Have you ever had to pause in the middle of a rehearsal because one of your singers is out of tune?   Do you get frustrated when, no matter how many times you practice blending exercises and focus on listening to one another, there is still a voice...

There might be readers of this blog who want to mount a really big work with a relatively small choir. In which Case I thought I’d share some thoughts on our current project to perform Verdi’s Messa di Requiem in Guildford on November 24th 201...

Endora is a chamber choir founded in september 2010. Endora is the Hebrew word for fountain. A fountain wher in this Case the musical joy starts to spray it's joyful notes. The love for music and the willingness to reach a good choir sound is the start...  moreEndora is a chamber choir founded in september 2010. Endora is the Hebrew word for fountain. A fountain wher in this Case the musical joy starts to spray it's joyful notes. The love for music and the willingness to reach a good choir sound is the starting point of this ambitious group of amateur singers. The choir members originate from different kind of choral background (close harmony, church choir and oratorium choir). Endora consists of 8 sopranos, 8 altos, 5 tenors and 5 basses.  

This post first appeared on www.HelpingYouHarmonise.com   When I was working up to my Grade 1 piano exam aged 8 or so, my piano teacher introduced me to a game of ‘lucky dip’. This involved identifying all the passages in my pieces I wa...

Flashmob in a Shopping Mall in the city of Koblenz, at 18th of May 2013.

[this is an updated version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I was in the middle of planning a workshop and was checking through a few songs to make sure I had the correct lyrics, source, meaning, backgr...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   We’re in the middle of learning a song. People are struggling a bit. Then someone asks: “What note is that?”   Photo by ph...

Mood Swing is made up of about 20 members. Some have been here since the beginning, some joined this year and others fit somewhere in the middle. We have an exacting standard of singing - we are just not sure what that exactly is! One of the most impo...  moreMood Swing is made up of about 20 members. Some have been here since the beginning, some joined this year and others fit somewhere in the middle. We have an exacting standard of singing - we are just not sure what that exactly is! One of the most important facets of Mood Swing is that we have fun with what we do and it comes across not only in our singing, but also in our performances. We may not have perfected laughing and singing at the same time, but we give it a fair go! Since 2001, Mood Swing have been wowing audiences with our full sounds and suave choreography. With a range of music from '20s swing, African songs, traditional gospel, contemporary hits and fun ditties arranged in three and four parts, Mood Swing have something for all ages. Fabulously led by Lisa Schwabe, Mood Swing have been singing around Melbourne at concerts, churches and private functions to the delight of all who see and hear us. Don't you be the one to miss out!  less

One of the things we find with our choir is  that during the middle or the year (our New Zealand winter) , we're often plagued with choir members getting sick, wintery bitter weather (so nobody wants to leave their warm homes), or members taking trip...

music by Colin Eatock text by Francis Kindlemarsh Cast off all doubtful care, Exile and banish tears; To joyful news divine Lend us your list'ning ears. An earthly tree a heavenly fruit it bear, A Case of clay contained a crown immortal. A cro...  moremusic by Colin Eatock text by Francis Kindlemarsh Cast off all doubtful care, Exile and banish tears; To joyful news divine Lend us your list'ning ears. An earthly tree a heavenly fruit it bear, A Case of clay contained a crown immortal. A crown of crowns, a King whose cost and care Redeemed poor man, whose race before was thrall To death, to doom, to pains of everlasting, By His sweet death, scorns, stripes, and often fasting. A star above the stars, a sun of light, Whose blessed beams this wretched earth bespread With hope of heaven and of God's Son the sight, Which in our flesh and sinful soul lay dead. O faith, O hope, O joys renowned for ever, O lively life that deathless shall persevere. Then let us sing the lullabys of sleep To this sweet babe, born to awake us all From drowsy sin that made old Adam weep, And by his fault gave to mankind the fall. For lo! this day, the birth day, day of days, Summons our songs to give Him laud and praise.  less