Own your identity as a singer (or composer or arranger or choir leader)

Are you a singer? Or are you “learning to be a singer”, or “wanting to be a singer”, or “trying to be a singer”, or “starting out as a singer”? 

Maybe it’s time to step up and claim your identity.

What to do when someone wants to teach you a song you already know

If you regularly attend singing workshops or have ever been in more than one choir, it’s inevitable that you will encounter a song you already know.

photo by Moses

Apart from zoning out, what’s the best thing to do when someone wants to teach you a song you already know?

Why are we stretching when we’ve come to sing?

I believe that proper preparation for singing is vital.

But sometimes I forget to explain why to singers who come to my one-off sessions. This is what I should remember to tell them.

Do you always sing the same voice part? Maybe it’s time for a change!

Many singers in community choirs choose for themselves which part they sing. They are not allocated a part by having a vocal range test.

photo by Michael Coghlan

This might work for a while, but what if you’ve chosen the wrong part? Also, voices change over time. Maybe it’s time to change parts?

Why it’s important to set your voice free from time to time

Being in a choir and singing with others is very controlled. There are other voices to blend and balance with, and fixed harmonies to follow.

But from time to time I believe it’s important to really let your voice soar.

Are you dependent on something that enables you to sing or lead singers?

It might be your singer’s water bottle or conductor’s baton. We all have something important that enables us to do our singing.

What happens if you lose it or it breaks?

New singers are trying your choir, but not staying – what can you do?

Choirs are often on the lookout for new singers. Some even offer free trials before singers commit.

But what happens if that influx of new people doesn’t stay? What has gone wrong? Let’s look at some possibilities.