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Sing together and lose weight — 100% guaranteed!
You’ve tried Slimming World, Weight Watchers, weight-loss jabs, Aunty Jean’s herbal concoction, but nothing works. photo by Alan CleaverIt’s time to sing! Singing together is a fabulous and easy way...
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How to start a singing session without shouting
People are arriving and greeting each other; chairs are being set out; there is excitement in the air and the hubbub of conversation. How do you get everyone to quieten down and focus in order to...
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Why singing leaves you tired – and relaxed
Singers often say how tired they feel after a rehearsal or workshop. Paradoxically, singers who arrive tired at the start often leave feeling energised. What’s going on? Singing together takes a lot of...
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To learn and grow you need to be humble
Someone wrote to me recently asking if I thought my workshops would be suitable for them. They had struggled at a recent community workshop because the teaching wasn’t based on reading music or...
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When a song goes from hated to favourite
I always chose the repertoire for my community choirs. Most people knew what my taste was, which is why they’d joined the choir in the first place. But every now and then I would introduce a new song...
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Silence: the other half of singing
At the end of a recent residential singing weekend I was acutely aware of absence when everyone had left. The silence was almost painful. It got me thinking about the different kinds of silence in...
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It's a hobby, right? — The hidden work of a choir leader
I’m officially on my summer break. My last singing workshop was just over two weeks ago. But that doesn’t mean I’m taking it easy or lazing by the pool. Here’s what I’ve been up to. Most people don’t...
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What else can your singers do without you?
Often, when leading a singing workshop, singers will start putting chairs out or standing in a circle. It’s maybe not the way I’d planned, but I’ll usually go with it. It turns out my singers are...
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The day I thought I'd finally arrive as a song leader
In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell refers to the “10,000 hour rule”, claiming that the key to achieving expertise in any skill is to practise for around 10,000 hours. I reckon I’ve done my 10,000...
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Why I rarely teach the same songs twice
I know you can’t please everyone, but when I plan a singing workshop I try to make sure I won’t be teaching anything that any of the singers already know. An impossible task, but I have a low boredom...
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The curse of the second verse
When teaching new songs, especially those with foreign lyrics, I often end up teaching using only the words of the first verse. But when it comes to the other verses, things get a bit wobbly! Why is...
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Missed your starting note? Don’t just sing anyway
I’m amazed at the number of singers who miss the starting note of a song, but then carry on regardless. You have several options if you miss the start note, but one of them definitely isn’t: “sing...
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What I’ve learnt from 20 years of creating scratch choirs
Twenty years ago, Warwick Folk Festival asked me to create a community choir as part of its education outreach programme. Singing Safari, Warwick 2007 I was reluctant to use the word “choir” because I...
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From strangers to singers
When you’re leading a one-off singing workshop, or have large influx of new members to your choir, there will be lots of people who don’t know each other. Here are a few simple ways to mix people up...
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Choirs versus workshops: the practical differences
I’m seeing lots of great warm-ups and singing advice online these days. But most of it is aimed at choirs which meet regularly. Many of these ideas won’t work in one-off workshops. Let’s look at the...
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The kindness of strangers
As Blanche DuBois says in A streetcar named desire: “I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.” Although I don’t actually depend on it, I’m always surprised and humbled when singers step up...
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When singers want different things
I wrote last week about how No choir can be all things to all singers. Some singers prefer sheet music, others learn best by ear. Some love movement and performance, others just want to stand still...
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No choir can be all things to all singers
You can’t please all your singers all the time (see Keeping a choir happy – you can’t please everyone). There will inevitably be times when some singers want one thing while others want something...
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Why does movement put so many male singers off?
In my experience, when it comes to moving and singing at the same time, men seem to find it hardest. photo by Kevin BurkeWhy is this, and are there ways to help?I think there are three main reasons.1....
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10 foolproof ways to stand out in your choir
It’s important for singers to feel wanted and to know that they play an important part in their choir. But if nobody notices you, how will you ever shine?Here are 10 ways to make sure you get noticed...
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