What do you think is the job of the MD? This is a huge topic and I will just briefly touch upon a few individual points. A good musical director wears many hats and has to balance them all. Being an MD requires a lot of multitasking such as leadership, organisation, repertoire selection, administration, mediation, […]
We all face a time where we wan’t to learn something completely new or improve an aspect of something we can already do. Here are a few simple steps to be mindful of in order to help you specifically when it comes to singing. Awareness Be precise in what it is you would like to […]
Ageing with its associated effects is inevitable, yet we can reduce the impact they have on our ability to sing and speak. As the saying goes : Use it or loose it. Exercise and sufficient hydration can counteract many of the ageing effects. I see it as my job to adjust your awareness of your […]
Of course not being able to read music shouldn’t stop anybody from joining a choir or learning to sing. You will have to rely on your memory to be able to remember when to come in and whether the melody goes up or down, how long to sing a note and when to stop singing. […]
It is only when you learn to play and instrument or sing that you realise how hard it is to count to 4, this is because there is so much else going on such as listening to your fellow singers, interpreting the text, watching the MD, considering dynamics, remembering a melody line, using dynamics and […]
Singing in a foreign language adds variety to a concert program and in order to be able to put a song across in a foreign language you must understand exactly what it is you are singing about. The text is usually learnt phonetically unless of course you are fluent in the language already. It is […]
Some songs are ideally suited to include some movements to create a bigger impact. For example simply stepping forwards and backwards to the beat in certain sections of the song “One Day more” from Les Miserables creates a lot of drama. Some small movements create a stronger support for your sound and thus create a […]
This is always difficult for an MD as there are so many people in a choir with so many different tastes in songs. No choir member can be happy with all the choice of songs the MD selects and a big reason for choir members leaving is that they don’t like the repertoire. The MD […]
What is the purpose of humming or blowing into a straw that is in or out of a glass of water and does it really help you create a better sound? Singing/humming through a straw is called an SOVT exercise. Semi Occluded Vocal Tract. The purpose of the straw is to create a back pressure […]
An added bonus to singing correctly is that with regular practice your face will change shape for the better, which can only be a good thing as we age. Raising the soft palate for a better sound and resonance will help lift the cheeks creating more definition. As you raise your soft palate feel the […]