Ask me anything! (about singing and choirs)

I occasionally get emails from people with specific questions about choirs and singing.

These are often good starting points for writing a blog post with more general appeal.

Sometimes intention and context are more important than singing technique

People often ask me if I can give them an individual singing lesson because they have a big event coming up.

They’re worried that their singing voice won’t be up to the job. I usually dissuade them and here is why.

Why silence is important to singers, singing and choir leaders

I came across an interesting article the other day: Quiet, please! The remarkable power of silence – for our bodies and our minds.

It got me thinking about how vital silence is for singers, singing and choir leading.

Do you have to like your choir leader?

… and their lame jokes and teaching style and clothes choice?

Does it matter if they’re really not your kind of person?

Want to get close to people quickly? Sing together!

We all know the many health benefits of singing together.

But did you know it’s also an excellent way of bonding a group of people together, even if you don’t know them?

Does your choir's public image truly reflect what you want your choir to be?

Choirs need to promote themselves in order to recruit singers, get people to come to concerts, buy CDs and so on.

But does your public face truly reflect your choir as it wants to be?

Protecting you choir brand: monitoring photos, videos and recordings

Every choir has a reputation to maintain. Your choir and its name are essentially your 'brand' and, as such, need protecting.

When anyone shares an unauthorised photo, video or audio recording in public, it has the potential to damage your brand.

Time to start singing – even if you’ve not done it before

Many of us resolve to try new things when the new year starts.

It might be to join the gym or to learn to cook. Why not try singing?

What are you going to leave behind this year?

As the year draws to a close, many people start to think ahead and make plans for the new year ahead. They might look back on their achievements this year, but the focus is usually forward.

But instead of reflecting on all those new things we want to have/achieve/create, what about those things that we’d like to leave behind?

Koliadka: Slavic winter singing traditions

Koliadka are traditional songs usually sung in Slavic, Central European and Eastern European countries during the Christmas holiday season. 

It is believed that everything sung about will come true.

Are your choir members ageing? If you don’t recruit new singers, your choir may die

Many choirs here in the UK have an ageing membership.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but if you don’t bring in new members regularly, your choir will eventually die out!

In for the long haul: commitment, motivation and persistence

I’ve been writing this blog for 18 years, a total of 994 posts. It’s one of the few things that I’ve ever stuck at.

It can be hard to stick at something for long periods. Let’s look at how commitment, motivation and persistence interact.

Is your booking system fair and fit for purpose?

Most of us take bookings for our choirs, concerts and workshops on a first come, first served basis.

But is that the fairest and most effective system? Let’s look in more detail.

A nice problem to have – what to do if your choir or event is over-subscribed?

Some of us are lucky and sell out our concert, or have to close our choir to new members.

photo by Pacopac

It’s a nice problem to have, but I hate turning people away, so are there alternatives?

Using visual imagery in vocal training – help or hindrance?

I’m not technical when it comes to singing and use lots of visual imagery in my teaching.

But does it help or can it be confusing?

Choir can feel like being back at school – and that’s not always a good thing

We all like to think our choirs are friendly spaces where everyone is equally welcome.

photo by theirhistory

But being in a choir can bring back all sorts of memories of our time at school. All the things we found difficult as children can come back to haunt us.

Choir leaders: it’s important to put yourself in your singers’ shoes from time to time

I don’t often get the chance to be a punter. But this week I went on a two-day voice and movement course and loved it.

photo by ssalonso

It was great to be on the receiving end for a change, and I learnt a lot about what it’s like to be a singer in a group

Why can't I hit the right note, and can it be taught?

Some people believe that singers can either hit the right note or they can't. That's why many choirs audition before you can join. 

But like any physical skill — playing the violin or scoring goals, for example — it's something that can be learnt.

How volunteers can help run to your choir more smoothly and with less stress

I’ve written in the past about how to get choir members to volunteer for supporting roles.

But what I didn’t mention was what kind of roles they might fulfil. Here are some ideas.

The practicalities of running a singing event: 7 tips for absolute beginners

When talking about choir rehearsals or singing workshops, the emphasis is always on the musical skills involved: teaching, conducting, vocal training, etc.

But if you don’t get the basic practical elements right, then the singing event won’t work.