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Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • Why we don’t sing, even though it makes us feel good

    Added February 9, 2012 by Chris Rowbury - 4875 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   “I love singing, but I haven’t sung for years and I really miss it.”     So why haven’t you joined a choir or come to a singing workshop?   missing singing At the end of a workshop a woman came up to... read more

  • Singing competitions are for losers

    Added February 2, 2012 by Chris Rowbury - 1499 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   It’s that time again here in the UK: Choir of the Year 2012 auditions are under way.     Quite often choir members come up to me to ask why we don’t enter. I tell them that’s it’s just not something I’... read more

  • The singers shall remain nameless

    Added January 26, 2012 by Chris Rowbury - 980 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I regularly run weekend workshops with up to 40 singers.     Photo by Dennis Mojado   Sometimes I include name games to get to know people, but I never, ever end up remembering the names!     weekends are differ... read more

  • Calm down dear, it's only a song!

    Added January 18, 2012 by Chris Rowbury - 1504 views - 2 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I was running a workshop recently, and somebody grabbed me in the break and said: “I can’t believe how patient you are with us!”.     I have heard this before in various forms, but this time it set me thinking: wh... read more
    2 comments

  • Do you know the name of everyone in your choir?

    Added January 12, 2012 by Chris Rowbury - 1549 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’m ashamed to say that I don’t know the name of every singer in my choir.     Unless choir members come for a drink after a session or attend one of our social events, then I don’t get the chance to chat to them.... read more

  • No matter how prepared I am, I still get nervous

    Added January 4, 2012 by Chris Rowbury - 1105 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I reckon I’m a fairly experienced teacher and workshop leader. I’ve been teaching in one form or another for almost 35 years.     Photo by nickb_rock   But I still have sleepless nights before a workshop!  ... read more

  • The calm before the concert storm

    Added December 29, 2011 by Chris Rowbury - 3308 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   There’s always a strange sense of calm that descends on the choir before a concert.     People seem unusually relaxed and more people start turning up late for rehearsals. What’s going on here?   I build up to a ... read more

  • A day in the life of a concert

    Added December 22, 2011 by Chris Rowbury - 1754 views - 0 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   This is a busy concert time for most choirs.     I thought I'd give an account of a typical concert by one of my community choirs. This is a description of one particular spring concert some years ago, but the pattern is very simil... read more

  • Why I don't like "a cappella"

    Added December 8, 2011 by Chris Rowbury - 5373 views - 3 comments
    [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   A while back I was asked if I would like to conduct an interview on my blog with a well-known singing group who had just released a new CD.     I had to be honest and say that I didn’t actually like their singing! I said: &ld... read more
    3 comments

  • Leaving the back row - stepping out of our comfort zone

    Added December 1, 2011 by Chris Rowbury - 1881 views - 0 comments
      [this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   If you’re not a confident singer, your impulse will be to stand at the back and hide.     But this is the worst possible place for you!   life in the back row Unless you’re in a fairly small choir which ... read more