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. 

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

What is the right balance between new and old songs in your annual concert?

Many choirs are gearing up for their annual Christmas concert.

photo by Dick Thompson

Do you repeat the same songs each year or add new ones to your repertoire? Let’s look at the pros and cons.

Work with what you’ve got and not how you want the world to be

There are choir leaders who are disappointed that their singers aren’t doing enough homework in the run-up to a big concert.

There are singers who try in vain to reach the high notes of the melody and who constantly complain about the songs in their choir’s repertoire. But this is what is on offer and fighting against it will always lead to unhappiness.

A concert is coming, but singers have missed rehearsals and not done their homework! What to do?

We’ve all been there: a big concert is coming up, but the singers just aren’t ready.

photo by Allan Harris

What can you do?

Why hiring a choir or singing workshop leader can seem so expensive

When people ask me how much I charge to lead a singing workshop they are often surprised by how high my fee is.

photo by One Click Group UK

It works out as an enormous hourly rate. Here’s why it’s not as expensive as it seems.

Singing with the dirt left on

I was honoured to be invited for a video interview/chat recently with New Zealand singer, musician and composer Tony Backhouse.

One of the things we discussed was how we like music to be honest, gutsy, muscular and authentic. But how to describe exactly what we mean?

Working with an established group (who are set in their ways)

No matter how flexible and self-aware we think we are, inevitably we all end up becoming a bit set in our ways.

photo by Social Gabe

This can particularly apply to any choir or singing group who’ve been together for a long time. What happens when a new leader comes along and tries to change this?

How those little social interactions in choir make your happier

We’re often told of the many benefits to our physical and mental health of singing together.

What is not often mentioned is the benefit of the many small social interactions that occur.

Winding down after a singing session

I don’t know about you, but when I get home late after a singing rehearsal I find it hard to sleep.

photo by Jorbasa Fotografie

I don’t feel particularly over-excited, but something inside me must be! What can we do about this?

When men and women sing the same harmony part

Often, when I’m teaching a song, a man might ask to sing the tune, or a woman might ask to sing the bass.

photo by Keith Hamilton Putnam

I usually say no, as I don’t like mixing men’s and women’s voices in the same part. Why is that?

Don’t chase fame – singing is reward enough in itself

You don’t have to be the best, or famous, or sing to a professional standard.

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

Singing is reward enough in itself.

Are warm ups necessary for singers?

In a recent blog post, Robert Sussuma urges singers to “stop warming up, doing exercises, and practising.”

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He is being a little provocative, but it has prompted me to reflect on whether singers need to warm up or not before singing.

You sing with your whole body – not just your vocal apparatus

As a member of the Natural Voice Network (NVN), I share a belief that our voices are rooted in our bodies.

photo by Nottingham Trent University

But it’s not just the NVN, most professional singers believe this too.

Slow and steady wins the race – it takes time to become a singer or choir leader

We live in a fast, short-attention span world. People expect instant gratification.

photo by Rose Davies

But becoming competent at something takes time.

Why be perfect when you can be great?

We all strive for perfection in our singing. At the same time, we realise that being 100% perfect is impossible.

photo by Ars Electronica

By aiming for perfection we can become blind to our achievements and how good we actually are.

Recordings of concerts may sound disappointing at first – give it time

I often record the songs I teach in workshops and the concerts that my groups do.

photo from depositphotos.com

But when I listen back a few days later, I’m often disappointed. Why is that?

Singing allowed

Many people feel that they need permission before they can sing.

Somebody needs to tell them it’s OK before they can even open their mouths. What’s going on here?

You need to dance, then you can sing

There is an old Zimbabwean proverb that says, “if you can walk, then you can dance; if you can talk, then you can sing.”

But I believe that you need to be able to dance in order to sing well. It should be: “if you can dance, then you can sing.”

Explanations for singers need to come in many different forms

Sometimes when we’re learning a new song, a singer might ask a question because they’re having difficulty.

photo by ywammadison

I will then offer what I believe to be a helpful explanation. But sometimes this won’t help every singer.

When conducting a concert, less is more

Many choir leaders over-conduct in concerts.

But if you’ve done the work in rehearsal, you should hardly need to conduct at all.