‘Combat Piano’ for Choral Directors
Date
June 8-July 31, 2026
Online
3 sessions - TBD based on participant availability
Course Code
8466B
Credits
3
Tuition
$1,194
Course Description
This course is designed specifically for music teachers who find themselves stepping into unfamiliar territory—such as instrumental directors tasked with teaching choir or music teachers needing a piano refresher. “Combat Piano for Choral Directors” provides a comprehensive refresher on essential piano techniques and offers practical strategies for supporting choral students effectively. Key topics covered include:
- Playing choral warmups with confidence.
- Using adaptive strategies to accompany your choirs.
- Musically supporting your choir students without the presence of a regular accompanist.
This course is mostly asynchronous, with 3 synchronous sessions TBD by participant consensus.
Instructor
Sarah Giordano is an instructor at VanderCook College of Music, where she teaches the following courses:
- Secondary General Music Methods
- Musical Theatre Methods
- Combat Piano for Choral Directors (offered through the MECA program)
- Beginner Choirs, Big Impact: Inclusive Teaching & Repertoire for Emerging Ensembles (an upcoming Summer 2026 MECA course)
In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Ms. Giordano serves as a VanderCook master’s project advisor and is an active choral clinician, adjudicator, and accompanist in the Chicago suburbs.
With over 24 years of experience as an educator and musician in the Chicago suburbs, Ms. Giordano spent two decades as a middle school general music teacher, choir director, and drama director. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education from Eastern Illinois University and a Master’s degree in Choral Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. Currently, she is pursuing her Doctorate in Music Education at Boston University.
Ms. Giordano is passionate about musical theatre and actively directs, music directs, and serves as vocal director for various youth, professional, and community theatre programs. Her youth theatre productions include Frozen JR, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella: Youth Edition, The Pirates of Penzance, and Godspell. On the mainstage, her credits include Spamalot, Guys and Dolls, The Bridges of Madison County, Hairspray, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.