Why tricky warm-ups don’t always make a better choir

Recently, there’s been a spate of ‘tricky’ choir warm-up videos on Instagram.

They’re clever and challenging, but I can’t help wondering: do they actually lead to better choir performances?

Keeping the choir inspired while giving audiences their festive fix

I’m sure you’ve noticed that it’s that time of year again —  the time when so many choirs  are busy with Christmas concerts.

But will you be doing the same old Christmas songs that you wheel out year after year? The songs that your audience expects?

Why singers say they’ll come to a concert … and then don’t

House was an American medical drama starring Hugh Laurie as Dr Gregory House.

photo by Ildar Sagdejev

House used to say “Everybody lies.” Not necessarily consciously, but everyone does it — including singers in choirs.

Singing outdoors in the winter: a survival guide

Many choirs perform outdoors during the winter, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

photo by Peter

Here are some tips to help make the experience as pleasurable as possible.

The unwritten agreement between singer and audience - what each can expect from the other

I mentioned briefly in last week’s post the implicit contract between performers and audience.

I’d like to look at the idea in a little more detail.

Why we can’t sing in public wherever and whenever we want

I was on holiday in Portugal recently when I heard a group of young people coming towards me singing. It seemed like it was some kind of street protest and made me feel a little uncomfortable.

Then there was the guy on the train next to me singing quite loudly to himself, which was quite irritating. It made me wonder: are there only certain situations when it’s OK to sing in public?

Sometimes intention and context are more important than singing technique

People often ask me if I can give them an individual singing lesson because they have a big event coming up.

They’re worried that their singing voice won’t be up to the job. I usually dissuade them and here is why.

How to get off the concert treadmill — 8 questions to help give you perspective

Some choirs (believe it or not) are already researching new songs for their Christmas concert repertoire in August. Some even begin rehearsing their Christmas concert in the summer!

If you feel like you’re on an endless concert roller coaster and want to get off, here are some thoughts that may help.

The hidden costs of performing for ‘free’

Has your choir been asked to perform at an event for free? Or maybe you’ve been asked to run a singing workshop for a big corporation for ‘exposure’.

It’s easy for people to imagine that there are no costs involved in doing a bit of singing, but that’s far from the truth.

If you don’t know the songs that well, should you sing in your next concert?

We’ve all been there: a big concert is coming up and we feel under-prepared.

photo from depositphotos.com

Should we just duck out, or soldier on and busk it? Here’s what I think.

How to look after your voice (especially in the winter): 5 relevant reads

This is one of a series of summary posts around a specific topic, bringing together five relevant posts from the past. 

This summary is all about looking after your voice, especially in the winter months or when you have a busy concert season or if feasting is involved.

Why your concert publicity isn’t working

We all want audiences at our concerts, so we have to let people know about them.

I’ve seen so many bad examples of concert publicity recently, I thought I’d write a few tips.

How do you know when your choir is performance ready?

Most choirs get to the point where they want to share the songs they’ve learnt with an audience.

Prepared by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images

But how do you know that the songs are in a good enough state to share?

Which direction does your choir face?

Do your singers always face the same direction in your rehearsal space? What about outdoor performances?

Maybe it’s something you’ve not thought about, or have just got into a habit without much analysis.

10 ideas to help you balance stress with enjoyment when putting on a singing event

A little stress can be good for us. It helps us to get things done or to focus on something that needs our attention. 

But too much stress can affect our mood, our body and our relationships. How can we put on a successful singing event without getting too stressed out?

The concert was great, so why do I feel like a failure?

Sometimes a performance is a blinder. There is a standing ovation and cries for more.

photo by svenwerk

And yet … it is possible to come away feeling that it’s all gone wrong. How is this possible?

5 reasons why every choir concert should include at least one a cappella song

Many choirs use instruments or backing tracks to accompany their singing.

photo by Andrea Pineda

But I believe that you should always programme at least one a cappella song in every concert. Here’s why.

Coming down after a big event – how to land softly

It’s the day after Christmas Day and, however well or badly it went, there can be a sense of a let-down.

photo by Inga Munsinger Cotton

After any big event like Christmas or an important choir concert, there needs to be a transition back to ‘normal’. This is not always easy! Here are some ideas of how to deal with the come down.

“It’s only a show!” – keeping perspective when preparing for a concert

Rehearsals can become somewhat fraught when a concert is coming up.

photo by Bernard Goldbach

It’s easy to become fixated on the work and to lose sight of the bigger picture. It’s only a concert after all. Here’s how to keep a sense of perspective.

10 tips for singing outdoors in the cold, dark, damp winter

It’s that time of year when choirs get asked to sing at all manner of Christmas events. 

Htm, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Some of those will be outdoors. How best to deal with the challenges?