Choir? Chorale? Ensemble? What’s in a name?

Many of you know that I avoid using the ‘C’ word: choir. But there other similar terms that I find just as bad: chorus, chorale, chamber choir.



What’s in a name? What does it tell you about the singing group? Does size matter? Can you have a chorus of four people, or does that become an ensemble? Let’s take a look ...

What makes a ‘good’ singer? – it’s all about context

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I believe that everyone can sing. If you want to know more, you can read “Everyone can sing” – what the hell does that mean??!!

photo by Hollywata

Given that everyone can sing, what might it mean when someone says one singer is ‘better’ than another? What makes a ‘good’ singer any way?

“Darling, your technique is showing” – don’t be a singer who is all style and no substance

It’s usually the case that professional singers have had some sort of training in a particular singing technique.

photo by Kevin Cease

But dontcha just hate it when that’s all you see when they perform??!! All style and no substance. The point of technique is to not let it show.

What to say if someone asks you if they can sing

A friend asks you to comment on their singing or asks you if you think they can sing at all.



What can you say without hurting their feelings or putting them off singing entirely?

When you sing, forget everything you’ve ever learnt

In your singing lessons and choir warm ups you’re bombarded with exercises and technical advice about posture, breathing, enunciation, pitching, tension, placement and so on.



All good stuff. But when it comes time to sing you need to forget it all. Seems crazy? I’ll show you why it’s important.

Teacher of songs or song polisher – which kind of choir leader are you?

A while back I went to a singing workshop led by an internationally acclaimed workshop leader. I was very disappointed at the lack of teaching skills on display. But in the end the sound we made was amazing.

photo by Allan Harris

I realised that some singing leaders are great teachers of songs and some are great polishers of songs, but not everyone has both skills.

Can open-access choirs cater for every kind of singer?

As a member of the Natural Voice Practitioners’ Network I share their belief that everybody can sing and nobody should be excluded from music-making. Which is why no ‘natural voice’ choirs hold auditions or use unnecessary musical jargon.

adapted from a photo by Brian Robert Marshall

But can such open-access choirs ever be truly inclusive? I don’t believe they can and I think we need to be clear about that when promoting our work.

How to choose soloists in your choir: audition or self-selection?

Rather than everyone singing all the time, many choirs ring the changes by creating smaller ensembles within the larger choir or have occasional solos.

photo by Shelly Mags

In a non-auditioned, open-access choir, what is the fairest way to choose singers to take on these roles?

Singing in a choir – balancing individual freedom with the demands of the team

Those of us who love to sing often love to sing at the top of our voices. It’s joyous!

photo by William P. Gottlieb

But when you’re part of a choir you have to rein in those tendencies for the greater good of the overall sound. How do you achieve that balance without feeling restricted?

Process vs. product: are you along for the singing ride or just the final performance?

Learning and polishing a song can be a long process. Some people find it a chore and can’t wait to get to the end result: a public performance.



But others enjoy the ride, going deeper into the song, finding the nuances, becoming immersed in the whole process and not having any particular end in sight. However, process and product don’t have to be different things.

Never tell someone they can’t sing – it is brutal, damaging and untrue

Most of the people who come to my singing workshops are in their 50s and pretty much all of them have a story to tell about the time someone told them they couldn’t sing.

photo by TrueDragon13

Many of the stories date back to the time when they were at primary or even infant school. What amazing power a throwaway remark like “Just stand at the back and mime” can have!

Helping singers learn to hold a harmony part on their own

If you’re in a choir you’ll be used to singing your harmony part surrounded by others singing the same thing. But it seems much harder to hold a part by yourself when you’re in a small group.

photo by Eric Kilby

In this post I’ll show you how easy it is, how it’s your own head that gets in the way, and I’ll also outline a process that your choir can use to help train singers to hold a part on their own.

What’s the opposite of a “Singing for fun” choir?

Certain people are rather dismissive of “Singing for fun” choirs. If it’s for fun then it can’t possibly be of any quality.



Then I got to wondering: what are their choirs like? What’s the opposite of “Singing for fun”? — “Singing for boredom”? “Singing for misery”? I know which choir I’d rather be in!

Avoid toxic choir leaders – the end does NOT justify the means

There are some workshop and choir leaders who work through fear. They are not particularly nice people, but they do get good results.

photo by Craig Sunter

Yet it is possible to work compassionately and with fun to get the same results. That’s my kind of choir leader!

Joining an established choir: a guide for how choir leaders can help new singers

Last week I wrote about the challenges faced by singers joining an established choir.

photo by fromcolettewithlove

This week I will look at what choir leaders and committees can do to make the transition easier.

Joining an established choir: a guide for new singers

Joining a new choir is a bit like going to big school: it’s exciting, but a bit scary and it will take a while to learn the ropes.

photo by VisitCopenhagen

Here is a guide to help you take your first few steps as a new singer in an established choir. Next week I’ll be writing a guide for choir leaders and choir committees on how to ease new members into established choirs.

Why some singers find it hard to learn by ear (and what you can do to make it easier)

Some people really struggle when it comes to learning a song by ear. Often it’s singers who are used to using sheet music, but not always.

photo by bokeh burger

I’ll explain why I believe some people find it hard and then I’ll outline some strategies for getting better at it.

You can’t franchise charisma – why your choir leader is special

The fact is that pretty much anyone can lead a choir. Some do it better than others and some do it worse, but it’s not rocket science. However, your particular choir leader is special and brings something unique to your choir.



That special something can’t be copied or franchised. Choirs are all about the people in them – including their leader. I’ll show you some lessons that can be learnt from this, whether you’re a singer or a choir leader (or a business opportunist!).

Don’t peak too soon – effective rehearsal planning for your next concert

The OK Chorale have just started back after a long Christmas break. This term we’re working towards our annual spring concert. I need to plan an effective rehearsal schedule.



Our singers are all amateurs with busy lives, so what’s the best way to organise rehearsals so we peak at the right time?

7 ways to share your choir’s singing without making a big performance of it

Some choirs don’t perform at all (see Choirs that don’t perform). But most choirs, at some point, will want to share their hard work with others.

photo by pyramis

It is possible to share your choir songs without it being scary or making it a big deal. I’ll show you how.