what makes a good speech choir

How To Achieve Excellent Tone, Balance and Blend in Your Choir

by Jenny Green | Choir , Singing

Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that can certainly be true with a choir. If you recorded every member of a choir separately and played the recordings simultaneously, it would not sound the same as the whole choir singing!

Why is that?

A key aspect of choir singing is that the sound produced is the result of lots of voices singing together . Because of this, it’s not enough that each singer be good; the quality of the overall sound that a choir produces has to be kept at a high standard. Specifically, the choir’s members must blend well.

I’ll be offering some advice and guidance for choir directors to achieve a good blend with their choir, but of course it all hinges on the singers at the end of the day. So don’t think you can skip this article just because you’re a singer rather than a director!

Balance, tone quality and the blend

Blending in a choir is key to getting a unified sound. It’s all very well when individuals can sing confidently, but if certain voices are sticking out, it’s not a choir anymore – it’s just a group of soloists!

Blending well can be achieved in two ways: Balance and Tone Quality .

As a director of a choir, it is important to listen out for discrepancies in balance amongst different parts. By “balance” here we mean the relative volume of each part. Depending on the piece of music, the volume of each part shouldn’t necessarily be the same. Good balance does not just mean every part has the same volume. It means every part has an appropriate volume.

One common rule of thumb is that the melody should be most prominent. Usually this is in the Soprano part, or whichever part is singing in the highest register. At times though a lower part such as the Tenors might briefly take the focus. As a choir director don’t be afraid to ask for “more tenor” for example, if you want to bring out an important phrase, or ask for “less basses” if they’re overpowering everything else.

As a singer, you should always be aware of the balance your choir is aiming for in each section of each piece, and stay conscious of how your own singing is contributing to that. Are you and the others in your section singing too loudly or too quietly? Adjust your volume and maybe have a word with your fellow singers or the choir director if you feel something’s out of balance.

2. Tone Quality

Tone quality consists of the following:

• The overall style of tone. This can range from a very pure, broad, resonant tone as used in classical choral music, to a narrower, concentrated sound used more in pop and gospel music.
• The vowel and consonant sounds (“enunciation”) used. To make the members of a choir sound more like one person, a general agreement of how to pronounce words must be established. Again, this varies depending on the style of music performed.

Tone quality is much harder to perfect in a choir than balance. It’s mostly up to the singers themselves rather than the director to improve it, because it requires them to not only listen to themselves and each other, but to adapt their voice accordingly. This awareness and response is extremely important in all types of singing, whether performing with a choir or as a soloist.

Don’t be this guy.

Listen to each other

There are various tips and tricks which can be used to encourage your choir members to listen to each other and improve their tone. There’s nothing more harmful to a choir’s blend than singers who sing too loudly, seemingly oblivious to the other singers and the overall sound of the choir!

This skill is more habit-driven than anything, so you should regularly encourage choir members to listen to themselves and their own part more if there is a section or phrase in the music where they are the most prominent. One very important example is if they are singing a section by themselves (solo). While this is happening, the other parts should be listening to them, even if they are not singing anything themselves. It’s a common beginner mistake to “switch off” during rests, when in fact you should be paying attention to how the music continues.

While another part has the solo or is the most prominent, singers should be continually comparing that part’s sound to their own, and applying the directions given in the music score and by the director.

As an example, take this excerpt from “Confutatis” from Mozart’s Requiem. To depict the terrifying hellfire, the tenors and basses are marked forte earlier in the score. However once they have finished and the sopranos and altos are portraying a final plea of mercy, their part is marked sotto voce which means “softly”.

From the markings it is clear that there there should be a huge contrast in the dynamics, but it is up to the choir singers to bring to life these two opposite ends of the spectrum and make the abrupt changes in the music work as intended.

A simple yet effective warm-up for your choir

A warm-up exercise can also help with establishing a better tone amongst the higher and lower voices in order to encourage all the different voices to blend with each other.

This is a good one to start off with as well, as it involves very relaxed singing but with a lot of listening:

Exercise: all together

• While they do this, ask the singers to relax their jaw, massage their cheek muscles and stretch their neck. This will help to get rid of tension in their sound.
• You can move them from one note to another as long as all stay in a comfortable range.

Exercise: Sopranos and Tenors

Exercise: Altos and Basses

A follow-up exercise which gets choir members to retain their desired sound consists of parts staying in their pairs, starting on the “comfortable” G and then doing a long portamento either up or down to the octave above/below for Sopranos/Tenors or Altos/Basses respectively. This provides them with a foundation for the sound before they then venture into more difficult territory. Make sure the portamento is very gradual, as moving too quickly risks losing this solid foundation.

Practice makes perfect!

Getting a choir to listen to the quality of their sound blend is an ongoing process, so make sure to keep their ears active. Use regular reminders, warm-up exercises and encourage active listening to melodies present in other parts.

Listening to each other is not exclusively for improving the sound and blend either. Once you feel they are getting the hang of it, you can use this technique for rhythms, pitch, diction and many other aspects of music.

Get The Book:

Listen/Watch The Podcast:

Popular Guides

• The Circle of Fifths
• Interval Ear Training
• The Dorian Mode
• The Pentatonic Scale
• What is Kodály?
• How to Sing in Tune
• Four Chord Songs
• Syncopation
• Tune a Guitar By Ear
• Chord Progressions
• Common Chord Progressions
• Minor Chord Progressions
• Blues Music
• Time Signatures
• Polyrhythms
• Playing By Ear
• Progressions
• Perfect Pitch
• Active Listening
• Song Writing

Download free ear training apps to help you improve your ear for music:

Musical U » How To » Collaborating » Choir » How To Achieve Excellent Tone, Balance and Blend in Your Choir

How to Conduct a Choir: Lead Like a Pro

Learn how to conduct a choir like a pro by checking out Musicnotes’ detailed how-to guide. Understand the basics of cues, cutoffs, assembling, and more!

