When I lead a one-off singing day or weekend, I’m always amazed at how many songs I’m able to teach — and how quickly singers pick them up.
This is in stark contrast to weekly choir rehearsals which are often harder work and far less productive. So what’s going on here?
Quite often, something happens that means a singer can’t attend a singing event they’ve paid for.
I used to deal with each situation individually, which caused me a lot of stress and anguish. That’s where a clear cancellation policy comes in handy.
After teaching songs to a group of singers, I often get feedback that it was hard to concentrate because so many people were talking.
It always surprises me, since I don’t usually notice. So what’s going on here?
Any half-decent choir will help singers improve their skills week by week.
But sometimes that alone is not enough if you really want to develop and grow.
Sometimes I come across a beautiful song and start searching online for a choral arrangement.
All too often, though, what I find is weighed down with so many bells and whistles that the original melody—the very thing that drew me to the song in the first place—ends up buried under the layers.
The thing about creative inspiration is that you can’t conjure it at will.
It pops up when you least expect it. Rather than tackling lack of inspiration head on, simply wait and something will appear, often right in front of you.
Over the years, countless singers have told me how much choir has supported their mental wellbeing.
There’s no doubt: singing together has real therapeutic benefits. But we need to be clear — it isn’t the same as therapy.