Putting the hours in – are singers born or made?

I had a girlfriend who believed that we are all capable of anything if we just put enough effort in.

Photo by _foam

She believed that if you fail at something or are not very good at it, then you just don’t want it that much.

What I did on my summer holiday – why we all need a break sometime

Apparently it’s the summer break. The weather is sunny, choir doesn’t start back until September, kids are off school and ice cream vans are cruising the streets.

Photo by Yiannis Logiotatides

So how come I’m stuck in the office and seem to be working as hard as usual?

Confession: I don’t like to sing much

You know those people who sing all the time — when they’re cooking, hoovering, gardening, whatever? Well, I’m not one of them.

Photo by k e e l y

I love singing. I earn my living by teaching songs, I enjoy singing with others, I adore listening to singing on CDs and the radio, but I don’t sing around the house.

Why ‘singing for fun’ doesn’t mean low standards and poor performances

The other weekend 50 singers performed in public to a large, appreciative audience. We performed eight songs in four part harmony, most in foreign languages and some with dance moves.

Photo by Alberto Ferrante

The standard was high, the performance was tight and the singers clearly had fun. But this group of singers did not use sheet music, had rehearsed for just six two-hour sessions and welcomed all-comers regardless of singing experience.