[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across the globe. Your experiences may differ from mine, so do feel free to leave a comment and let's begin a conversation! A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]
It seems such a straightforward idea: learn a bunch of songs then find some people to sing them to.
But planning a successful concert involves a lot of planning. Here’s a guide to how you might approach it.
Putting on a successful concert is hard work and involves a lot of planning. Here are a few questions that might help.
Not every choir performs. Singers can have a satisfying experience learning songs together without anybody else ever hearing them. In fact, performances can add a lot of pressure which many singers just don’t need. Especially nervous singers who are just starting out.
Even if you decide not to put on a concert, there are other ways of sharing the songs you’ve learnt. See 7 ways to share your choir’s singing without making a big performance of it
See also:
Should you choir perform live? – arguments for and against
Choirs that don’t perform
Is there a special reason for having this concert? Maybe it’s your choir’s 10th year or the anniversary of one of your favourite composers or your local town’s heritage day. Or it could be to raise money for charity or to celebrate the opening of a new venue.
The clearer you are about what your concert is for, the easier it will be to programme and publicise it.
There are obvious things to take into account:
Many concerts happen in churches. These are often the only large venue in a small town, and they are usually far more affordable than a local arts centre. However, it can put certain audience members off. See The pros and cons of using churches for choir performances
It may be possible to form a relationship with a venue in your town which is of benefit to both of you. They can help with rehearsal space, advertising, ticket sales, etc. whilst you might form part of their outreach or community programme (always good for arts funding!).
From time to time you might want to go big and do a one-off special project or do a joint gig with other choirs or local bands. You are then likely to sell far more tickets than usual and might be able to afford a larger venue.
Depending on health and safety regulations and performing licences, it can be fun to find unusual venues to perform in: empty swimming pools, old factories, public parks. etc.
See also Making the space work for you – how to cope with unusual venues
What will you be performing at your concert? This is where song choice comes in. And depending on that song choice (and particular arrangements you choose) it will also determine what else you might need like backing tracks (and PA system), soloists (and microphones), musicians (or accompanist), and so on.
Your ‘why?’ and ‘what for?’ answers from above will help you to narrow down your choice of songs, especially if the concert is themed in some way.
See Choosing the right songs for a concert
At some point you’ll need to publicise your concert. Getting the timing right is tricky: too soon and people will forget by the time it comes around. Too late and people will have arranged to do other things.
Use as many publicity outlets as you possibly can. Social media now allows you to drip-feed publicity over a long period at no cost to you other than time. Remember that any single form of publicity will not work on its own. For example, posters are good at reminding people about something that they’ve heard about elsewhere.
Make a timetable so you don’t miss monthly magazine deadlines. Write many different versions of your publicity with a range of different angles. Some will suit some mediums better than others. And if you’re using social media you don’t want to keep repeating yourself.
Make sure tickets are easy to buy and have several options for buying them (not everyone likes buying things online).
See also:
How to sell more tickets at your next concert: use your choir members
How to sell more tickets at your next concert: widening the net
How to promote your next concert to reach more people and get a bigger audience
Finding an audience (series of 4 posts)
Next week I’ll be looking at the nitty gritty of how you get your concert together: choosing a running order, looking at song structures, entrances and exits, debriefing, etc.
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Chris Rowbury
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