Plan in advance the sheet music that will be needed at every rehearsal. This will prepare the choir members, ensure that the choir is well organized and will keep the choristers engaged. Match the music difficulty to the the members' abilities to ensure that it is appropriate for the group.
Match the number of instruments with the number of youth choristers present. Instruments provide an accompaniment to the singers and should not dominate their voices. If there are many choristers, having more instruments is appropriate; too few choristers do not require as many instruments.
Start with the difficult parts of a musical piece and then proceed to the more familiar areas. Conduct short sections of the music first and then proceed to longer and longer sections until the choristers master the entire piece. Teaching the last part of songs is helpful for choristers because they transition to more familiar areas of the musical piece as they approach the end.
Demonstrate rhythm of the songs by clapping, tapping your feet, speaking out the rhythm, using hand drums and gestures to make a representation of the notes and rhythms. This is especially important for new choristers who require constant support and accompaniment to keep the rhythm during a performance.
Keep the beat precise when conducting an orchestra. The choir should start before the orchestra. If there is an instrumental introduction, conduct this as well so as to keep the choristers on track. Not conducting an instrumental introduction will cause the choristers to lose focus or fail to know that their entrance has started.
Conduct the cue beat with the correct motion of the hand before the music begins. Use your wrist to lead the beat. When conducting drawn out sections, direct your left palm toward you and lift. When at a crescendo, face your left palm toward you, lift your left hand and inhale. When at a decrescendo bring your hands nearer your chest, with the palm facing you and take the hands slowly downward. Use your right hand to shorten the size of the beat pattern. The duration of the cue beat should always be the same for all the beats in the piece. Use your hands to signal changes in the flow and rhythm of the music such as a change from an open vowel to a hum.