Conducting a choir can seem like an overwhelming responsibility. When all eyes are on you, relying on your cues, reminders, and energy, you can’t afford to be unprepared. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you understand the basics of conducting, and how you can confidently lead your choir through a great performance!

Conducting Patterns

One of the most important jobs a conductor has is to the choir on tempo. In order to do this, most conductors use conducting patterns .

A conducting pattern is a pattern in which your dominant hand follows in order to establish beats and tempo to the choir.

Conductors that are directing large orchestras and choirs will oftentimes use a baton so that the entire group can clearly see the motions. For smaller groups and more informal settings, it is sufficient to just use your hand.

BOTH hands can be used to conduct the beat when the non-dominant hand is not being used for cues.

These conducting patterns change based on the time signature, but the most common patterns used are for songs with 4 , 3 , or 2 beats per measure. In the following illustration:

• The numbers represent the beats in each measure.
• The arrows represent the direction of movement between beats.
• The word out represents a movement away from your body.
• The word in represents a movement towards the center of your body.

These basic conducting patterns are widely used and we suggest taking the time to familiarize yourself with them. Depending on how proficient you would like to be, you can go anywhere from watching  YouTube  tutorials, to taking classes, to getting a degree in conducting! All in all, the end goal is for these patterns to become like second nature to you so that your non-dominant hand is free for other cues.

The reason 6/8 is listed with 2/4 is because 6/8 is typically felt in 2 ( 1 2 3 4 5 6) rather than in 6 ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 ).

Cuing Entrances and Cut-Offs

Once you’ve mastered keeping rhythm, you will need to start thinking about conducting cues . Cues are important because, as we mentioned before, your choir is depending on you to lead them through a well-executed performance. Even when songs are memorized beforehand, cues will ensure that your entire choir is on the same page. The two most important cues you will need to learn, both for the choir as a whole as well as the individual voice sections , are:

In order to deliver these cues, you must know the music . This sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s actually much harder than you’d think to direct your choir while looking down to check your own music. You simply won’t have time to always be doing both.

As a conductor, it’s important to always be thinking ahead.

For example, if your alto section has a syncopated entrance at measure 52, you need to have your head up and eyes locked on the alto section at measure 50. Your hand will go up at measure 51, and your cue will come just a moment before the altos make their (hopefully) flawless entrance! All the while you are keeping the tempo and thinking ahead to the next cue you need to give. This is why it’s so important that you know the music better than anyone else. You should be able to cue your choir’s entrances and cut-offs in your sleep!

Cueing Song Sections, Harmony Parts, and Lyrics

When it comes to cueing song sections (such as a chorus or a bridge), harmony parts, and lyrics, you will want to come up with a variety of hand signals that your choir will recognize so that they don’t have to try and read your lips as you whisper-shout different commands. We’ll give you a few ideas:

• Typical church choirs usually stick to 3 harmony parts. If you’re leading a church choir, to cue these parts you might hold up the numbers 1, 2, or 3 , to indicate them singing in unison (1), two parts, or three parts.
• If there is a lyrical section your choir struggles with, decide beforehand on a signal that will correlate. Otherwise, you can simply point to your mouth to get your choirs attention and then mouth the upcoming lyrics.
• Use sign language to indicate choruses (C) and bridges (B). This is especially helpful for when these sections are repeated multiple times.

Arranging Your Choir

When it comes to arranging your choir, the possibilities are endless. First and foremost, we recommend that for every type of formation, the singers should be assembled in a slight arch . If that isn’t possible, the singers on each end should angle their bodies in towards the center. This allows for your choir to really hear each other and blend well. When it comes to placing each section within the arch, the most common formations are:

You can use these formations as a starting point for your choir, but feel free to branch out and create a formation of your own! For example, if you have a smaller choir, you could play around with intertwining different voice parts throughout the entire formation. But for any formation you design, you should keep these two things in mind:

• Every member of your choir should be visible .
• You should hear an equal distribution of voices from your choir.

Energize Your Choir

Perhaps one of the most important jobs of a choir conductor is to set the energy of the choir!

If the conductor looks tired or like they don’t want to be there, the choir will likely mirror that attitude.

You can boost the energy of your choir by:

• Giving a pre-performance pep talk
• Doing fun vocal warm-ups
• Lead some stretches or partner shoulder rubs
• Giving affirming smiles and gestures during the performances
• Making funny faces at your choir (yes, it works!)
• Praising your choir for what they did well

A high energy level from your choir will result in a focused performance as well as motivation to do a good job! It will also ensure that your choir will be focused on you as you guide them through each song and transition.

We hope these tips and tricks on how to conduct a choir were helpful for you and that you feel more prepared to begin your conducting journey! Like anything, the more practice you get, the better you will be. You should always stay motivated to push on through the frustrating times, because the bond between a great conductor and a great choir is one that sticks with you forever. Happy conducting!

Related Posts: 

• 10 Hauntingly Beautiful Choral Compositions for Your Choir
• 10 Telltale Signs You Might Be a Choir Nerd
• Choral Audition Tips from 6 Stand-Out Choir Conductors!

Music Ministry Articles

You’re here Home » Church Music Resources » Music Education » Choir » How to Achieve a Better Choral Blend | Conducting Tips

How to Achieve a Better Choral Blend | Conducting Tips

March 2, 2015 by David West Filed Under: Choir , Church Leadership , Music Education 1 comment

Most of us would agree when singing together we blend sounds more beautiful than we could make individually. For that reason, you should spend time as director working on tone quality and choral blend. You will find it is well worth it. Good blend, though, is still the exception, rather than the rule.

Therefore, why is it that many church choirs never achieve a good choral blend?

Here are a few reasons:

• It requires a high level of concentration and commitment from both singer and director
• The choir must learn the skill of listening to those around them
• The director isn’t hearing the whole auditory experience when he stands in front of his choir or it is not a priority

So, what is blend?  One definition suggests that blend means “to combine so that the parts are indistinguishable from one another.” When people listen to our family sing they often comment on how hard it is to figure out who is singing what part. Why? Because we blend. Our voices have become mixed smoothly and inseparably together. This is an example of choral blend.

