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Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • How welcoming is your choir?

    Added November 20, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 630 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I bet you think your choir is a wonderful, friendly little community that welcomes newcomers with open arms. But what if I told you that new members might find your choir scary, cliquey and unwelcoming? Maybe it’s time to look at things from a di... read more

  • Sing something simple (and see if your singing is as good as you think it is)

    Added November 13, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 724 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] If you’re like me, you’re always tempted to add harmonies to the simplest of melodies, whether it’s singing along with others or arranging a song. But don’t overlook the simplicity of unison singing and drones. These are great w... read more

  • Planning ahead: leave space for the unexpected

    Added November 6, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 638 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]A vital part of a choir leader's job is to spend time planning: individual rehearsals, concerts, repertoire, choir seasons, etc.   photo by webmink   But be careful not to over-plan or you won’t be able to respond to the unexpected.... read more

  • Get out of your singing rut and try something new – it will make you a better singer

    Added October 30, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 590 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I’ve written before about how you can use the long choir break to get better at what you do.   photo by troy   One way is to attend singing workshops lead by a variety of different leaders. It’s a great opportunity to try so... read more

  • Choir leaders: who’ll replace you when you’re gone?

    Added October 23, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 897 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Nothing lasts forever. There will come a time when you will leave your choir and need someone else to take over.     Who will you hand over to and how easy is it to do? Let’s look at some options.At some point you will need to hand... read more

  • Making the most of your singing voice – it’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you do with it

    Added October 9, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 1196 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] We are not all born equal. Some have longer legs which helps them to win at hurdles or the high jump. Some have longer fingers which helps them to play jazz chords on the piano. photo by muzina_shanghai But what you are born with need not limit wha... read more

  • What is your measure of success? – choir leading and self-reflection

    Added October 3, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 657 views - 2 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] How do you know if a choir session or singing workshop or performance has been a success? photo by shadowkilla_tk And if it has gone badly, how does that feed back into your teaching and choir directing?We all have an intuitive feeling for when som... read more
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  • The curse of confusion: why thinking is bad for singing

    Added September 25, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 818 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I teach a song by ear in less than an hour at a workshop. Everyone picks it up really quickly and then they sing it brilliantly. We’ve been working on the same song with my very accomplished weekly choir for quite some time. They really strugg... read more

  • How to pace a long singing workshop effectively

    Added August 29, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 903 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   If a singing workshop is just a couple of hours long, then singers’ energy and concentration will probably be fine.     But for workshops which last a whole day, energy, concentration, focus, boredom, etc. all become factor... read more

  • Have you got what it takes to be a singer?

    Added August 22, 2019 by Chris Rowbury - 747 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   There’s a lot of nonsense out there about what it takes to be a singer.     The fact is, you already are one! Let’s unpick some of the myths and misconceptions. what does it take to be a singer? I believe that every... read more