Monday, May 11, 2020

What to write about when there are no choirs or singing together?

I’m finding it hard to come up with an idea to write about today.

Writing about choirs, harmony singing, vocal technique, etc. seems a little like adding salt to a wound when choirs aren’t able to meet. What shall I write about for the next few months?

singing together

It looks like singing together in groups is going to be one of the last activities to return to any sense of normal after this pandemic is over. A recent panel of experts met to discuss the future of public singing in America. Here you can read a useful summary of their findings.

Liz Garnett wrote a an optimistic post on her blog today: Into the Wilderness.

“Those who say you can’t have choir without singing together are of course right. But we have sung together in the past, and we will sing together again in the future. Our job for now is to get safely through the wilderness together, using the resources and imagination we have at hand to equip us to rebuild once we eventually arrive in the promised land.”

It may be that we will “eventually arrive in the promised land” and be able to sing together again. But it certainly won’t be for a long time.

The question is: what do we do in the meantime?

Many singers have joined in with the various online singing opportunities that have sprung up. It doesn’t give the same sense of satisfaction as singing together in person, but it does fulfil some needs for many singers.

There are others who have decided that online singing isn’t satisfying for them so they’ve stopped any kind of singing in groups for the time being.

writing this blog

I set myself the challenge of writing one post a week on this blog in December 2006 and I’m very pleased to say that I’ve managed to keep it going so far without missing a single week.

The question is: what do I write about now when there are no choirs meeting and no singing together in person?

I can’t write every week about online singing experiences or bemoan the lack of being able to sing together. It would soon get boring, plus I’ve not had much experience of singing online.

Writing about vocal technique or how to be a good choir member or useful rehearsal techniques seems redundant because there’s nowhere to put them into practice.

Over to you …

What would you like me to write about? What would you like to read about choirs and singing together during this pandemic?

the next few months: great examples of harmony singing

In the absence of any suggestions, I’m going to start writing a series of posts about particular pieces of harmony singing that I like. I’ll choose specific songs or genres, write about the background and style and provide links to recordings.

I hope that that will fill some sort of gap and possibly introduce you to music you’re not familiar with.

I’m open to suggestions too!

 


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Chris Rowbury


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