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We're pretty sure you'll agree 2020 has been a year like no other! For the last few months we have closed down rehearsals, gone online with our choirs, learned a whole new set of choir-leading skills, not to mention all the tech we've needed to get to grips with. BUT, we've seen amazing results with community spirit, the joy of singing and solidarity stronger than ever before.

Phew! That's a lot.

So, with that in mind here's three great reasons why we think you should take a break in August, …

The Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown have affected us all. Now we are united not only as choir leaders, but because we are all in the same boat - unable to gather our choirs for rehearsals and performances.

The response from Total Choir Resources members has been nothing short of amazing; an inspiring testament to the love, generosity and belief in singing that we all have.

Times are tough in so many ways. There’s no denying that all our lives have been touched by this pandemic in…

It feels like about a century ago, but was actually less than two months, that we all had call a halt to choir rehearsals to protect our choirs and ourselves from the spread of the coronavirus.

This pandemic is hard on all of us - overwhelming and scary. It feels like we're just treading water, with the pleasure of meeting and singing together just a dim memory.

How choir leaders have risen to face the crisis

But look what we've done. We've accepted the situation is challenging, we've found…

Whether you are bringing different acts together in one concert or it's just your own choir, thinking through the order of repertoire is key in presenting an interesting and varied evening for your audience. Here are some quick tips:

Mix it up

Think about the music styles that will appear in the concert. If it is a specific work of a composer or a musical theatre show then there will be a pre-determined order. If, however, your show is more of a variety performance, with an eclectic range of mus…

Planning a rehearsal season can be a daunting task. You might have new repertoire to learn, existing repertoire to maintain and various performances and events to stay on top of. Here are a few helpful tips to keep everything in perspective.

Avoid 'traffic jams'

If you're lucky enough to receive lots of invitations for your choir to perform, think carefully before you accept, even if it's something exciting that you're dying to say yes to. Most people sing in choirs because it's fun and enjoyabl…

Are you tired of running the same old choir rehearsal week in, week out? Do your singers anticipate what's coming next? Every now and then it's a good idea to spring clean your rehearsal plans and freshen things up. Here are some top tips to get the ball rolling.

Start as you mean to go on

Remember that just because you do things in the same order week after week, it doesn't mean you can't change them. Of course there are certain pre-requisites, such as needing to warm-up before singing, but eve…

When it comes to recruiting singers to choirs, from semi-professional ensembles to community groups, two things have to be in place. First, potential members have to know about the choir. Second, they have to want to sing in the choir. Let's look at ways that you can tick these two vital boxes and attract singers to your choir.

Raising your choir's profile

Unless your choir is very unusual (eg a scratch choir that meets once a year for a single project), you're probably looking to attract sing…

If your choir, like mine, is used to singing with an accompaniment, your singers might find the idea of singing 'without a safety net' quite daunting.

The benefits are huge, however, so think about whether it's time to mix things up in your choir with some a cappella singing, whether it's just for fun and development, or for a performance.

Accompaniment becomes a security blanket

It's fantastic to have a good accompanist in rehearsals. As well as accompanying the choir's singing, they help out wi…

Sometimes it's not easy leading a choir. It can feel like the moment you've finished one rehearsal, the next one rolls around. The meticulous preparation you'd planned hasn't happened. Again.

In this post, I'll set out a few habits you can cultivate to avoid that sinking feeling, get on top of the work involved in leading your choir and get more enjoyment out of your role.

Learn to say no

Whether your choir is amateur, charitable or professional, offers of engagements are very hard to turn down, …

I've seen choir leaders of all stripes in action over the years, both in rehearsal and performance. They vary in style and approach, but I think they have some things in common that you'll always find in an excellent choir leader.

Empathy

A choir is a group of people, each experiencing the music and the process of rehearsing and performing in their own unique way. A choir leader who can put themselves in the shoes of their singers will always be at an advantage.

Only when we understand the experi…