness, enthusiasm, and positive outlook about our work together, participation always, consistently supportive attitude toward other singers in words, singing, and actions.
Sisters’ Voices – Four
Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Graders
As we transition out of covid times, we will come back together for singing. This year, it is the expectation for all SV-Four singers is to participate in two rehearsals a week from September through May, one of which is Saturday. However, if she does miss a rehearsal, she could simply come another day that week or the following week in order to make it up. At no additional cost, all singers are invited to participate all three days a week, whether they have missed a rehearsal or not.
All SV-Four singers will attend rehearsals on Saturday afternoons from 4:00 until 6:00. Singers will then have the option to attend rehearsals on Tuesdays from 5:30 – 7:00 and/or Wednesdays from 5:30 – 7:00. Rehearsals will take place at Leandra’s house (near Ephesus School) where she can control cleanliness, ventilation, and people coming and going.
While no experience or audition is required, here are skills and qualities of most Sisters’ Voices – Four singers. Singers who don’t yet have these skills will learn them. This ensemble will practice reading music, learn many pieces of music in both English and other languages, and participate in at least four performances through the year (as covid clears). A full-year commitment is expected. Please contact the director, Leandra Strope, if you are wondering whether SV-Four is a good fit for you. leandra@sistersvoices.org
- consistent rehearsal presence and participation
- openness to new kinds of music, new forms of expression, and new experiences
- ability to consistently sing a simple melody with accurate intonation and strength/sturdiness (not necessarily loudness)
- ability to hold one’s own part in a canon: e.g. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”; “We Merry Minstrels”; “Rise Up O Flame”, etc.
- demonstrated independence around rehearsal behaviors, including sitting/standing with proper physical alignment, and mental and physical focus, when rehearsing
- consistent use of healthy and flexible vocal production throughout the singer’s range
- demonstrated earnestness, enthusiasm, and positive outlook about our work together, participation always, consistently supportive attitude toward other singers in words, singing, and actions.
