While the choir is away…

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 - and slightly dangerous jobs. There are SO many songs I want to teach this choir that choosing a sensible number is proving tricky. 🤣

And yes… there will be some Christmas music. 🎄

I know, I know. It’s September. Ooh there’s an idea…

But before you panic, I promise I’m not planning to turn Castle Voices into a permanent Christmas choir for the next three months! There will be plenty of other things to sing, because I want us to have a term full of variety, musical challenges, ridiculous amounts of fun and, hopefully, a few moments where we all stop and think:

“Blimey, we sound good!”

That’s actually something I’m really looking forward to working on this term.

We’ve already got a great sound, but I want to see how much further we can take it. We’ll be working on our blend - listening to the people around us, balancing our parts and learning how all those individual voices can become one big, glorious sound.

And then there’s confidence.

I want Castle Voices to feel like a place where you can come along, sing your heart out, learn something new and gradually become more comfortable performing.

Whether you’re someone who happily grabs a microphone or someone who would currently rather hide behind the person in front of you, there’s a place for you here!

Because one of the loveliest things about leading a choir is watching people grow - musically, creatively and in confidence - and seeing this choir family become something bigger than the sum of its parts. It’s my privilege to share that with you all.

So, if you’re new here, and you’ve been thinking about joining a choir, but haven’t quite taken the plunge yet, this could be your moment.

You don’t need to be able to read music. You don’t need to have sung in a choir before. And you definitely don’t need to arrive knowing your tenor from your treble!

You just need to enjoy singing and be prepared to have a go.

We’ll do the rest together. (That’s my job, and I am so grateful and humbled every time I stand in front of castle voices to be the one leading this journey)

Now, back to my music pile…

I have approximately 327 songs to choose from and absolutely no intention of choosing 327 songs.

Probably….