10 foolproof ways to stand out in your choir

It’s important for singers to feel wanted and to know that they play an important part in their choir.

But if nobody notices you, how will you ever shine?

Some want to sit. Some want to stand. Now what?

When I ran community choirs, I used to insist that singers stood during rehearsals. But some complained that their legs ached by the end of the evening.

Now I usually get people to sit for singing sessions. But recently some singers have complained because they prefer to stand! Is there a middle way to keep everybody happy.

The myth of the perfectly organised choir leader

If you’re a choir member, or thinking of starting a choir, you might imagine that all choir and workshop leaders have extremely ordered lives.

In my case, that’s absolutely not true!

That “fun warm-up song”? You might want to check it

I’ve seen several online videos recently of choirs using simple, fun songs as warm-ups.

It looks harmless enough. But some of these songs have dubious content, which I’m sure the choirs weren’t aware of. Even so, it’s our responsibility to check sources thoroughly.

Can anyone learn to sing?

Yes!

Just do it.

What does a choir conductor actually do?

At a choral concert there is usually someone standing in front of the singers waving their arms about.

But what are they actually doing, and is there really any need for them to be there?

Why are community choirs getting older?

When I started my first community choir way back in 1997, most of the singers were in their 40s and 50s. 

photo by DG EMPL

Some of them are still in the same choir today, now in their 70s and 80s. But where are all the new, younger singers?