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  • What songs matter to you the most?

    Added August 25, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1068 views - 0 comments
     [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Back in 2012 The Guardian started a project called Six Songs of Me that asks which songs matter most to each of us on a personal level (the project has now ended).   Photo by MvanM   I thought it might be a fun idea to do ... read more

  • Don’t sing because you’re happy — be happy because you sing!

    Added August 17, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1564 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Staring at a blank page waiting for the muse to strike. Slumped in a chair waiting to feel energised enough to go jogging. Feeling down and the last thing you want to do is sing.   Photo by C. Frank Starmer   Sounds familiar? &... read more

  • Why too much rehearsal can be a bad thing

    Added August 3, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1790 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I went to see a concert by Village Harmony this week. It was over an hour long and included an amazing variety of songs from around the world: Georgia, USA, Bulgaria, South Africa – including some pretty smart dance moves! No lyrics and n... read more

  • Does your choir need a constitution?

    Added July 20, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1386 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.     Sue wrote in to ask:   “As a self-funded community choir, do we need a constitution?&r... read more

  • How to cope when singers miss choir sessions

    Added July 13, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 3471 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   What’s great about a group of singers who meet regularly is that you can grow and develop together, improving skills and techniques week on week.   Photo by Listen Missy!   But what happens if not everyone comes to every s... read more

  • How long does it take to learn a song?

    Added July 6, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 7347 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Of course it depends on how complex the song is and how many verses there are.   Photo by Frodo Babbs   But how long does it take to really get a song under your belt so you can sing it confidently without referring to either ly... read more

  • How to answer the question: “What note is that?”

    Added June 29, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1842 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   We’re in the middle of learning a song. People are struggling a bit. Then someone asks: “What note is that?”   Photo by photosteve101   A seemingly simple question, but how on earth do you answer it?   P... read more

  • Why the singers in your choir still love you even though they look bored

    Added June 22, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 5150 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Even though I’ve been teaching for almost 30 years, I still get affected by that glum-looking face in the third row.   ... and it's not just the men!   Just one frown amongst a sea of smiling faces is enough to make me dou... read more

  • Arranging songs for your choir 2: the basics of arranging

    Added June 15, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 2303 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 choosing suitable songs to arrange.   Photo by the incredible how   This week I want to get down to the nitty gritty of how to create an arrangement.   As I pointed out before, there is no way that... read more

  • Arranging songs for your choir 1: choosing the right song

    Added June 8, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 2233 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   A friend of mine asked the other day: “How do you find songs? And how do you do vocal arrangements of them?”   Photo by Jorge Franganillo/   Well, it’s a long story and I certainly can’t teach song arrang... read more