Stopping singers from zoning out when saying something important for the hundredth time

Nobody likes to hear the same old stories and jokes time and again.

photo by James Brooks

It’s the same with instructions you give to your choir. How do keep stop people zoning out, even though you need to say the same thing week after week?

It’s break time for many choir leaders, but how do you actually switch off?

I’ve written before about why taking time out is so important for choir leaders.

photo by Lance Anderson

But how do you actually switch off to make the most of your downtime?

Dreaming of the perfect choir (a light-hearted fantasy)

Last night I dreamt of leading a choir where everyone turned up on time every week fully prepared.



Unfortunately it was only a dream, but it got me thinking: what would the dream choir be like for choir leaders and for singers?

Choir’s on a break, so where do you sing?

Most choirs take a long break over the summer (which is currently here for a few days in the UK!).



But many singers complain: “What am I going to do without any singing for so long?” Don’t worry, there is help at hand.

How slow can you sing? – using speed as a rehearsal tool

Doing anything too fast can result in errors and inaccuracies.



By slowing a naturally fast song down, you can reveal all kinds of mistakes and problems.

When did you last tell your singers how grateful you are?

Your singers turn up to choir week after week without fail. It’s very easy to get caught up in the music-making and forget that they don’t have to be there.



It’s good to show your gratitude to your singers from time to time. Don’t take them for granted!

What do you do if you’ve not finished teaching a song before the end of the session?

Last weekend I ran one of my monthly drop-in sessions. I had underestimated the time it would take to teach a song so couldn’t finish it by the time the session ended.



What can you do in situations like that?