When Choir Members Leave By Jaime Babbitt T his common occurrence has baffled choir directors worldwide for (dare I say) centuries. And how about when an accompanist leaves? Whatever is a choral director to do? Ask why…and really be open to hearing the answers, from the members and from yourself.
Recruitment: It’s Never Too Early
Recruitment: It’s Never Too Early By Dr. Megan Wicks-Rudolph H ave you ever thought “It’s too early to recruit? Course cards don’t even come out for another month.”? Or thought, “I need more kids in choir, but I have already tried everything I know.” Or, you have a thriving choral program, but are always looking for more ways to attract those great kids to your program.
Three Things Good Choral Directors Do
Three Things Good Choral Directors Do By Jamie Babbit Choral directors have a fun, yet rough job. Imagine commandeering a room/church/auditorium filled with singers. I know, the mind boggles, doesn’t it? I hate to generalize, but singers are almost impossible to commandeer; I liken it to herding cats. Firstly, most of us singers love to talk.
Quick pre-performance warm-ups for community choirs
Quick pre-performance warm-ups for community choirs – Total Choir Resources Picture the scene. The audience is filing in; anticipation is in the air. You have all your singers gathered, they look to you to prepare them for a fantastic performance. What do you do? In the early days of running my choir I might have said ‘run away’, but over time I’ve learnt to love this …
Better Vowels In An Instant
Better Vowels In An Instant Vowels, vowels, vowels. Choir directors are all about vowels. Vowels are all about shape. The biggest problem I encounter with vowels is that they lack height. Another problem is that they lack structure. Here are some tips to help both problems. AW-ROO – your new best friend.
Singing Well With Others
Singing Well With Others By Jaime Babbitt F or choristers, blending with their sections (and the entire choir) is as important as a sense of balance is to a downhill skier. It brings to mind the phrase, “You have one job!”
Feeling stressed? Join a choir, says top psychiatrist
Feeling stressed? Join a choir, says top psychiatrist One of the UK’s leading psychiatrists has said that students who are feeling stressed should try joining a choir. In a keynote speech at a recent conference on the subject of mental health among students, Professor Sir Simon Wessely hit out at many of the mental health services offered by universities.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Choral conductors and singers share their own practicing best practices
Practice, Practice, Practice Singers are frustrated too, of course. Practicing can easily take a back seat to work, family, school, and other life obligations. And choral conductors understand what their singers are up against. “Our world right now is overwhelming to people,” says Jennifer Tibben, music director of Bella Voce, a women’s chorus in Reno, Nevada, who herself leads seven choirs and has six children at home.
3 Great reasons to run sectional workshops for your choir
3 Great reasons to run sectional workshops for your choir – Total Choir Resources When you work with a choir over a long period, you learn their strengths and their challenges. But not all vocal sections are the same. Sectional rehearsals allow you to focus on the needs of a smaller group, praise their strengths and encourage them to take repsonsibility for their own performance.
Choral singing boosts mindfulness
Choral Singing Boosts Mindfulness The physical and psychological benefits of choral singing have become crystal clear in recent years. Less certain is precisely why joining voices in song is so powerful. Is it connection with a like-minded community? A sense of shared purpose? The thrill of creative expression?