Music Teacher - Quick tips for starting a school choir

Robert Legg gives practical tips on how to get staff and students on your side in setting up a school choir.

Robert Legg

Before you start

Assemble your team. It’s possible to go it alone, but having another adult or two will make things easier and more fun. If you’ve got a colleague who plays piano or guitar, having an accompaniment will bring more flexibility and open doors to more interesting repertoire choices.

Organise your space. Think carefully about where you want to rehearse. You need a big enough space that’s well-lit and a pleasant temperature. It’s helpful if you can avoid anywhere with noisy distractions – you need to be able to hear your singers.

Make your pitch. When you’re ready, start generating interest by telling your students about your plans. Try to emphasise the elements you think will attract their interest the most. If the word ‘choir’ isn’t sparking enthusiasm, consider calling it something else.

In rehearsal

Do a worthwhile warm-up. This is a chance to build your singers’ focus while you warm up their voices and bodies. You don’t need to spend ages, but it’s always worth dedicating the first few minutes of even a short rehearsal to this important activity. There are lots of good resources to draw upon for ideas.

Insist on excellence. The better your group sings, the more your singers will enjoy taking part. Start with something easy so that you can focus on creating a great sound, conveying the mood of the music and making sure the words are crisp and well accentuated.

Think harmony! Singing in parts can be daunting but the rewards are huge. If holding independent lines is too much of a challenge at first, use rounds and partner songs to create instant and enjoyable harmonies without a lot of hassle.

Mix it up. Over time, make sure that you tackle a variety of music, and don’t get stuck in a single groove. Try to bring your singers things they won’t expect. Songs in diffierent languages are great, especially when they’re not too wordy.

Next steps

Choose music you believe in. It’s important that the pieces you select are the right level and that they’re pedagogically useful. But it’s more important that they’re musically interesting and beautiful. Avoid inconsequential ditties and go straight for the songs whose music and meaning speak powerfully to you and to your choir.

Offer a carrot. Singing is intrinsically rewarding, but extrinsic rewards can be effiective too. Organising your rehearsals around a trip, a recording, a concert or another special event can help the students to be motivated to attend.

Grow your group. Once you’ve got a core membership, showcase the group’s work and use that buzz to recruit new singers. A no-commitment ‘bring a buddy’ session is a tried and tested way of building numbers.

Use your adult supporters. Make the most of the colleagues, parents and other adults who show an interest in what you’re doing. Delegate tasks where you can, draw upon their expertise, and make it a shared endeavour!