Choral Balance -vs- Choral Blend

Obviously, a factor that can affect our blend is balance. By “balance” here I mean the relative volume of each part. Depending on the piece of music, the volume of each part shouldn’t necessarily be the same. It means every part has an appropriate volume. For now, let’s think of choral balance as being something that occurs primarily between voice sections, e.g., balance between the sopranos and basses.

Choral blend must be achieved within each section and within the over all choir in order to establish a unified sound.

Below is a compilation of ideas from several sources that I use with my choirs to help us blend well together.   The concepts are based on unified and well produced vowels and consonants, correct pitches and rhythms, and proper breathing and support.

 Unified Vowels and Consonants

A good chance to discuss vertical shaping of vowels

• Use vowel blending warm ups for choirs on every level
• Sing the same vowel and consonant at the same time. Doing this will make the words more understandable and convey the emotions of the song
• When singing softly, vowels are soft – consonants are never soft
• Avoid the vanish (second vowel-sound) of a diphthong (sound that begins with one vowel and gradually changes to another vowel within the same syllable, as (oi) in boil or (i) in fine.)
• 99 percent of singing should be on a vowel
• Vowels are spacious, high and forward
• Understand and develop the male head voice
• Teach proper breathing – inhalation and exhalation (diaphragm activities)
• Connect voice to the breath

Unified Pitch

(“focus” of pitch and “center” of the pitch are helpful terms)

• Match the voice with the ear to establish a true pitch (listen)
• A flat or sharp pitch is a wrong pitch
• Singing intervals accurately, giving careful attention to ascending and descending half-step intervals
• Understand and hear dissonance as well as consonance
• Vibrato problems are almost always pitch problems
• Individuals and sections can ruin a piece by over singing and “shouting” as they get caught up in the piece.
• Listening to those around you and adjusting your pitch, tone and volume are all important

Unified Rhythm  

Often overlooked, but the voice that sticks out is often late or (less often ) early as well as too loud and wide. If that voice arrives on time, it sticks out much less.

• Sing together at the same time
• Late or early notes are wrong notes
• Don’t change tempo with dynamic changes (unless marked)
• Measured sound and measured silence are equal
• Recognize the smallest unit of the beat to develop a sense of inner pulse
• Staccato singing is a good rehearsal technique to sharpen rhythm and pitch

Unified Dynamics/Balance

This is tied to shaping phrases together as an ensemble

• Sing at a similar dynamic level, crescendo or diminuendo for a perfect balance and ensemble
• The singer must have a real desire to truly have his or her voice become part of the choral sound (forgoing solo technique)

Every choir, no matter how experienced, needs to be made aware of how well they are blending.  To achieve the best blend possible, the music director must be committed to the task. He must tune their vowels, place their consonants, make sure they match pitch, adjust their intervals, and tell them what dynamics to use.

As you see, a lot is up to the music director, when it comes to achieving a good blend. Better communication is a by-product of a good blend and is just as important as explaining the meaning of words and inspiring the choir to make the music “come alive.”

Let’s not hinder the message of the text, especially in our church music, by failing to blend our voices together as one.

How do you work with your choir regarding their choral blend? Leave a comment below.

Related posts:

• Teaching Listening Skills to Improve Choral Blend | Conducting Tips
• How to Prepare a Choral Piece for Your Next Choir Rehearsal
• Proper Posture Tips You Need To Know To Be A Better Singer
• Vocal Abuse Recipe | Singing Tips

Awesome helpful Information!

Leave a Comment

Next post: Free Christian Choir Music | I Choose Faith | 9/11 Tribute

Previous post: Spiritual Preparation in the Life of a Church Music Director

ScholarWorks > Arts & Sciences > Communication > JCP > Vol. 1 (2018)

Creating a Speech Choir: The Bounty of Authentic Audience Experience for Students

Susan Redding Emel , Baker University Follow

For most students at my university, classroom experience alone was the choice for formally developing speaking skills. My idea was to provide students with recurring authentic audience experience, attending to the audience dimension outlined by Derryberry (1989) as a critical requirement of public speaking pedagogy. Through research, a new idea was proposed: Create a Speech Choir, combining talents of the students in one performance. Though it has elements of forensics, reader’s theater, choral reading, public speaking and more, it is not identical to any of these. As the team evolved, more pedagogical elements were added including service learning, attention to feedback intervention, and limited social activism in an atmosphere of collaboration and creativity. Quite unexpectedly, however, Speech Choir managed to attract both students with performance confidence and those professing high communication apprehension.

10.31446/JCP.2018.11

Recommended Citation

Emel, S. R. (2018). Creating a speech choir: The bounty of authentic audience experience for students. Journal of Communication Pedagogy, 1, 58-63. https://doi.org/ 10.31446/JCP.2018.11

Since December 18, 2018

Included in

Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons , Educational Methods Commons , Educational Psychology Commons , Higher Education Commons , Other Communication Commons , Other Education Commons

• Journal Home
• About This Journal
• Editorial Board
• Instructions for Authors
• Policies and Subscriptions
• Call for Papers
• Submit Article
• Most Popular Papers
• Receive Email Notices or RSS

Advanced Search

ISSN: 2578-2568

ScholarWorks | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement

Privacy Copyright

• View All User's Entries
• All Categories
• Announcement
• October 2023
• November 2023
• December 2023
• January 2024
• February 2024
• August 2024
• September 2024

10 ways to be a better choir member

[this is an updated version of a post which first appeared on my blog  From the Front of the Choir ]

Last week I wrote about whether you need singing lessons in order to be able to sing . I suggested that people should simply jump in and join a choir before they ever consider individual singing lessons. I pointed out that there are important group and harmony skills that cannot be taught one-to-one.

This week I want to consider what qualities make for being a good choir member. Of course, this list is personal and not exhaustive, so I would welcome any additions from all you fine readers out there. Do drop by and leave a comment. I always welcome your feedback and wisdom (it can get lonely this side of the keyboard!).

