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?
This is a series of five posts looking in a light-hearted way at the different types of singers in a typical community choir.
You might have thought that SATB choirs (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) have just four different voice sections, but you’d be wrong. There is a fifth section known as the Floaters (or Flexitarians).
As singers and choir leaders we grow and develop skills over time. We leave behind us things we consider to be only for beginners.
But no matter how elementary something is, we can always learn something new by revisiting it.
Many choir leaders hand out sheet music or lyric sheets to their singers when teaching a song.
But does this do more harm than good? Is it better to learn the lyrics by ear?
Sometimes a performance is a blinder. There is a standing ovation and cries for more.
And yet … it is possible to come away feeling that it’s all gone wrong. How is this possible?
If you’re new to the choral world, you might find some of the terms used a bit unfamiliar.
Don’t worry, I’m here to help! Here’s a glossary of some of the more common choral jargon.
Last week I wrote about the notion of being “good enough” and how it could be applied to choir leaders: The good enough choir leader.
This week I want to look at how singers can usefully use this idea.
We all aim to do the best we can. But if we wait until we’re perfect, we’ll never get anything done!
It’s OK to be “good enough” at what we do. Here’s why.
It is human nature for our heads to go up and down as we sing extreme notes.
If a note is very high, we tilt our head up to reach for it. If a note is very low, we tip our head down. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help us to reach those notes. In fact it makes things worse.
Many choirs use instruments or backing tracks to accompany their singing.
But I believe that you should always programme at least one a cappella song in every concert. Here’s why.
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.
Rehearsals can become somewhat fraught when a concert is coming up.
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.
It’s that time of year when choirs get asked to sing at all manner of Christmas events.
Some of those will be outdoors. How best to deal with the challenges?
Many choirs are gearing up for their annual Christmas concert.
Do you repeat the same songs each year or add new ones to your repertoire? Let’s look at the pros and cons.
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.
