Keeping it fresh: 5 ideas to keep regular choir attenders engaged

We all have our favourite warm ups and our favourite jokes. But if someone comes to choir every week, they may soon get weary of our patter.

photo by Tobias Toft

How can you keep things fresh so choir members stay engaged? Here are some ideas.

How to prepare new choir members for their first visit

No matter how hard you try to make your choir a friendly, welcoming place, joining a new choir is like starting a new school. It can be frightening.

photo by Capture Queen

Here are some ideas that may help prepare new members for their first visit to your choir.

Getting ready to go back to choir: 5 ideas to help singers and choir leaders

Many choirs start back in September after their summer break.



Here are five things you can do to prepare yourself for a smooth re-entry, whether you’re a singer or a choir leader.

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.

New season, new songs – how to find new repertoire for your choir

Here in the UK autumn is in the air. Choirs often start back in September, a time when new songs are needed.



I’m here to help! Here are some resources for finding new songs for your choir.

How to cope with singing in the heat

There’s been a real heatwave across Europe this summer. Which is great for those on holiday, but can be a bit much when we have to sing in such heat.



Here are a few things that might help you cope with the heat whilst singing.

How to find the right choir to join 2: is this the perfect choir for me?

Last week I looked at how to find choirs in your local area.

photo by Tom Brogan

Having found a potential choir to join, how do you know if it’s right for you? In this post I’ll help you find out.

How to find the right choir to join 1: finding choirs in your area

It’s summer break in the northern hemisphere and many singers are missing regular singing opportunities. They might be considering joining a new choir after the break.



September is also a time when adult education classes start up and people’s thoughts turn to trying new hobbies. If singing is your thing, how do you go about finding a suitable choir?

How to sing better 4: getting down to it, putting the hours in and professional help

I get asked questions like these a lot: “How can I be a good singer?” or “How can I sing better?”



Of course, it depends on what you mean by ‘good’ and ‘better’. In this series of four posts I’ll outline a few things that might help.

How to sing better 3: breath control, vocal range and singing in tune

I get asked questions like these a lot: “How can I be a good singer?” or “How can I sing better?”



Of course, it depends on what you mean by ‘good’ and ‘better’. In this series of four posts I’ll outline a few things that might help.

How to sing better 2: discovering your own voice and learning to love it

I get asked questions like these a lot: “How can I be a good singer?” or “How can I sing better?”



Of course, it depends on what you mean by ‘good’ and ‘better’. In this series of four posts I’ll outline a few things that might help.

How to sing better 1: getting started and not making excuses

I get asked questions like these a lot: “How can I be a good singer?” or “How can I sing better?”



Of course, it depends on what you mean by ‘good’ and ‘better’. In this series of four posts I’ll outline a few things that might help.

To mic or not to mic? – that is the outdoor choir question

At this time of year many singing groups are asked to sing outdoors.



Whether it’s on stage at a noisy festival or a pop-up choir at your local village fete, the question of amplification will arise. Let’s look at the pros and cons of using mics for your choir when performing outdoors.

When teaching a new song goes horribly wrong

I taught a new song to a group on Saturday. It was a bit of a car crash!

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano

What can you do when teaching a new song goes horribly wrong?

Rehearsing and singing in a circle: the pros and cons

Many singing groups work in a circle when learning and rehearsing songs.



There are some advantages, but also downsides. Let’s look at the pros and cons.

What is harmony singing?

I had several new members join a singing project recently. I quickly realised that they didn’t really know what they’d let themselves in for!


It’s so easy to bandy words around without realising that they have a particular meaning and are ‘jargon’ to anybody outside the singing world. In this post I’ll consider our use of the word ‘harmony’.

10 golden truths I have learnt from 20 years of choir leading

I started my first choir WorldSong in Coventry back in September 1997. Which means I’ve been in this choir leading lark for just over 20 years.

photo by Alex Ristea

Here are some of the things that I’ve learnt on the way.

Does God mind if you sing badly in church?

I’m not a religious man, but I often get emails from church choirs.



Recently I’ve had a few such enquiries asking what to do about singers in the choir or congregation who sing too loudly or out of tune.

Why my singers don’t use recorded parts to learn songs

Some choirs make recorded parts available to their singers and expect them to know their part when they come to the first rehearsal of the song.



For me though, learning together in the same space is more important so I don’t use recorded parts. Here’s why.

How do you know if you’re singing the right thing?

Often, at the end of a singing workshop, someone will tell me that they didn’t think they were singing the right thing and ask if there is anything they can do about it.

photo by Xavier Vergés

It’s often people who have only recently started to sing with others, but this doubt can hit at any time. How can you tell if you’re getting it ‘right’?