In no particular order, here are ten ways to become the ideal choir member:

always be on time

Make a commitment, accept responsibility, develop self-awareness, pay attention, show consideration for others, listen carefully, have a sense of the whole, keep smiling.

Chris Rowbury:  chrisrowbury.com

• #WalangPasok
• Breaking News
• Photography
• ALS Exam Results
• Aeronautical Engineering Board Exam Result
• Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering Board Exam Result
• Agriculturist Board Exam Result
• Architecture Exam Results
• BAR Exam Results
• CPA Exam Results
• Certified Plant Mechanic Exam Result
• Chemical Engineering Exam Results
• Chemical Technician Exam Result
• Chemist Licensure Exam Result
• Civil Engineering Exam Results
• Civil Service Exam Results
• Criminology Exam Results
• Customs Broker Exam Result
• Dental Hygienist Board Exam Result
• Dental Technologist Board Exam Result
• Dentist Licensure Exam Result
• ECE Exam Results
• ECT Board Exam Result
• Environmental Planner Exam Result
• Featured Exam Results
• Fisheries Professional Exam Result
• Food Technologist Board Exam Result
• Geodetic Engineering Board Exam Result
• Guidance Counselor Board Exam Result
• Interior Design Board Exam Result
• LET Exam Results
• Landscape Architect Board Exam Result
• Librarian Exam Result
• Master Plumber Exam Result
• Mechanical Engineering Exam Results
• MedTech Exam Results
• Metallurgical Engineering Board Exam Result
• Midwives Board Exam Result
• Mining Engineering Board Exam Result
• NAPOLCOM Exam Results
• Naval Architect and Marine Engineer Board Exam Result
• Nursing Exam Results
• Nutritionist Dietitian Board Exam Result
• Occupational Therapist Board Exam Result
• Ocular Pharmacologist Exam Result
• Optometrist Board Exam Result
• Pharmacist Licensure Exam Result
• Physical Therapist Board Exam
• Physician Exam Results
• Principal Exam Results
• Professional Forester Exam Result
• Psychologist Board Exam Result
• Psychometrician Board Exam Result
• REE Board Exam Result
• RME Board Exam Result
• Radiologic Technology Board Exam Result
• Real Estate Appraiser Exam Result
• Real Estate Broker Exam Result
• Real Estate Consultant Exam Result
• Respiratory Therapist Board Exam Result 
• Sanitary Engineering Board Exam Result 
• Social Worker Exam Result
• UPCAT Exam Results
• Upcoming Exam Result
• Veterinarian Licensure Exam Result 
• X-Ray Technologist Exam Result
• Programming
• Smartphones
• Web Hosting
• Social Media
• SWERTRES RESULT
• EZ2 RESULT TODAY
• STL RESULT TODAY
• 6/58 LOTTO RESULT
• 6/55 LOTTO RESULT
• 6/49 LOTTO RESULT
• 6/45 LOTTO RESULT
• 6/42 LOTTO RESULT
• 6-Digit Lotto Result
• 4-Digit Lotto Result
• 3D RESULT TODAY
• 2D Lotto Result
• English to Tagalog
• English-Tagalog Translate
• Maikling Kwento
• EUR to PHP Today
• Pounds to Peso
• Binibining Pilipinas
• Miss Universe
• Family (Pamilya)
• Life (Buhay)
• Love (Pag-ibig)
• School (Eskwela)
• Work (Trabaho)
• Pinoy Jokes
• Tagalog Jokes
• Referral Letters
• Student Letters
• Employee Letters
• Business Letters
• Pag-IBIG Fund
• Home Credit Cash Loan
• Pick Up Lines Tagalog
• Pork Dishes
• Lotto Result Today
• Viral Videos

What Are The Elements Of A Speech Choir? (Answer)

Here is the answer to the question “what are the elements of a speech choir”.

ELEMENTS OF A SPEECH CHOIR – In this topic, we will now learn and discuss about the different elements of a speech choir.

A speech choir is a type of choir that is similar to the traditional choir but only without the music and especially, without singing. The people involved in a speech choir do spoken-word- pieces.

There are two types of speech choir: the conventional or traditional speech choir and the theatrical or dynamic speech choir.

Here are the following elements:

• Like choir, these are the participants who will perform the piece. They can be 12 or more and are divided based on their natural or speaking voices.
• A writing compostion that the members are going to perform. They are usually poems or poetic passages like from the Greek or Shakespearean plays. These are broken into parts by the conductor.
• In simple terms, dance or planned movement. It may not be vital to speech choir. However, it adds emphasis, flair, or dramatic effect to the performance.
• What members will wear. It could be simple or it could be in line with the theme of the piece.
• The ability to mix light, medium, and dark voices well, as well as the capacity to communicate reactions to thoughts or emotions through voice
• The ability to add or subtract how many members that should speak in a certain part to increase or diminish the intensity of the piece.
• The highness or the lowness of the voice
• The capacity to control volume, force, or loudness in order to enhance or reduce emphasis.
• The rate of speed or the ability to balance the rhythm of a piece.
• The capacity to organize the position of the choir on stage for performance effect.

READ ALSO: Musicology – Why Is This Branch Of Study Important?(Answers)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Choir singing improves health, happiness – and is the perfect icebreaker

(Credit: Philip Bird LRPS CPAGB/Shutterstock)

Which is good news – for singing in a choir is beneficial in a number of different ways. We’ve just published some research that reveals that group singing not only helps forge social bonds, it also does so particularly quickly, acting as an excellent icebreaker. We’ve also shown that community singing is effective for bonding large groups , making it an ideal behaviour to improve our broader social networks. This is particularly valuable in today’s often alienating world, where many of our social interactions are conducted remotely via Facebook and Twitter.

