Choir leaders: how do you give individual attention in a room full of singers?

Often, as a choir leader, I notice one person who is not quite catching on for some reason.

How do I give that person individual attention when they are just one in a room full of singers? Here are some ideas that might help.

How to stop viruses spreading at choir – ventilate, ventilate, ventilate

Many of us feel that we have become seriously over-informed about aerosols, droplets and other Covid issues.

But the silver lining is that we are now far more aware of how to help prevent winter colds and flu in our choirs (and Covid of course).

How a choir is like an orange – and other useful comparisons

Have you ever wondered why a choir is so like and orange?

Wondering about this is a very useful exercise and can throw up some surprises. Here’s how.

The difference between foreign song lyrics and made-up sounds

How important is it that the words in songs mean something, or can they be meaningless sounds?

Many choirs sing songs in languages they don’t understand, so does it matter whether lyrics are in a real language?

What to do if you don’t like your choir leader

Not every choir leader suits every singer.

Here are some questions to help you work out what to do if you don’t like your choir leader.

Plans are worthless, but planning is everything

I always, always plan my rehearsals and workshops in great detail, including the warm ups.

But invariably the unexpected happens and my plan goes out the window! Nevertheless, here’s why planning is still vital.

5 ideas for when your mind goes blank in front of your singers

It’s happened to us all: you’re mid-rehearsal and suddenly your mind goes completely blank.

Instead of panicking, here are some things you can do.