How Do I Get Better?



There are many ways in which individual members of the choir can develop and make progress over time.

Week by week, the Director will run through the principles of technique in:

·      Breathing

·      Tone

·      Posture

·      Developing dynamic range

·      Caring for the voice

and many other aspects that support choir development. It is the aim of this choir that members are able to make significant progress in their learning and singing. The following pointers are suggestions of how members can think about what they do in practices, concerts, and away from the choir, to make the most of their membership.

Those at an early stage of choral development, and also those who have recently joined the choir, should be starting to:

 ·     look to, and listen to, more experienced singers in the choir, to learn how they are working and to try to emulate the sounds that they can produce

·      understand the range of their own voice, and how to produce good even sounds at the upper and lower pitches of that range, as well as in the middle

·      get to know the basics of good posture when singing, and how to sit, and stand, during concerts and practices

·      learn how good and planned breathing supports good consistent tone

·      start to control their singing by understanding the phrasing of the line, or melody, in their part

·      develop the skill of pitching accurately, placing notes carefully, and having awareness of where the pitch of their part is

·      control their voice so that they can sing appropriately, both loudly and quietly, and with some gradual movement in the range of dynamics

·      control the articulation of notes and sounds, so that their diction when singing, which is different to that when speaking, is clear and supports good projection

 Those who are more experienced, have already started to master some basic techniques, and are developing greater understanding of choral singing will:

 

·      demonstrate good basic singing and breathing skills demonstrate good posture when standing and sitting at concerts and rehearsals