Announcement: GLOJES official choir leadership training starts soon

5 great tips for raising musical standards in your choir As choir leaders, we are always striving to produce the best possible sound with our choirs. Whatever type of choir you lead, there's always something more to learn and something that can be improved. The trick is to inspire your singers into achieving greatness rather than to nag or chastise them, which will only end up with negative results. Empower them with a bit of knowledge and know-how and you will soon reap the rewards with an amazing sound. Improve vocal skills It goes without saying that the better your singers' ability, the better the sound of the choir. You don't need to be a trained singer yourself, all it takes is a few little techniques and pointers to help your singers to produce a better sound, which in turn help them to take better care of their voices. I find this is best done at the beginning of a session as part of the choir's warm-ups. Think about the techniques important for your current repertoire and work them into a structured warm-up session. Key areas to focus on are relaxation to avoid tension in the voice, breathing techniques to teach support and control, and pitch and harmony exercises to get singers thinking about the notes they are producing. These are all areas of singing which over time will help to achieve a better sound. Develop the choir's relationship with you As a conductor you are the one holding everything together, so it's vital that your choir pays attention to you. Building a relationship with them over time will help this, but don't be afraid to let them know if they are not looking at you. A humourous remark in my experience is the best way; perhaps tell them about your dented ego when they are not fully engaged! Whatever works for you, its really important they follow your signals to keep the piece together, co-ordinated and on track. It is therefore vital that you give your choir clear signals so that your singers can interpret you easily. For example, if you're bringing a section in make sure you acknowledge them in advance ready for their entrance, rather than a quick signal when their line actually begins. Keep your facial expression lifted and bright, give clear signals and breathe when your choir needs to breathe.