A new year and a new choir season don’t just bring change — they also bring choice.
%20(1).jpg)
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.
I assume that we’d all like to become better at what we do. That could be teaching songs, singing, or leading a choir.
Inevitably, to improve, we will need to develop new habits or change existing ones. But that can feel awkward and unfamiliar, even painful at times.
As the year draws to a close, many people start to think ahead and make plans for the new year ahead. They might look back on their achievements this year, but the focus is usually forward.
But instead of reflecting on all those new things we want to have/achieve/create, what about those things that we’d like to leave behind?
I don’t often get the chance to be a punter. But this week I went on a two-day voice and movement course and loved it.
It was great to be on the receiving end for a change, and I learnt a lot about what it’s like to be a singer in a group
I’ve caught some bug from all my recent travels and workshops. I have a sore throat amongst other things.
But I have a whole weekend of singing to prepare for and need to sing through the arrangements. What can I do?
Many people use the New Year as a trigger to set themselves goals for the future. And many people fail by being unrealistic.
Whether that’s you or not, it is vital to take stock from time to time, even if it’s not at New Year.
Here in the UK, many choirs have a long summer break and start back in early September when the schools go back.
This may be the perfect time to try something new, a time for re-invention.
I’m a big procrastinator. I leave everything until the last minute. If I didn’t have deadlines, I would never get anything done!
But I’ve come to realise that this is my way of working and it has good results. Here’s why procrastination is not necessarily a bad thing.
It’s that clichéd time of year again when people make New Year resolutions.
Whether you do or not, it can be a good time for reflection and to prepare for the year ahead. Here are some ideas that might help.
It’s the day after Christmas Day and, however well or badly it went, there can be a sense of a let-down.
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.
I am due to lead a singing weekend in a few weeks. My first in over two years.
The other night I had an anxiety dream about it. Here’s what I learnt.
I thought I’d do a round-up of posts I’ve made over the years which are relevant in some way to new beginnings.
Part 1 was last week. This is Part 2.
People often use the New Year as a time for reflection and an opportunity to make fresh starts.
I thought I’d do a round-up of posts I’ve made over the years which are relevant in some way to new beginnings. This is Part 1. Part 2 will follow next week.
If you want to be a real success, it’s not enough to just do the job at hand. You need to deliver more than is expected.
What does that mean for singers and choir leaders?
