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Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • How close should a vocal arrangement be to the original song?

    Added September 28, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1097 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Some years ago I did some voice-only arrangements of Queen songs for a weekend workshop. I ended up listening to a lot of Queen recordings!     It made me wonder: how close do you need to stick to the original recordings when doi... read more

  • Easy songs for your choir 2: rounds, chants, call & response

    Added September 21, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 7127 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 what makes a song ‘easy’.     This week I’ll look at specific types of easy songs: rounds, chants and call & response songs.   rounds The easiest songs to start with if you want t... read more

  • Easy songs for your choir 1: what is ‘easy’?

    Added September 15, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 5873 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.     Linda writes:   “Because I like to sing, my work has asked me to do a lunch time fun s... read more

  • It’s too hot to sing! – choosing the right space to work in

    Added August 31, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1186 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Summer has finally arrived in the UK. We’ve been praying for sunshine for so long, but now it’s just a little TOO hot!   Photo by enfad   Too hot to do anything really other than lay under a shady tree sipping Pimms.... read more

  • What songs matter to you the most?

    Added August 25, 2016 by Chris Rowbury - 1073 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 - 1569 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 - 1792 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 - 1389 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 - 3483 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 - 7375 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