Creative Sightsinging was developed for ensemble conductors, general music teachers, music ministers, and studio instructors who have been charged with the task of teaching fundamental musicianship skills. Having taught music in each of these contexts, I recognize that, given the limitations of time, fitting in the teaching of musicianship alongside preparing repertoire for performances is a bit of a balancing act. With Creative Sightsinging, you will maximize your teaching time and will quickly see that your students are reading, hearing, and performing music better.

SAMPLE: Units 1-3 FREE Download

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NEW: Digital version available on iTunes for iPad customers

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Creative Sightsinging: Licensed Digital copy for classroom use.
Price: $400.00 (one time license fee)

Only the following use is granted with this license.
In classroom projection and the printing of pages/exercises for registered students at the licensed school. The license does NOT grant the distribution of the entire book in digital format or the reproduction of the book in its entirety for resale in any format. This license is non-transferable

To order a licensed copy for your school, please email your request to: David@sbmp.com

James Bowyer earned his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Manchester College, and the Master of Music degree from Westminster Choir College where he majored in Choral Conducting, Voice Performance & Pedagogy, and Music Education. He is a certified Kodály educator, and has taught choral and general music at all grade levels in both public and private settings in Boston, Indianapolis, Seattle, and Kansas City. Most recently he was the Kodály specialist on the faculty of the Conservatory Lab Charter School in Boston. He has also served as a consultant for McGraw-Hill Publishing in their elementary music education division, and he was a contributing author to "Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir," Volume 2 (GIA Publishing).

Mr. Bowyer has been on the music faculties of the University of Puget Sound and Gonzaga University where, in addition to conducting various choral ensembles, he taught courses in music theory, aural skills (dictation, sight singing, and keyboard harmony), class voice, and choral methods. He frequently adjudicates at regional contests and competitions and serves as guest conductor at clinics and choral festivals. As a lyric tenor, he has presented numerous recitals and has appeared as a soloist with a multiplicity of orchestras, including performances of Bach's "B Minor Mass" and Mozart's "Requiem."

Presently Mr. Bowyer is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Washington.

Creative Sightsinging was developed for ensemble conductors, general music teachers, music ministers, and studio instructors who have been charged with the task of teaching fundamental musicianship skills. Having taught music in each of these contexts, I recognize that, given the limitations of time, fitting in the teaching of musicianship alongside preparing repertoire for performances is a bit of a balancing act. With Creative Sightsinging, you will maximize your teaching time and will quickly see that your students are reading, hearing, and performing music better.

I developed Creative Sightsinging so that musical concepts could be presented in a logical and intuitive manner, integrating solfège, rhythm syllables, conducting gestures, and hand signs through superb musical literature. I wanted a resource that would be appropriate to the classroom, studio, and ensemble and would engage students with a wide range of talent and previous musical preparation.

I piloted Creative Sightsinging over the last two years with two college choirs (a non-auditioned mixed chorus and an auditioned women's chorus), two college music theory/aural skills classes (freshmen and sophomore levels), a church choir, and within private studio voice lessons with several students. The results were astounding. Students were singing better in tune and were more aware of score markings, musical symbols, and terminology. Students became fluent with solfège to the point that when they were presented with new performance repertoire, they were able to read through the music in tune and with few errors the first time. The most striking change was in how much better students were able to really listen. This changed the entire rehearsal landscape. Rote teaching was greatly minimized. Students were better able to identify errors and "self correct" with ease. In turn, we were able to tackle far more difficult repertoire.

Book contains 25 units - download units 1-3 in "more information"

I conduct the Brigham Young University Men's Chorus which consists of 180 singers. For years I have taught them musicianship, using the solfege system, by writing material on the board. Recently I discovered your publication Creative Sightsinging  by James Owen Bowyer, which is the best material of this kind I have ever encountered.
Rosalind Hall
Brigham Young University