But why are so many people flocking to choirs? There’s almost certainly an X Factor effect at play, with people, inspired by TV talent shows, becoming increasingly willing to stand up and perform. It also has long been believed that music-making can create a strong sense of well-being , but since it’s very hard to find a suitable “control” activity, this area is particularly hard to research scientifically.

Although this remains a problem, a number of recent developments have helped us to understand how group singing can improve physical and mental health, as well as promote social bonding.

Body and mind

The physiological benefits of singing, and music more generally, have long been explored. Music making exercises the brain as well as the body, but singing is particularly beneficial for improving breathing, posture and muscle tension . Listening to and participating in music has been shown to be effective in pain relief , too, probably due to the release of neurochemicals such as β-endorphin (a natural painkiller responsible for the “high” experienced after intense exercise).

There’s also some evidence to suggest that music can play a role in sustaining a healthy immune system , by reducing the stress hormone cortisol and boosting the Immunoglobin A antibody.

Music has been used in different cultures throughout history in many healing rituals, and is already used as a therapy in our own culture (for the relief of mental illness, breathing conditions and language impairment, for example). Everyone can sing – however much we might protest – meaning it is one of the most accessible forms of music making, too. Song is a powerful therapy indeed.

Regular choir members report that learning new songs is cognitively stimulating and helps their memory, and it has been shown that singing can help those suffering from dementia , too. The satisfaction of performing together, even without an audience, is likely to be associated with activation of the brain’s reward system, including the dopamine pathway, which keeps people coming back for more.

The psychology of singing

Singing has also been shown to improve our sense of happiness and wellbeing . Research has found, for example, that people feel more positive after actively singing than they do after passively listening to music or after chatting about positive life events. Improved mood probably in part comes directly from the release of positive neurochemicals such as β-endorphin, dopamine and serotonin. It is also likely to be influenced by changes in our sense of social closeness with others.

Increasing evidence suggests that our social connections can play a vital role in maintaining our health – a good social network, for example, can have more health benefits than giving up smoking . So it’s possible that singing can improve health by expanding our social group. Indeed, the rapid social bonding that choirs encourage could therefore be even more beneficial.

Even if we don’t necessarily talk to everyone in our choir, we might experience a general feeling of being connected with the group, leading to our sense of increased community and belonging.

Our choral ancestors

Being part of a cohesive group has been essential for survival throughout our evolutionary history, but being part of a group also raises challenges, such as conflict over resources and mates. In order to survive, our ancestors needed ways to keep the group together through these conflicts.

Music is found in all human cultures around the world. The oldest bone flute is 40,000 years old, so music has been around at least this long. This, and the fact that music often occurs in social settings, from religious rituals to football games, suggests that music might be an evolved behaviour for creating community cohesion.

In Western societies, music-making is often thought to be the domain of a talented few, but very few people actually have no musical ability. The growth of community choirs open to anyone demonstrates these inherent skills and suggests that we are returning to the origins of communal musical behaviour. In light of mounting concerns about loneliness and isolation and the increasingly urgent search for solutions, it is fascinating that people seem to be returning to an interest in connecting with one another through singing. The evidence indicates that our singing ancestors might have held a key to better social well-being.

Singing provides an inclusive and cost-effective means of combating the disintegration of communities that is becoming endemic in many societies today. So whether you’re more into chamber music, the Beatles or Frozen singalongs, finding the right choir could prove the perfect way to improve your health, well-being, and social life.

This article was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

• Choir Robes
• Children’s Choir Robe
• Choir Stoles

Sign up and save

Sign up to our mailing list with discounts and exclusive offers! We promise not to spam you.

From Novice to Virtuoso – Uncover the Best Vocal Training Techniques for Choir Success

Are you a choir member striving to   enhance your singing talent ? It's crucial to know that   great choral music   goes beyond hitting the correct notes. This article will guide you through   effective vocal training techniques   necessary for   improving your vocal skills .

Get ready to   fine-tune your voice   and experience an   impressive transformation in your choral performance !

Key Takeaways

• Vocal training is essential for choir singers to improve their singing skills and produce better sound.
• Effective vocal training techniques include releasing vocal tension, improving head voice, increasing vocal resonance, maintaining proper mouth position for vowels, releasing tongue and jaw tension, and mastering the pronunciation of vowels in singing.
• Incorporating warm-up exercises like the Yawn-Sigh Technique, Humming Warm-Ups, Lip Buzz Vocal Warm-Up, Tongue Trill Exercise, and Two-Octave Pitch Glide Warm-Up can help choir singers loosen up their bodies and voices, improve breath control and vocal resonance.
• Proper breathing techniques such as singing from your diaphragm and exhaling on a hiss are crucial for developing power, control, tone quality in your voice. They also enhance overall performance quality.

The Importance of Vocal Training for Choirs

Vocal training is a must for all choir singers. It helps you sing in the right way. You learn things like how to hold your mouth and where to put your tongue. This makes your singing sound better.

Plus, proper vocal training can stop damage to your voice.

They tackle issues such as breath control and correct pronunciation.

Without good vocal training, a choir can't sound its best. Each singer needs to know how much air to take in and let out when they're singing different notes. With the right training, everyone sings together in harmony.

The Kodály HUB was made under an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership Program called   Kodály HUB - Sing, Learn, Share . It offers tools for teachers so that their students can get even better at singing every day.

Essential Vocal Training Techniques

To achieve effective vocal training for choirs, it is important to focus on essential techniques such as releasing vocal tension, improving head voice, increasing vocal resonance, maintaining proper mouth position for vowels, releasing tongue and jaw tension, and mastering the pronunciation of vowels in singing.

Releasing Vocal Tension

To sing well, you must   let go of vocal tension . Vocal tension can dampen the sound and make singing hard. 

In these videos, she shows ways to spot and get rid of issues with vocal production.

One way is by doing   easy flowing movement exercises . These tasks relax your body and help your voice flow out instead of getting stuck. They also improve your breathing which is key to good singing.

This helps stop any strain in your throat or neck when you sing high notes or hold a note for a long time. So, start using this method in choir rehearsals and at-home practice for better vocals.

