(This post was orginally written for the Embro Thistle Singers Blog.)   I think sometimes we get so focused on making the music as directors and Singers, we forget that the people around us have "baggage" good and bad that we need to unpack before ...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my Blog From the Front of the Choir]   A woman came up to me last Saturday and said “I like coming to your workshops because there are always lots of men”.     Ke...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my Blog From the Front of the Choir]   As they say: size doesn’t matter, it’s what you do with it that counts.   Measuring lung capacity with a spirometer The University of...

(A version of this article first appeared as a post on my Blog Choral Clarity) How do we measure success? This, of course, is a lifelong question that stares us in the face every day. This article is far less philosophical, but does perhaps pose a way ...

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my Blog From the Front of the Choir]   In July 2010, after ten years leading Woven Chords, we had our final concert together.   Little old ladies by Arty Smokes   As always, we h...

This was originally published on the Embro Thistle Singers Blog.  The phrase is that curved line in a piece of music that is like climbing a mountain.  You start out with lots of excitement.  It is hard work to go up that slanted side an...

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my Blog From the Front of the Choir]   There’s a strange thing that happens in choirs just as a concert is coming up. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong.     Benny G...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my Blog From the Front of the Choir]   Last week I wrote about the kinds of Singing that I like (I may not know much about music, but I know what I like!).     Now I want to give...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my Blog From the Front of the Choir] Are you doing your five-a-day for well-being? Here are five things that can help with your feelings of well-being if done daily. five-a-day for wellbeing T...

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my Blog From the Front of the Choir]   Many choirs Dress identically when they perform. Some have a choir uniform, some choose a particular colour for a particular concert, some have specially m...