Raising Voices

Two participants from a training day in autumn share their training diaries of the session and beyond

Leading a choir can be a total joy and a real challenge! There are so many skills involved: leading, role-modelling, listening and learning. What I love about leading these training sessions is enabling the teachers, community musicians and Music Service staff to use their creativity and recognise that they already possess many of the skills required for the task.

The training is about building confidence, re-affirming best practice and sharing ideas so that participants can be inspired to put their singing into action.

We started by discussing recruitment, repertoire and scheduling rehearsals. In particular, we looked at using warm-ups from the Song Bank, such as Plasticine person, to encourage vocal play and voice exploration.

We also explored progression using songs from the Song Bank: starting with a strong unison sound (pitch, tone, diction, presentation),

moving on to held notes, partner-songs, riff-based songs and rounds.

What is Raising Voices?

Raising Voices is Sing Up's new training, CPD and mentoring programme. It aims to ensure that all those wishing to lead singing can gain the right skills and that those already leading singing can broaden their skills. It is offered both as a palette of off-the-shelf courses from the nation's singing experts and also via your Area Leaders, who can organise bespoke training in your area.

On the Sing Up website Skills & Training section, you will find our courses, listed in Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced categories. You can either book an INSET for a group or book onto a course for yourself.

Feedback

Vicky Allen, Reception Class Teacher

Fens Primary School, Harltlepool, Tees Valley

"Being recently given the position of Music Coordinator and asked to lead the school choir and create a smaller chamber choir, my prayers were answered when training on 'How to lead a choir' was offered by Sing Up. Unaware of what the training would involve, but hoping to receive any useful guidance, I set off for Gateshead with pen and paper ready to take notes. Sadly, my writing hand was unprepared for the onslaught.

"Walking in, we were met by a fabulous lady named Sharon Durant and, from the moment we arrived she had us singing and moving around. By the end of the day, walking for the bus, I was absoutely shattered but desperately trying to remember everything in preparation for my first choir rehearsal.

"The following week was manic, with lunchtimes being filled with children wanting to join up. This quickly passed and I soon found myself one Friday afternoon during my NQT time in the school hall face-to-face with over 60 KS2 children eager to sing. I realised then that it was high time to test some of the activities that I had been taught.

"The first challenge was the warm-up. Wow! The sound of all the children stamping and singing in unison soon filled the hall, making it immediately apparent that the children were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"By this point, I was feeling a bit braver and decided to try them on the Gospel medley. The children in the choir range from 7-11 years and we have a number of boys. We worked together on each part and by the end, attempted to sing the three-part harmony as a group. It may have been a bit rusty, but I can't fully describe the fantastic sound that the children produced.

"Many of the staff in the nearby rooms commented on just how good they were. As I enter in to the next great challenge, the build-up to Christmas, I find myself drawing on the new skills. The course was truly fantstic and I look forward to attending many more. Well done Sing Up!"

Flora Peden Smith, Teacher and Music Coordinator

St. Cuthbert's RC First School, Amble, Northumberland

"I always look foward to Sing Up training events, especially when they're free! It's a great mix of meeting people, networking and, most of all, training.

Over the past year, I have been able to access a variety of excellent training and, although I feel confident leading singing, I'm always open to new ideas and enjoy being given the opportunity to share experiences. So a free training session with Sharon Durant on leading a choir was right up my street.

"As a KS2 classroom teacher, I was glad to see that half of the 40-strong group were teachers from Foundation Stage to Year 6, and above. As my newly-fledged school choir has children from Years 1-4, I was sure that there would be plenty of opportunities for me to learn and develop new repertoire and skills.

"Sharon promised to cover a huge range of issues: from getting boys to sing, to conducting, to making up your own arrangements and everything in-between - and all in one day! After a great morning covering warm-ups, vocal exercises and singing games, we split into small groups to prepare our own arrangement, which I am sure was very entertaining for visitors to the cafe as we stood serenading them in the stairwell. It was an opportunity to put into practice what we had been learning. It was fantastic to share our skills and ideas to create something new. I changed from feeling confident to a bag of nerves though, when our group was chosen to perform our arrangement in front of the rest of the group. After than, I'll always remember that feeling when I get my kids to perform!

"Lunch was a brilliant opportunity for mixing and networking, before heading back for a bit of a Q&A session, some medley singing and another chance to lead a small group. By the end of the day, I was surprised to see that we had covered everything as promised, and had had a lot of fun along the way.

"I left with my notebook full of scribbles and my head full of ideas that I'll be trying on in school straight away. Inspired, I am already looking forward to the next training session!"

Area Leader News

We are delighted to announce that the Area Leader London Consortium with lead organisation Sound Connections and a Steering Group of Music Services, singing leaders and community organisations, is now in place. The Steering Group is meeting monthly to plan strategically and to continue to raise the profile of Sing Up workforce development in London. Email to find out more. Area Leader, Hampshire Music Service, is developing training for staff in schools specifically around the Sing Up Awards levels that will support schools in their progression through the awards. Find out more about the awards by visiting the Training Area.