Improving Head Voice

Head voice is   key in singing . It gives a   high, clear sound . Videos on the webpage help singers boost this skill. They give   exercises to fix head voice problems . These drills are   fun and easy to do   at home or during choir rehearsals.

All you need is   time and focus ! You can use these tips for your everyday singing program too. The more you practice, the better your head voice will be!

Increasing Vocal Resonance

Singers, listen up! Vocal resonance gives power to your voice without strain. It's a   key skill   for all choir singers.

In these videos, she shows how to spot and solve problems with   vocal production . Practice this at home or during choir practice for best results! The Kodály HUB also offers more   tips and tricks   on boosting your   vocal resonance .

It's an online tool you can use any time you want!

Proper Mouth Position for Vowels

To produce clear and resonant vowel sounds while singing, it's important to have the   proper mouth position . This means   shaping your mouth   in a   specific way for each vowel sound . For example, when singing the "ee" sound as in "see," you should form a smile shape with your lips and keep your tongue relaxed and high in the back of your mouth.

On the other hand, for the "ah" sound as in "car," you should open your mouth wider and drop your jaw slightly. By practicing these different mouth positions for each vowel sound, you can improve the clarity and resonance of your singing voice.

Releasing Tongue and Jaw Tension

To improve your vocal skills, it's important to   release tension   in your tongue and jaw. This can help you sing with more clarity and ease.

These exercises are designed to help singers identify and fix problems related to   tongue and jaw tension   in their   vocal production . Releasing tension in these areas is essential for young singers and choristers looking to improve their overall vocal abilities.

For additional resources on releasing tongue and jaw tension, you can also check out the Kodály HUB website.

Pronunciation of Vowels in Singing

In singing, the way we pronounce vowels is very important. It affects how our voice sounds and how well we can be understood. The videos created by Irene Verburg provide helpful tips on improving vowel pronunciation for choir singers.

By practicing proper mouth position and paying attention to vowel sounds, singers can improve their vocal clarity and resonance. These exercises address   common issues with vowel pronunciation   and offer strategies to fix them.

So if you want to sound your best when singing in a choir, make sure you pay attention to your vowel pronunciation!

Effective Warm-Up Exercises for Choirs

Choirs can benefit from incorporating warm-up exercises into their rehearsals, such as the   Yawn-Sigh Technique, Humming Warm-Ups,   Lip Buzz Vocal Warm-Up, Tongue Trill Exercise, and   Two-Octave Pitch Glide Warm-Up.

These exercises help singers loosen up their bodies and voices, improve breath control and vocal resonance, and prepare for a successful rehearsal or performance. Explore these warm-up techniques to enhance your choir's vocal skills!

Yawn-Sigh Technique

The Yawn-Sigh Technique is a   helpful warm-up exercise   for choir singers. It can improve vocal skills and address vocal production, breathing, and pronunciation issues. The technique is   demonstrated in videos   on the webpage, which offer guidance on diagnosing and fixing vocal problems. The exercises cover topics like releasing vocal tension, improving head voice, increasing vocal resonance, and proper mouth position for vowels.

Humming Warm-Ups

Humming Warm-Ups are an important part of vocal training for choir singers. They help to warm up the voice and improve vocal technique. Here are some benefits and tips for incorporating humming warm-ups into your practice routine:

• Improves breath control : Humming requires controlled breath support, which helps strengthen your diaphragm muscles and improves overall breath control while singing.
• Enhances resonance : Humming exercises help to engage the resonators in your face and head, resulting in a richer and more resonant tone quality.
• Develops vocal flexibility : By practicing different pitches and intervals while humming, you can increase your vocal range and develop flexibility in your voice.
• Relaxes the throat muscles : Humming helps to relax the muscles in your throat, reducing tension and promoting a more relaxed singing technique.
• Increases focus and concentration : Humming warm-ups require focused attention on pitch accuracy, which helps improve your overall musicality and concentration during rehearsals or performances.
• Start with gentle hums on comfortable pitches before gradually increasing the range.
• Focus on maintaining a consistent airflow while humming.
• Experiment with different vowel sounds while humming to explore different resonances.
• Incorporate slides or glides between pitches to improve pitch accuracy.
• Combine humming with other vocal exercises to maximize its benefits.

Lip Buzz Vocal Warm-Up

To warm up your voice, try the Lip Buzz Vocal Warm-Up. It   helps with airflow and congestion . Here's how to do it:

• Relax your lips and keep them closed.
• Take a   deep breath through your nose .
• As you exhale, gently   vibrate your lips together , making a   buzzing sound .
• Start with a low pitch and gradually move up to higher pitches.
• Repeat the exercise several times, focusing on maintaining a steady buzz.

Tongue Trill Exercise

The tongue trill exercise is an   effective vocal warm-up   for choir singers. It helps   improve vocal skills   and   increase vocal resonance . To do the exercise, follow these steps:

• Relax your tongue and make it   vibrate by blowing air   through it.
• Start with a small trill and gradually increase the intensity.
• Keep your jaw relaxed and focus on creating a   steady, even sound .
• Practice the exercise in different pitches and ranges to challenge yourself.

Two-Octave Pitch Glide Warm-Up

The Two-Octave Pitch Glide Warm-Up is a   beneficial exercise   for choir singers. It helps   improve vocal skills   and identify and fix any vocal issues. This warm-up exercise is   especially helpful for young singers and choristers . The videos featuring this warm-up are   created by Irene Verburg , the vocal coach of the National Youth Choir of the Netherlands.

Importance of Breathing Techniques in Singing

Proper breathing techniques are crucial for singers as they provide the necessary support and control for vocal production. Learn how to enhance your singing skills through effective breathing exercises.

Read more to take your choir performances to the next level.

Singing from Your Diaphragm

Singing from your diaphragm is important for choir singers because it helps improve the power, control, and tone of your voice. When you sing from your diaphragm, you use the muscles in your abdomen to support your breath and give you more vocal strength.

