#ChoirLife

Five rehearsals into Season 18, and we’re nearly 60 voices strong! Every week, I walk into the room and feel this incredible warmth and positive energy. It’s infectious, uplifting and, quite honestly, a little intoxicating. I’m loving every minute of it. We kicked off this week with another fun, slightly brain-bending warm-up. 😜 Each week, I try something different to get us coordinating, engaging both sides of our brains and exploring the physicality of rhythm and sound. T

Well… that was a rather wonderful way to start a new season. Last night was our very first rehearsal of Castle Voices Season 18, and I’m still feeling buoyant after it. There were 53 people in the room - our biggest first rehearsal ever(!) - which is both thrilling and a little alarming when you realise that means 53 people potentially noticing when you count everyone in incorrectly, or sing the wrong part 🤣 There was the inevitable catching up and excited chatter before th

What Happens Before the First Note? It’s that funny time of year when Castle Voices hasn’t actually started back yet… but in my head, we’re already halfway through the term! While everyone else is enjoying the last bits of summer (oh yes, it is raining today…), I’m surrounded by ideas, sheet music, playlists, scribbled notes and the ever-present question: “Ooh… could we sing that?” I’m currently putting together our setlist for the coming term, which is one of my favourite -

Feeling butterflies before the BIG SING? Thank your adrenaline! With just one week to go until THE BIG SING, excitement in the choir, and amongst the people who’ve bought tickets to come and see us is building. Over the past few months we’ve worked incredibly hard. We’ve learned new songs, new harmonies, developed our vocal technique, built our confidence, and created something special together. Another Night at the Mowlem was a wonderful concert, not only because we perfor

There’s always a moment before a concert where I wonder whether all the moving parts are actually going to come together in time. Weeks of rehearsals. Learning notes and harmonies. Remembering words. Learning about staging, beginnings, endings, thinking about the staging, microphones, movement, how to instil confidence, and good on stage communication - and all the things audiences don’t necessarily see that turn a group of singers into a performance choir. And then suddenly,

❓So what is a rock choir really all about? As the musical director of a group of people who come together each week to learn new songs, develop their individual technique, and throw the music grow together, it’s incredibly humbling to watch it evolve into something so much more than just singing. Every Tuesday evening, we all arrive carrying whatever the week has thrown at us. And then, in that first shared breath, something shifts. That connection is made. We are in this t

I’ve always found standing in front of a group of people who want to take something away from our encounter a little bit daunting. I’m actually terrible at end of the day appointments, because I spend the whole day wondering how it will be - even when I know it’s going to be great, good, wonderful even. So I deliberately set aside the whole of Tuesdays. To work on the music, the admin, the marketing, and to let myself be completely absorbed by the rehearsal that comes at