My college choir conductor used to warm us up with hand shapes which he held in various vertical heights. Each hand height and hand shape represented a different tone pitch. We got pretty good being able sing according the random hand shapes he made, and he was regarded nationwide as one of the best skilled choir conductors.

It is very easy to learn to sing when someone experienced with an instrument is there to plunk out the basic melody and rhythm. Then the notes on the page start to make more sense later on.

This looks like it was very educational. The only thing I do not understand, is the "sacred harp" a metaphor for a choir or the lines on the bar staff? There is no actual harp, right? I think I recall the "sacred harp" vaguely as something I once read about in studying music.