Maria Stærk Bjørn-Olsen

I saw Signe Sørensen on the news when she helped lead the Spring Concert at Herstedøster School. Right away, I could tell that what was happening on stage was pure magic. The children were happy, moving with energy, and singing at the top of their lungs. It was incredible to see so much joy in singing — in an ordinary school class. That’s why I reached out to Signe and was lucky first to be allowed to observe her for a day, and later to join her AKS course.

The pedagogy is free yet unifying. There’s room to be an individual within the choir, combined with a strong sense of community. Signe meets the children where they are, catches them, and helps them unfold within a larger collective — regardless of level. Her energy is amazing. She’s both funny and full of vitality, yet at the same time she knows how to create calm, reflective moments for the choir — you simply can’t help but follow her lead!

Since I began applying several of her tools in my own choir leadership, the atmosphere has improved tremendously. The students love having a “choir buddy” and are always a bit curious to see who it will be that day. It makes the class exciting — and it feels safe to stand with a buddy in the large group. Status 1, 3 and 5 just work instantly. The children enjoy starting quietly with the lower statuses and then giving it their all at status 5! In no time, I get a big sound from the choir, while the group quickly becomes one cohesive whole.

With Signe’s tools, you get a wonderful, active, and joyful choir — and you can see in the children’s faces that they feel free! The choir comes alive in a completely natural way.