Sing, Sketch, and Shine! 10/18/2025 Services at Libraries

Authored by Cielle Chan

Today marked the second official singing tutoring session, and although we only had one student in attendance, it was a success. With the smaller group, I was able to guide her through the music more in-depth and help strengthen her confidence.

We began with some gentle stretches to prepare our bodies, followed by tongue twisters like “Red leather, yellow leather” and “Unique New York.” Though she found them a little tricky at first, I reminded her that improvement comes with practice.

Next, we moved on to vocal warm-ups such as lip trills and sirens to smooth out any voice cracks before singing. We then reviewed “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” clapping along to understand the beat and rhythm. We also revisited some music terminology, including the time signature, to help her better follow the sheet music.

To introduce the concept of tempo, I clapped a steady beat while she sang, encouraging her to stay consistent with the rhythm. We even experimented with simple harmonies; she sang the melody while I sang the harmony, and it sounded wonderful!

After that, I introduced a new song, “I Like the Flowers.” We first sang it together so she could hear how it was meant to sound, then she tried it on her own while keeping time with the clapping. Since she had learned a slightly different version before, we discussed the importance of matching the sheet music to the performance. After a bit  of focused sectional practice, she sang the correct version beautifully, and we ended the session with another round of harmonies.

Later in the day, we headed to Skyline Hills Library for our art tutoring session. Due to unforeseen circumstances, our art teacher wasn’t able to make it, so I stepped in as a substitute. Even though I’m not quite the artist, we made the most of it. We held a mini pumpkin drawing contest. Afterward, we watched a fun “Vampire Big Mouth” drawing video and even folded some paper airplanes together. Despite the last-minute changes, everyone had a great time creating and sharing their ideas.

We’re also incredibly thankful to Mrs. C, one of the kind library staff members, who surprised us with In-N-Out gift cards as a token of appreciation for attending the art tutoring session despite the unforeseen circumstance. 

Overall, it was a day full of creativity, learning, and community. We can’t wait for next week’s lessons!

Vocal & Art Tutor: Cielle Chan