It also helps   prevent strain on your voice   by helping you use proper breathing techniques. One way to practice singing from your diaphragm is by exhaling on a hiss - this can help improve breath control and allow you to engage with your diaphragm while singing.

Remember to maintain good posture and keep a relaxed body when singing with the diaphragm. Vocal warm-ups are also recommended as they can help prepare your body and voice for singing with the diaphragm in a fun and effective way.

Exhaling on a Hiss

Exhaling on a hiss is an important   breathing technique   for singers. It helps   improve breath control   and allows you to   engage your diaphragm   while singing. By exhaling with a steady stream of air on a hissing sound, you can strengthen your breath support and produce a fuller tone.

This technique is beneficial for both individuals and choirs, as it enhances the overall quality of the performance. Incorporating exhaling on a hiss into your vocal training routine can help you become a better singer and make your performances even more impressive.

In conclusion,   vocal training is crucial   for choirs to improve their singing skills. By using techniques like   releasing tension ,   improving head voice , and   increasing vocal resonance , choir singers can enhance their performances.

With effective   warm-up exercises and proper breathing techniques , they can further develop their abilities. So let's keep practicing and singing together to create beautiful harmonies!

1. What are some effective vocal training techniques for choirs?

Some good ways to train your voice in a choir include resonance exercises, dropping the larynx, and using descending triads on a vowel.

2. Who can help me learn more about choral training?

Zoltán Kodály from the Kodály Institute offers great tips on music pedagogy and hand signs for better choral training.

3. Are there any fun exercises I can do to warm up my voice before singing?

Yes! Lip trills, tongue twisters, counting exercises or laughter are just a few fun ideas to loosen up your body and voice before singing.

4. How can I improve my articulation when singing in a choir?

Practicing at home with major or minor scales will help. Also try vowel combinations and make sure you always use proper neck/head rolls for practice.

5. Can giving character voices improve my choir skills?

Yes! Trying out different character voices helps extend your vocal range which is useful during show rehearsals.

6. Are there resources available for chorus management?

There are lots of helpful articles in this website, but there are also tools like the Choir Management Software and others that offer ticket sales strategies, fundraising guides, singer recruitment tips and even volunteer handbooks.

Free Shipping Available

Get Free Shipping on all orders over $999 and with the fastest deadlines in the US. What are you waiting to make an order?

Customer Service

We are available to resolve any issue that you may have with our products. Chat with us, call us or send us an email to see it!

Premium Quality

We are the biggest sellers of choir and clergy robes, so we have the lowest price with the most premium quality possible!

Home » What Does It Take To Deliver a Great Choral Performance ?

What Does It Take To Deliver a Great Choral Performance ?

• By Russell Scott

With choirs being so hip and cool these days (quite rightly, it’s been a long time coming!), here are my Top 5 Tips on what it takes to deliver a great choral performance ?

1 – Don’t hide behind your music If you are using music, don’t hide behind it. So many choral singers are blocked by their music – it creates a barrier between you and your audience. Know you music well enough so that if you are using music, you only need it for reference. Hold it low down and away from your head and chest area.

2 – Connect with the music You will not always love the piece you are performing, though it certainly helps if you do! Either way, you need to connect with the music, understand it and deliver it with passion, conviction and character.

3 – Engage your audience Remember, though you love what you do and the way singing makes you feel, it is your audience who is there to listen and watch you perform (and potentially who have paid a lot of money to be there!). They want to be moved, enlightened and taken on a journey to forget everything else going on in their lives at that moment. You have the power to do this with your performance. Perform to your audience as though you are singing to one person. Connect with the words – the music is wonderful but on it’s own can be meaningless. It’s the words which tell the story. And it’s your audience who you need to tell it to. Make every performance count, by exciting your audience and leave them wanting more.

4 – Unite as one Every person in a choir is responsible for the choir’s performance and sound. Many choir members think standing at the back is a way of hiding. Of course they want to be there but often they are less confident and try to hide or mix in with the rest of the group. But actually, everyone has a duty to deliver and is part of the overall sound. Often the stronger singers are placed at the back of a choir to help balance, or mixed in with those less confident. Whichever your Musical Director has chosen, as individuals you are responsible for your own performance. Do not follow others. You contribute to your voice section. Each voice section contributes to the overall sound of the choir. The choir as a whole then engages the audience. Every element counts. 5 – Deliver your finest performance every time Every performance counts. And it feels great to deliver a great performance – so do it! Never accept second best. Never go ‘through the motions’. Always think about what you are doing and how you are coming across. Give 100% energy, focus and commitment every time. Not only will your audience love you and your choir, but so will you, and as we all know singing has so many proven physical and psychological benefits. It makes you feel great, and giving that perfect performance makes you realise just why you do this. Enjoy yourself on stage and your audience will too.

Russell Scott

Russell Scott.

© 2020-24 the russell scott organisation limited. all rights reserved, keep in touch.

• Name * First Last
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Privacy Overview

Katie Breathwick 1am - 4am

Now Playing

Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor Opus 18 (1) Sergei Rachmaninov

Discover Music

10 of the greatest choirs in the world

27 September 2024, 13:43

By Rosie Pentreath

From the greatest gospel powerhouses, and inspiring youth initiatives, to traditional cathedral choirs, we celebrate some of the greatest vocal ensembles performing around the world today.

Listen to this article

The human voice is one of the most versatile, varied and utterly sublime musical instruments we have at our disposal.

And when blended and heard in the context of an ensemble or choir, the sound can be transcendent.

Here we celebrate some of the greatest choirs performing around the world today.

Read more: 15 of the greatest classical choral works ever written

Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

A pillar of the English choral tradition, the Choir of King’s College was founded in the 15th century, and still performs to audiences all over the world – through international touring, and through broadcasts and recordings, including their beloved annual Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols on airwaves around the world on Christmas Eve. The service, which was first broadcast in 1928, is heard by millions across the globe every year.

Read more: What is the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols – and what is the order of service?

