choral accompanying resources

Let's build your accompanying skills - elevate your playing and support your choir with confidence.

Listening, Part-playing, Mind-reading, Accompanying - You do it all!

There is nothing quite like accompanying a choir at the piano.

As a choral accompanist, you often function as the sole accompaniment for a group of singers, which requires attention to balance and a translation of the desires of the conductor at the keyboard. Good sightreading skills are essential for learning a significant amount of music quickly, and savvy musicianship skills are needed to identify and prioritize what needs playing at what time.

The multi-faceted job can be incredibly fulfilling, but as the only pianist in rehearsal, you may find yourself wishing for a like-minded colleague or the opportunity for further training.

That's where I come in.

I've worked as an accompanist for school, church, and community choirs for over 30 years, working with various directors and playing on stages from the grade school cafeteria to symphony hall. 

I'll supply you with tried-and-true resources for learning to read parts in open score more effectively, articles about all things choral accompanying, and live coaching for your specific questions about repertoire and strategic practice.

open score intensive

Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive
  • Open Score Intensive

Open Score Intensive

A self-paced "short course" for choral accompanists who want to improve their open score reading, this intensive includes three invaluable resources that take pianists progressively through the necessary skills to be Read more

A self-paced "short course" for choral accompanists who want to improve their open score reading, this intensive includes three invaluable resources that take pianists progressively through the necessary skills to be successful at reading choral parts set in open score. The course consists of 3 pre-recorded sessions under an hour each and 3 workbooks with materials for extended practice. The intensive includes:

1) The Well-Tempered Chorale Player. A guide to improving your four-part sightreading through 15 of Bach's beloved chorales. Along with the collection of chorales from Bach's cantatas in varying key signatures and in both major and minor keys, this guide contains several pages of tips for analyzing harmonies and reading voice parts in various combinations. The recorded workshop will guide you through identifying key signatures and present you with beginning strategies for reading vocal parts in open score.

2) How To Read Open Score Workshop. In this class, I discuss more of what to look for and take note of in a score, as we look at multiple excerpts of scores, from a Bach chorale to a simple fugue, all set for SATB voices. Learn how to effectively mark your score and prioritize what to play.

3) Open Score Canons & Fugues Workshop. In this class, you will learn how to scan for, and prioritize, what is most important when encountering canons and fugues in open score, including strategies for melismas and voice crossings. Gain a toolkit of strategies to use in private practice and during rehearsal to confidently support your choir.

Each workshop is on-demand (view on your own time) and comes with its own workbook with exercises for practicing during class, charts and suggestions for prioritizing what to play, and appendices with bonus repertoire for further practice.

Previous participants rated this material as "extremely valuable." Scott A says, "It was a GREAT workshop, well planned/paced, solid information, great examples, and taught in such a way that pianists of different experience/abilities could all benefit. Thanks again!"

In addition, you will receive an invitation to a new online community for choral accompanists. Please join us!

Upon purchasing, you will receive 4 PDFs: 1 Start Here Guide with links to recordings; 1 Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workbook; 1 Open Score Workshop Workbook; 1 Open Score Canons and Fugues Workbook

If you have any trouble with the files or have further questions, please let me know.

TERMS OF USE: The item(s) at coribelle.com are copyrighted by Cori Belle, with all rights reserved. You may use this item for your personal studio use only. Your purchase includes the right to download and print one copy of each resource for your personal use. You may not distribute any digital or printed content to other teachers or studios. By downloading/purchasing items from coribelle.com, you have agreed to respect this copyright and follow the terms of use.

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$119.00

choose your own workshop

Not wanting the full intensive? Choose what works best for your interest and skill level by selecting one or more of the workshops below. (This material is the same material included in the intensive.)

The Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workshop: New to open-score reading? Start with Bach chorales written in SATB. Learn how to identify the key signature; determine whether the music is written in a major or minor key; start reading vocal parts on their individual lines (including that tricky tenor line); and acquire strategies for layering voices.

How to Read Open Score Workshop: In this “next step” workshop, we continue discussing how to layer each voice part in gradually, and then work on expanding your vision by exploring what to look for in a first reading; how to “triage” a score in real time; and how to mark your score for effective practice.

How to Read Open Score Canons and Fugues Workshop: Ready to level up your open score reading game? After you have mastered reading open score chorales for SATB , learn what to do when voices have a mind of their own. In this workshop we cover navigating multiple entrances, making sense of dense passages, how to tackle melismas and voice crossings, and what to do when moving beyond SATB scores.

The Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workshop
  • The Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workshop
  • The Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workshop
  • The Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workshop
  • The Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workshop
  • The Well-Tempered Chorale Player Workshop
New to open-score reading? Start here, with 15 of Bach's beloved chorales written in four-part SATB. You will learn how to identify the key signature of each chorale and whether the music is written in a major or minor Read more

New to open-score reading? Start here, with 15 of Bach's beloved chorales written in four-part SATB. You will learn how to identify the key signature of each chorale and whether the music is written in a major or minor key, how to start reading vocal parts on their individual lines (including that tricky tenor line), and strategies for layering voices.

The 45-minute workshop comes with The Well-Tempered Chorale Player workbook for use during and after the class. Along with the collection of chorales from Bach's cantatas in varying key signatures and in both major and minor keys, this guide contains several pages of tips for analyzing harmonies and reading voice parts in various combinations.

At the time of purchase, you will receive a downloadable PDF containing the link to the workshop as well as the printable Well-Tempered Chorale Player workbook for use during the class. The workbook contains additional exercises for further practice after the class is over.

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$47.00
Open Score Workshop
  • Open Score Workshop
  • Open Score Workshop
  • Open Score Workshop
  • Open Score Workshop
Join me for an on-demand workshop on How To Read Open Score. In this 40-minute class, I discuss what to look for and take note of in a score, and you have the opportunity for hands-on practice with what you are learning. Read more

Join me for an on-demand workshop on How To Read Open Score. In this 40-minute class, I discuss what to look for and take note of in a score, and you have the opportunity for hands-on practice with what you are learning. We will look at multiple excerpts of scores, from a Bach chorale to a simple fugue, all set for SATB voices, and you will learn strategies for efficient and effective score-reading.

At the time of purchase, you will receive a downloadable PDF containing the link to the workshop as well as a printable 37-page Student Workbook for use during the class. The workbook contains additional exercises in the appendix for further practice after the class is over.

Previous participants rate this workshop as "extremely valuable." Sophie H says, "You explain the priorities of an accompanist so clearly, and it was helpful to have a guide to reading open score for the first time."

At the end of the workshop, you will receive an invitation to a new online community for choral accompanists. Please join us!

Want more info on the class? Look here: coribelle.com/open-score

In cart Not available Out of stock
$47.00
How to Read Open Score Workshop: Canons and Fugues
  • How to Read Open Score Workshop: Canons and Fugues
  • How to Read Open Score Workshop: Canons and Fugues
  • How to Read Open Score Workshop: Canons and Fugues
  • How to Read Open Score Workshop: Canons and Fugues
Learn how to scan for, and prioritize, what is most important when encountering canons and fugues in open score. Gain a toolkit of strategies to use in private practice and during rehearsal to confidently support your Read more

Learn how to scan for, and prioritize, what is most important when encountering canons and fugues in open score. Gain a toolkit of strategies to use in private practice and during rehearsal to confidently support your choir.

Join me for an on-demand 40-minute online workshop on How To Read Open Score: Canons and Fugues. I will discuss what to look for and prioritize in a score, and you will be given hands-on exercises to practice what you are learning during the class. (Note: During the workshop, we will be interacting with digital and paper copies of music. There is no requirement to be at your piano, although you are welcome to try out some things at your instrument.)

At the time of purchase, you will receive a downloadable PDF containing the link to the recorded workshop as well as a PDF student workbook for use during and after the class.

Previous participants rated this workshop as "extremely valuable." Scott A says, "It was a GREAT workshop, well planned/paced, solid information, great examples, and taught in such a way that pianists of different experience/abilities could all benefit. Thanks again!"

At the end of the workshop, you will receive an invitation to a new online community for choral accompanists. Please join us!

Want to know more? Look here: coribelle.com/open-score-canons-and-fugues-workshop

In cart Not available Out of stock
$47.00

It was a GREAT workshop, well planned/paced, solid information, great examples, and taught in such a way that pianists of different experience/abilities could all benefit. Thanks again! - Scott A.

let's work together

I offer one-on-one consulting for pianists and teachers who play for choirs.

Whether you need help making an orchestral reduction more playable, strategies for learning a lot of music in a short amount of time, ways to expand your vision in 4-part vocal scores, or...you name it...

I would love to be your sounding board and share some ideas to make your life easier! 

Score Review $40

A concise, targeted score review of one choral anthem or musical selection that gives you exactly what you need to practice confidently—without booking a full coaching call.

What’s included:

10‑minute recorded walkthrough or written practice plan

Key trouble spots identified

Suggested fingerings, voicings, and rehearsal strategies

Optional follow‑up recommendations

book a score review

choral accompanying resource library

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