No energy? Sing different, sing better!

• Posted by Chris Rowbury June 10, 2015 - Filed in Choir Post - 1,260 views

  [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]

   

  I’ve been under the weather lately with no energy at all. But last night was choir night so I had to pull something out of the bag.

   

  

  So tired by KcPhotography LA

   

  I decided to use the fact that I had no energy to structure the rehearsal and we ended up doing some really good work.

   

  don’t give your energy away

  I tend to be a bit of an Energiser bunny when it comes to choir leading. And at the end of a session I’m exhausted because I’ve given so much energy out.

   

  There was no way that I could have functioned like that last night.

   

  I was determined to keep a lid on how much energy I gave out which meant that I:

   

  • spoke more softly,
  • sang more gently,
  • used smaller gestures,
  • moved more slowly, and
  • generally took more time over everything.

   

  The keys of the session were subtlety and sensitivity:

   

  • fine attention to detail,
  • listening more carefully,
  • taking things slow (not something I’m very good at!),
  • being more focused,
  • working as a group.

   

  low energy = relaxed and easy

  Gradually my own low energy permeated the whole group, but not in an “oh God, I’m so tired I need to go and lie down way”, but more of an “oh, this is nice and relaxed, everything’s possible” way.

   

  The singing was better, the harmonies more accurate, the listening more attentive, the work deeper ... and we still got as much done as we normally do!

   

  Rather than going for it wholeheartedly, people became part of the music.

   

  Rather than forcing it, they allowed their voices to come out.

   

  Rather than belting out their own part, they added their contribution to the overall harmony.

   

  Rather than being bigger and bolder, everything was smaller and more refined.

   

  don’t use all your energy all of the time

  When we are on form and full of energy we tend to gloss over the subtleties and go for it with all our might. But actually we can end up using more energy than is needed and the end results are not always that accurate.

   

  Next time you go to choir or a singing workshop, try to see how little energy you can use to sing. Stay relaxed and alert, allow the sound to flow through you rather than forcing it, and listen more carefully.

   

  You may well be surprised how good you sound and how effortless the whole thing is!

   

  how was it for you?

  Have you had a low energy day when you’ve found things actually got better? Do you find that when you’re feeling tip top you sometimes over-use your voice and push things too hard? Have you tried focusing on listening to sounds in rehearsal as opposed to producing sounds?

   

  Do drop by and leave a comment. I’d love to hear about your own experiences.

   

   

   

  Chris Rowbury

   

  website: chrisrowbury.com
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