Mistango Choir Festival

Chris Rowbury's Blog Entries

  • Your singing voice: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I wrote a post a a few years back called Do you need singing lessons in order to sing?   Photo by Anna Strumillo   My main point was that many people are frightened to sing in public before they’ve had ‘training&rsqu... read more
  • Can you be the wrong age to sing?

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Here in the UK the arts seem to cater for just three age groups.   Photo by vintagedept   If you don’t fit into one of these, then woe betide you!   the three ages The groupings (and what they really "mean") are: ... read more
  • Sing folk songs of Eastern Europe in beautiful English Lake District, 22-24 July

    Early bird dealine for this weekend ends on Friday 22 April, £20 per person extra after that date.   SING FOLK SONGS OF EASTERN EUROPE — residential weekend   Friday 22 July 2016 5pm to Sunday 24 July 2016 2pm Brathay Hall Ambleside LA22 0HP Cumbria, Lake District Cost: £185 (superior twin/ double)/ £170 (smal... read more
  • Luxury residential harmony singing weekend with Chris Rowbury near Peterborough, 3-5 June

    HARMONY SINGING — residential weekend with Chris Rowbury   Friday 3 June 2016 5pm to Sunday 5 June 2016 2pm Holiday Inn, Peterborough West Thorpe Wood Peterborough PE3 6SG   Cost: £200 (shared twin/ double), £215 (single occupancy) £120 (non-residential) PER PERSON Go to Chris's website to download a booking... read more
  • Does ‘world music choir’ actually mean anything?

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   When I’m promoting a singing workshop or recruiting for a choir, I want a shorthand way of describing the kind of songs I teach.   Photo by Amir Taj   There is such a range of different ‘choirs’ out there (whic... read more
  • Does a community make a choir, or does a choir create a community?

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’ve written before about how hard it is to get a cross-section of ages and genders in your choir (How to recruit singers to truly reflect your local community).   Photo by Jose Paulo Carvalho Pereira   But maybe that&rsqu... read more
  • First choir rehearsal is great, then it’s all down hill!

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   It’s the first week of the new choir. Everyone is having fun, songs are being learnt at a cracking pace, the whole room is in tune with each other, things are really cooking!   © Copyright Peter Ward and licensed for reuse u... read more
  • The social side of singing: any excuse for a tea break!

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   When I’m booked to run a singing workshop for someone, I always make sure that I get there early. I usually arrive to find people milling around, chatting and drinking tea.   Photo by World Agroforesty Centre   The hardest... read more
  • Don’t sing what you don’t know (or don’t like)

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   “I hate this song!”   "Well, don’t sing it then." “No, it’s OK, I’ll do it.”     Photo by Anna Strumillo   i don’t like this song Not everyone in a choir will like e... read more
  • Can I call myself a ‘singer’?

    [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   One place I work at, they call my workshops ‘singers weekends’.     Somebody once told me they couldn’t come on one because they weren’t a ‘singer’.   That’s madness, of course. As... read more