COMING SOON:
Lead Like a Director
Student-Led Warm-Up Cards
Empower voices. Inspire leaders.
Lead Like a Director is a printable, student-led warm-up system that places musical ownership in the hands of your singers.
Students draw a card, step forward to lead, and the choir responds — while you step back and observe.
It builds musicianship, confidence, and trust through shared leadership
🃏 Four Categories
🎼 Direct It Objectives
Every deck includes Direct It prompts — optional leadership and musicianship tools that turn warm-ups into real rehearsal moments.
Students can choose to:
🎶 Play with dynamics
👄 Adjust vowels to blend
🖐️ Add a gesture or motion
🎼 Add a harmony
📖 Connect it to their repertoire
💬 Ask the group a question
These prompts invite students to take ownership of the rehearsal, encouraging musical decision-making, listening, and collaboration at every level.
🖨️ How It’s Used
Print on 110 lb white cardstock and cut the cards in half (lamination optional)
Assign student leaders, have them draw a card, and line up at the front of the room
Begin with a brief breathing or focus warm-up, then pass the floor to the next director
Rotate leaders regularly so every student has a chance to lead
Use the cards for daily warm-ups, sub days, “Fun Fridays,” or assessment days
✨ The Result
A rehearsal room where:
Students take ownership
Every voice matters
Leadership is shared
Confidence grows through experience
And learning happens in real time
🌱 So… how do you get started?
Begin with a short conversation that sets the tone for leadership and trust.
Essential Question
What does it mean — in music and in life — to lead like a director?
Invite students to think, pair, and share as you explore:
What are the qualities of a good director?
Who in your life acts like a director — someone who guides, listens, and brings people together?
When might you need to be a director in your own life?
After a few minutes of discussion, explain that today they will begin practicing those same skills — not just as singers, but as leaders.
Standards Alignment
Lead Like a Director™ – Warm-Up Cards
The Lead Like a Director™ Warm-Up Cards are designed to support student leadership, musical independence, and ensemble musicianship in alignment with the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS) for Music, which form the foundation of music education standards in all U.S. states.
These cards move warm-ups beyond repetition by placing students in the role of musical decision-maker, encouraging them to analyze, lead, adjust, and refine the ensemble in real time.
🎵 Creating (MU:Cr1, MU:Cr2)
When students lead and adapt warm-ups, they engage in musical creation:
MU:Cr1 – Generate and Conceptualize Artistic Ideas and Work
Students generate musical ideas by altering patterns, experimenting with tone, and making creative choices about how the warm-up is performed.
MU:Cr2 – Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work
Students develop those ideas by repeating, extending, transposing, and refining warm-ups to serve a musical goal.
🎤 Performing (MU:Pr4, MU:Pr5, MU:Pr6)
When students lead warm-ups, they practice the full rehearsal and performance cycle:
MU:Pr4 – Select, Analyze, and Interpret
Students choose tempo, starting pitch, style, and vocal approach.
MU:Pr5 – Rehearse, Evaluate, and Refine
Student leaders listen critically for tuning, blend, and clarity, then cue changes and repeat sections as needed.
MU:Pr6 – Perform
Students conduct, cue entrances, shape phrases, and communicate musical intent through gesture and voice.
🎧 Responding (MU:Re7, MU:Re9)
Student leaders and ensemble members actively listen and evaluate the music they are making:
MU:Re7 – Perceive and Analyze Artistic Work
Students identify tuning, balance, vowel shape, and blend as they listen to the ensemble.
MU:Re9 – Apply Criteria to Evaluate Artistic Work
Students use what they hear to make musical adjustments, deciding when to stop, repeat, or change an approach.
🌎 Connecting (MU:Cn10)
Leadership-based warm-ups help students connect music learning to real-world skills:
MU:Cn10 – Synthesize and Relate Knowledge and Personal Experiences to Make Art
Students apply musical and leadership skills to authentic rehearsal situations, building confidence, responsibility, and collaboration.
