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Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • Help someone to start singing in 2015 — maybe even you!

    Added January 7, 2015 by Chris Rowbury - 1357 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’m probably preaching to the converted here as I guess most of you reading this already sing regularly.   photo by T Sundup   So how about getting someone else to start singing in 2015? If we all introduce one new person to th... read more

  • Setting your goals for the new year (guaranteed to work!)

    Added December 31, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1003 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   It’s the time of year when many people make resolutions, set goals and devise plans for the coming year.   photo by --Tico--   But is this a useful thing to do, and if you do it, how likely are you to achieve what you set out t... read more

  • Get your family singing this Christmas – turn off the TV!

    Added December 24, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 888 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Fed up with the family slumped in front of the TV every Christmas and not communicating?     Then turn off the TV and start singing! Christmas is a fantastic time to sing with others. There are so many Christmas songs and carols out ... read more

  • Singing is for life, not just for Christmas

    Added December 17, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1423 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   “Hark the herald angels sing”. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge. Slade’s “Merry Christmas everybody”. “White Christmas” on TV. Midnight mass at the local church. &n... read more

  • The sheet music is not the song!

    Added December 10, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1051 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   A while ago I wrote about an artist who thought that music resides in the musical notation and a musician's job is to realise that notation perfectly.     I disagree completely – the sheet music is not the song!   songs ar... read more

  • Dealing with individual singers in a large choir

    Added December 3, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1416 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]     This post is part of a series of occasional Questions and Answers. Just use the contact form if you want to submit a question.   Morning Star asks:   “What do you do with your big chorus, when there are some folks that ha... read more

  • Now THAT’S what I call singing! Volume 2

    Added November 26, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1547 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Last week in Now THAT’S what I call singing! Volume 1 I shared some of my favourite songs from Europe: Corsica, Georgia, Russian orthodox, gypsy, the Balkans and Bulgaria.     This week it’s the turn of the rest of the wor... read more

  • Now THAT’S what I call singing! Volume 1

    Added November 19, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1472 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Last week I wrote about the kinds of singing that I like (I may not know much about music, but I know what I like!).     Now I want to give you some concrete examples of the kinds of singing that I love. This week Europe: Corsica, Geo... read more

  • I may not know much about music, but I know what I like!

    Added November 13, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1077 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Somebody asked me the other day if I do workshops on songs from the musicals. I don't like musical theatre, so the answer was a resounding “No”.     Many people come to singing workshops because they just love to sing. The... read more

  • Get in line! - the trials of getting your singers to stand in the right places

    Added November 5, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1902 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Sometimes trying to get your choir to stand in the right places is like dealing with an unruly kindergarten class. It seems as if spatial awareness and singing don’t go together.   photo by johntrainor   NB this is a fictional ... read more