Apparently I’ve been doing it all wrong :o)

First posted: 15 October 2015

So, well, what can I say.  As you may or may not know, I have huge amount of musical experience, personal vocal coaching, choir coaching, and have sung in various types of choir, in octets, quartets, etc for many many years (yes, I am very old). However, my formal music education leaves something to be desired...  So, how have I been directing a choir for the past year, I hear you ask? Well, I’ve been using the techniques I have inadvertently learnt as a choir member myself and added in my own style ... ie, using the tried and tested “making it up as I go along” method!  It has been an organic process, and one I have enjoyed very much, and I think I do a pretty good job of communicating with my choir.

However, I decided it was time to see what this “Directing” malarky was all about.  So I took myself off to London on Sunday for Part 1 of a Musical Directors’ Course at the ABCD School of Music.  I had the most amazing day, made some lovely friends, and basically found out that I have got into some rather bad habits.  Jo McNally, who runs the course, is lovely, welcoming, supportive, encouraging, forgiving and actually just a really fun person to be around.  I was videoed!! (no I won’t be posting it!) and learnt so much. In a nutshell, I really must learn to stand still. Less is more, etc, etc.  I also learnt about the more technical side of directing which I know is going to be very helpful.  

I used the “Circles” warm up with Iver Singers on Tuesday and it was a great success. I will be doing a bit more of that next week.  Come along if you want to see what it’s all about! You never know, you might like it!!

Yours in harmony (in the key of Eb in 4/4 time)

Sara <3 x