A new year and a new choir season don’t just bring change — they also bring choice.
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This is often a moment to pause and reflect: what’s working, what’s not, and what might benefit from being done differently. For choir leaders in particular, it’s a chance to plan rather than simply react.
Last week I wrote about how to cope with changes that are imposed upon us: The shock of the new: how to cope with change in your singing world. This week I'm considering changes that are within your control.
Here are some of the more deliberate changes that often come with a new season.
new season
Every new choir season offers an opportunity to refresh things.
But it’s worth being realistic. You’re still the same person leading or singing in the choir, and lasting change usually happens gradually rather than all at once.
Helpful reading:
- Choir starts back soon: is it time for re-invention?
- Planning for a new choir season
- New choir season, new ideas – but how much can you really change?
new repertoire (for choir leaders)
A new season usually calls for new songs perhaps linked to a concert theme or a new musical direction.
At the same time, don’t overlook your existing repertoire. Choir members often enjoy revisiting familiar songs, and there are many ways to keep them feeling fresh without constantly adding more material.
Helpful reading:
- New season, new songs – how to find new repertoire for your choir
- How to keep the old songs in your repertoire from going stale
- 10 ways to breathe new life into old songs
new committee
If your choir has a constitution, it will also have a committee with new members joining on a regular basis.
Most committee work happens quietly in the background, but occasionally changes in membership can create tension or conflict. A clear constitution and agreed procedures can make a big difference.
Helpful reading:
new departures
The start of a year can be a good moment to think beyond repertoire.
It’s a chance to ask bigger questions: what is the choir for, and what could it become? Maybe there’s a major project ahead, or perhaps you want to experiment with rehearsal methods, introduce music, or try something entirely new.
Helpful reading:
- What exactly is the point of your choir?
- Re-booting your choir: shake things up for a new season
- What would you do differently if you were starting your choir today?
- Stuck in a rut? 10 ways to revitalise your choir
conclusion
New seasons invite reflection, but they don’t demand reinvention.
Small, thoughtful changes are often more sustainable than dramatic overhauls, especially when they take account of the people who turn up week after week.
Whether you’re leading a choir or singing in one, the start of a new year is less about becoming something completely different, and more about paying attention to where you are now — and where you’d like to go next.
Chris Rowbury
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