“You’ll enjoy it when you get there” — why growth always feels uncomfortable

I’m attending a three-day workshop this weekend and I’m feeling nervous.

photo by Kathryn Greenhill

It’s a common feeling when stepping into the unknown. But I’ve been to countless workshops before — so what’s going on?

Aiming high: trust the process, don’t focus on the goal

There is a big difference between succeeding at all costs and not bothering to make an effort. Neither brings true satisfaction.

The secret is to pitch somewhere in between: to take the work seriously, but to not lose sight of how relatively unimportant it is compared with what else is going on in the world.

The pep talk I give before every singing workshop 1: preparing to sing

I give an introductory pep talk at the start of all my singing workshops.

The aim is to give out useful information, but also to reassure and relax the singers.

Why you shouldn’t rely on another singer in your section to know the songs

I wrote last week about what to do when important singers are missing and a concert is due.

photo by Ben W

I mentioned the drawbacks of singers relying on others in their section to know their part. I’d like to go into that in a bit more detail.

Will my choir still be there when lockdown is over?

Some choirs decided to stop all activities when the pandemic started.

photo by Cory Doctorow

As restrictions begin to ease in many countries, singers are wondering: will my choir still be there?

Is a choir a family?

People join choirs for many different reasons. Whatever those reasons might be, a choir ends up being a small community.

Photo by U.S. Embassy London

In fact, some consider a choir as a kind of family. But what might that mean?

How to recruit a new leader for your choir

There will come a time when you’ll need to find a new leader for your choir.



Let’s look at ideas for how to recruit someone suitable.

Not done it for a while? Can you still do it? – the worries of singers and choir leaders

We’ve all been there. We don’t do something for a while, then start to believe that we’ve lost the knack.



It applies to singers, workshop leaders, song arrangers, choir leaders, song writers – in fact, pretty much all of us! How do we deal with this worry?

Think you’ve forgotten how to sing or conduct? It happens to us all!

Many choirs are starting back after their long summer break.

photo by Eric Kilby

Do you ever worry that you’ve forgotten how to sing or lead a choir? You’re in good company.

Tell your choir leader what you’re struggling with, otherwise they can’t help you

Sometimes one section of the choir struggles with their part. I ask what the problem is, but am faced with a sea of blank faces.

photo by CollegeDegrees360

If I don’t know what the difficulties are, I can’t help. Why won’t singers say why they’re struggling?

Have you become too dependent on your choir leader? You might be denying your own abilities

I’ve been noticing something interesting recently: when I move away from a part when I’m teaching them a song, they tend to fall apart.



Since I’m not actually doing anything for them at this point, I wonder what’s going on.

Choir leaders, are you doing too much for your singers?

I’m not looking for sympathy, but leading a choir can be hard work!

photo by Jean-Marc Volta

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe you’re working too hard. It’s possible to do less and get the same results.

Should conductors mouth the words for their choirs?

I’ve often mouthed the words for my choirs. I’d rather singers don’t use lyric sheets when performing, so it’s a kind of security blanket for them.

photo by Tambako the Jaguar

But it can be considered patronising or even a way of letting singers off the hook. Let’s look at the pros and cons.

Make your choir leading easier by doing less

Many choir leaders believe that they’re indispensable, that their choir only functions when they’re out front leading.



But this can be stressful and doesn’t take into account the choir’s ability as a whole. Here’s how to make your choir leading easier.

Should you pander to your choir or just run things your way?

Many choir leaders have a strong style and particular choice of repertoire. They lead large, thriving choirs which have a strong vision.



Other choir leaders involve their members more and ask their opinion on repertoire, warm ups, performances, etc. Is one approach better or more successful than the other?

The curse of confusion: why thinking is bad for singing

I teach a song by ear in less than an hour at a workshop. Everyone picks it up really quickly and then they sing it brilliantly.



We’ve been working on the same song with my very accomplished weekly choir for quite some time. They really struggle and it’s like plodding through mud. What’s going on here? It’s all about your head getting in the way.

Four powerful ideas guaranteed to help you learn to sing better

People are always asking me how they can learn to sing. Everyone is already a singer of course, but it’s always possible to learn how to sing better.



Here are four simple but powerful ideas that will help you be a better singer, whether you sing in a choir or a band or are a soloist.

What should individual singers focus on when performing as part of a choir or small group?

Whether you sing harmony in a small group or a large choir there are many things demanding your attention: other singers, conductor, audience, your own part, remembering lyrics, sheet music, and so on.

photo by andercismo

But what is the most important thing to focus on? It turns out that there are several.

If you don’t feel nervous before a concert or a singing workshop then something’s wrong

I never sleep the night before running a singing workshop and I always feel terribly nervous before a concert – whether I’m singing or conducting.

photo by Francesco

But I wouldn’t have it any other way. The day you stop being nervous is the day you should give up. Here’s why.

Your job as a choir leader is to disappear

In David Zweig’s recent book he talks about Invisibles: people who are unseen when their job is done perfectly (who only draw attention to themselves when things go wrong).



It got me thinking that most of a choir leader’s job is invisible to the wider public. So why not just disappear when the next concert rolls around?