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Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • When you don’t feel like singing, that’s the perfect time to do it – sing yourself happy!

    Added April 24, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 870 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Many of us wait until the mood hits us before we do something. But often the doing something is what changes our mood for the better.     The saying “Don’t sing because you’re happy, be happy because you sing” h... read more

  • Copying music – how to stay on the right side of the law

    Added April 18, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 796 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I get regular emails from people asking questions about songs and copyright. I’m certainly no expert, but I have written a few articles that you might find helpful.     I’ve also just discovered something called The Code of... read more

  • If you don’t feel nervous before a concert or a singing workshop then something’s wrong

    Added April 10, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 1127 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I never sleep the night before running a singing workshop and I always feel terribly nervous before a concert – whether I’m singing or conducting.   photo by Francesco   But I wouldn’t have it any other way. The day ... read more

  • What if the singing session is a success, but you feel like a failure?

    Added April 3, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 750 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Sometimes we’re asked to lead a rehearsal or run a singing workshop or perform a song and we do our job very well. But afterwards we don’t feel particularly good about it.   photo by www.stockmonkeys.com/   What’s go... read more

  • What’s the best recording device to use in a choir rehearsal or singing workshop?

    Added March 20, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 1164 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] How long’s a piece of string? There are so many options that I’m not going to specify any particular type or model.   photo by svennevenn   However, here are some of the things you need to consider.   what to consid... read more

  • Recording during singing workshops and choir rehearsals – why, what and when?

    Added March 13, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 860 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I always teach songs by ear. Despite my strong belief in the oral/ aural tradition, there is an increasing number of handheld recording devices appearing in my singing sessions!   photo by Harris & Ewing [Public domain], via Wikimedia Common... read more

  • The singers who didn’t like warm ups (and what became of them)

    Added March 6, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 4513 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Once upon a time there were two singers: Olga and Little Erik. They  did not like choir warm ups. Olga always came late so she could avoid them. Little Erik did them in a half-hearted way with a scowl on his face.     What became ... read more

  • 10 exercises guaranteed to get your singers listening more carefully

    Added February 27, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 1535 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 went to a workshop run by the amazing Su Hart who has spent around 25 years working with the Baka people of Central Africa. Living in the rainforest as they do, listening well is literally a matter of life or death.   photo by... read more

  • Build it and they will come – why you can never have too many choirs

    Added February 20, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 1124 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I had a friend who moved to a new town and set up a new choir, blissfully ignorant of the 100+ community chorus that already existed there.   photo by ToBreatheAsOne   What was amazing was that the new choir quickly attracted 40 or so... read more

  • Why a choir can never be truly democratic

    Added February 13, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 2612 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Ever asked your choir members how they think things are going? Is there a large committee helping to run your choir? If so, you’ve realised that a choir is not a democracy.     A choir is more like a benign dictatorship. Here&rsq... read more