Reading Phoenix Choir perform Bogoroditse Devo, a setting of text taken from the Russian Orthodox All-Night vigil ceremony. The words are a prayer to Mary, Theotokos Virgin, rejoice, (or: Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos) Mary full of grace, The Lord is ... more
[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir] To make singing as accessible as possible, I don’t use sheet music when I teach. This often freaks out people who are used to having a score in their...
[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Last time I wrote about whether it’s better to be over-rehearsed or under-prepared. I talked about people who like to spend a long time working on on...
[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Over the years I have run choirs and singing groups all based on the same principles, but in different locations. The general mix of genders, ages, backgro...
[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir] I have to admit that I’m not really a lyric person. I might have been listening to a particular pop song in English for years when I suddenly realise...
[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir] Last weekend I ran a singing workshop for 40 strangers. As always everyone worked well together (no prima donnas!) and we produced a wonderful sound at the...
Miserere miseris - from the Dublin Troper, c. 1360, arranged Michael McGlynn - The Waldorf Students Choir, conductor: László Bencze. Recorded on 20. 06. 2015. on The Night of Museums in the Hungarian National Gallery Budapest
Singing in a choir is fun, it builds teamwork and confidence in people as they work together to accomplish a common goal. Singing also shares something unique from all other musical instruments: words. This means it is a powerful tool for memory and speec...
[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir] The Sing Up programme for schools was set up by the UK government in January 2007 and was funded by them until April 2012. Their aim is to “give ever...