Choral Coaching
Be the best you can be
I love all of my musical life and coaching choirs, choruses, and ensembles really is something I love to do. It's so much fun to meet a group and help it to become better. Choral coaching is very different from choral conducting or directing, of course. As a long-time choral conductor and music director myself, I find I am generally so close to the performance that I sometimes (often!) will miss things that an outside person can (and will!) notice. A coach becomes the "outside eyes and ears" for the conductor/director and can help them bring the group up to the desired level. I began coaching over 30 years ago and my coaching has taken me literally around the world (seven times!) and I've had the opportunity to work in dozens of countries (and to live in two of them for most of two decades).
What is Choral Coaching?
Before beginning an education and coaching program, each group must assess its abilities in each of the four areas of choral singing. These are Vocal Techniques, Musicianship, Stage Presence, and Choreography (optional). While most conductor/directors are able to sit back and evaluate their groups quite competently, the outside eyes and ears of a choral coach are often able to see and hear things that the conductor/director might otherwise miss. Therefore, when a group decides it is ready to launch an education program, I recommend that the group invite me in to conduct a free Assessment Session. Note: Other than my travel expenses, there is no charge for the Assessment Session.
In the Assessment Session, I will: 1) listen to your group perform two or three songs of contrasting styles, and 2) offer immediate remedies to performance errors and issues, as well as 3) provide suggestions for developing and implementing a long-term improvement program. Most importantly, through some basic exercises I will show, your group will see and hear immediate results, and generally will provide the desire within each singer to see the group develop a long-term education plan.
Naturally, as each group's needs are different, no two groups will require the same amount of work in any one area as another group within that same area. Naturally, too, groups with more highly advanced singers may progress at a more rapid rate, but that should not discourage less advanced groups. Coaching will show improvement in groups of every level, and all groups will greatly benefit from ongoing coaching.
Where do we start?
Since each of the four areas in the education plan builds on the others, I generally begin by introducing the basics of good singing in the initial Vocal Techniques sessions. As the choir improves its singing ability, I begin to introduce other aspects of the vocal craft, which brings about improvement in overall Musicianship. Additionally throughout the plan, work on Stage Presence and Choreography (if desired) are also on-going, with the result being sustained – and consistent – growth.
Improvement is also dependent on the degree of difficulty of the music a group is attempting to master. Those working on very difficult or complex music will find that improvement may be slower than those singing "lighter" or easier music. All musical styles will benefit from coaching, but groups should be realistic in their expectations, based on 1) the ability of the group, and 2) the difficulty of the material your group sings.
How do we start?
Once a group has made the decision to explore an education plan and choral coaching, I recommend promptly scheduling the Assessment Session. Following the Assessment Session, I will provide a comprehensive outline of recommendations detailing the steps I suggest your group should follow to achieve its desired improvement. I will meet with your conductor/director and/or the leadership team of your group to discuss my recommendations and, after allowing a week or so for your group to digest these, I will help you craft an action plan.
The end result is a team approach towards improving your choir. We all – individual singers, conductor/director, leadership team, and me – work together to build your group into the best singing ensemble possible. By working as a team, I help you achieve your goals, so you can have a whole lot more fun singing together. Let's face it . . . it's a lot more fun to sing and perform well. Contact me by phone or email and let's work out a plan for your group.