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Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • Keeping a choir happy – you can’t please everyone

    Added December 23, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 2516 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   There have been grumblings in my choir of late. Some people are not happy.     But is it possible to keep everyone in a choir happy?   I think I’m an approachable guy, but for some reason people don’t come to me dir... read more

  • How to stop singers using word sheets in concerts

    Added December 16, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1555 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   “In our choir we’re not allowed to use words in concerts.”   Photo by Kaptain Kobold   Great idea. In principle. But how do you achieve it?   no words or else ... what? I’ve heard lots of singers say t... read more

  • You are not alone – most people in your choir think they can’t sing well

    Added December 9, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1788 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   This weekend I’m running a ‘voice clinic’ for members of my choir. I’ll be spending time working on basic vocal technique and confidence building.   Photo by asmythie   When I asked people what they want to wo... read more

  • 10 ways to breathe new life into old songs

    Added December 2, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1325 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Sometimes old choir repertoire becomes stale.   Photo by quinn.anya   Well-loved songs start to wear out and lose their sparkle. What can you do to overcome this?   The more the choir sing a particular song, the deeper they go... read more

  • Why it’s easier to sing to 1,000 strangers than friends and family

    Added November 25, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1741 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Put me in front of a huge crowd of strangers and I’ll perform loud and proud.   Photo by Anirudh Koul   But in a room full of friends and family I get embarrassed and stumble. Why is this?   what do you care what they th... read more

  • Stop me if you’ve sung this before: learning different versions of songs you already know

    Added November 18, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 993 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   A while back I taught a song wrongly. Not for the first time!     Even though I corrected myself quickly, the original version stuck in people’s minds and now they can’t shift it.   songs become habit fast It takes... read more

  • Taking a song from source to performance – the many roles of a choir leader

    Added November 11, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1216 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   My main skill is as a teacher of songs to those who don’t read music.   Photo by elfsternberg   Other choir leaders have different skills – like polishing songs for performance (see Teacher of songs or song polisher - whi... read more

  • We’ve come to sing, not to learn!

    Added November 4, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1104 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   People come to my singing workshops because they love to sing.   Photo by Rex Pe   But first they have to spend time learning songs.   This is most evident for those of us who teach songs by ear. Before everyone can sing toget... read more

  • Are singing workshops just a middle-class pastime?

    Added October 28, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1358 views - 2 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I run singing workshops all over the place (why not book me and try one?).   Photo by C. Moses   At some places the workshops are full and there is a waiting list. At others it’s a struggle to muster a dozen singers. Why is thi... read more
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  • Breathing for singers: it’s not what you’ve got, it’s how you use it

    Added October 14, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 2868 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   As they say: size doesn’t matter, it’s what you do with it that counts.   Measuring lung capacity with a spirometer The University of Iowa ca. 1920   The size of your lungs isn’t important in singing, it’s how... read more