O Holy Night – Choir of King's College Cambridge

The Sixteen

Sticking with the English choral tradition, and The Sixteen is a UK-based choral ensemble known and celebrated all over the world for performances delivered with precision, power and passion. The choir’s sound is rich and expressive and through TV broadcasts and film inclusions has introduced countless newcomers to works drawn from well over five centuries of sacred and secular repertoire. The choir established Genesis Sixteen in 2011 to nurture the next generation of vocal talent.

Read more: Classic FM and The Sixteen bring to light centuries-old Byrd motet for ‘King Charles’ in coronation exclusive

William Byrd ‘O Lord, Make Thy Servant Charles’, sung by The Sixteen

Escolania de Montserrat

Catalonia’s traditional boy’s choir, Escolania de Montserrat, was formed for the express purpose of providing choral music for the services of the Montserrat Abbey, to the north-west of Barcelona. One of the oldest institutions of its kind in Europe, the 13th-century choir also prides itself on its provision of “the Christian and moral education for the boys who perform in the choir”.

The Tallis Scholars

British early music choir, The Tallis Scholars was founded by Peter Phillips in 1973, and it’s done much to champion music of the Renaissance and beyond. The choir has its own recording label, Gimell, and through this has released numerous acclaimed and award-winning recordings. The choir’s famous 1980 recording of Allegri’s Miserere remains one of the finest recordings of the piece ever made.

Allegri: Miserere | Peter Phillips & Tallis Scholars

Estonian Philharmonic Choir

The Estonian Philharmonic Choir is inextricably linked with the music of great composer Arvo Pärt , whose work it performs and records often, alongside that of other Estonian composers, and composers from all over the world and all through history. The choir was founded in 1981 by Tõnu Kaljuste, who was the artistic director and chief conductor for twenty years. Paul Hillier, Daniel Reuss and Kaspars Putniņš have also steered the ship.

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Arvo Pärt - Salve Regina

The Mississippi Mass Choir

One of the most celebrated gospel choirs in the US, The Mississippi Mass Choir was founded by gospel singer Franklin Williams and since it released its debut recording in 1988 it’s been in numerous Billboard charts, while winning Grammys and making TV appearances – including on the sitcom Black-ish , and the Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown .

The Mississippi Mass Choir - The Promise

RIAS Chamber Choir

The chorale arm of Berlin’s Radio Orchestra and Choirs, RIAS Chamber Choir first performed in October 1948, under the baton of Herbert Froitzheim. As well as being the vocal ensemble for some of the best orchestras in the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic , this choir’s r aison d'être is also the commissioning and championing of contemporary music for vocal ensembles.

RIAS Kammerchor / Ensemble Resonanz / Justin Doyle - BACH "Komm, Jesu, komm" BMV 229

Treorchy Male Voice Choir

In 2022, Welsh singing legend, Tom Jones, named Treorchy Male Voice Choir – which was founded in its namesake town in Wales’s Rhondda Valley in 1883 – the best of its kind in the world. From organic beginnings as a group of 10 to 15 men meeting in town hall, pub and adjacent settings, the choir has gone on to make over 50 recordings and win the hearts of people throughout Wales – which is world famous for its fine choirs – and far beyond.

Treorchy Male Choir's stunning flashmob version of Calon Lân

Stephen Layton’s ensemble, Polyphony, was born at Cambridge University and quickly made a name for itself as a fine choir of note. The Evening Standard once wrote, “No one, but no one, performs Handel 's Messiah better every year than the choir Polyphony”, and the choir regularly performs with the best orchestras, and atop the most hallowed stages, all over the world.

And though they may be famous for their baroque performances, there’s no other choir you’d want singing contemporary choral music form the likes of Eric Whitacre and Morten Lauridsen.

Whitacre: Sleep

Ndlovu Youth Choir

Ndlovu Youth Choir is a South African choir, founded in 2009 with the aim of giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to participate in music and education, and to thrive. The choir, which has appeared on America’s Got Talent, is a viral internet sensation, and it’s got recording chops too: its debut studio album Africa (2019) went straight to number one in the South African charts when it was released.

Ndlovu Youth Choir - Celebrate (Official Music Video)

Discover music

See more Discover music

Remembering Dame Maggie Smith with her film about Verdi and the joy of singing with friends

Maria callas biopic: cast, plot, music and trailers revealed.

Maria Callas

John Williams reacts to violinist playing Schindler’s List theme in moving tribute

Gladiator 2 soundtrack: who composed it and which themes feature.

Gregson-Williams

Conductor dad sits his son on the podium, who reveals his incredible baton skills

‘it was unforgettable’ – 25-year-old canadian wins prestigious leeds piano competition, best classical music.

See more Best classical music

The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

The 15 greatest symphonies of all time, the 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide, the 25 greatest conductors of all time, the 30 greatest classical music composers of all time, classic fm live playlists.

See more Classic FM Live Playlists

Classic FM Hall of Fame

Essential classical, classic fm video game music, classic fm pet classics, classic fm’s baby bedtime, classic fm revision.

See more Browse by

Periods & genres

Instruments.

See more Mood

See more Occasions

Valentine’s Day

Latest on classic fm, the classic fm music teacher of the year awards with abrsm – our five 2024 winners, ‘mozart dropped a new single’ – classical fans queue to hear newly discovered work in leipzig, beloved tenor andrea bocelli announces 2025 live concert tour in uk and ireland, anna lapwood thunders out saint-saëns’ organ symphony on 9,999-pipe royal albert hall organ, drones fly through salisbury cathedral to spectacular sound of holst’s ‘the planets’ on the organ, 10 greatest pieces of music by gustav holst, footage unearthed of actual dmitri shostakovich playing the piano, why did holst leave earth out of his orchestral suite, the planets, soprano sings blistering top f sharp that you will never unhear, sue perkins joins classic fm to present travel series ‘race to antarctica’ with hx hurtigruten expeditions.

Promoted by Hurtigruten Expeditions