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Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • Two BIG ideas to create your perfect choir or singing experience

    Added June 7, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 1861 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Singing is very simple really: you open your mouth and the sound comes out.   photo by chaosmunkey   But we often allow our heads (and doubts and expectations and fears and ...) to get in the way.   Here are two big ideas... read more

  • How can you possibly teach songs without a piano??!!

    Added May 31, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 1627 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   “You can’t run a singing workshop here, we don’t have a piano.”   photo by Thomas Quine   It’s amazing how many people can’t get their heads around the fact that it’s possible to teach s... read more

  • 10 reasons why your next singing workshop should be a residential one

    Added May 24, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 1359 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   There is something different and special about a residential learning experience.   photo by Martyn Gorman   A whole day of singing is great, but to spend an entire weekend (or even a week) with a bunch of like-minded people, ge... read more

  • Instant choir – just add people

    Added May 17, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 1830 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Most choirs rehearse for months to perfect their songs before they perform.   the Big Night Out Community Choir for BBC Children in Need 2012   But there is an alternative: gather a bunch of strangers together, teach them a set ... read more

  • The only thing stopping you from being a better singer is ...

    Added May 10, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 1822 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   ... YOU!   photo by Stephen Mcleod   Your job is to get out of the way and allow your unique voice to shine. Easier said than done. Recently I ran a course called Better harmony singing – the small group challenge. Before... read more

  • Stop chasing after songs for your choir – learn to respect, research and relax

    Added May 3, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 1768 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   There are people out there desperate to find more songs for their choir.   photo by Victor Grigas   They record everything at singing workshops, go to song swap sessions at every opportunity, exchange songs over the internet, an... read more

  • What exactly is the point of your choir?

    Added April 26, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 2677 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I often get people writing to me for advice about choirs. Some of them don’t agree with the direction their choir leader is taking them, some find the repertoire too hard, some have trouble with singers next to them singing out of tune, ... read more

  • Why being a confident singer is not always a good thing in a choir

    Added April 20, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 3805 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’m all in favour of confident singers (see How to be a confident singer). The problem is there are two kinds and one of them can be disruptive in a choir.   photo by truu   There are confident singers who know what they&r... read more

  • Size matters: how to work effectively with large choirs

    Added March 29, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 2387 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   If I get 30 singers on one of my weekend workshops someone will say “Gosh, what a large group!” whilst another says “Quite low numbers then.”   photo by tsheko   ‘Large’ is in the eye of the b... read more

  • Don’t play a recording of a song to your choir before you teach it to them

    Added March 22, 2017 by Chris Rowbury - 2682 views - 0 comments
    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’m often asked by choir members to play a recording of a song before I start teaching it so they can get an idea of how it sounds.   Photo by ~~Tone~~   Yet at a recent workshop people said that the easiest song to learn ... read more