International Choir Festival InCanto Mediterraneo
Chris Rowbury Chris Rowbury

Categories

Archives

Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • Music lives in flawed humans and not on the page

    Added February 12, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1033 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I met a painter a while back and he asked me if I was an artist. I told him that I didn’t paint, but that I worked with music. He then asked: “Where do you think the music resides? Is it in the written score?”   photo by Ja... read more

  • How to use gestures to conduct your choir effectively

    Added February 5, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 2098 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Sometimes I describe my job as being the guy who stands out front and waves his arms about. “I point, you sing” is what I tell the choir.   Caradog Statue, Aberdare by Darren Wyn Rees   That is basically what the job entai... read more

  • 12 ideas to help deal with problems in a small chorus

    Added January 29, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1771 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   This post is part of a series of occasional Questions and Answers on my own blog.Just use the contact form if you want to submit a question.  A choir leader asks:   “I would very much appreciate your response to something that ... read more

  • Song meanings lost in translation

    Added January 22, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 2348 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I have to admit that I’m not really a lyric person. I might have been listening to a particular pop song in English for years when I suddenly realise what it’s actually about! Or someone might point out the really obvious meaning to me, w... read more

  • Does your choir really need a conductor (and if so, how many)?

    Added January 17, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1657 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I used to run a small women’s choir of 12 singers. One day it dawned on me that my job was to make myself redundant.     I researched, arranged and taught a variety of songs to the group each week. But when it came to performance... read more

  • How to deal with unwanted talking during choir rehearsals without killing anybody

    Added January 10, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 5812 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’m usually the last one to notice, but often when I’m teaching one section of the choir, there’s chit chat from the rest of the singers.   photo by Mel B.   It’s not necessarily off-topic and is often about th... read more

  • Looking forward/ Looking back

    Added January 1, 2014 by Chris Rowbury - 1465 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Time to look forward to the coming year.   with thanks to my lovely assistant Susie Mendelsson   Look back first to realise all the big mistakes you made, make a note of all those missed opportunities and unrealised dreams, then forwa... read more

  • Singing is for life, not just for Christmas

    Added December 24, 2013 by Chris Rowbury - 1611 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared 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.   photo by by Richard Croft   ... read more

  • Singer or chorister? Choirmaster or conductor? What do you call yourself?

    Added December 19, 2013 by Chris Rowbury - 17612 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’ve suddenly realised I don’t know what to call myself any more. I used to be a ‘choirmaster’ (a term I got from Gareth Malone and thought it sounded posh).     But when I’m not runninga choir what should... read more

  • What is YOUR choir horror story?

    Added December 11, 2013 by Chris Rowbury - 1582 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   A while back I wrote a post called Over-rehearsed or under-prepared: which is better? One of the comments got me thinking about things that have gone wrong for me in performance or rehearsal.   photo by by Jeremy Brooks   Then I thoug... read more